Hornby Bubble Car

On 24/10/2006 15:54, John Turner said,

Anyone would think you were trying to sell 'em :-)

"Paul Boyd" wrote

I'd sooner people know what they're buying.

The 'Bubble Car' isn't really a problem, in as much as I suspect any deficiency can be fairly easily rectified by careful adding of extra weight, but I think potentially there may be a real issue with the DMUs.

John.

Mine runs fine but as you have said proably could benefit from some additional weight which I will add when I stick some passengers in and give the interior a spruce up with some paint.

As most will run their bubbles singly and not hauling much then they should not be a problem. My concern though is if Hornby use the same mechanicals under the DMBS car of the three car Class 101's, then they might start to struggle somewhat.

Regards John M Upton

My Fotopic Collections: South Central/Southern, Model Railway & Other Rail Pictures:

Bus Pics:

I presume we are talking power-bogies, not central drive systems like the Bachmann 158?

I'll watch with interest because I'm planning to get a 101 when it arrives.

Adrian

In message , The Bradshaws writes

It's not one of those single-axle drive jobbies, like what they put in the class 466, is it?

"The Bradshaws" wrote

That's correct.

John.

"Jane Sullivan" wrote

I'm pretty sure it's twin-axle drive on the one bogie.

John.

Unlike the defeated by a rice oudding skin mech that lurks in the 466, this can actually move under its own power!

Picture of the chassis of mine here:

My green bubble with its top back on here: It's had those awful couplings lopped off as mine will work singly anyway and a buffer beam detailing pack from Craftsman Models applied (Do they even still make these anymore?)

Would look better with some passengers and a better coloured interior though - on the to do list!

Regards John M Upton

My Fotopic Collections: South Central/Southern, Model Railway & Other Rail Pictures:

Bus Pics:

That looks like the ex Dapol motor found in the 155 and was also in their attempt at 150.

Chris

Was the Dapol motor 5 pole skew wound, as I'm led to believe the Hornby bubble car one is?

From the performance that has been reported in this thread I doubt it is. But don't know to be honest but it does look like the motor bogie in my Hornby 155.

Chris

G'day John, Do you stock this item? Bachmann Network Southeast 2 car dmu 32901. My Friend has not been able to get it in Australia. If so can you please give me your contact details so I can pass them on to him. Graeme Hearn Iron Horse Hobbies snipped-for-privacy@bigpond.com PO Box 20 Yerong Creek, NSW, 2642, Australia.

61 2 69 203 726

"Chris" wrote

I've now dismantled one of the Bubble Cars and photographed the motor bogie. It does appear to be some sort of twin ended motor driving both axles of the power bogie via a gear chain.

Picture at:-

I'm still not totally convinced about its ability to pull another two coaches, but I've fiddled around with the one which wouldn't pull itself and now got it working satisfactorily. It's nice been Hornby's unpaid quality controller.

John.

"Graeme" wrote

Hi Graeme,

I believe it is not currently in production and we have no old stock. This emu has a totally inferiour single axle drive on one bogie.

John.

The thread over on rmweb now includes more detailed photos, the motor bogie looks like Hornby's version of a 'black beetle' :-

In message , John Turner writes

John

Are you talking about the right thing? Graeme asked about a Bachmann DMU, you talk about an EMU, and I thought the single-axle drive was perpetrated by Hornby.

"Jane Sullivan" wrote

Sorry Jane, you are of course correct, I misread his request as relating to the Hornby Networker.

John.