Leaves on the line, or whatever.

[Split_Pin]

One of my other interests is diesel locomotives, particularly those made in the 50's and 60's.

 

Anyway, I have a few models on display, but this year, my fiancee bought me a Hornby train set so I could get them running. I'm pretty chuffed with it (fnarr fnarr)

 

For my birthday, she bought me a Lima model of a Scottish locomotive. Its mint and boxed, but it has clearly not been run for many many years. Its very old, about 25 at least. The problem is, it just refuses to go.

 

I got all my other ones to run, which hadnt moved in about 8 years, and whilst they were very grumpy to start with , they kind of freed off. This particular one however, has power to the motor and chugs a bit, so I know it has power and drive, but after that it seems to be 'stuck'.

 

Does anyone know anything about this sort of thing before I spend money at my local model shop having it looked at. I'm loathe to join a specific forum for this sort of thing as frankly, I'm scared in case other members laugh because I have the 'wrong' stuff or something.

[Alexg]

I expect a replacement motor is easy to find and replace?

[M'coli]

Join a forum under a pseudonym.

[chester drawers]

If it's the motor

[catsinthewelder]

I'll confess to a bit of train nerdiness

 

Right, Lima diesel I'll assume a 26 or 27 but they pretty much all use the same ringfield motor even the 09.

 

First can you get to the motor? a round bladed knife between the underframe and body will pop the body off on a 33 or a couple of screws on the base of the motor bogie and dismantle it that way.

 

Try applying 12v straight to the metal flaps on the side of the motor, if that works then you've just got contacts etc to clean. If not try turning the gears by hand to check its not seized up somehow. If they're turning reasonably freely then....

 

Find a room in the house where small escaping parts won't be impossible to find,carefully prise up the 2 metal flaps on the side of the motor and check the brushes and springs are present and correct, with them removed you'll be able to see the condition of the commuter on the motor.

 

If everythings fine so far but it still won't go I'd be inclined to replace the motor, I've found a source here http://www.ttcdiecast.com/oo-gauge-54-c.asp (1st on a Google search, I've not used them myself)

 

Alternatively there's plenty of friendly guys on RMweb who'll know a lot more than me.

[Split_Pin]

Thank you for all the replies and links that has been most helpful. Its a class 47 model. I will try and take off the body tonight, but it doesnt look immediately obvious like my 37. I will try all the suggested tests and also attempt to remember from physics classes at school (a very long time ago) what i learned about electric motors. I now regret spending most of my time there winding up the teacher by not knowing the answers to stuff. He was a terrible alcoholic who diluted his coffee with whisky!

[scooters]

Like many shitters I am a closet tinkerer who cut his early teeth on leccy trains and slot cars etc....

 

With the boy now being 4 I have the same excuse. There are huge amounts of specialists who can fix these things and a trade in spare parts on line. If you can't do it yourself and model railway shop worth its salt will be able to repair it for you. There's 3 in Edinburgh alone. I suspect the branding of such activities as nerdy is a female conspiracy!

[RoadworkUK]

I might take this as an opportunity to come out of the closet as being slightly interested in Diesel Locomotives.

 

I would never go as far as collecting numbers, but I know the difference between a 37 and a 40, watch the occasional Deltic video on youtube, and bemoan the passing of the Paxman Valenta.

 

There is, in my loft, a Hornby Intercity 125 (class 43, ahem) that I'll get up and running if I ever end up with children, being a fifteen year old model it's probably hilariously dated by todays standards. Damn technological advancement. Damn it to hell.

[messerschmitt owner]

I like trains too - was on quite a few of the last Deltic railtours in 80-81!

 

My favourites are the 40s, 47s, 55s and Class 20s!

[theorganist]

I will too come out of the closet as a Rail Enthusiast.

 

British Rail blue and sectorisation are my favourite periods.

 

I used to build model railways but never finished them, plus I do not have much space, I also found it was too expensive.

 

I am now into train simulation. I have both the old Microsoft Train Simulator and the new Railworks 2. I have thousands of miles of track and rolling stock. You get authentic sounds recorded from the real thing and authentic cabs. For the price of a 'N' Gauge locomotive I can buy a route and around six pieces of rolling stock. There is also a huge amount of 'freeware' stuff.

[Captain Mainwaring]

Another diesel loco fan here, and I too like trainsimming. MSTS is all my computer can handle at the minute, but hoping to move into the big boy shit in the future.

 

 

These and the Deltics for me, please!

[Pillock]

*hands up*

 

I did a bit of number collecting in my youth. I still think it's a shame to have scrapped most locos in favour of soulless multiple units. Lots of freight lines around here so good memories of 47s, 33,s 37s and then later on 58s and 56s. Even been on a few depot tours - official and unofficial

 

Had a Hornby set but only with a 58 and a Lima 08

[dollywobbler]

I like trains, but only in the same way that I like tractors. I don't really know the first thing about them, but they've got wheels and engines and that's therefore good. I love steam trains, but must admit that thundering diesels do something for me too...

[theorganist]

MSTS is all my computer can handle at the minute, but hoping to move into the big boy shit in the future.

