Where are all the broken locos?

zwilnik · June 17, 2019, 10:22:49 AM

I've got a bunch, although some of that is deliberate. Of the 100 or so locos I've bought new or second hand over the years, I've got about 5 I think that have developed faults since purchase and are on my repair line. 2 of my Farish diesels have split gears, a Minitrix Britannia is currently locked up and I've got a couple of old Farish Halls that are stuttering and wobbling.
I've got a lot more 'wrecks' on my repair line too, ones that have either been picked up as non runners to repair them or given to me to see what I can do with them. Most of them are like the Britannia or Halls in that they're just in need of a bit of TLC after running for so long.
Statistically though, my collection doesn't really indicate anything as any locos I bought new that had issues went straight back for a replacement or a refund (if it's an obvious design flaw). All the ones that went back permanently were longer wheelbase Dapol steam engines.

The good news is, I've finally found an hour or so off to start playing repairman with two of my dead locos and this weekend 'fixed' (both were just wheel contacts in need of a bit of bending and some general TLC), a Farish Class 03 and a Class 14.

honk843 · June 17, 2019, 11:59:04 AM

It has always seemed that N gauge items second-hand and damaged are in short supply. I have an agreement with a couple of people who do second hand stalls at shows and charity events but the amount of N gauge stuff I get referred to me amounts to damaged buildings and the very occasional coach or wagon although I did pick up a nice rake of Mark one Pullmans recently.
I think it is to do with a balance between those who want to repair. modify, detail, butcher or repaint stuff and those who have a five minute fling with the hobby then give up. It does seem there are more of the latter in OO than anything else probably for readily apparent reasons.
However these contacts I have, have recently been bemoaning the fact that second-hand items even in OO are becoming scarce. They can sell more than they can get. They blame this on two factors. Firstly the aggressive advertising of some second-hand dealers and the fact that they believe that these traders and others dispose of non-runners, poor runners etc by breaking them for parts.
In short I don't think you are going to see any change in the situation as it stands particularly with the slow delivery of new item by manufacturers.

Doc Pye · June 17, 2019, 01:01:56 PM

I well timed thread. I just posted a listing for those Dapol / Farish locos that I have that need fixing https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=7313

As for where to find broken locos, well eBay seems to have a load of non-runners listed. Also, some of those listed as runners have turned out to be problematic

.

I am really interested in the Union Mills approach and when Colin re-releases some more locos this summer (I am on the waiting list for some GWR goodness!) I hope to see how those work. I also recently bought a N-Drive motor off eBay but don't yet know how to install it in one of my problematic locos (

).

I really want to learn how to fix my own locos but despite some searches of the Internet not much shows up for British N-Gauge. Hence, this forum is my hope!!!!!!!!

jpendle · June 17, 2019, 01:12:34 PM

I have gradually fixed most of my 'broken' locos.

I now have a Voyager with broken lights, a Farish 66 needing new gears, and 2 CL86's with broken lights.

I also have a Farish 66 which has been cannabalised for parts, so that doesn't count. I don't do kettles and I think diesels/electrics are much simpler mechanisms.

John P

ntpntpntp · June 17, 2019, 02:15:55 PM

Quote from: Doc Pye on June 17, 2019, 01:01:56 PM
I really want to learn how to fix my own locos but despite some searches of the Internet not much shows up for British N-Gauge. Hence, this forum is my hope!!!!!!!!

Watching videos and asking questions on here will go some way, but I reckon the best way to learn is to sit with someone while they do a repair, for example join a model railway club and befriend the "loco expert"

Get them to give a commentary as they work!

I learned the ins-and-outs of old Triang locos as a pre-teen back in the 70s, and naturally the principles of how today's models work are still the same. Things like DCC are just a layer on top. Over time you develop the experience to recognise the causes of common symptoms, the techniques to clean and service models and the basic tools required - and most importantly where are all the screws and tabs which hold various models together

I used to enjoy doing the "Loco Doctor" thing at my club's show: we would encourage people to bring along "Little Johnny"'s dead Hornby loco and we'd give it a good clean and adjustment, pretty much always able to send them away happy with a working model.

Once you've built up some skills and confidence and you're able to assess the condition of something at a 2nd hand stand at a show or maybe on ebay, it can then be really satisfying to pick up a bargain spare/repair and bring it back to good health.

D9020 Nimbus · June 17, 2019, 03:49:48 PM

Well I have quite a number of faulty Chinese-production Farish locos, all with split gears. 2 x 24s, 3 x (old) 20s, 2 x (old) 31s, 1 x 158, 1 x B1. Plus a UM J27 where a wire has become detached.

Only faulty Dapol loco I've had was a B1 which shed its valve gear soon after purchase. The replacement I received was, and is, fine.

