I think my trailer layout, with its' R1 curves and points, soon brings to light any problems with my purchases! A recent purchase (BH in Southern livery) has proved it. Tested in the garden a couple of weeks ago it seemed OK.....
When I tried it out in the trailer it didn't seem to be picking up the current properly and then proceeded to derail. So I decided to clean the wheels and give the loco a close inspection. I cradle the locos in a cardboard box when cleaning or repairing the chassis and wheels. Once I applied power it became obvious that the rear driving axle was wide of gauge!
Having had previous experience of this I knew that the nylon axle joiner cum gear wheel had cracked.
So. off with the chassis cover plate. Pulling each wheel out (without removing con rods was easy because the rods were plastic. Then it was a case of pulling out the plastic, cleaning it and inspecting for cracks. There were plenty so I needed to tighten the bosses up. Making some copper rings to press on was easy and was the same as my repairs to another BH (Blue one posted somewhere on the Forum). Re-assembled, put back together, and then tested. So that pair of wheels was back to normal but, after a few seconds, another problem developed
.
The front axle soon came out of gauge! Now the axle joiners on the front and middle axles are made of a different plastic - rather slippy stuff you ask me!
The joiner also acts for the "chuff" sounder - two metal strips fastended to the joiner give two chuffs per revolution (I think). Because of the nature of the moulding, with the metal strips being fastened in the ends, it was difficult to compress the plastic back to the correct diameter. I used the same method as the back axle but, in doing so, I obliterated the fastening positions for the strips....
...../ (you can see how tiny the screws are!). So no chuffing noise! You can just see the copper ring on one of the joiner pressed into it...
As I have already said, I think the plastic is a little slippy. Because of that one of the wheels would stay in position so I have glued it! It is re-assembled and, a rather feeble, pull test seems the glue might have worked. So it is awaiting testing - maybe today!
To be continued...