 

To be honest my computer is quite old and not that high spec and it can run Railworks fairly well. Some people seem to have trouble running it with quite modern high spec machines for some reason!!

[Albert Ross]

It doesn't sound like this then?

 

 

I once went on a Railtour to The Kyle of Lochalsh in 1979..... "The Mid-Kylesman". Some haulage on that. I seem to think it was a 40 over Ribblehead with Mk1 opens. Holy Grail. Window hanging all the way up country, only pies and coke for refreshment... YES!

[fiatdaft]

i keep theodd lookout on ebay for an old layout that needs work,not found nothing suitable so far.yet!

[CIH]

AIieeee! Nerds!

 

Actually my old man is a pukka train worrier with a penchant (Sp?) for diesels. He use to take us to places like the East Lanc railway in bury. I think he use to work/help there but may be wrong. I can deffo recall visting the yards before they opend up the platform and started doing pleasure runs, probably mid-late 1980s.

[Waderider]

If you're into trains, and have a modicum of IT savvy, google, download and install OpenBVE. It's a really good free train simulator. Free, as in open source, like Firefox. I run it on linux but Windows versions are available.

[Split_Pin]

Excellent, I'm not alone then! I only got into trains in about 2003 due to a long-term friend of mine being an enthusiast. We both shared an interest in buses but when he wanted to see a double-headed Class 37 Railtour outfit departing from Edinburgh Waverly on the May Bank Holiday of that year I was hooked!

 

Been tinkering with the up-and-coming layout again tonight. Fiancee's cat didnt know what to think of it.

 

For me, nothing comes close to the sound of a Class 37 with English Electric 12 cylinder diesel. They were also popular with operators in Scotland.

 

I'm fairly lucky to live near the Edinburgh to Glasgow line. That is connected to the historic Bo-ness line so I can hear the sound of their resident Class 37 from time to time. I can also hear one at random times during the day if I'm ever at home then.

 

Going to take apart the Class 47 tomorrow night to see whats up with it as I just wanted to play with the operational examples tonight!

[chester drawers]

Spot of bashing anyone? Anyone else remember watching this? Includes an Orion chasing a 37 and attracting the interest of the rozzers

 

 

 

[morris_ital_lover]

OMG LOADHAUL MASSIF SEEN TAX etc etc (how happy were they to get a 37/7)

 

m0rris

[Waderider]

Afterthought; try http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/ for top train tunnel and bridge action.

 

Does it for me.

[Louise2cv]

Just when I thought this forum couldn't get any better. I am getting a thing for trains. I reckon the impending child will need a model railway, for educational purposes of course.

[Vin]

For me, nothing comes close to the sound of a Class 37 with English Electric 12 cylinder diesel.

 

I live not far from the main Doncaster-Cleethorpes line. I'll never forget the sound of the 37s double heading the Immingham-Scunthorpe iron ore trains. You'd hear them five or ten minutes before you saw them. Brilliant stuff. Was a shame when the 60s took over in about 1992. Even they've gone now, iron ore now being in the charge of the ubiquitous shed...

 

During the school holidays I used to go down to the railway on my bike to watch the freight trains thunder by. I never took numbers but I learned what types they were. Classes 20,31,37,47,56 - They made pretty awesome noises under load and didn't half make the ground shake too....

[M'coli]

37s are great. 20 odd years ago when I was doing my paper round, I used to race the early morning West Highland line train up the hill on my bike, from one bridge under the line to another over it. If I was on form, I used to be able to beat it. Lovely sound of them labouring up the hill.

[RoadworkUK]

When I was at Coventry Uni my road had a single line railway track at one end. One night I was listening to the distant sound of sirens, rioting and misery (as with any Coventry night) when I heard what sounded like a police helicopter. The sound got louder and louder, closer and closer, then I realised it didn't sound like rotor blades, it sounded far more "enginey". Suddenly I realised it was a train. It was also joined by a deep vibration that shook the house despite being tenth in the terrace away from the track.

 

After peaking it slowly faded away and I went to sleep wondering what the hell it was. Next day, outside washing the Rover (being very, very gentle) I heard that noise starting to build again. I turned my head towards the track, and about a minute later two 37s double heading a huge train of containers. Sounded incredible. Sadly everything gets handled by class 59s now. Ain't the same.

[Albert Ross]

Tractor Pron.

 

 

 

Whistler Pron.

 

[Split_Pin]

Interesting read about the 'Bashers'. Despite the fact that they behave a bit like football hooligans, you cant deny their utter enthusiasm for the '37.

 

Its true you can hear a 37 at least 10 minutes before you see it.

 

My train enthusiast friend and I used to stay on at Linlithgow station after it closed on a Friday night to see the sleeper coming through at 12.25 am!

[Albert Ross]

I used to go to Art College in Reading, and would purposely wait for the Up "Thames-Clyde" (Glasgow-Paddington) as it always had interesting haulage, one night showing up a steam heated Peak, with a rake of AirCon Mk2 D Carriages. Ha! I was window hanging all the way to Paddington, even passing a 56 on Freightliner duties in Sonning Cutting, and meeting a 40 at Slough on GLC waste duties. What a night.

[Split_Pin]

I think I an getting the 'gen' as I know what 'peaks' and 'sheds' are