Mainline 2251

[russell price]

I now have a layout to finally give my rolling stock a good wheelstretch, needless to say both my Mainline 2251s needed attention before running, my original owned since they first came out in about 1979, a quick clean out of old crud and solidified grease and a relube and off it went as good as new hooked up to a 6 coach train and pulled it no problem at all. About 4 years ago I bought from a toy fair for less than a tenner, expecting all sorts of problems. Ordered new axle joints etc, stripped it and rebuilt it and bench tested it fine. Popped it onto the layout and it runs round quite sweetly indicating that the quartering can’t be far out etc, however when hooking it up to the same 6 coach train I’m confronted by lots of wheel slip which I found surprising given the other identical one didn’t make any fuss??????????? Even Lord of the Isles. 3 examples all shifted the same train without too much drama. The Oxford Rail dean goods was even worse than the mainline 2251!!! Any ideas to why there is such a difference between two identical locos??? The 6 coaches are mainline 57’ LMS coaches so free running, perhaps I best not use my old Triang MK1s!!