locomad2

Rarely mix the two but recently while thumbing though some free Railway Modeller at a local charity shop found one of these So having got it "Free" built it recently and fits quite well among the older Superquick Not a bad kit found a few more just need the time to complete

Was this from an article Railway Modeller about 1963 when on a club layout 100 wagons pulled by various Hornby Dublo trains ? About 30 years ago made the device or drill which drilled accurately the pin point bearing in Hornby dublo stock, ie the inner axle box, still have it today, hand held, only reason I don't use it can't find metal pin point axles with plastic wheels exactly the right size to fit. At the time the author suggested peco wheels unfortunately I find these over time bend. As for the MRC 1976 articles on pulling power, generally I find these to be roughly correct, however now having quite a few locos of the same type find quite big varying pulling powers. Maybe time, condition, previous treatment has had an effect, or just simply some locos of the same type are just better than others, some as much as 50%. Other factors could be direction of travel, class 20 HD fine example, cab end drving is a disaster while performance the other way is not bad

On subject of shed bolts don't over tighten them and oil the brass inners. Quite common too find those which have been on a layout over long periods to suddenly crack, I suspect plastic starts to bend, you will just find the wall just collapses Easy fix glue in situ but you need to slighty loosen the screws first. The roof is quite weak, often taken off a layout and stored without disassemble, big mistake they get easy broke, again fit in situ, note the roof vents glued in place often lost These one been on several layouts for over 60 years, roofs get very mucky I just leave it on, adds to the realism

If I remember righty BA are actually metric threads and very close to Metric, common is M5 which fits 3BA. Lucus contact breaker screws in old cars mostly use 3 BA but an M5 will fit loosely, cause the 3 BA often gets lost either down the dizzy or somewhere in the engine trying to replace points, its common to find a M5 as a replacement and associated faults with engine An great uncle who served in the 8th Army told us if the vehicles might get captured they often replaced the 3BA points screw with an M5, result the Germans on capturing such vehicles often broke down later in the desert and blamed poor British quality manufacturing. Often such vehicles got recaptured and mechanics replaced the screws and hence no problems

Back on the subject of the traction drive was it with the nenoprene? Tyres, the clear plastic ones, instead of the rubber ones. I've been checking most of my Triang-Hornby and Hornby locomotives and found quite a few oddities, I've a Black 9F 92200 in box with early type one motor, 6 traction wheels but with Black rubber tyres, most have been replaced as they either rot or come off. My original 9F evening star has the original nenoprene tyres, both are excellent hauliers yet clearly the one with nenoprene out performs the other. I did years ago find a source of clear tyres and currently on some Dublo stock. Again the 2 wire all wheel pick up locomotives have better performance, the pin connector causes all kinds of problems, so most stock now converted with a plug in wire connector Finally I've a excellent X04 driven Kitmaster 9F Quite capable of pulling 70 HD wagons until I burnt out the pick-ups

That's £9-0s-10d in the old money which I still though in at the time, also my parents had an extension built about 1971, recently following further work a brick was found carved in it was Bricklayer "Pete" weekly wage £15-15s-9d, deductions (tax NI) £5-12-3d, leaving about £10 for a skilled bricklayer. Myself wanting a 9F that was expensive airfix kits still about 2/-, note also the article dispite triang takeover some 7 years previous they still regard Triang-Hornby as Triang, then any reference to Hornby was strictly products of binns road.

So I found out later when the Pat Hammond books came out, at the time there was only the reviews of the Model railway press and shop windows to look at. Certainly no forums, social media or utube where good debates on new models are discussed. Prehaps the Press did mention they changed the motor, drive etc on the later models but I didn't read anything. Only when I purchased a few like Black 5 and Oliver Cromwell with later motor and run them did I realise they couldn't match the early 9F

Someone once said to us, "Golden age of something is always 25 years ago", to me model railways its 50 years. Then in my early teens already planning my own layout building Superquick, Airfix wagon kits, and some K's & Wills . So late 1971 after a lull of new locomotives with great excitement it was announced that Triang Hornby was bringing out a 9F, so that was my Xmas present. Railway modeller review at the time I wasn't disappointed, shinning, stunning in a large box, and great performance on the track, able with ease to pull anything and not stall on the insulated points running at slow speed. At the time the future looked good, tender drive could be used for future models, unfortunately that didn't happen, the later Black 5 just didn't match the 9F performance. In about 1975 Model Railway Constructor did review of haulage capacity the early 9F clearly out performed other locomotive, later thanks to the Pat Hammond book it turned out Hornby couldn't use the early motor due to costs and patents ? And my loco, that remained a popular locomotive on all layouts since, in almost regular use, some 5 years ago did some real haulage tests with real model railway stock and not weights, and this did just achieve the 100 wagon challenge

Quite agree the program is getting better, what's more to the point, it wasn't all about some a SR parcel van, which did look good but also a big layout up north which might be on tour soon in redundant high street department stores

Someone else made one as I have one somewhere, can't remember if it was a kit or RTR as purchased 2nd hand years ago, perhaps Playcraft? Its not Hornby as have a few of those Airfix kits have side doors nearly all mine work just pushes and fits in without glue, it's a good model and one of the few which has correct wheelbase

Liliput Western looking closer centre wheel is same as the others, with 2 idle gears in between. Never seen a parts diagram for any trix or liliput model, this one hasn't even got an instruction leaflet telling you how to service the model, think it's a later one with the improved pick up on other bogie

Mentioned in the "History of Trix" book on page 311 that trix imported from Liliput a range of continental outline models about 1963. However no reference to the boxes they came in. Also they imported some German trix apparently range was not popular and discontinued. Only exception was the breakdown crane this I have seen both new and 2nd hand

Good news but long overdue, I have full access to Meccano mags from 1916, and exact editions at my local library. What I look forward too is pre 1958 mags, since I have paper ones after some reason they are rare even my local club has not got any. Was there a limited area distribution?

