Virgil

I tried several times over the day but it's not being answered. Update: Successfully ordered on the phone today!

Has anyone tried emailing Markits at their listed email address - markits@btinternet.com? My attempt to order are being returned as the email address is not recognised.

Thank you nigel, can you suggest a suitable value of resistor that will limit the current suitably?

Thanks Nigel for some interesting points. However from memory I queried the lighting output voltage with the supplier of Laisdcc decoders and I'm pretty sure that they provide a low voltage output suitable for LEDs. AS to whether a resistor is still needed in series I do not know, only ever using a resistor to lower the supply voltage when using a 12 volt DC supply.

Any thoughts on this please? I have fitted a Laisdcc replacement decoder to a loco with a non working unknown make decoder which was fitted with 12volt DC head and tail light bulbs. On testing after fitment the loco runs fine on DC and the bulbs lit but very dimly as the decoder is obviously configured to provide lighting output for LEDs needing a lower operating voltage. Substituting LEDs in place of the 12volt bulbs has resulted in no light at all from the LEDs. The voltage on the decoder light outputs is 1.36 to 1.4 volts and is being switched from head to tail on reversing as per normal. On testing the LEDs separately they do not light until the controller voltage exceeds approx 1.5 volts. I no longer have a DCC controller so I'm unable to test on DCC. Has anyone come up with a fix with this problem of insufficient lighting voltage being supplied on DC voltage?

Very nice workmanship shown, well done. I fully agree about the white metal tender being a bit too heavy for the loco, there is a relatively cheap option to replace it with a tender from the Great British Locomotives static model of the SR/BR N class as a donor. The tender will accept pinpoint axles running directly in the axle boxes once the wheel/ chassis casting is removed 👍

Any thoughts on obtaining a replacement or alternative worm for a 5 pole motor as fitted to a Hornby rebuilt Merchant Navy class loco? Hornby do not seem to sell the worm gear on its own. 🤨

Nice work Barry, I look forward to seeing how this progresses.

If I can help please let me know, I'm not a pro but I have a fair amount of experience in building and fettling white metal kits. My main concern with mine is the front was sitting way too high on the chassis, in course of modification but might not pursue that too far as I'm going with an Alan Gibson chassis. Lovely looking loco and Langley in my view have really caught the essence of the real thing.

Yes that's it! Never thought of Langley as OO loco kit manufacturers. I followed your link and there's a suggestion that Alan Gibson produce a suitable brass chassis and wheels for it, I think that I'll follow that up. Are you going to tackle your L class?

I've purchased by auction a 4m white metal kit built LBSCR Baltic tank sitting on an extended Triang/Hornby chassis and wheels. I'm interested in finding out more about the kit as research seems to draw a blank. Any thoughts as to the manufacturer of the kit please?

That's very helpful, thank you. I'll try it on the 12vDC unregulated output of my Duette first. As you suggested the power transistor is a 2N30558, note the additional digit. I think it's clear that the blue and orange leads are the output. Once again thank you for the helpful information. Doug

I've just bought an RPE DC controller which the seller had no information on. Googled and can find no information either. The control knobs are marked Regulator and Brake, the sliders marked Direction and Inertia On?OFF. Presumably 16vAC input, any thoughts on the maker and quality of operation?

Thanks David, I actually know which side the insulated wheels go, it's clear from the pickup assembly which is fitted on top of the wheel retainer plate. What isn't clear is the orientation and position of the brass axle bushings because the different thickness of the ends determine the side to side free play of the wheels and axles. My thoughts are that the thinner ended bush should be on the middle pair of driving wheels for allowance for sharper curves. The very illogical aspect of all this is that the bearing acts as a spacer on one side of the chassis only so that side to side free play is greater on one side of the chassis then the other!! A view of a factory standard chassis would at least solve the mystery, illogical or not. Doug

After stripping a Trix/Lilliput Flying Scotsman to repair damage caused by the driving wheels slipping on the axles, (tried loctite blue but resorted finally to knurling the axle ends) I cant remember how the brass axle bearings were situated. Basically they are asymmetrical with different width bosses at one end and will fit either way round in the axle grooves , ie the boss can be at the insulated wheels or non insulated and the thinner boss allows more side to side play of the relevant driving wheel and axle. Has anyone got an original chassis that they can identify the correct wheel/axle bearing placements, I'd be very grateful!

Good work! It's good to see another rescued and working Trix loco back on the rails, to me they are a more interesting alternative due to their engineering than the Triang and even Hornby Dublo competition. Did you try Knurling the axle ends by rolling a sharp file on the axle ends, it's surprisingly effective?

This may not apply to this loco but it's not unknown for track pin or other ferrous material to be picked up by the Magnahesion magnets and cause a short between insulated wheels and chassis, always worth a check if sparking is evident on Triang steam locos.

Indeed thanks Rich. Here's a link for an Airfix chassis currently on EBay, 1/8" axles of course but very nice wheels axles and coupling rods. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134437946874?hash=item1f4d2045fa:g:JFEAAOSwxtdj34cD&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoE0yoRa%2F1gVUE84Ag70k4SkvJxAtAyqaY1NRP8h4NvHnuksfslDloVmtDRKHsFLsqhEbfUzS2K1vco2rJhGfOvr6D%2FHH4zY90PYt0u284D%2FN7wAEjNOuIiBven%2B7%2FXVmhwM7rXlagwViVk2TcDXnhiwIyTeZxgmN7t0oXE62FgOB6NN9zvzxJdLHUiYGDa80TuOWtyK8rtWyMAHNDitps8I%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4bMkurEYQ

That's right, the dimensions are close to what's needed. I started modifying the motor/gearbox some time ago for a project that in the end I decided that it would not be man enough for, - a K's whitemetal pannier tank using Gibson wheels, (still awaiting completion)!!. I pressed out the original motor/gearbox 3mm axle using a vice and carefully broached the axle bearings and steel drive gear using an appropriatley sized fine round file. It was then reassembled using a Gibson axle and it runs nicely I had already bought an Airfix Railways LMS 4F complete chassis cheaply and this was to form the basis for a motor drive conversion for the Amercom C class. The Airfix wheels, axles (1/8) and coupling rods are fine for purpose, the plastic chassis not so, so hence a brass replacement is needed but using the pickups etc on the Airfix baseplate. So here we are, maybe not perfection but an interesting challenge.

Thanks for the info, but I'm aiming to do it on a very restricted budget.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254942541046 This is the motor unit I'm planning to use, 12vDC dual shaft.

I would prefer something a little more robust but I hadn't though of using nickel silver, does it come in strip form?

I'm just following the precedent of the two chassis I have, one is definitely K's, the other is similar but possibly K's. The idea is to fit a geared motor?gearbox between the frames lying flat and parallel to them so that there is no need for the motor/gearbox to protrude above the footplate, that's the plan anyway.

I could use some advice on where to obtain brass strip of suitable dimensions in order to build a chassis to go under a SECR C class 0-6-0 tender engine, this one being an Amercom static model. I'm looking for brass strip 1.25mm thick by 9.55mm wide by (preferably) 305mm long being the sizes of 2 old kit chassis I have which looks to be ideal for the task. All the metal suppliers I have researched don't seem to have suitable sized strip, the narrower widths all being not thick enough to make a suitably robust chassis.. Any thoughts out there please?

That's really interesting, thanks. i lived in Ipswich in the 70's and recall the O4 tram engine crossing the road at Stoke Bridge under the crossing keeper's red flag and with a string of 4 wheel wagons. I had no idea that Cranes had a railway system though, I think that I must have missed that by about a year.