Hornby Points Question

"Gary" wrote

The last of the old type of point certainly used nickel-silver rail, but I can't tell you when the changeover from steel occurred, but I suspect it was a few years ago.

I assume you know that the new type of point motor can be mounted above board using Hornby's adaptor, but it would certainly take up more space than a motorised version of the old point.

Incidentally, the old type of point motor are becoming increasingly hard to find.

John.

I'm surprised someone hasn't started making them in limited amounts and selling them at a highly inflated price!

Peter Cheap Train Tickets:

FWIW I've got a fair number of the old Hornby points with the rotating mechanism on my layout. I've found that you can drill through the tie bar (on the underside you can actually see a round depression that appears to be a 'design feature' especially put in place for such an eventuality) and then use a bog standard modern points motor to actuate them. And in doing so you can get rid of the big ugly lever at the same time.

Hello John

thanks very much for your reply.

I am going from a large layout of Tri-ang Super 4 Track to modern track and rolling stock, i have about 60 of the point motors and 42 points in the layout, so i have plenty of the old point motors.

As i said on the upper section there just is not the room for the modern point motor housings.............gahh as one thing gets better another gets worse......

I have found some R612/613 points on ebay that look as if they might be nickel silver so i have emailed the seller to see.

On another note.......it often has amused me in the past to see various contributors to this group moaning about the latest loco not being correct in some minute detail, as all my rolling stock and locos are all Tri-ang or Tri-ang Hornby........which of course are not to scale or accurate or even run that well compared to modern model locos........but i have always enjoyed them, but i feel i should move on so to speak

Having said that i have always found this news group informative and interesting.

So thanks again

Gary

"Gary" wrote

Any hobby's a personal thing and whilst I personally want my models to be as accurate as possible with mechanisms on a par with those available throughout much of Europe & the USA, I certainly would not decry someone for being perfectly happy with different standards.

It's only when those who are more easily satisfied start being critical of those who prefer greater accuracy that it becomes an issue.

On the other hand if a manufacturer claims excellence and produces mediocrity, then they leave themselves open to legitimate constructive criticism.

John.

You can always use mechanical linkages or use wire in tube methods to have the point motor placed where you have space. Then you can use easier to obtain point motors.

Hello Terry

Thanks for doing that, i too have been trawling ebay looking for some, so far no ,luck........... There is a swap meet near Bristol next month (i live in Cornwall) so maybe i will go to that and look..............

Since posting my last message i have been buying a few new Hornby locos and track.....and what a difference!......smooooooth, responsive......no stalling over points (new ones that is).......i am totally smitten..........i loved my old Triang layout.........but it cannot compare...........this new stuff is very nice indeed.

anyway enough of my ramblings

Thankyou again Terry.

In article , John Turner writes

It was in 1994.

Pat