Original H-D steam locos and the Wrenn continuations now properly cheap

[Bigmet]

It's taken quite a while, but now there's value to be had in some of this old stuff, like under £40 for the better tender loco models in two rail versions. Probably not in its original box, and it may be lacking some paint or an odd detail part; but what you get is a heavyweight cast metal model with project potential.

Because the bodies are heavy, they can go on good modern RTR mechanisms which will then pull so much better than they ever did with a plastic body; detailing and repaint of the body to owner's taste.
The original mechanisms were very robust and usually only need some cleaning up, lubricant and/or minor repairs like a broken electrical connection, to run, and the standard eighth inch driving wheel axles mean that alternative kit wheels can be installed.
Remotor of the chassis alone, or of the complete model using a modern large can motor and gearbox, to obtain current standards of running refinement.

And do your own thing. The only real limitation is the small number of subjects that H-D tooled before going under.

[Byegad]

My Duchess of Montrose, 3 rail, did so many miles that the skate pick ups wore flat in the central area. I did once or twice need to clean crud off the none driving wheels and once oiled the motor bearings. Other than that it ran and ran and ran.

[Mountain]

I heard of a pair of class 08's and an 8F that worked 15 years in all weathers on a large outdoor garden railway and they didn't miss a beat. Other makes of loco were lasting anything from a year to four years before they died, but the locos made by Hornby Dublo and then Wrenn (Same things) just kept going and going and going, and the owner was running daily all weathers to his own timetable so his models racked up some high milages. (The other locos that lasted were ones that had Triang motorbogies and these were the ones that lasted around four years).
It was years ago when I heard about it via a magazine and I was intregued as there was a whole list of model locos and how long they survived.

[Bigmet]

The 8F is my great favourite; dating from my youth when it was the only eight coupled freight loco available RTR in OO, and it would do the job thanks to the weight. Decades later, I lucked into one cheaply and this model proved its worth when I had an outdoor line; it needed immediate attention if it got wet while running: dry out, relube everywhere, but this is true of every steam model.

(The only steamer to rival it outdoors was a Hornby 9F I converted to motor drive using the MW005 derived motor from an Airfix designed N2, produced as part of Mainline's range. Thls N2 had clearly attempted flight and the plastic chassis was very busted so was very cheap, the motor was fine. Made up even heavier than the 8F this 9F graunched its way along until the day that between its 800g all up weight and the very torquey motor, a wheel each on the 3rd (driven) and fourth axle shifted, the rods were well bent, and it 'failed' out on the line. Well, we were moving house weeks later, so withdrawal happened.)

Today's job. The recently purchased cheap 'non-runner' ringfield 8F was simply an error in wiring, the pick up from the wipers connected to the uninsulated brush, dead short. That corrected and a dab of oil on all rotating parts, and within half an hour out of the box it was smoothly trundling sixty wagons around. (The most time consuming part of the job was one of the rear body retaining screws corroded and binding, something of a pig to extract.)

(And the other s/h well discounted modern Hornby models were good runners too, two of them only after mucky driving wheels were cleaned, some minor re-attachment of detail on two, pick up wiper adjustment on one, altogether a small price to pay for below half price. There's bargains out there folks!)

[Lysander]

8Fs, N2s, Castles and Duchesses can be picked up relatively cheaply if you are patient and cast your net wide. They are delightful models but seem shunned by younger collectors because of their less-fine detail: all good news for us!

Sadly, the Wrenn Royal Scots and Southern Pacifics all continue to carry a premium though, a great shame as I am looking for one of each to restore and rename.

Tony

[Bigmet]

It's a shame that H-D - which was made in volume - really didn't have that much loco tooling. I haven't a clue what Wrenn's production volumes were like in comparison, wild stab in the dark, perhaps a tenth of H-D? So all the 'Wrenn toolingonly' products in H-D style are going to be limited availability.

Come to which I haven't seen a good class 08 on sale since I sold mine when the Bachmann 08 was about to be released. (It paid for two by Bachmann and one current Hornby, the Bachmann pair easily stuffed with lead for traction, and even without DCC control the running peformance of all of them knocks the oldie into a cocked hat...)

We just have to make best use of what can be got, in my case the focus is 8F's.

[Mountain]

My only Wrenn loco is an 08 which has hardly been used from new. It is lovely.

I thought I would share something interesting that I have noticed.

https://www.elaines-trains.co.uk/index.php?cat=29539

If it has the origional motor, reversing the magnet will change its direction if one is puzzled how to do it and the wiring looks normal.

