Bored today, laid up with shingles so not doing much.
Decided to finally have a look at the Every Ready tube train I
acquired about 5 years ago just out of curiosity and see if would
actually run. The power bogie seems to have held together and not
disintegrated through metal fatigue which was a common problem with
them. Motor initially wouldn't run, the power bogie was easily removed
with a small spanner supplied with the set and a drop of oil put on
the bearings. I was half expecting the 55 + year old magnet to have
got too weak but a few finger spins with 3 volts applied soon had it
running nicely with no sign or smell of electric smoke. I don't think
it has actually run much even the Ever Ready label remaining on the
motor.
Reassembled and the crude 4 ft diameter circle of 3 rail tinplate
track laid.
Surprisingly power reached all sections despite the crude joining pins
possibly haven't been connected since the fifties. Took a while for
the train to run smoothly despite power reaching it. It's only two
wheel drive and very light and it seemed friction from a light coating
of rust on the rails was enough to hold it back . A bit of a clean and
a rub of a soft pencil along the third rail made all the difference.
It's now whizzing around the track sparking like the real thing on a
frosty night destroying all MW wireless around the house for that
authentic 1950's effect.
It was designed for 6 Volts originally from a battery that slotted
into the controller but applying 6 Volts makes it run demented and
disappear under the sofa so 4 Volts is enough. Remembering how
batteries of that era run down that is probably deliberate.
Tomorrow I'll solder some wires to the controller.
The missus is working away tonight so I won't have to pick it up off
the carpet before bedtime.
G.Harman
- posted 9 years ago