tractor_37260

Yep no bother - I'll do a "how to" in stages with photos etc, when I do the other bogie next week

No problem Simon - not taken as a jibe at all - Trust Botchmann - if it's NOT broken and it works - let's just fix it anyway ( ie revise it for the worse) ! More importantly, lets hope they do not roll out this revision on forthcoming models

Hi Simon The poor design of the originals resulting in intermittent pick up with the resulting flickering lights/stalling/bad slow speed running etc as many have already discovered, make this a very worthwhile mod. The standard pick-up arrangement on this model is, as far as I'm concerned a backward step, the design etc and also that it only picks up on 8 wheels, and over time will be very prone to poor contact in the vital areas, and as for cleaning "a nightmare" Yes crazy maybe. but the results speak for themselves. Cheers Ken

Are you perhaps referring to the thick bogie side mounted pipes (steam ??) that on a model help to hide the gap between the nose and bogies.

Had a couple of hours spare this afternoon, so decided to make a start on adding extra pick-ups to the new 40. It was a bit tricky to solder the PB strip and also keep it in alignment - but I got there in the end. Even with just one bogie done, it makes a big difference in running quality- no flickering lights at all, or hesitation/stalling etc. No scope now for bad pick-up using the (poor) originals + 12 new ones ! HTH Ken

I'll think the new design of pick ups via the grooves in the brass axle bushes is causing intermittent contact etc. Contact now has to made from the wheel/axle through the brass bush and finally via the pick up strip located in the brass bush groove. Keeping the 2 main contact areas clean will be virtually impossible. Although it has 6 axle drive, only 8 wheels have pick ups, unlike a 37 etc which has 12. Fitting new wiper pick ups to all 12 driven wheels (a la 37 etc) should make a big improvement, and it will also be much easier to keep them clean etc.

Have you tried removing the decoder and then running it on DC with the blanking plate fitted ? With the plate fitted and the chassis on it's back you can then check via some cables etc from a DC power supply/rails if all wheels with pick ups turn the motor. Also worth checking the contact point where the pick-ups rub on the small ring on the rear of the wheels is clean etc. Replacing the screws at both nose ends is necessary to get the lights working as intended when testing etc. Perhaps I've just been lucky with mine, it ran beautifully straight out of the box. HTH Ken

Super photos of the new 40 Lee - other than the "thick faced buffers/shanks" I'm really happy with mine, a big improvement on the original version. Easy to swap bodies over as well, no more speaker wires - sprung contacts instead. A ScotRail 26 - easy to see why Chris Green never sanctioned that in his day ;-)) great job all the same As for the big H selling out - no worries - Hereford Models has stock and also cheaper than the big H - that's of course if you can't get one from the CFPS which really should be ones first port of call ! Cheers Ken

Can confirm the lights have the same style of nose end contacts as the 37's. The speaker (when fitted) is also connected via spring contacts, as per the cab lights, instead of the normal tehered wires. So swapping bodies over on sound/non sound examples should be a breeze - just swap the speaker/decoder over with no wires to connect. My 141 example ran like a "swiss watch" straight out of the box - no drive train etc noises at all - a good start ! However as supplied the decoder settings of CV 3 + 4 were both 0 hence it shot off too quickly and then stopped almost instantly on closing the throttle. I'd suggest setting CV 3 to 128 and CV 4 to 64 for starters, and adjust from there to suit. Overall I think it's a big improvement on the original version, complete with factory fit BB pipes etc. Replacement buffers/shanks will finish it off nicely. It would appear Hattons have already sold out of these - try Hereford Models http://herefordmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=7309&zenid=3a253d1296d93774157c79892d9732ee £87-75 + post.

Some interesting mods, especially the unusual use of the etched cab window surround (grommets only) - do you intend using 37 laserglaze or ? if so have you altered the window openings to allow it to fit, prior to fitting the grommets ?

According to a Hatton's update - 40 141 is now due between Jan and Feb 2104 Oops - that's a major typo !! but you never know - it's been a loooooooooong wait so far !

