A Whim Purchase

[yardyuk]

Good Morning All,

 

Whilst helping my wife with a craft fair in Derby yesterday, during a break away from stall duty, I went wandering looking for a model shop Helen had seen earlier in the day so upon entering Galactic Models (a very promising shop!), they had for sale a 009 loop layout for sale on behalf of Mickleover Model Railway Group

 

 

So obviosly I purchased the layout, included minitrains loco and off I went with another little project (much to the pleasing on my wife.......) skipping forward to last night, when testing the loco in the shop, it did work but only at full speed.

 

 

So after a little bit of attention it was up and running round at a slow juddery pace until...... a puff of smoke and it moved no more (rubbish!). After carefully removing the cab, I believe the cam motor has died as the electrical pick-up are conducting well but there is no continuity across the motors contacts at any rotation of the shaft.

 

 

After some late night research, I think replacing the motor with a Mashima MHK-1015 should provide an improved performance, however the flywheel on the top of the motor and the worm gear are securely fastened, can anybody advise where I could purchase all three items (together ideally) or if anyone has any tips for motor replacement for a Minitrains 'Strainz'?

I have been modelling OO and N gauge over the last 25 years so 009 seemed a nice crossover and I appologies for future silly questions as I get my head around 009, thanks!

[yardyuk]

A quick update on operation "fix the loco I've blown up" ( need to think of a catchier title), after spending a good few hours trying to source the necessary bits to attempt the repair, I had a 'lightbulb' moment and thought, even though Minitrains don't show any spares on their website, what's the hard in sending a quick email to ask.... thankfully I received a reply this evening from Axel (a great German name, I'm sure you agree) to say that they sell replacement motors (hurray) at a reasonable price with the flywheel and worm drive attached already (hurray!).

So all being well, I should hopefully have the replacement part ordered in the next couple of days and the train back in a running state soon.

 

This allows me to turn my attention to scenery...... As I have previously been a track and trains person (ask my wife), scenery has never really progressed beyond track ballst and platforms, so one of my aims for this little loop is to gain some experience and skills in scenery. at the moment I don't fully know what I want from the layout, the only think I am currently certain of is: -

 

The two buildings will be removed

 

I want to have a 1980-2000 theme (I know the loco is steam based but in my head I will alter history using the relative 'Andy Y (the other one) changes history to suit his needs' theory whereby due to dinosaurs NOT dying off, they didn't decompose and transform into the chemical bases of oil hence transport was stuck using coal (also a fossil fuel (I know) but it's my alternative reality) and so steam trains prevail!

 

Possible use of taller buildings than commonly used to produce a visual impairment of the loop hence allowing glimpses of the train appearing and disappearing.

 

Possibly re-wire the loop so that it can be run on a push button timer for my girls to enjoy starting and watching

 

I am not expecting to create a great masterpiece as is seen throughout the many pages of rmweb, my skills are not that good but I'll have a good try at achieving something Ive never attempted before. I hope you will all bear with me and (please) encourage/ suggest ideas as I go along otherwise I'll go a bit stranger with my alternative history theories and magical ideas that I want to include.

 

Thank you

[yardyuk]

Evening All,

 

The past couple of days have been good in the world of modelling, Axel (the German man) has come good and within 24hrs, I had a brand need replacement motor all the way from Germany, so I can have nothing but praise for Minitrains excellent customer service

 

So about half an hour ago with the aid of a soldering iron and my rather tired eyes, on burnt out motor was removed, a brand new black coloured motor was installed it work, by jove it works, wahoo! So a gentle run in period for the motor is being undertaken as I type! So I how have a former exhibition layout and a working 0-4-0 shunter to proceed with.

 

 

As an open question to anyone reading this... What do people think about me removing the large white painted lamps at the front (and rear) of the train as a first move to Anglicanise the loco?

 

I also had a first scribble (below) as any idea about what I'm thinking about changing this tranquil chalet scene into, it’s a little bit more industrial that current but I like the idea on the loco travelling between buildings so the viewer gets to have glimpses of the train as it pops in  and out of view, comments/suggestions and criticism would be greatly appreciated (I apologise for the drawing, all I had to  hand was a marker pen)

 

 

 

 

 

[JDW]

Looks like an interesting plan, I like the idea of it popping in and out of buildings, it seems to have more of a sense of purpose then than just going round and round.

 

I look forward to seeing the outcome!

[yardyuk]

A brief update on progress, I'm feeling happy with my initial sketch after a weeks deliberating in my head.

 

I started playing around with cutting cereal boxes up and starting to mock up the front building, as a first pass it seems like it will work quite well although I'm still indecisive as to what Im going to have as an arrangement/scenario inside this promenant front building. in order to progress this first building, I have purchased a Scalescenes warehouse download too create the basic building wall and frame, onto this I hope to add an element of individuality when it comes to the latter stages.

 

I've printed off the pages to clad this building but didn't feel that the thickness of the card I had would stand the test of time without warping so am just awaiting a delivery of some 1mm and 2mm card to give the structure the best chance of staying upright and rigid.

[trisonic]

Sorry for seeming to be an Ass - but why didn’t you just build your own rather than doing such a radical conversion?   It would have been cheaper, at least, surely?

 

I know it is your layout, just wondering is all...

 

Best, Pete.

[yardyuk]

Pete, in all fairness, the purchase was a complete whim, it was there in a model shop in front of me and my mind did a quick simulation of what I could turn it into, also the price I paid was less than the cost of the loco on its own so that made the board, track and scenery effectively zero value and so I have no hang ups about scraping the scenery back to pretty much basic. So I stopped thinking, stuck my hand in my pocket and bought it then and there after only seeing it about 3 minutes earlier.

 

Also I feel that it's carrying on the work that the previous owner must have put in to build the frame, lay and wire the track.

 

PLUS I think the little 0-4-0 is rather cool and when I get round to it, will try and tone down the German look off it a bit.

[switcher 1]

Suggest removing the spark arrester to make it more British looking.