34theletterbetweenB&D

The screw seured bracket that the bogie pivots on is clearly loose by your description, and may well be bent as well. The slack in the screw securing the bracket could be rectified with washers, so that it is firmly clamped. Then if the end of the bracket where the bogie pivot locates isn't horizontal, that should be corrected.

In this drive arrangement, because both worms are driven from a common motor shaft, if one worm is not rotating but the other bogie runs as you describe, something is either slipping in the drive line to the stationary worm, or a component such as the cardan shaft is disengaged or broken.

If one worm gear isn't turning but the other worm gear is, the most common problem cause is one of the plastic drive couplers slipping, within the flywheel, or on the worm shaft. A little superglue rectifies. These centre motor drives typically have ample traction with both bogies driven to race along with 30 to 40 carriages. The Bachmann drive in their BR DMU's such as the class 105 and 108 are of the centre motor type but with only one bogie driven and will haul over a dozen carriages, so a small train of HST carriages is not going to be a problem.

Such things happened in dear old Blighty of which I have had direct experience, and doubtless everywhere else in the world with any significant manufacturing. In many ways it is easier in really large operations, more appropriately skilled people among whom to find the 'recruits' to put in the extra hours, turn a blind eye, and perform other essential roles. Sorry if this sounds cynical, but I have had training in this field.

Never mind all the underside clutter, the major aspect to first make right 'down there' is the height between rail top and peak of the roof of 50mm (12'6"). That done you test the vehicle on the layout minimum radius curve, and then remove any fouling mouldings on the underside. Now you can put the fiddly stuff on, carefully checking placement for unimpeded bogie swing...

I always forget to put in a smilie. There's a determined dissident fringe minority 'good enough for grandad is good enough for me' element in the UK population. More preserved ancient stuff per virgate than anywhere else...

Nothing to lose time! If you have a good worm puller, with the worm removed it is possible to straighten the can 'fingers' that retain the brush assembly, and then to withdraw the entire armature, still correctly positioned in the brush assembly (this matters!) in order to inpect for some random crap within, or whatever else is the cause of the problem. Only done this once, by strange coincidence on the motor from a Bach Jinty (same unit as in the 57xx) and the trouble with that proved to be a magnet not properly glued in place (fixed with Evostick and still a runner). Symptoms were nothing like yours, rattled in one direction, no go in the other. Do tell if you find a resolution.

Quite possibly. You need input from someone knowledgeable about available N gauge product. Do you have a good retailer anywhere local - ideally one you have purchased product from - who you might ask for help? (There is very effective split axle current collection on some OO product for coach lighting and the like, and hopefully this is available in N gauge.) I have gathered from your input that you really want to go electro-mechanical and drive the vehicles using DC, so I'll check out now.

Recycling bins, please... And this only after prolonged efforts to re-use, repair and repurpose.

Yes, I should have added that the system power has to be DCC. The loco can collect on all wheels and responds to commands on its address, the transporter wagon rails are live at all times, and the wagon only moves when the decoder on board receives commands. However: Probably not. Independent control then: run your OO9 from track power, and the wagon:

What I am suggesting is simplification of both current collection and transmission. The loco has to have reliable current collection for the operation to work, that's a given. The combination of weight on the driven wheels and the drive to the wheels typically makes pick up from a loco more reliable than from undriven wheels. The transporter wagons must have some contacter arrangement to deliver power to the OO track. That can as easily be mounted on the loco and wagon as on the static layout and wagon, as there are conductive couplers available. With the loco and wagon coupled, the operation can be tested for function independent of the transfer location. Essentially fewer places to look for any problem that arises.

'Production line expedient' is the term you are looking for. Big pile of tender bodies, produced and painted, just lacking the attachment points for assembly, and no way of shipping the locos without a tender. Major pat on the head goes to whoever organises a quick, cheap and dirty fix which solves this problem and has the end product in boxes and out to retail distribution without delay.

