Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

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Lachute
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Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Lachute »

Hello,
how can I add some weight on these 0-4-0 Hornby steam locos ? They are too light for my Fleischmann points.
Thanks for your help.
R1138Loco_1046919_Qty1_1.jpg
R2673_1.jpg
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Ironduke
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Ironduke »

I what way are they too light for the points? What happens?
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Rob
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Bigmet »

Weight is unlikely to cure anything except lack of traction. There will be space inside the bodies for lead if you want to add some; but first as 'Ironduke' suggests, describe the trouble on the points that want to rectify.
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Lachute
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Lachute »

These locos "jump" on the frog but this one (photo bellow) doesn't because of the weighted lower body.
R2672_1.jpg
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Ironduke
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Ironduke »

sounds like a back-to-back gauge issue to me..
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Rob
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Bigmet »

Especially as the locos Lachute has shown are all on the same very cheaply made basic mechanism. The setting of the gauge is 'variable' in my experience, probably worn tooling used to press the wheels home...
pete12345

Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by pete12345 »

The best thing is to measure the dimensions of the track and set the wheels to suit. A vernier caliper is the best tool for measuring.The distance from the crossing point to the outside of the check rail must be slightly larger than the back to back plus one flange thickness. This allows the check rail to guide the wheels across the gap. The back to back must also be large enough that the wheels can run either side of the wing and check rails without binding. Even straight out of the box there's a lot of variation.
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Dad-1 »

Don't dismiss these little locos too easily.
Weight does make a difference, add as much as you possibly can. There is a fair amount of space inside the bodies.
They are usually mostly clip on with small slots where you can depress the clip with a fine screwdriver. Thin sheet lead
used in roofing is the ideal material, sometimes a little BlueTrack tester will show how much room you have to play with.
Glue in securely .
Because of the relatively high gearing they do run like rockets, particularly on DC control. They were never made to crawl
along and this is where DCC can make a huge difference. One of the major improvements offered is slow speed control.

Why will weight help with more than just traction ? The chassis on many of these 'Toy' trains is plastic and does not provide
a flat chassis so often just one wheel is picking up the track power. By adding as much weight as you can you spring the
plastic chassis until all 4 wheels sit squarely on the track.

Just to prove I will later add a video of my 06 Class Diesel, this has the usual plastic chassis. It is packed with as much lead
as I could, even using shreds of lead fitted into small voids in the chassis mouldings.

Another help is to use a soft graphite pencil to mark along the wheel backs where the wipers collect their motor power.

Video to follow - and they are all insulated frog points and slips.

https://youtu.be/DfBs123DGuw

Geoff T.
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Bufferstop »

Ah the famous Marilyn, for once not displaying the moves that earned her the name.
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Lachute
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Lachute »

Thank you very much for all your replies Gentlemen.
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sparkhill
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by sparkhill »

Another way to get lead weights is to flatten fishing weights with a hammer they can than be cut to size
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Nobby
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by End2end »

I used lead roof flashing added internally to both sides of the boiler. It's already flat and can be cut to size with a pair of tin snips.
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Lachute
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Re: Adding weight on Hornby 0-4-0

Post by Lachute »

Thanks for your answers folks. Very helpful.
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