RM has recently revised the "small packet" postage size regs - no doubt due to loads of complaints etc. Assuming a total package was less than 1K in weight it will now go for £3.70 2nd Class recorded. Sometimes it's cheaper to parcel 2 items side by side, rather than one on top of the other - the total weight is the same - but... it's cheaper to post it one way than the other ! HTH

£78 for this !! OMG - perhaps a visit to spec savers would have been a better option ! Crazy http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-OO-MODIFIED-DRS-BLUE-CLASS-20-308-DIESEL-LOCO-/190994908320?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2c782f04a0

Hi Peter Nice to see the bogie centre springs getting correctly moved back on the 33, not many pick up on that mod, the same also applying to the 26/27. Regards Ken

Have RAIL's finally "lost the plot" - this coach is still avail from Kernow for £29.99 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-OO-39-411Z-BR-MK2A-HST-BARRIER-VENICLE-/130997856389?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item1e8014a885

Amazing £72 + for an empty BOX and certificate etc http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-Class-37-37702-37798-Limited-Edition-box-certificate-/331059396051?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item4d14ad7dd3

Did you use acrylic or enamel varnish ? Railtec transfers are good quality, but tend to be a little fragile and require careful handling. Hurst Models used to supply good quality (readable) water slide coach end detail sheets, http://www.shop.hurstmodels.com/tfc903-coach-end-and-side-detail-combi-pack-263-p.asp showing O/S at present. Hurst also recommended spaying a thin coat of acrylic varnish over the compete transfer sheet prior to using/cutting out the required images. HTH K

Hi Dave I managed to get some Dorspring seated figures here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-00-Gauge-Model-Railway-Seated-Figures-Men-or-Women-Pack-of-10-/290983443051?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&var=&hash=item43bff6fa6b But they are now all sold - perhaps they will be listing more ? HTH

Another option for changing the plate colour - remove the existing colour with a fibre glass pencil - paint overall with the desired colour, when dry rub the plate, face down on a flat surface on top of 1000/1200 wet/dry paper used dry - keeping it flat when rubbing - finally polish using the same technique on white etc printer paper. Another tip, as your re-doing 37 201 - when fitting the big T transfer - align the bottom edge of the "T" with the dividing line of the yellow/grey bodyside bands - so the "T" sits on the top edge of the grey so to speak. HTH K

Hi Dave Interesting photos. Re the marker light sizes - is it perhaps possible that Bach have revised their size on the latest releases ? they certainly don't appear so "jarring" to the eye in these photos. I've used (painted) fine fuse wire for the PP cables in the past, much more to scale than what's supplied. Are the cab side windows pushed fully into-place ? from your photos they do look very un-flush. Great model and layout Regards Ken

I would agree, the marker light's on the NSE/IC versions definitely look smaller, more to scale than on 47 156 - perhaps Bachmann will revise this issue at some point on future releases. Nice line up of duffs also !

Plenty Heljan 47 spare ones about - possibly nearer scale also

This takes some beating : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AIRBRUSH-KIT-AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-AIR-BRUSH-COMPRESSOR-WITH-2-AIRBRUSHES-/290631234796?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Tattoos_BodyArt_SM&hash=item43aaf8b4ec Exactly the same item is being sold elsewhere on eBay for less than £100 !

No link as such, but I'll pass on my own findings after many hours experimenting to find the causes of the noise and the derailing etc One question, if as you state "I didn't even run them" how did you know there was a problem ? All models require running in, to help the drive mechanism bed in etc. I first found problems with Bach 6 axle drive 37's. Some of these were very noisey and tended to derail occasionally. On all the problem locos, I found that the centre axle/wheels were lower than the outer ones, causing the bogie to rock back and fore on the centre wheels under drive. Putting a straight edge across the the 3 axle/wheel treads, hard against the flanges, confirmed the centre wheelset was lower than the outers, both sides of each bogie require checking, both sides are normally out, sometimes one side more than the other. I also found the problem more common on the No1 end bogie for some reason, but occasionally on both bogies. The solution: Firstly, on any bogie with a lower centre axle , remove the centre axle/wheelset - and then test run the loco, and access the results. There should be a noticeable reduction in noise etc, it should also no longer derail. Before refitting the centre wheelset, using a round file, carefully increase the depth ONLY of the brass bearing housing holes on each side of the bogie, a little at a time, refit the centre axle wheelset and re-check that all the wheel treads are now in line. There is normally enough "play" in the centre gear meshing to allow the axle to fit slightly higher/lower depending how you look at it. I've found the above mod has cured all my problem Bach 37 and 47 models. One other issue to watch out for, which so far I've only had problems on 37's with, is on some models the plastic cup in the flywheels where the drive shaft connects sometimes comes loose, and turns with the drive shaft, this results in very poor running and stalling etc, but again is easy to fix, once you strip down the chassis to get at it ! Glue the cup into the flywheel recess with some Araldite - sorted. As for 6 against 4 axle drive - try putting a Bachmann 47 and a Heljan 47 head to head , the Heljan normally wins hands down - it will push a dead Bach 47 - but the Bach will slip/spin the wheels being unable to push the Heljan Hopefully this will prove helpful to yourself and others Regards Ken

What were the problems with the bogies ? derailing / noisey or what ? If the "banana" shape you refer to, results in the centre axle/wheels being lower than the outer axles, causing derailing and noise, it's a five minute fix with a file to sort them !