Re: Hornby Newbie Questions

Xnews gave me both text (with no line wrap) and HTML.

However, 'Shooter', I recommend you turn off HTML and wrap your lines at about 74 characters when posting. Other posters manage this with MSOE.

You can always make your rolling stock heavier by adding lead weights or lead shot, concealed in or under the body. Make sure the wheels revolve easily, and check clearances at the points. Sometimes you need to adjust the wheel spacing, or either file or shim the check rails. I have had to shim check rails on Hornby curved points to prevent wheels from striking the crossing nose and possibly derailing. You can replace wheels on older stock with new Hornby, Bachmann or Romford wheels. (I prefer Hornby's metal axles to Bachmann's plastic ones.)

In the early 1950s, Hornby Dublo rolling stock had diecast chassis and tinplate bodies. Later, bodies were made partly or entirely of plastic.

Dear 'Wolf'

How rude!

What an unpleasant bunch you railway modellers are turn>

consequences."

You are being given some helpful advice on usenet etiquette. People who can't read your posts are unlikely to respond to them.

I see you have manged to modify line wrap and eliminate HTML. Now if you ask your questions politely someone else might answer.

Thanks Martin S,

I've tried ballasting with lead shot, and also solder wire in the base of the Hornby coal wagons (then sprinkled with coal)

But the wagon's CofG is still too high. I'll try the lead strips beneath.

It's a simple point - but why should this DIY be necessary - it is surely a design fault?

Are you all Hornby dealers?

Regards

Nope. Only one of us, I think. You could try directing your complaints to Hornby Customer Service, though from experience it's unlikely to do you much good. I complained about their points and new couplings; they sent me new ones for free, but they weren't any different; I still have to make DIY modifications.

Turn the wagon upside down, lay your wieght on the underside in the centre of the wagon or coach bogie then drip molton candle wax onto it to keep it in place.

Got to say though that I'm surprised at all your derailings, I'm recently returned to the hobby and as I'm building on a shoestring my pointwork is a real mixture of old Hornby pointwork with rotating mechanisms, newer Hornby, Peco Set-track and streamline of various radii and to be honest I get very, very few derailments. My major problem being when I run a long wheelbase tender engine through a reverse curve at high speed (something that shoudn't be done).

What are you placing your track on?

Any comment on Hornby products? On the high CofG? The use of plastic even in the lower parts of rolling stock? The clear non-usability of their products without modification by the buyer?

Response? No

Comments? No

Just defensive primitive complaints about HTML postings on usenet. Model railway modelling, gentlemen, is dead if this is the way it is going.

Regards

I seem to have missed the original query. The earliest Hornby Dublo wagons had die cast chassis and prionted tinplate bodies. Next came several diecast bodies and underframes - steel mineral, depressed center wagon, crane etc.After that, plastic bodies arrived, and near the end there were starter versions with plastic bodies and plastic underframes. Tri-ang originally made wagons with metal underframes and plastic bodies. (not sure about the pre-Tri-ang products)

There are still several diecast wagons from Marklin and Fleischmann, specifically depressed center wagons.

Regards, Greg.P.

In message , Shooter writes

I've just got in from work, and this is the first chance that I've had to reply to your message.

Yes, I get derailments with Hornby products. They derail under the following circumstances:

1. Wagons derail when I have a train of 40 or more of them and they all have tension-lock couplings. 2. Coaches derail when I have a train of 12 or more of them and they all have tension-lock couplings.

In order to overcome this defect, which is caused by the weight of the train making the couplings into a solid construction and dragging the wheels off the track at a change of radius, I am gradually replacing all my tension-lock couplings with Kadees, mainly No. 5, but sometimes I use other types.

I have a rule of thumb for the weight of my rolling stock. Wagons should weigh between 30 and 35 grams each, and coaches should weigh between 125 and 150 grams.

Also, trains of mineral wagons must take at least 10 minutes to go once around the layout (i.e. at a scale 30 m.p.h), and preferably much longer and slower.

As for comments about how to post here, I suggest that if you continue to top-post and to use HTML you might just as well write your mails in Serbo-Croat. And don't make facile and stupid comments about railway modelling being dead. You are the clueless newbie who are not conforming with the ways of the majority. Grow up and learn a little humility.

Thanks John - much appreciated.

"Shooter" wrote

Ever thought that you're reaping what you've sowed?

John.

"Shooter" wrote

This is a model railway group not a haven for kids with trainsets.

John.

I'd suggest text ONLY, as with email. HTML attracts spam points...

Or they get filtered out ;-).