Loco Wheel cleaning

G'day Ian, Have you checked the contacts on the Tender/Loco connection. Graeme Hearn

"Ian Cornish" wrote

The problem is almost certainly caused by the method used to get the power picked up by the loco to the motor brushes in the tender. Hard wire if necessary.

John.

The wipers on the backs of the drivers are a likely cause of current collection problems, as is the connection between loco and tender.

Greg.P.

My Hornby black 5, similar age, did this until I removed all the old dried out oil from everything on the main loco, re-lubed with electrolube and it then ran perfectly. Badger.

It ran perfectly???? I thought the best performance achievable was "adequately". ;-)

Forgive my ignorance, but what are the "wipers on the backs of the drivers".

It seems the tender picks up one rail voltage, and the loco picks up the other. Cleaning the connection between loco and tender has made an improvement, but I'm sure there's room for some more...

I've never actually taken an engine apart (yet), but am willing to do so now...if someone can clarify the wipers Q.

Ian

Greg.P. wrote:

In older Hornby tender-driven locos, current is picked up through the left-hand drivers and conducted via the axles to the metal chassis, thence through the trailing bogie (if any) and via the connection to the tender. The right-side wheels and valve gear are insulated from the axles. With a couple of mine, I found running was improved by connecting a wire, anchored by screws in existing holes, between the chassis and the trailing bogie. I disassembled a barely-functioning Black 5 and removed all sorts of crud from the axles and bearings (some locos have brass bearing rings, others don't) before reapplying Electrolube. I also cleaned and adjusted the tender connection and mechanism, and got the loco running smoothly, if slowly - I think the motor magnets must have weakened.

An other Badger!

Badger.

We don' need no steenking badgers! ;-)