125_driver

Thats perfect except its 2mm gauge , annoyingly it looks like they don't do it in 4mm! Unless anyone knows different? Doh

I am looking to create some 62xx mk2 coaches as operated on the Western on some IC services in the 1990s. The plan is to literally convert some mk2 FOs by replacing the yellow line with a beige one and removing the number 1 that denotes its first class. Yes, technically I'm sure there will still be inaccuracies but to my untrained eye I'll be happy with this conversion. However, can anyone recommend where I can purchase 00 gauge beige stripes that I can put over the yellow stripe as I don't fancy doing any painting? Thanks.

A flick through an old platform 5 book suggested that in 1990 IWRX (Intercity GW) still had 3 x motorail GUVs on its books all allocated to Old Oak. By 1991 they had gone, but my question is when were the very last trains on the Western to include motorail coaches (excluding the sleeper ex Scotland which I believe used Polmadie allocated stock) and not including the revival of motorail briefly during the privatisation era at turn of the century. Was it the night riviera?

You make a valid point on friction. I do wonder if the pickups are perhaps causing too much friction on the wheels etc causing a strain on the motor, but to be clear, the decoder on this loco is fine, it was another loco that was frying its decoders. I may try adjusting the pickups on the trailing bogie just to make sure they are not pressing on the wheels too hard. Thanks for the suggestion.

Yes, I tried a complete new motor bogie which contains all the gears etc. Made no impact. All in all the only things I haven't replaced are the trailing bogie (which I have inspected in detail , and all looks in excellent condition), and after that the plug that the decoder goes into. Am a little reluctant to remove that as that will be a lots of soldering etc and I fear might make it worse.

You mention additional pickups etc, I actually tried fitting a stay alive decoder to see if that would help, but yet again, it didn't improve running one iota. The fact it runs smoothly at very low speed makes me think it isn't an issue with electrical supply.

So to bump this again, last chance saloon for a 47 of mine, it runs very jerkily (although is fine at low speed). I have checked the track cleanliness, cleaned the wheels, cleaned and adjusted the pickups, checked the wiring, run it in DC mode, tried changing the motor , changed the decoder, and still, it runs jerkily at anything above walking pace. Cannot understand what else I can change or test??? Any ideas? If not think withdrawl and scrap beckons for this particular 47!

Thanks for that. Reading the link, it's a bit off putting!!!

Is it possible to remove the bodyshell from the chassis on the Hornby (ex lima model) of the MK3 coach (specifically the sleeper coach Hornby released recently). I genuinely cannot work out how to get it off (in stark contrast to the original Hornby mk3s which come off easily ... Any help appreciated or is it not designed to be removed? .....

So would it be reasonable to suggest the following?? Any thoughts? Night Riviera BSO, TSO, RFB, 4 Slep BG, slep (with bg and back slep off at plymouth) Westcounteymen (ex Glasgow) GuV, NHA, 2 slep RFO 2 slept Was there a motorail option on either of these trains in the early 1990s period? Or was the motorrail vans used for other purposes by this time? Thanks.

Very useful thanks. Just to clarify a GUV , is that one of those mk1 van type things? Also what is an NHA? Re sleeper dates the Glasgow to Plymouth finished in May 1995, of that I'm fairly sure. The Poole portion ended circa 1992.

I am looking into the coaching stock on the intercity sleeper services to the south west in the early 1990s. Does anyone have the stock formations for the London to Penzance as well as the Glasgow to Plymouth " Westcountrymen" sleeper services? I'm confident its 4 or 5 SLEP mk3 coaches, but am far less sure on the Mk1 and mk2 stock that accompanied the mk3s in this specific period prior to privatisation..... Any help appreciated many thanks.

Thanks its quite useful. I'm currently away and unable to try any of the suggestions but I suspect it is either dirty wheels/pickups or more likely a decoder on its way out....

Have a 47 TTS loco, but after a couple of years of running fine, it suddenly has a like for changing direction suddenly whilst running along. I tried to reset the decoder but was unable to as I just get no answer when attempting to reset cv8 to 8??? Any ideas? Thanks.

I'm after the above loco (the version with the white lower body NOT the beige lower body which they also did a small release of). Will pay 45 pound if in good condition. Plmk if you have one you are prepared to let go of. Thanks.

Quick update, received a few packs of x9665 from Hornby, and as pointed out these where sets of wheels with the tyres on. The tyres fit perfectly onto my models, only question now is what to do with the spare wheelsets (none tyred)!!!

This looks more like what I have. So where you able to buy those tyres? Is the tyre pack x9665 or is that the code for the wheel? Just to clarify your picture is the exact wheelsets I have on my 47 fleet.

The assumption is that it isn't the correct pack as Hornby say it is unavailable to buy so the fact I bought pack x9722 suggests this pack wasn't correct. As I said earlier, the tyres in it where much too small and when fitted to the wheel were lost inside the groove to a point where the tyre was barely touching the track.

So it transpires from Hornby that the tyres in question are not available to buy, they are however happy to provide me some spares. So my question is, how can I avoid this happening in future as I've improved my model 47s alot and don't want to see a time when they all have to be parked up! 4 different locos , all purchased at same time have all come unstuck with this problem (the tyre just wearing away and crumbling off) so what is it that I'm doing that could be causing this? If its relevant, they generally pull 7 mk2 coaches on relatively flat gradients.....

I'm sure they put out a thing wanting to extend it by 2 years and its more or less a foregone conclusion it will get the additional 2 years to 2025.

I still drive HSTs for GWR and can confirm drivers like them still despite the fact they are showing their age a little. The cab window is one example where mold and damp is taking over. However in a collision give me one over A 150 any day. Aslef have got this wrong I hate to say. They are also far better to drive over a sprinter in terms of posture etc and have decent amounts of legroom and are comfortable, neither of which can be said about 15x. Re withdrawl, they should be on GWR until May 2025 at which point the current plan is to replace them (with what is anybody guess but my money would be 158s).

They are all the same size in the packet its just a trick of the camera I think. I think I will contact Hornby directly then and see of they can supply or advise. Thanks.

I've uploaded a photo to demonstrate my conundrum , the tyre bottom left has come off a Hornby 47 tts loco. The one next to it and in the packet are the ones that Hornby say should be used as spares for tts 47s. As you can see there is a massive size difference. There is also a big difference in thickness. I tried the smaller tyres on the loco but with these it couldn't even pull 3 carriages round a corner and the tyres are so small they early don't correctly fit the groove in the wheel.

I bought this pack but they are too small and dainty for the 47 TTS and do not fit the wheels properly.

I've had numerous problems with class 47 TTS engines with the traction tyres wearing out quickly. My question is where can I find the details on which type of tyre to buy from spares? Had a look on ebay but nothing stands out as for TTS 47s.... any advice appreciated..thanks.