scratcher

Bought a new Gaugemaster D and tried the Castle with that. It still exhibits the erratic running, with the same current draw behaviour. All my other locos are fine. So it's got to be something to do with the loco. Either faulty from the start or using it with the H&M caused a permanent problem. Meter readings from Gaugemaster about the same as the H&M. A 1980's Hornby tender-drive LNER B17 drew consistently over 2 amps but behaved fine with great slow speed control.

After a long gap when a higher priority project took my time (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/134314-nucast-lner-a5-4-6-2t-build/), I've started to think about this again. I'm still looking for some answers to the above questions, if anyone is able to help. Steve

I have a Mainline 43xx from 1982. It had become virtually unusable due to the original motor making a racket and not running at constant speed. I replaced the chassis/motor with a second-hand Bachmann one, and it has transformed the loco into one that runs really smoothly and reliably. If you are going to spend any time and/or money on your 43xx then my recommendation is get a Bachmann chassis rather than persevere with the Mainline one. Word of warning - it took me two attempts though - the first chassis I bought had to be returned as one of the axles was shot.

I used a meter today to measure the current drawn by the Castle. When running normally, it drew a consistent 1.3-1.5 amps irrespective of speed. When it had a slow-down the current shot up to anywhere between 2.5 and 4.0 amps, depending on the original speed. I then tried measuring the voltage but the engine started to behave itself; it had a brief slow-down once and the voltage which was 6.x dropped down to 5.x. I will try again and see if I can observe a reliable voltage change. When behaving, the engine draws almost the same current as my Hornby King. New Bachmann and Mashita motors seem to draw a bit less, closer to 1 amp. An older Bachmann (43xx) drew nearer 2 amps. None of these have ever exhibited the behaviour of the Castle.

Anybody have any idea what colours the A5 cab interior would have been painted in LNER days? The three Bachmann ex-GCR locos (J11, O4, D11) that I have are all different. For example, the O4 & D11 have a white/cream cab side & roof whereas the J11 is dark green. And would the interior colour have been applied to the cab rear, or would that have been black ?

Looked at this again since I got back and tried some of the suggestions above. Detached the tender and blanked the connecting plug so the loco ran on its own. Made no difference, the loco still ran erratically. Wired a 9V PP3 battery across the track instead of the controller. The loco ran normally. Added back the tender and a 4 coach load. Continued to run normally. So it looks like there is something about the output from the Duette that the electrics on this particular loco do not like. It is puzzling, and a shame, as I have 15 other locos dating from 1982 to present day (mixture of Hornby, Bachmann and kits) and they are all fine. I do eventually want to go DCC but the age of some of my locos means that is not a trivial undertaking, so I will stick analogue for now. Any recommendations for a twin controller? Thanks again for your help.

I'm away for a few weeks now, but will try the suggestions above when I get back. Thanks. My King hauls a 10 coach rake including a brass slip coach and has no problem with that. I was using the first Castle to haul the same when it first started mis-behaving, so I did wonder if it was overhearing. So with the second Castle, I reduced the load from the start and it has hauled no more than 4 coaches plus a horse box.

Thanks for suggestions. If it is the controller, it's odd that I've not seen this before with any other loco, including several new-ish Hornby & Bachmann RTR plus a new Mashima in an LNER A5 tank I have just finished. I've alerted the retailer that it might be on its way back, but I'll give Hornby technical line a call and try a different controller first. Steve

I bought a new Hornby Drysllwyn Castle in February. I was using it to haul various rakes on a continuous loop so it got a good run out each time. In early May I noticed that it was slowing up for no apparent reason, after running for a while. Removed the coaches and it still did it. It was ok at slow speeds but once it got up a bit of speed it started to happen. Both directions. It's not jerky, it just slows up, and most of the time will eventually pick up speed again. Wheels were clean, but cleaned them anyway. Pickups looked to be in correct places. Took off the plastic chassis keeper plate couldn't see anything amiss. Took off front bogie, not that. Removed body and took off the weight over the gear train, and all looked ok there (the whole thing is effectively sealed so no chance for anything foreign to get in anyway). Didn't happen with other locos, so concluded was very unlikely to be the track/electrics/controller. The latter is an old H&M Duette - tried on both outputs. I was completely stumped and in the end sent the loco back and got a replacement. New loco arrived and I ran it in carefully. All seemed well. Until the other day, when it started doing the exact same thing as the first one. Has anybody experienced anything similar? I am starting to wonder if there is something about the output of the H&M that this particular loco does not like. I also have the Hornby King which looks like it has the same motor, and it runs perfectly. Steve

Good idea Chris I will do that. I also need to put some tape over the top motor contact as its mighty close to the bottom of the cab front when everything is in place.

