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How Many Hornby A4's Have You Got


Mike70
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Wheels - a replacement set might be needed, else take them out, and measure the back to backs of the flanges at various points. I suspect one ofthe wheels is not straight on the axle. Possible to 'encourage' is straight; although I've only done this on metal Bachmann Wheels, not plastic centred Hornby ones. Spare wheels are available from AC Models Eastleigh, Peters Spares, East Kent Models... Just make sure you get a Black set with a speedo crank on the rear wheel

Edited by G-BOAF
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My R3103 Bittern just arrived from Kernow, it looks great despite the use of the old chassis on the water tender. Running quality is supect though as it waddles like a duck instead of strutting along like a heron - must be the runt of the litter! No chance of changing though as it is now sold out, will have to investigate the problem when I get a chance.

 

 

That sounds like it might benefit from a gear assembly replacement.

Update! Basically I think it is just a case of c**p chassis design / assembly as it is so hit and miss to get the assembly right. The outer driving wheel axles have two brass bearings but the centre drive axle has only a single bearing in centre of chassis which in my case was a sloppy fit in chassis. I found that as fitted the centre axle was skewing causing the wheels to waddle! So out with some 0.002" shim and after some fun and games getting the bearing a snug fit in chassis - hey presto centre axle now running square and true and Bittern runs like a sewing machine and much, much quieter. If I was cynical I would think that the last locos out of the SK factory may have been built up from left overs hence the low numbers produced.

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I have just 3:

 

R2339 Mallard in LNER Garter Blue

R2136 Commonwealth of Australia BR Early Crest - (my only remain tender drive loco - as a very special Ltd Edn from downunder)

R2826 Dominion of New Zealand BR Early Crest

 

Si

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I do own one A4 - this being Hornby's fantastic No.60010 'Dominion of Canada' issued in 2010. A very fine locomotive and my personal favourite of them all; I love to run it time and time again. My only concern is what will happen when and if the motor finally goes... for now though I am happy to keep her in steam and in full operation.

 

I also used to own a RailRoad A4; Mallard No.60022 with the DCC chip. A decent locomotive, but sadly had issues with the decoder chip that made her inoperable. The locomotive moved about a foot, then produced a magnificent steam effect. Only did it once though...

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  • 4 weeks later...

Dominion of New Zealand finished . Built using a  secondhand damaged Hornby Mallard body , Single Chimney, New Bufferbeam a mixture of GBL moulding and Maygib Buffers, Etched cab doors, Repainted correct Tender. Etched plates and numbers /letters.

 

post-7186-0-19216600-1419536936_thumb.jpg

 

post-7186-0-89993200-1419536959_thumb.jpg

 

 

Union of South Africa in the queue for next year.

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Kingfisher in LNER blue 4463 - But I am not sure why I keep it as I only model and run BR(s) in 00 scale.

(The train pack was going cheap, and I could not resist a bargain - then promptly bough some extra coaches...

And there they sits loved but unused to this day...)

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Hi Martin

 

I shall certainly follow the advice you have given about how to stop wheel wobble as my A4 woodcock has developed a nasty wobble and so has 1 of my A3s number 60049 Galtee Moore but I fear it is starting to happen on all my fleet.

 

Is the 0.002" shim made out of brass tube or a sheet of brass of that thickness.

0.002" is extremely thin. I was considering trying loctite before I read the idea here of a shim. I believe the original poster told me cigarette paper was an option for the shim material.

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Hi Martin

 

I shall certainly follow the advice you have given about how to stop wheel wobble as my A4 woodcock has developed a nasty wobble and so has 1 of my A3s number 60049 Galtee Moore but I fear it is starting to happen on all my fleet.

 

Is the 0.002" shim made out of brass tube or a sheet of brass of that thickness.

I still have a small strip of 0.010" of laminated brass shim - 5 layers of 0.002" which I saved from my engineering days, it has proved very useful over the years for jobs like this. I have also used hammered Baco foil to produce one off shims, you can also do the same to brass but it work hardens so must be annealed or is hard to form without splitting.

 

If you need some brass shim try >   http://www.alwayshobbies.com/materials/metal/sheet/k$4s-brass-sheet-$4-shim

 

You can also try cigarette paper as a shim but there must be no oil or grease around but once you have got the bearings located correctly a tiny spot of super glue or Loctite will set it in place and you can then lubricate as normal.

 

Cheers

Martin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dominion of New Zealand finished . Built using a  secondhand damaged Hornby Mallard body , Single Chimney, New Bufferbeam a mixture of GBL moulding and Maygib Buffers, Etched cab doors, Repainted correct Tender. Etched plates and numbers /letters.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_5833.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_5837.jpg

 

 

Union of South Africa in the queue for next year.

Love your work on 4492, but is her whistle missing? Can't make it out on the photo.

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Ooops yes, I will fit one !!  

Ah good (was doubting my eyesight for a moment!), may I ask what you used to position the letters and numbers correctly? As you already know, I'm working on a Hornby 4491 and as I'll have to remove the existing ones as much as I can- completely if possible.

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On Tenders i remove 99% of the letters just leaving a piece of lettering at bottom left corner. , the lay tape across line up steel letters fixing with tiny dots of superglue.

 

Cabs are harder ,remove numbers lay tape along bottom edge of where numbers are going, then add numbers evenly spaced across the space, mark positions with a pencil mark first and again glue on.

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On Tenders i remove 99% of the letters just leaving a piece of lettering at bottom left corner. , the lay tape across line up steel letters fixing with tiny dots of superglue.

 

Cabs are harder ,remove numbers lay tape along bottom edge of where numbers are going, then add numbers evenly spaced across the space, mark positions with a pencil mark first and again glue on.

Okay, but what should I use to get the correct positions on the driver's side (Hornby's effort is way too far forward) of the tender?

Edited by Ade the Pianist 4468
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I do own one A4 - this being Hornby's fantastic No.60010 'Dominion of Canada' issued in 2010. A very fine locomotive and my personal favourite of them all; I love to run it time and time again. My only concern is what will happen when and if the motor finally goes... for now though I am happy to keep her in steam and in full operation.

 

When the motor goes (I think the stated life is 100hrs), spares are available. You migh be advised to have one in hand now I suspect the quality of the newest motors night not what they were during the period up to c.2012. About £15 I think.

The beauty of properly designed Hornby locos is that, like the real thing, any parts liable to wear can be replaced. Motor, gears, valvegear and wheels/bearings. All available from the major Hornby spares stockists. For me it is the replacability of bearings and resultant preservation of the chassis block for mechanical wear that justifies brass bearings, as well as the improved running properties they bring.

Enjoy your A4, maybe stock up on spares, and rest assured that with proper care, it has the potential to last a lifetime.

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