mikesndbs

This was the final straw! Never even got 1/4 way around the layout before pivoting itself off the track with this rod hanging down, seems to be some black box lose now as well, lubricator? There is nothing like a defective loco to break your heart and make you feel utterly pissed off, especially when you have saved up and built yourself up for it

Ah yes I am in the process of that now, took it down for a run in and part of the valve gear fell off, also sounds like I am running it on PWM when I am not so something amiss with the motor as well FFS Hornby come on

So I got tempted and decided to trust Hornby again with a costly locomotive. To me it looks like its been sat on and the front and back are bent up, looking at the front buffer beam compared to my V Trains 37 the buffers are way too high and the running plate does not look right. Have I yet again bought a pup or is there some fix? You can see how far I have to lift the back wheels to line up the buffers

Thanks, yes had a reply saying they would like them but not sure how to get them due to Covid, awaiting them to get back to me

Incredible machine, can't wait despite being DC only

Hi, a very thin layer of graphite is non-polar, probably a belt and braces approach would be to use the WD40 Contact Cleaner followed by a quick stroke with the graphite. Would be interesting to hear how it works out?

Hi, to try and help you. The oxidation continues long after the trains have stopped, in fact keeping the trains running helps slow it down. Think of a garden tool, if you use it it stays bright, leave it unused and rust soon takes over. Once the electromechanical process has been started, i.e. metal molecules blasted off by arcing, they continue to rust. There is no mistique to the polar issue, it is well noted and researched just does not seem to have made it into our hobby hence the video To address your final point, all these solvents evaporate really fast, there will be nothing left within a very few moments, also the way I use my two pad Tidy Track, is that the front pad is the course type where the fluid is applied and the rear pad is one of the white polishing pads, therefore application is immediately followed by mop up and polish. Hope this helps,have a great weekend.

Hi everyone Well after my video I was contacted by a very nice chap with a scientific background and I have to say I have now switched away from IPA for all electrical contact cleaning on my models. Here is a new updated video which not only discusses the matter but shows some evidence as well. I have not released this video before as we wanted to do in depth testing first. Hope it is of interest.

Thanks yes lol me to years and years of it hahahah we live and learn eh

Thanks very much, is white spirit not too greasy?

Good morning, having been testing the theory for some time and getting the chance to work with a very knowledgeable chap, I have this significant update to my previous video guide that I hope others will be interested in. If you do take the advice I'd love to hear how you get on? I used to clean the track before every major running session, since this its around twice a month!

Having an interest in the Southampton docks railways I wonder if anyone can help me understand how the point work that was set into the roads worked? I mean its hard to understand how the point blades moved unless they were just left unobstructed in which case the roads would have big holes (not unlike most today) I have been unable to find a clear picture. I'd also be very interested in how to model this. Thanks Photo from Dave Marden Collection

Hi guys Does anyone have any links to where I can buy some ready painted crew for my Hornby Terriers please?

Just mailed them, thanks for the idea

Hi Richard, this is just DC with the blanking plug.

Quick question please guys. My friends one is crossed wired so that it goes in the wrong direction on DC. Looking at the connections on the dcc socket, which wires can he swap over to correct this please, i.e. which are the feeds to the loco motor? Thanks

Good evening all, thank you for the replies. I have been hard at it at work so hence late reply. Have to say I am frustrated by the legal side of this! I wonder if someone from RM looking in might like to suggest a way forward, I can't face dumping them all but just don't have the space. I'd imagine these could be some of the last around so it would be a crying shame to lose all that content.

Is there a list somewhere or could we work on one that shows the common materials used in our hobby. From loco bodies to the sleepers of our track? I am looking at this from a point of view of which chemicals are safe to use etc. I know for example that traction tyres are now made of Neoprene. Thanks

Hi I am at a loss. My father recently passed away and I have discovered his boxed collection of Railway Modeller magazines, starting in the 1950s to 80s with no gaps I can see, then more into the early 90s. There is a wealth of history of the hobby and 'how to's' in their pages. Really they need scanning in and a public archive made. My problem is I don't have the time or space. What is the best most sensitive and preserving way to pass them on? Thanks Mike (location is Havant Hants)

OK lol keen to find out

OK cool, did you ever look inside?

Hornby left, Bachmann right, Hornby look a fraction higher to me, nothing too bad however.

They look ok with mine, hang on.....

A chap called Tony Martin was my contact, yellow fronted controller with a relay delay fitted so everything was charged up etc. Ref the Vector, yes the non crawler type need a small modification to get really good slow speed control. I'll send you a link if interested?

OH wow you have one of those, me too, I knew one of the chaps behind them. Lovely controllers. They are OK but 'may' be a little buzzy sounding on coreless. A small value non polarized electrolytic capacitor placed across the DC controlled output will solve that for coreless without spoiling the controllability of normal motors. Look for something like 47uF at 35 volts.