Track Cleaner Mini project

 

Track Cleaner Mini project

I picked up a cheap Triang track cleaner wagon on EBay you know the one with those ghastly chunky wheels and cast bogies, no good for code 75 track.

Under the knife it went off came these bogies and the under frame was modified to take CAMBRIAN C72 "Ride-control" Bogies. Flattening the domed moulding that supported the old bogies then rivet holes in the domed moulding were opened to 5.6mm the clear the head of the slotted screw before gluing the body pivot moulding concentric over to original pivot hole on the domed moulding.

Sections of Evergreen 4.8 mm angle was glued to the wagon underside and butted to the body pivot moulding for extra support.

Looks better already, just waiting for some 3 hole 12 mm wheels to arrive

Alan Gibson 3 hole 12 mm wheels arrived this morning, Reamed the bogie frames to fit the top hat bearings ad fitted a magnetic coupling. Gave the wagon a quick test run, there is quite a bit of drag from the felt so a heavy loco was required to haul it!

2301 Class Dean Goods second impressions

 Well most of my locos were laid up from mid April so it was time to clean the track and have a running session. Well I was disappointed the Dean Goods stopped, started and generally misbehaved the sound was appalling. Investigation showed that the tender pickups were not contacting the wheels photo taken after I tweaked the first two. More troubling was the fact that when I was rechecking the locomotive CV’s when I put it onto my programming track it would not sit correctly. In order to rule out any track irregularities I laid a new length of code 75 track onto a work top secured with double sided tape. As you will see from the video the locomotive rocks from side to side.https://youtu.be/LZv_S73EanA . You can also see/hear the sound issue where it commences after the locomotive has travelled around 2 feet and the sound output is barely audible. Well its gone back to Oxford Rail via Hatton’s to get sorted.

Hornby Adams 415

The latest arrival on Pix Valley a Hornby Adams 415 a smooth runner tested on DC on my rolling road. it seems that the bogie pickups have inadvertently been wired to the lighting output pins on the decoder socket a check with the multi-meter and resoldered the offending chips to the correct pins.  Reprogrammed the chip in my ESU 53900 popped in the loco socket test run on main track and tweaked CV’s. Body won’t fit now chip to big! Also these two bits were loose in the packaging when I first opened it got to find where they go. There is no space for a chip other than in the bunker.

There is not a lot of useful information on chipping the loco. After surveying the loco I removed the coal load and proceeded to trim away the bunker floor to gain space for the chip to fit, as it turned out it was more the a trim in any case removing all that plastic gave me the space I needed and allowing air to circulate around the chip. A final tweak was to trim the coal load flush. When it was reassembled I was pleased to say it looks just as it was out of the box!  Shame I had to hack so much away from a brand new model.

 

Hornby Dublo footbridge refurbishment 05/09/2020.

 

Hornby Dublo footbridge refurbishment 05/09/2020.

Vallejo 70.908 Carmine Red arrived it wasn’t a success to me it looked a little pinkish, so I reverted to good old Humbrol No 30 matt enamel. Masking is a real chore so fiddly I can only hack an hour stint so I guess it should be read by Tuesday! After all the painting I’ll flatten it with Vallejo satin varnish blown on with the airbrush. 

Hornby Dublo footbridge refurbishment 25/08/2020.

 Finally stripped and repainted my 60 year old Hornby Dublo footbridge bought from Ebay sound but cosmetically in drastic need of TLC; it took an age to strip to old paint back to the casting. I did have one of these and the through station but I lost track of my railway when I joined the military in the mid 60’s I suspect my younger brother trashed it!

Paint stripper is not as good as pre 2011 Nitromors Master Craftsman's Paint and Varnish Remover now they took out the active ingredient dichloromethane as the casting is zinc based caustic soda is a not a good idea. Under coat using a Halfords rattle can white primer. I airbrushed Railmatch acrylic cream over the whole structure. Now it’s a waiting game for my order of Vallejo 70.908 Carmine Red to arrive so I can pick out the ribs.

11/05/2020 platform restoration concludes.

Without thinking I left the track powered up whilst tweaking something or other; these metal watch straps get hot when they short out the track.

At last the layout is back together. A surprise early morning visitor on the 7/6/2020 Mr Michael Portillo filming Great British Railway Journeys Series 1001 apparently on D-Day +1 a train pass through Rushmoor station. Time for a few pictured of the refurbished MPD and yard.

  

26/04/2020 platform restoration continues.

26/04/2020 platform restoration continues.

50mm masking tape has been removed misting with a light dust of diluted Wilko Water based blackboard paint. My 3M 6200 Half Face Mask Respirator cost me £8.39 pre COVID-19 now trading at £34.70! Best leave for things dry I have other household tasks so that’s it for today.