hornby merchant navy

[clive61]

Hello to everyone logged in tonight.
Can someone help me with this one please?

I recently bought a Hornby Merchant Navy CANADIAN PACIFIC from a dealer on ebay, when it arrived I noticed that there was a very small cable like thingy that was supposed to be attached to the rear big wheel on the left hand side of the engine, well it was broke and when I got in touch with the seller all I got was "it was ok when it left the shop" and he wouldn't accept any returns. As it happens there was a body advertised on ebay shortly after with the cable attached so I bought this one, had to buy a little red spanner tool to fix it to the wheel but what I want to know is do I tighten this nut really tight or just finger tight. At the moment I am a little bit scared to run the loco in case this one breaks as well

Any information received will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Clive.

[whufcfan]

Hi Clive
Yes that should be tight as it has a shoulder on the bolt, so when it is tight the connecting rod and speedo cable are free to turn on the bolt when the wheel rotates. If it is not tight when you run the loco it wouldn’t be long before the bolt would fly out and probably cause damage with the connecting rods!
Side note, just because it was broken when it arrived does not mean you can’t send it back, you should have opened a case with eBay, they would have found in your favour and refunded you.

Steve

[Bigmet]

'Snug it down' - is sufficient, no great force required, it's a very fine thread.

Since both Bachmann and Hornby started using these screws to secure rod on crankpins, I have had just one come unscrewed, the shoulder under the hex head too shallow. A tiny dab of threadlock sorted that, no trouble in the near twenty years since.

... "it was ok when it left the shop" and he wouldn't accept any returns...

There have always been 'bottom feeders' in the model railway trade from whom such an attitude is typical. But it's a trade: if the price is good, you might overlook it if all else is well on the model. But I would make a note of the name and only purchase from that dealer if offering a lower price on items which are robust and reliable...

[centenary]

Hello to everyone logged in tonight.
Can someone help me with this one please?

I recently bought a Hornby Merchant Navy CANADIAN PACIFIC from a dealer on ebay, when it arrived I noticed that there was a very small cable like thingy that was supposed to be attached to the rear big wheel on the left hand side of the engine, well it was broke and when I got in touch with the seller all I got was "it was ok when it left the shop" and he wouldn't accept any returns. As it happens there was a body advertised on ebay shortly after with the cable attached so I bought this one, had to buy a little red spanner tool to fix it to the wheel but what I want to know is do I tighten this nut really tight or just finger tight. At the moment I am a little bit scared to run the loco in case this one breaks as well

Any information received will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Clive.

On the EBay seller's claim he will not accept returns, utter rubbish. No matter what disclaimer he puts in his EBay adverts, EBay's own rule is 'not as described' when you get it means customer protection. It doesnt matter whether it was ok when he shipped or not. If he hasnt stated what I presume to be the speed drive cable is detacted, the item isnt as described.

If you wanted to follow this up via EBay, you should contact him and tell him the item is defective, isnt as described and, you want a return for a full refund, thank you very much. If he still refuses, you can open a dispute via EBay and they will decide in your favour (they always find for the buyer which is a bone of contention with sellers but that's another debate).

If you do decide to raise a dispute, you need describe the damage \ fault, ask for a full refund on return, include pictures of the broken \ damaged item and at the very least, the original box showing lack of \ or damage to it.

[Bigglesof266]

'Snug it down' - is sufficient, no great force required, it's a very fine thread.

Since both Bachmann and Hornby started using these screws to secure rod on crankpins, I have had just one come unscrewed, the shoulder under the hex head too shallow. A tiny dab of threadlock sorted that, no trouble in the near twenty years since.

... "it was ok when it left the shop" and he wouldn't accept any returns...

There have always been 'bottom feeders' in the model railway trade from whom such an attitude is typical. But it's a trade: if the price is good, you might overlook it if all else is well on the model. But I would make a note of the name and only purchase from that dealer if offering a lower price on items which are robust and reliable...

Everything Bigmet said above with a NB. Re the threadlock. Use a low tensile variant which just secures the fastening from vibration. Importantly, less is more. Don't get threadlock other than on the bolt. Threadlock isn't friendly to plastic or nylon parts if exposed to it over time.

FWIW this part breaks easily. I just checked my rebuilt Merchant Navy "Holland Afrika Line" which hasn't been run in a while and noted it's broken. I'll replace it with some superfine brass wire and paint it black.

[Bigmet]

...Threadlock isn't friendly to plastic or nylon parts if exposed to it over time...

Good point, and I haven't closely examined all the current brand's steam loco wheel constructions.
Bachmann so simple, one piece metal casting with a hub insulator
Heljan, plastic moulded wheelcentre, crankpin bolt screws directly into plastic. (B-G, O2, 47xx - a 'do not fiddle wth it' construction.)
Hornby. plastic moulded wheelcentre, crankpin bolt screws into a brass insert.
Oxford Rail, Sonic (A5) don't know.
Rapido, sole example so far Stirling single, don't know. (It's split chassis, another 'do not fiddle wth it' construction.)

Plenty I haven't yet sampled: Accurascale only once their J69 is released, Dapol, Hattons, Kernow, PI if they release something useful and there are improved/different construction models coming from Heljan and Rapido.

[clive61]

Hi, Happy new year to everyone online.

Many, Many thanks to all who replied and offered their thoughts and wisdom regarding my post about my Merchant Navy Engine, problem now solved. I wonder if anyone knows who supplies oo gauge/1:76 scale disabled parking signs transfers or stickers, like the ones that are painted in the spaces you see in car parks? can't find them anywhere. There are plenty of full size ones that can be reduced down to desired size but I don't own a printer so I can't do that and probably only make a right pigs ear attempting it so that's out of the question. Again any help and info will be greatly appreciated.

All the best for 2024.

Clive.