GregusGWR

It's a terrific idea for a layout corner or bigger. I have a model military vehicle fleet with tank transporters made with 'Base' models Leyland 6whl chassis and Thorneycroft cab and handmade gooseneck trailers. Trouble is I have modern & WW2  Allied & Axis vehicles. You can't go past a Tiger or a Saladin!

Magnadhesion was the old Hornby way. DCC Concepts sell small metal plates that fit under the track sleepers and powerful magnets to fit under the loco. Supposed to add traction. I have not tried that. I add lead sheet or liquid lead in all my locos and they pull better. My 0-4-0 Class 6 diesel shunter (Pullman) will haul 5Mk1 coaches up a   1:46 gradient with a level 2nd radius bend in it.

Thanks guys. I just saw a Youtube of Johns Amazing Trains where he has a load of smooth tyred and ribbed tyred whee/axle sets he had turned on a  lathe and the flange reduced. Not sure how much or where to get them.

I'll try Steam Era Models

I have a couple of old Hornby trains: Grey Pullman with old, old motor and ridged tyre motor bogie such as found in a Craven Class 117 DMU and a dock shunter.

All have the ridged tyre wheel sets.

The back to back can be adjusted OK but it's the flange height/width and or tyre width that doesn't play well with Peco/Hornby 100 type points. Insulfrog points.

Apart from buying a lathe and resizing the wheel, can I get replacement wheel sets from somewhere or should I just re-motor the thing?

Any ideas? I am in Australia but buy from UK so your local dealers would be fine.

unfortunately I haven't found a solution locally.

Welcome, and these are the simplest in the world in the world to convert.

 

In short, take the wired connection to the brush off the spring. Take the insulator sleeve from this spring, cut in half, and replace on both springs so the brushes are now isolated by the insulating sleeve. Connect decoder red to the pick up strip, black to the tag under the motor securing screw, orange to the brush that had the wired connection, grey to the other brush. Converted. (Wasn't it thoughtful of Triang to make the insulating sleeve many times longer than required?)

Many thanks. I've done something like that and when I put the motor bogie on the rails of the programming track it resets the controller so there is still a short somewhere. I'll get the multimeter to it and check everything. Tomorrow's task. It's 9pm now. Cheers.

This is my first post so I hope this works.

I have some old Hornby locos with the metal frame with magnet and allow holder connecting them with a nut and bolt. The brushes are held to a fibroboard/bakelite board with a copper strip and u shaped wire spring  .

How the heck do you isolate the pickups from the motor? The bogie frame is part of the power pickup system. Old Hymeks, Class 37s and Craven 117 DMUs are powered by these as well as Pullman power cars and Dock shunter.

Any ideas?