Submerging a wagon to clean it?

S

Sarah Winfield

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I've just had delivered a rather garish blue LGB wagon with big smiley faces on the sides.

I bought it because it adds to my collection of freight wagons and it was cheap. It is rather dirty and I'd like to soak it to clean off the dust and dead insects etc.

Is it safe to submerge completely please?

Thank you,

Sarah Winfield

PS Hopefully I shall paint it!
 
After posting the previous request I had this mental image of members holding their head in hands thinking "Now what does she want!".

SW
 
Take the wheels off and submerge it in good health. Best not to use Fairy liquid or the like as it has a high salt content used as a thickener - got something else, like a hand-wash of some kind?

When it's dry, put the wheels back and use a non-plastic-attacking lubricant on the metal axles.

Next question? :)

tac
 
I dunk railway cars in the laundry trough full of warm water with just a little dish washing liquid then stir up the surfaces with a clean paint brush of about 50mm width or so. Just be careful of any paper stickers which may lift off if they get too wet. Tough grime or cigarette tar may need a lather of soap with the brush before rinsing. Afterwards let it dry in front of some warm air.
 
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There contradictory advice -no criticism gentlemen.

I thought Fairy Liquid was extremely mild. For those of a certain age will remember the advert, "Now hands that do dishes can be soft as your face with mild green Fairy Liquid".

Do I really have to take the axles out? I'm concerned I'll end up snapping the hangers underneath the chassis. Are the axles chrome plated or possibly stainless steel?

Thanks and I'm not being critical at all.

Sarah Winfield
 
I don't bother removing the wheelsets but they do need to dry properly and get some plastic safe lubrication so they don't get any surface rust.
 
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When I was a proper photographer (darkroom, chemicals, red lights), I used to buy stuff called “wetting agent,” which was a pure and simple detergent without additives of any sort. If it’s still available it should be ideal for cleaning plastics of all sorts.
 
Sarah Winfield said:
After posting the previous request I had this mental image of members holding their head in hands thinking "Now what does she want!".

SW
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Maybe there’s an opening here for GSC to launch a new feature - “Lonely garden railway modellers seeking soulmates, must have extensive layout, photograph (of layout) desirable, please state wether analogue or digital” - or is that last bit regarded as discriminatory in this day and age?
 
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i put all mine in the washing machine with some small rocks taking all the passengers out as they could drown,,,

then i dry the remains off in the oven at 200 degrees,,, passengers go back then if winter time just to warm them up a bit,,,

no complaints from them yet,,,

honest,,,
 
Thank you daveyb and Eaglecliffe, cheered me up on this very wet day with no chance of running a train.

I suppose I could leave the wagon outside and let the weather clean off the dust, dirt etc.

Niel Robinson wrote, "..the risk of snapping LGB axle holders is extremely small." Not if you are me. I opened a point yesterday and I painted the kitchen blue just after I heard this click as a spigot jumped out of a slot. If it's going to happen I'll be first in the queue.

Sarah Winfield
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Thank you daveyb and Eaglecliffe, cheered me up on this very wet day with no chance of running a train.


Sarah Winfield
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Raining in Whitby, too, but yesterday we rode the NYMR to Grosmont. Now that IS a garden railway... and it runs in the rain. Home tomorrow, potatoes to plant, then maybe the weather will hold off long enough for me to finish the electrics and run my own preserved line...
 
Eaglecliff said:
Raining in Whitby, too, but yesterday we rode the NYMR to Grosmont. Now that IS a garden railway... and it runs in the rain. Home tomorrow, potatoes to plant, then maybe the weather will hold off long enough for me to finish the electrics and run my own preserved line...
Click to expand...

Just finished planting some evergreen azaleas in Scarborough. The soil is VERY wet.
 
The only issue I ever had with a smidge of dishwashing liquid is with an early Triang OO coach, where the red paint became mauve.

You want only a smidge...just enough to get some lather......not bubbles everywhere

I use a 1 or 2 inch paintbrush for cleaning

On the wagon in question, I wouldn't think you should have any trouble.

Rinse well, and leave out in the sun ( cough ) to dry. Or the airing cupboard, but I get into trouble!

I remove the wheelsets as it's easier to clean underneath, and you're able to remove anything wrapped round the axles.

Wheelset removal, wagon upside down...right hand holds centre of axle and pushes right...left hand ( thumbnail? ) pulls axle bearing left, and lift axle out from the left.

Malcolm
 
What an incredible idea. I can do it after my shower and before cleaning the bath. Unfortunately I don't have an airing cupboard; people don't do clothes washing in modern houses.

Thank you,

Sarah Winfield
 
...and that's US put in our places. :(:speechless:

Like everybody else in our village, Mrs tac still uses the rocks down by the ford to beat our clothes on, and leaves them to dry on the gorse bushes along the road.........

08-1631-washing-clothes-rock-guatemala.jpg


tac
 
jimmytrains_0 said:
take it in the bath or shower use it as your rubber ducky. Don't get caught cos to explain is quite confusing on both sides !
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its ok to take into the shower as LGB stock is bisexual,,,,,,

come to think of it bachmann sounds a bit butch,,,,
 
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