On the basis that the whole project fails unless the NG traction works, and therefore that needs reliable pick up, I would suggest the loco is used to continuously supply power to the OO gauge rails on the transporter wagon. This is predicated on use of DCC which has the major advantage of power always on at full voltage which provides very reliable current collection.

The significant observation is 'low centre of gravity': and that's relative to almost all vehicles other than lowmacs that it might come into contact with. In the event of a rough shunt it would be likely to lift an adjacent wagon.

Put it in a labelled box and test it when you have a DCC system, starting with a reset. Decoders can glitch occasionally; very good advice from a German retailer getting on 20 years ago was that a decoder malfunction with no evidence of damage to the decoder - visual or by smell of toasting components - was always worth a few reset attempts. I have 'rescued' a good few which have gone on operating as they should ever since. And even if a decoder has developed a fault, it can still be useful; in my case employed for controlling coach lighting.

More likely to be the mechanism causing the poor running in one direction. Do you have an 8pin blanking plug available? If so unplug the decoder, and insert the blanking plug and test as a DC loco. No blanking plug ? - then turn the decoder plug around in the socket and test again. If the poor running remains in the same direction, then the problem is on the mechanism.

What I found interesting as a teen concerning the development of the railway, was the progressive advances obtained by integrating numerous technical inventions and business practises. While this is common to all industry and business, the railway is more easily visible and accessible than most. The underlying message of continuing change as essential to progress was valuable throughout my career.

These two organisations were probably at the forefront in establishing standards and appropriate inspection schemes: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap11684/manchester-steam-users-association https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap14641/british-engine-insurance-ltd Run time extension is the logical reason, but I suspect the method was to add cold water to the supply as drawn from the pressure vessel, to bring the pressure down to the range for which the valve gear and cylinder size was optimised. All fireless locos were charged with high pressure hot water. A charge of dry steam would yield no useful range.

You and me both! That name is one of the most stylish from the Doncaster pacific collection too; as anyone who has seen Bronzino's 'The Lady in Green' (appropriate, huh?) in the Royal Collection can confirm.

In absence of other answers, I very much doubt it. Simply too different in design, such that the HST content of a reasonably accurate midland pullman would be a single digit percentage. Triang and Kitmaster BP items a better bet if wanting a basis for a DIY project.

Learn a new thing every day.

Regarding the fitted welded coal hoppers that ran in fixed sets up to North London from 1958, those I saw on ER and MR were branded HOUSE COAL CONCENTRATION or CHARRINGTONS. Were other business names to be seen on these, and when did this traffic go extinct?

The Airfix GMR coupler mounting is actually compatible-ish with the Bachmann longer screw on type miniature tension lock. With 'a little dimensional adjustment' of the coupler rear it can be made to fit very neatly. But read on. The straightforward fact is that there is no standardised pattern for UK tension locks. On my return to OO I tested the miniature tension locks then in production and readily available : Bachmann, Hornby, and that's your lot. They were incompatible with each other if truly reliable operation was required. Either was reliable if used exclusively. Since the Bachmann type outnumbered the Hornby 20 : 1, that's what I settled on for my wagon fleet, and they have performed as expected to this day, 23 years on. But here's the crucial fact that has to be recognised: a brand management could alter the coupler design or terminate its production tomorrow, it is wholly proprietary. My 'solution' is to have a stash.

Because it is tender drive, you will need to have metal tyred wheelsets with the gears on the back. Possibly can be achieved by scrounging around s/h for the centre wheelsets and substituting these if they have the gear mouldings, or swapping the tyres from these onto the two powered tender axle's wheel centres, assuming these will fit. With a past production stretching back near 50 years in various hands there should be s/h availability; but really someone who has tried this is needed, to advise on practical feasibility Far simper solution, send the item back, and buy the Bachmann 4Fmodel instead. Loco driven, no traction tyres, and much superior all around.

FTFY. But joking apart, I too recall the Central Hall exhibitions as extremely crowded, but also packed with wonderful content.