[Bigmet]

...I thought I would share something interesting that I have noticed.
https://www.elaines-trains.co.uk/index.php?cat=29539

It's a good deal, but only for someone with a 36" minimum radius layout, the all flanged (near) scale diameter driving wheels mean that it won't be capable of much smaller radii, unless whoever did that wheel change narrowed the chassis significantly as part of the conversion and there's no hint or visible evidence suggesting this was done. (Anyone with an H-D or Wrenn steam loco with one or two unflanged driven wheelsets can compare the side play of the flanged wheels with that of a similar 'all flanged' current production. The old H-D/Wrenn design didn't need sideplay beyond that required for free wheel rotation, because they were functionally only a four coupled drive, as was the norm back in the day. Make the coupled wheels all flanged and it don't like curves that much.

...If it has the original motor, reversing the magnet will change its direction if one is puzzled how to do it and the wiring looks normal.

But we don't remove magnets from motors do we, because magnets of this vintage often lose field very badly in the process. Notice that the wheels are all insulated and there is wiper pick up both sides: just swap over the motor feeds and it will run standard direction

Notice also that the vendor hasn't looked inside and "doesn't know what the motor is". I'd read that as 'most likely not the original motor'. The motor could be anything of course, probably something like an MW 005 or Romford Bulldog. This was the kind of thing enthusiasts regularly did to upgrade the best of the old models when RTR OO overall was poor. Were it not that firstly I don't need a Duchess, and secondly that I have more projects on the go than I can quickly count, I'd buy it out of curiosity...

[Mountain]

They normally do a good check but I understand that they have been away for a couple of weeks so want to get new stock in as soon as possible, whichnis why locos like this are put up with a clear description but are sold as projects. I have found her very good to deal with as descriptions have been accurate. I have seen descriptions on some sites so vague that one does not even know if one is buying a complete loco with all its internal bits, or a body and a chassis with wheels but no gears and no motor as some have done where it was described as a "Non runner" (Which could mean anything from a loose wire to a purpose built static loco never intended to run with a one piece molded chassis where wheels are painted to look like separate items and one can't claim description is wrong!).
Elaines Trains will not do this as she wants happy customers. Any of her locos that need work or are non-standard she lists as "Please read".

[Bigmet]

...very good to deal with...

I share your approbation for this dealer, very sound indeed.

[Mountain]

Edited above a spelling mistake.

I have a few good dealers I buy from. The guy at Smallbrook Studio is good to deal with. Also 422 model railways who do 7mmNG went out of his way to deal with me as he normally only does online payments but I was glad when he helped and accepted a cheque. (I made a large enough order to make it worthwhile). I appreciate what he did.
Am awaiting an order from Triangman. Postal strike has delayed things. Have recently placed a previous order from him and all has been good. He deals with more than just Triang though I do find his site slow to load up though could be our internet is not the strongest, but the telecom people are making attempts here to improve this and fair play to them as it is quite a task for them to do that as have heard from a landowner that they are digging a trench to lay a new fibre optic cable in which is around half a mile to a mile through fields if it is coming from where I think it is to get to near here. Last bit down the lane will remain copper cables for now, but it is all happening! So though I have not dealt with The guy at Triangman much as yet, it has so far been good service.
Another good business to order from has been Expo tools who do various model railway and other bits and pieces such as minidrills, Unimat parts etc. Have bought loads of Unimat parts from them and they are always helpful and friendly and have speedy delivery too (Though Tenby to here is not that far away).

[Lysander]

Returning to the OP, this 'Dublo 8F was extremely cheap: just £20. One of the earliest two-rail 'Dublo 8F models - late '50s in fact - it has the 'half-inch' motor and mazac wheels [in very good condition]. The motor didn't work when I bought it but it took about ten minutes of cleaning and oiling to coax it back into life.

The condition of the body was awful, a poor, messy repaint, so a restoration was in order. It now masquerades as the Wrenn War Department 2-8-0, a fabulously scarce engine which, in mint condition, could set you back up to £1000. I have replaced the front pony and tender wheels as they were nasty chipped plastic. The front buffers, too, are replaced and now sprung ones as one of the originals was missing.





Tony

[Bigmet]

Very tidy, well demonstrates the 'good bones' of this model.

I now have what's required for a long term ambition, to put together an all flanged 8F with hinged coupling rods, on a partly reduced width chassis block so it can get around curves.

[Lysander]

As you have suggested, it’s the chassis block that will be the key to an all-flanged set up. But it would look so good.

Tony