Before I tell you about my recent purchases just a note to say that the change in the comments posting described below has at last removed all spam from flooding this website which means that I have more time and don’t have to read the pornographic titles of these spam comments. Its a shame that it makes it more difficult for you to post but thats the nature of the beast.

After a long period of buying 3 rail conversions my last two acquisitions have actually been Hornby Dublo engines. The first was a Class 20 Bo-Bo which has been repainted and renumbered. I have always had a soft spot for this engine perhaps because the prototype is still operating in revenue service on today’s railways. This engine along with the Class 8 shunter must be the oldest engines still working. Didn’t HD do well.

The Class 20 was billed as a runner but it didn’t. Take the body off and there was a wire loose from one of the pick-ups. Resolder, now moves but very jerky. A light oiling all round and a little grease on the screww drive on the bogie. result. Total transformation excellent runner, will pull my standard freight train easily. Now one thing is strange – no traction tyres. No problem I have some spares, which I fitted but this tended to make the engine a little unstead and didn’t do anything for the pulling power. So they were removed and it now runs well and pulls well without the tyres.

The other purchase was a kitbuilt Stanier 3 cylinder 2-6-4T. This is a brass body, reasonably well detailed but more importantloy is on a standat HD 4MT chassis. It arrived very quickly from the purchaser extremely well packed and looking very good for its age. I placed it on the track and with a bit of wheezing started off and immediately derailed on the first points. Turn it round try bunker first and it derailed on the first bend. Mmmm, Take the body off a light oiling, replace the magnet with a Neo one and try again. Goes off kie a rocket and derails as above but at a higher speed. Need to have a good look. Result is that body has steps below the drivers door and steps at the front of the loco which due to the excellent packing have been pushed and fowl both the front and rear bogies when then turn. Bend the all out a bit, one breaks off but engine now completes many circuits of the track light engine with no problem. Use super glue to re-attach the broken steps. Brass is easy to bend easy to break.

Now why doesn’t that ever cause a problem on the HD 4MT tank engine. Easy HD never put steps below the footplate door. The prototype 4MT doesn’t have steps at the front but they do have them below the door. HD just made it easy for themselves. In fact am I right in stating that the 0-6-0T and the 0-6-0 diesel shunter were the only two engines that ever had steps. Never ever thought about it before but of course they were made as toys rather than scale models so what the heck.

The Stanier now runs well bunker first but like all these 2-6-4T’s some work will have to be done on the front bogie to stop it de-railing at certain but not all points. Been there done it before so will go through the normal steps. Now where is that fine sponge I used last time…………….

Pictures to be posted soon.