Triang Rocket Rebuild

[Chops]

One of my favorite pieces, I obtained in trade, wore its flimsy brushes out after a dozen hours of use, or so. Over the years I've
tried different things- including replacing the brushes- mostly trying to find a motor to put in a coach to push it freewheeling.
It was on this forum, or another, where it was suggested to use a "Black Beetle." My internet searching usually drew a dud locating
"Powered Truck," but "Powered Bogie" and "Black Beetle" did much better, where I found this Tenshodo WB 31. The wheel base
was too short, but by removing one geared axle, and putting in a non-geared OO axle, and reaming out the journal boxes, it all
tucked in quite nicely. Presently on its back, the glue is drying an ounce of weight to compensate for the loss of one powered
axle. The locomotive is now free wheeling, and will be pushed.

[Chops]

Lots of fine tuning. Extra weight over the dummy axle to avoid the coach from popping wheelies, or if one prefers, rearing like a stallion, with its tail afire. That, and extensions soldered on with an old soldering iron, to increase collection from the dummy axle. Only burned me self but once, laddie.If that was not fun enough, the locomotive required disassembly to bore out the axle holes that it would turn freely. And the spare OO axle I was so pleased with was off a 3 rail Electrotren wagon, so I had to scrape off the axle gear off the original bogie, with an Exacto blade, as well as a bit of thumb. Then the journal boxes were out of gauge, so the tender wheels kept falling out, necessitating a timorous wafting over the blue flame of the kitchen stove, only singing my arm hairs, but at least the wheels stay put with only a little wobble. Well, about this time me Mallard decides it’s time to retire, so that has me distracted for the evening. I cannot tell you how much fun this has been, as the Forum discourages profanity. Anyone got ideas about quartering the rear drive wheels on the Mallard? No earthly idea how they became wonky, but having removed bits of cat hair, and God only knows what else, seems like a fair place to go next. Guess it will be trial and error. Nothing else to do, but watch reruns of Time Team digging up ancient thread. That should be about as captivating.

Just remember, as Mario Andretti used to say, “it’s always the darkest just before it goes completely black.”

[Chops]

Buy cheap, buy twice as my mum used to say. So I got a deal on the Mallard, and as old as she was, she ran superbly and reliably. Then she
went on the shelf for the winter, and when I brought her out, the drivers were very stiff. Most peculiar. Well, I spent the better part of two
hours gingerly taking the drivers out, cleaning them, and then finding that trying to reassemble this item was like doing a Rubic's Cube,
my worst nightmare come true. Trying to hold in a bearing block whilst threading the contacts inside the drivers was nigh impossible. I wonder
how in the world they mass produced these things. Maybe ladies with three hands and very slender fingers, I suppose. Absolutely defeated me, and
came to find that one of the delicate drive rods slightly bent, making the bind worse.

I found a set on eBay, all I wanted was the locomotive, so now will be getting it, two more coaches, and a track mat plus more track. No buyers for this
stuff in the USA, and so I will have some overage on my hands as no one in the UK will want to pay the freight, which is more than the overage is worth.

Perhaps I should be modeling Iranian Railways, circa 1900. Probably easier.