Really enjoyed it

Some 20% of my current collection is Lima and after a period of time found most are very reliable, admit some of the bodies are basic but brilliant for a bit of weathering. Compared to Chinese built Hornby haven't suffered serious rot or motor failures. However have noticed that the mazak weights are prone to expansion but easy replaced by lead At the time 2004 Lima collapse didn't really bother us, after there was a good glut of very cheap 2nd hand models @ toy fairs etc, remember picking up Crabs, and some Diesels for as little as £5 and non working examples for a £1 which I got going.

After 50 years experience some boxes actually damage stock left in them, Polystyrene/plastic packing seems to be the worst plus boxes have got bigger over the years taking more space for same size stock. Reckon modern boxes take almost double the space Older style Hornby Dublo boxes cardboard only are about the best, almost same size as stock, so just copy them and make my own. Worst are Triang Hornby locomotives plastic inlay goes brittle also the Polystyrene inlays rots plastic Modern wagon boxes take ages to get stuff back in.

Here in coast stripe north Wales an area where people retire too its rich picking as regards collections of any type got rid quick cause the relatives or landlords just want the property quickly. There are plenty of companies who specialise in house clearance however before they dump it (and pay the cost) they spead the whole lot across various car boots, in fact one or two now own warehouses where they sort it first, then sell it off. So railway books, videos, piles of made plastic kits, tools, common household itemsbasically go for nothing as at the end of the sale (often lunchtime) it's free for all to collect. Model Railway stuff still has some value as traders check flee bay for similar stuff prices, but by end of day often it's very cheap or nothing, recently got a whole suitcase on wheels of 3 rail Hornby dublo track for £5 had problems carrying it as the wheels collapsed. I've also picked up some whole layouts for free or for less than £5 some excellent standard, one I found for nothing was featured in Railway modeller in mid 80's (currently tidying it up as baseboard wood got worm). It's also rich picking for part built model railway kits like airfix, comet coaches, k's white metal, wills, some 7mm stuff, unpainted part finished locos, stock, seems no one knows the value

I was one of those children who's parents were too serious or "middle class" to consider "Battle space" and buy us new stuff when it came out, it was considered as a toy not a model, so as a result I ended up with a model railway. However did discover it a 2nd hand in early Adult life before the prices got silly so got a fair but tatty collection. However still missing things so having in lockdown plenty of spare time repainted a tatty R1 which looks quite good Also decided to collect some 21st century stuff its towing a "Drone" Which really flies via r/c and fitted with a camera, fits nice on a 60 year old Airfix lowmac. I've plans of a "exploding car" , compressed air rocket, r/c jeep, r/c armour car, r/c tank all about 1:72. Next year a 1:64 r/c helicopter comes out. Call the whole project "Battle space 21st century"

Interesting about 10 years ago put though most of my stock locomotives on performance pulling test and found big differences with the HD 8F, some slipped other didn't. On investigation found some fitted with a yellow lead weight over the cylinders, no doubt materials of the wheels play a big part, plus condition of the track. Other factors condition of the wheels really important clean shinning wheels slip while a bit of dirt or corrosion found on 3 rail wheels help stop slipping. As for track has to be perfectly dry, I do use ATF fluid to help conductivity but restrict it to points. Peco 100 code track in straight yard lengths cleaned dry using "Blue roll". Course stock condition is important, big variable rolling resistance tests with HD standard wagons also found light oil helps so does metal wheels plus constant cleaning

The other one, 1/2 inch motor converted to 2 rail about 1964 hattons ? Popular conversion then. Excellent service since on all the layouts Romford wheels always looked the part. About 1990 pickups removed and converted to "American system" where as tender is opposite live side to engine, small wire and insulated drawbar, this engine has closer gap just about copes with 27in radius. This the performance was greatly improved perhaps less drag without pickups, copes well with 40 HD wagons although at a lower speed, then a Ringfield. I reckon it "sits" better on the track better balance. Paintwork far more realistic got that "dull look", this is the one I try and get all goods engines to look like yet never achieved it. Very popular never causes any problems reliable, never stalls on points etc pods along just like real thing

Yes Knurled wheels which experience has taught us make excellent track cleaners, just run at full power and the slip grinds away the dirt on track, noise is all part of the nostalgia

I still run many Triang, Hornby-Dublo, triang- Hornby locomotives, to me they have a charm or noise which is part of "vintage" rail modelling, like the "kneelled" wheels of a 60 year old Triang pullman car.

Going back to coach and wagon bogies for triang and Hornby dublo good source of cheapo rivets are obtained from specialise shoe or clothing lace repair shops. Taking the tools apart a pillar drill is about all you need to set the rivet in. I've also used such rivets to replace ex Airfix kit coupling rivets with peco coupling

Common problem I've used "eyelets" found in camping shops quite usefull, and using a pin punch flared the ends so just allow some movement, mainly its replacing HD bogie wagon bogies. Present I use "blind" bolts or studs used in electrical earthing terminals they have flush ends, pushed in using a vice they have little spikes which dig into the chassis and prevent movement finish off using a nylock nut. I've had some success using aluminium pop rivets take out the pin and again using a pin punch flare off, trial and error, readily available. Finally in plastic especially coach bodies use any round convenient size plastic rod then drill a small hole and use small "R" pins or just bits of wire with convenient size washers to hold bogie in place

Quite correct getting my "E"s mixed up a bit