I've nearly finished my first white metal kit so thought I'd post some pics of the end result. I get a lot of information from RMweb so it's also a chance to contribute back. I bought the kit off a well-known auction site a few years ago. It was the updated version with etched brass frames and turned chassis spacers, as opposed to the original solid milled one. The chassis had been assembled but I eased down the hole for the centre axle and replaced the axle bearings so all six wheels made good rail contact. It came with an X04 motor but I replaced that with Mashima and gearbox from Branch Lines. The resultant chassis with suitable weighting ran a treat, with great slow speed control. The body had been started but only a few pieces had been assembled. Quite a bit of filling and sanding down of components needed to get rid of gaps and mould lines but the finished result I think looks ok. There's no cab floor or interior supplied with the kit, plus no cab entrances, the tank and bunker being a single continuous piece of while metal. The entrances were cut out, a brass floor added with cutouts for the rear wheels then a plasticard top added to cover the cutouts. The interior was scratch built from brass and plasticard, with a GC backhead from 247 developments (though it does not look like any GC backhead I have seen), a screw reverser (GW but close enough) and twin brake towers. A slice was removed from the backhead to accommodate the motor shaft - I guess I could cut this but it's hardened steel and I haven't got the right gear for that (plus don't want to risk damaging the motor). The interior looks good, and given the enclosed cab any compromises and the motor shaft are not readily visible anyway. The kit has a pony truck for the trailing non-driving axle, otherwise the loco would not get round curves. It has a leading bogie which attaches to one of the frame spacers, ie, not centrally pivoted or sprung. Once the body was added, the weight of the boiler in particular made the loco front heavy and with its non-compensated chassis the leading driving wheels would drop into point gaps. Rather than attempt to spring the bogie from the kit, I realised that all Robinson 4-x-y loco used the same bogie with same size wheels, so I emailed Bachmann and obtained as a spare the bogie from their excellent Director 4-4-0. This is centrally pivoted and sprung, so it was just a case of making up a block of suitable depth to add to the underside of the front part of the chassis, then attaching the bogie. This solved the problem and worked first time with no adjustments needed, it has not once derailed on any pointwork, and the loco is back to running really nicely with no stalling at points even at very slow speeds. A couple of things still left to do. The cab entrances had vertical handrails with knobs, on each side of the entrances. Due to the tank and bunker being a single piece of white metal, and it being part assembled when received, I am not quite sure how to drill the holes for, or otherwise attach, the handrail knobs. The brake shoes and gear need assembling and attaching, in a way that allows easy removal so the chassis can be dismantled, if the need arises. I have brake shoes from Mainly Trains, but not quite sure best way to make up and attach everything. Any advice on either issue is very welcome. Coal rails need attaching. Axle nut covers need adding. Invaluable aids were Iain Rice's book on chassis construction, the Isinglass A5 4mm scale drawing and Brian Osborne of Branch Lines. That's enough waffle, here are some pictures of the loco sprayed up in etch primer. Edited to add pictures

Neil did you get to the bottom of your sluggishness? From reading through it sounds like it was the coaches sticking, but I'm interested in case it was the loco. I have a new (Feb) Hornby Drysllwyn Castle that has started to do a similar thing. I've been using it to haul a 9 coach set and this week noticed that it was slowing up for no apparent reason, after running for a while. Removed the coaches and it still did it. It's ok at slow speeds but once it's get up a bit of speed it starts to happen. Both directions. It's not jerky, it just slows up, and most of the time will eventually pick up speed again. Wheels are clean, but cleaned them anyway. Pickups look to be in correct places. Taking off the plastic chassis keeper plate can't see anything amiss. Took off front bogie, not that. Removed body and took off the weight over the gear train, and all looks ok there (the whole thing is effectively sealed so no chance for anything foreign to get in anyway). Doesn't happen with other locos, so not the track/electrics/controller (H&M Duette - tried on both outputs). So completely stumped. Anybody experienced anything similar? A bit annoyed as the first Castle I ordered was damaged in the box and returned, so this could be the second I have to send back. I have some switch cleaner that I have used to flush out lube when running in a newly-built kit chassis, so considering using that. Steve

Does anyone know if the C66 / D117 flat ended suburban stock was used in the London area in the 1930s ? Thanks

New set of wheels and coupling rods received from Oxford Rail. They initially seemed to improve the running in the forward direction but not the reverse, but with more running the sticking in both directions was still evident. So reluctantly I am going to return the model to Jumblies for a refund.

Oxford Rail are sending me a replacement set of wheels with rods attached, so I will give that a go first and post how it goes.

