Model Railway - What's your latest acquisition?

Hi my latest buy is a Hornby R3767 Terrier 0-6-0T 32655 - BR lined black. A lovely little engine which is running in nicely. I hope to collect all of the new tooled Terriers.

That Green Arrow is a stunner to look at - some details are a little 'agricultural' by modern standards but nevertheless, it looks great.

When I started it running on a gentle run-in, it wasn't remotely smooth - juddering.

Turned out on closer inspection the wheel alignment was out slightly - 'quartering'.

Just by trial-and-error alone, I've managed to get it probably as good as I'm ever going to get it, and it's nice and smooth now ... bit of a worry initally, but it's going to be a good one I reckon.

Al.

Thanks for the excellent photos, Al.  Fixing a loco and getting it running well brought you great satisfaction, I'm sure. Bonzer !

Cheers mate. Fantastic - crawls nicely.

Yes - thing is the possibility of it happening again - 'though I hope not.

Self-induced to be honest through my impatience! - one or more axles were near-seized I reckon, which shows how good - for once - the motor is!!

I just added a little oil, then started moving the axles side-to-side, then when all seemed freer, I set it running - badly. ... Eventually - OK after a few 'circles' of the 4th radius circle I've set up in a corner of the garage - I realised what it might be and started tinkering ...

I'd love to say I was more scientific, but 'gentle guesswork' was all that was involved ... and it worked - crawls really quite nicely now.

Al.

Tri-ang Synchrosmoke (1964-197X) locos originally came with a small plastic funnel, that fits into the small hole in the smoke unit lid.

That was the design.

Sometimes the actual lid of the smaller units goes missing....

The larger units do have a built in trough, but did come with the funnel too.

Some earlier locos came with a glass pipette to use as s funnel, down the chimney

The Seuthe, 1961-1964, type smoke units have a larger opening....

I remember that funnel thing ... wow, that's going back a bit!!

As a teenager I 'rebuilt' a Winston Churchill - badly - and used paraffin 'cause it smoked more' - I was popular!!

Al.

Some people used 3in1 type lubricating oil!

Also not a good idea...

In 1964, the Seuthe type smoke units used in Tri-ang Railways locomotives from 1961 were mainly replaced by the introducton of Synchrosmoke units.

These were also known earlier on as Synkro-smoke, and other variations in spelling, etc.

The exceptions were the locomotives where the Synchrosmoke units could not be fitted, such as the S.R. L1 4-4-0, and the G.W.R. Lord of The Isles 4-2-2.

The Synchrosmoke units use a cast metal box, with a piston in a cylinder to push air into the box driven by a gear wheel, which is driven by the motor worm.

The box contains a wadding material, and on top of this is a heating element, that looks a little like a fuse, with a metal conducting cap on each end.

The element is wired in parallel to the loco motor, so the amount of voltage, and therefore heat was governed by the speed control setting.The air forced into the box by the piston expels the smoke in "puffs" that are synchronised to the driving wheel speed by the gear drive.Complicated to describe, but it works!

Some Examples of Synchrosmoke fitted locomotives.

R.51S G.W.R. 0-6-0 Pannier Tank Locos (1972)

R.051 G.W.R. 0-6-0 Pannier Tank Locos (1973-1974)

R.52S B.R. "Jinty" 3f 0-6-0 Tank Locos (1964-1972)

R.052 B.R. "Jinty" 3f 0-6-0 Tank Locos (1973-1975)

R.52AS L.M.S. Maroon "Jinty" 3f 0-6-0 Tank Locos (1970-1973)

R.52RS L.M.S. Maroon "Jinty" 3f 0-6-0 Tank Locos (1970-1973)

R.54S "T.C. Series" Transcontinental Pacific Tender Locos.(1964-1970)

R.54NS "T.C. Series" Transcontinental Pacific Tender Locos. "1542" late production models with 8-wheel "Gresley" "Flying Scotsman" Non Corridor Type tender fitted with Exhaust Steam Sound (1971-1973)

R.59S B.R. Class 3MT 2-6-2 Tank Locos (1969-1972)

R.150S B.R. B12 4-6-0 Tender Locos (1964-1969)

R.150NS N.E. Black "7476" B12 4-6-0 Tender Locos with Exhaust Steam Sound (1976-1978)

R.251S B.R. Lined Black "Deeley" Ex L.M.S. Class 3F 0-6-0 Tender Locos (1964-1965)

R.259S B.R. Britannia Class 7 4-6-2 Tender locos (1964-1970)

R.259NS B.R. Britannia Class 7 4-6-2 Tender locos with Exhaust Steam Sound (1971-1972)

R.258S B.R. Lined Maroon Princess Royal class 8p 4-6-2 Tender Locos (1964 & 1969)

R.258S L.M.S. Maroon Princess Royal class 8p 4-6-2 Tender Locos (1970)

R.258NS L.M.S. Maroon Princess Royal class 8p 4-6-2 Tender Locos with Exhaust Steam Sound (1971-1974)

R.356S B.R. Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 Tender Locos (1964-1969)

R.377S G.N.S.R. Brown "Jinty" 0-6-0 Tank Locos from "The Railway Children" train set. (1970-1972)

R.452 L.M.S. Maroon "Jinty" 3f 0-6-0 Tank Locos (1973-1974)

R.558S Battle Space Khaki "Jinty" 3f 0-6-0 Tank Locos from the "Strike Force 10" Train Set (1966-1967)

R.661S  Weathered B.R. Lined Black "Deeley" Ex L.M.S. Class 3F 0-6-0 Tender Locos from the “Old Smokey" Train Set (1965)

R.653S "T.C. Series" Continental "Prairie" 2-6-2 Tank Loco (Red frames and wheels, two domes) (1969)

R.866S L.N.E.R. Green B12 4-6-0 Tender Locos (1970)

R.866NS L.N.E.R. Green B12 4-6-0 Tender Locos with Exhaust Steam Sound (1971-1974)

R.869S S.R. Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 Tender Locos (1969-1972)etc. It is important to only use proper model railway "Smoke Oil" in the smoke units, to avoid problems, including possible element damage.The smoke oil marketed by Tri-ang and Hornby has come in a variety of plastic tubes and sachets over the years. The last Hornby issue I have seen was a small plastic "pot" with a screw lid (R.8111).

Until the Hornby "Pot", the various containers of Smoke Oil had the part number R.521, including the sachets sold by Hornby to go with the later Smoke fitted locos that use a plastic smoke unit, including the 4-4-0s (SR Schools, Midland Compound, GWR County, and LNER Shire, and the GWR 2800 and LMS 8f 2-8-0 locos. 

Hi

My latest buy was 2 Green Concett Ore operating hopper wagons with metal tyred wheels with the open ended axel boxes should make a good train with the 6 others I have got.

I purchased a 57xx from Bxxxx and the Tornado pullman set form Hornby at a local exhibition on their second hand stall.

Very pleased with both purchases as they were very reasonably priced.

The B 57XX is superb - I've a black one - smooth, quiet and does slow very well ... detailing is great and a nice weight to it as well.

Al.