Doc Pye · June 17, 2019, 04:10:27 PM

QuoteI used to enjoy doing the "Loco Doctor" thing at my club's show: we would encourage people to bring along "Little Johnny"'s dead Hornby loco and we'd give it a good clean and adjustment, pretty much always able to send them away happy with a working model.

So when are you appearing in the South, preferably near that horrible place known as the 'capitol'

ntpntpntp · June 17, 2019, 05:59:57 PM

Quote from: D9020 Nimbus on June 17, 2019, 03:49:48 PM
Well I have quite a number of faulty Chinese-production Farish locos... Plus a UM J27 where a wire has become detached.

That's a simple fix, surely? I once bought a UM B12 dirt cheap on ebay as not working, all that was wrong was the wire from the tender needed re-securing to the loco by the keeper plate screw as is standard for UM locos. 10 seconds and done

davidinyork · June 17, 2019, 06:12:15 PM

Quote from: honk843 on June 17, 2019, 11:59:04 AM
and the fact that they believe that these traders and others dispose of non-runners, poor runners etc by breaking them for parts.

Don't know whether that's true, but I've bought 'faulty - sold as seen' items from Hattons in the fairly recent past which turned out to be fixable without much difficulty. faulty / damaged stuff also comes up on ebay reasonably often.

I have noticed that certainly as regards diesels (don't know about steam), the prices seem to have become more polarised with some things going for a lot less than they would a year or two ago, for no apparent reason (i.e. there haven't been new production runs of those locos in those liveries), whereas other things are going for nearly double what they cost new. It can be difficult to see why, in some cases.

Rabbitaway · June 17, 2019, 07:02:11 PM

I have a significant number of locos about 80% are Farish and the rest by Dapol.

Failure rate is about 10% over time or out of the box

I repair these myself with split gears on diesels axles and short life with tender traction tyres on steam being the main issue with Farish, although I have had one motor failure on a class 66. All easy fixes with gears and traction tyres only costing a few pounds. As for Dapol failure with lights on diesels and broken tender wires on steam are the main issue. I just leave the lights unless the loco is still under warranty.

I have more issues with Dapol locos out the box with hot motors and steam throwing valve gear but these go back for replacements and once l get a good one they seem fine . Failure rate out of the box is about four times higher than Farish. Also Dapol steam locos seem to be more prone to being noisier runners but acceptable.

Only sitting with one broken loco at the moment which is a Dapol class 66 with split gears which in unusual. Having some difficulty in getting spares so looking at alternative gears from Farish

As said there are a number of Dapol returns being made available via DCC Supplies

grumbeast · June 17, 2019, 09:12:26 PM

Quote from: LASteve on June 17, 2019, 04:59:20 AM
I have a Hymek that sounds like the proverbial bag of spanners, but I'm hoping it just needs some running in - which on an end-to-end layout is not easy. I'll throw it your way if I get so frustrated with it I want to toss it. I also have a dummy with a YouChoos chip which I run double-headed (when it runs), so I'm invested enough not to bin the damn thing. Most days.

Hey Steve,

I find my Dapol Hymeks always sound like a bag of hammers, I have run mine in a bit and they quietened down some, but they're still pretty loud ( I still love them mind you!)

G.

Bealman · June 17, 2019, 11:18:13 PM

This thread has got me thinking. Yeah, I've got a drawer full of broken stuff which I have had for years with the intention of fixing and they're still sitting there.

Mostly split gear Poole Farish (including three DMUs) and minitrix steamers with missing traction tyres.

Foster · June 18, 2019, 04:36:28 AM

Look on Hattons "pre-owned" lists. There are a number of non runners on offer - who would buy such an offer ?

railsquid · June 18, 2019, 05:48:06 AM

Quote from: Foster on June 18, 2019, 04:36:28 AM
Look on Hattons "pre-owned" lists. There are a number of non runners on offer - who would buy such an offer ?

I have purchased a few such over the years and have turned them into runners

Stevie DC · June 18, 2019, 02:48:48 PM

A good portion of my locomotive fleet has been created from "broken" donor locomotives. If fact eight of my (now) twelve Dapol LNER green A3s have been purchased "cheaply" as "broken" returned items. In most cases these would appear to have been mishandled; i.e. broken drawbars, wires, pinched valve gear etc with only one with an obvious factory assembly issue.

However, more recently supplies of these locomotives do seem to be drying up. Farish's decision to stop selling returned items on their show stand has also put a dent in getting hold of cheaper donor locomotives; what's happening to the returned items now? Some shops, such as (but not limited to) Hattons and Rails, do sell damaged locomotives from time to time - although I wouldn't recommend this method at the prices they seem to want. Otherwise it is a case of keeping an eye on eBay and the for sale sections on the various forums.