As I posted earlier, I have a similar problem with one I bought from Jumblies. I only paid £63, and Jumblies can only offer a refund not a swap, so I am determined to get to the bottom of the slow running problem. If I remove the chassis keep-plate and the body there is nothing obviously wrong with any of the parts and the pickups are all good, and there is no over-greasing. With the keep-plate back in place, but with coupling rods removed, and the loco on the track, the motor will turn over the rear wheels at a *very* slow speed with no hesitation - about 1 rev of the motor per second. The loco won’t move but the rear wheels turn on the spot perfectly. So there is nothing wrong with motor, gears or pickups. It’s only with the rods back on that the sticking occurs, and it is only in one spot per revolution. My suspicion is either that the wheels are not quite quartered right or that the coupling rods are not quite drilled right. The centre hole in the rods is slightly oval but I’m guessing that is deliberate. I spoke to Oxford Rails' technical dept on the phone, but they are not aware of any specific problem with the Dean Goods. I have emailed them this morning asking if they can send a couple of sets of coupling rods for me to try. If that doesn't work I'll start opening out the holes in one of the sets.

My 2475 arrived today, and when running DC at very slow speed, it does seem to stick a bit once per wheel rotation. It's only had 15 mins running in each direction so I'm going to give it a couple of hours each way, but from what has been said above I'm not optimistic. Anybody got to the bottom of why some seem to stick and some don't? Looking at the tender wheel pickups, I can see the pair for the front wheels are making good contact. There's also a pair for the rear wheels but they are not touching the wheels (not even close), anyone else seen that?

I'm in the middle of upgrading the Hornby GW H33 restaurant coach as has been done by several of you on this forum. Using a new Hornby Collett underframe and ends; the sides, roof and interior are from the original. I have some specific questions on the interior detail. If I've missed earlier posts that answered some of the questions I apologise (I did trawl the relevant threads before posting, honestly ). Questions all relate to the condition before the 1939 refurb when they got the larger sunshine windows. - Curtains. Did they have curtains before the 1939 refurb (the photo in GW Coaches Appendix Vol 2 is post refurb)? If so, first or both, and what colours? - Seat colours for first and third? There's some info in GWCA V2 but nothing specifically about the H33. - Did third have table cloths or was it just first? - Colour of lamp shades in first? I will post pictures as work progresses. Thanks Steve

Yes I will post some as it progresses. The underframe just needed the gas cylinders plus a third smaller battery box, and is pretty much done. Next step is to try and cut the ends from the new Collett to replace the (detachable) originals which just don't look right. The profile isn't quite the same though ... In parallel I'll sort out the interior, hence the questions above. Using SE Finecast flush glazing for the main windows.

I'm in the middle of upgrading the Hornby GW H33 restaurant coach as has been done by several of you on this thread. Using a new Hornby Collett underframe and ends; the sides, roof and interior are from the original. I have some questions on the interior detail. If I've missed earlier posts that answered some of the questions I apologise (I did trawl the thread before posting, honestly . Questions all relate to the condition before the 1939 refurb when they got the larger sunshine windows. - Curtains. Did they have curtains before the 1939 refurb (the photo in GW Coaches Appendix Vol 2 is post refurb)? If so, first or both, and what colours? - Seat colours for first and third? There's some info in GWCA V2 but nothing specifically about the H33. - Did third have table cloths or was it just first? - Colour of lamp shades in first? Thanks Steve

Not yet got round to building this (currently occupied with an A5) but I have noticed that the supplied cast backhead is devoid of detail. 247 Developments advertise a GC backhead but having seen a photo it's not accurate and has the wrong firebox door. While it might be ok buried inside the enclosed cab of an A5 tank, it won't be in the open cab of the Sam Fay. Anybody know of alternatives? I've drawn a blank so far ...

Thanks Mersey507003, with some further analysis I came to the same conclusion. The problem is that the pony axle is not in an independent truck like it should be, but is held in the main chassis with only a small amount of play. Filing down the bumps at the side as you suggest would help but even then I don't think that would be enough for my track. I will stick with the flange-less wheels for now. Thanks again for the reply.

Just bought Woolwinder, I model the GC and it was one of the A1s that moved across to the GC in the late 1930s. My minimum radius curves are 3rd radius. First thing I did when I took it out the box was swap the flangeless pony wheel for the flanged one. Running in the loco it was fine when running round my inner loop so turning left all the time. But when running on the outer loop and turning right the front driving wheels derail at the start of the curves. It looks like the flanged pony wheel is causing the drivers not to turn in as expected, and the cylinder then fouls the bogie wheels. Swap back to the flangeless pony and the problem goes away. But the problem does not occur when turning left, which leads me to think there might be something out of adjustment somewhere which I have been unable to spot. Apologies if this is a well-known problem but I couldn't find an answer anywhere.

Anybody happen to know which diagrams of slip coach were slipped at Princes Risborough in the 1930s ?

The soldering went ok and the motor is working fine. My D11 only has one insulated connector.