Old locos still going strong

silly moo · January 09, 2014, 11:34:16 AM

I'm between layouts and have not run many of my locos for quite a few months. I recently set up a temporary test track and gave most of them a run.

I have been selling off some of my older locos and replacing them with newer versions but there are some older locos I will keep because they are such good runners, these include the Minitrix Pacifics and believe it or not some Poole Farish locos.

I have three Poole Farish Crabs which run really well indeed. With all this talk of Farish vs. Dapol and QC, these three oldies have really surprised me with their quality and reliability.

Anyone else got any old timers that are still running well?

Regards

Veronica.

Lawrence · January 09, 2014, 12:01:58 PM

Ok wrong gauge but my Dad is till running his circa 1960 Hornby OO, in fact until last year when I bought him a new Jinty, he hadn't bought a new loco since 1962

silly moo · January 09, 2014, 12:14:41 PM

I've also got some Hornby Dublo 3 rail which is still running very well. I blame a friend for this, he gave me some track, I could have given the track to someone else or bought some locos and roiling stock, the latter seemed more fun.

Poole Farish locos are almost a miniature version of Dublo locos and for all their faults and lack of details they are easy to work on and service.

Veronica.

johnlambert · January 09, 2014, 12:25:23 PM

Quote from: silly moo on January 09, 2014, 11:34:16 AM

I have three Poole Farish Crabs which run really well indeed. With all this talk of Farish vs. Dapol and QC, these three oldies have really surprised me with their quality and reliability.

Anyone else got any old timers that are still running well?

Only one Crab in my collection but I'm always surprised how well it runs. Not sure how old it is but it has to be the oldest loco in my collection. I was a little surprised at how 'low tech' it is inside with the open frame motor but it is simplicity itself to service and look after.

Dorsetmike · January 09, 2014, 12:46:03 PM

The oldest in my collection is a Fleischmann 7161 chassis dating back to 1974 which has carried a Langley S15 kit since about 1977/8, fitted a new motor this year, otherwise still perfectly OK.

Quite a few others, mostly Poole Farish, date back to mid to late 70s and on into the 80s, a Peco Jubilee hacked into a Lord Nelson with a Rivarossi 8 wheel tender drive from the mid 80s is currently getting a replacement tender.

I've only disposed of stock which no longer fits the period I now model (mid 1930s), like Mk1 coaches, Spam cans, Black 5s, a Brit, 9F and other BR standards

Dr Al · January 09, 2014, 12:51:09 PM

Quote from: silly moo on January 09, 2014, 11:34:16 AM
Anyone else got any old timers that are still running well?

Yes, 3 Farish Black 5s on Farish Duchess chassis, which run better than the new tool models, 3 Farish Duchesses, A3s, A4s, Crabs.

The older designs can be made to run very well despite the vocal complaints by so many that they can't...

Cheers,
Alan

CarriageShed · January 09, 2014, 01:07:20 PM

I've only got a small test oval at the moment, but most of my locos seem to be doing pretty well on it. All of them are second-hand, and of those, eight are Poole-era Farish and four are kits mounted on Poole-era Farish chassis. I'm in the process of giving the main cog a touch of oil, cleaning the wheels and then giving each of them a good long run-around. That really seems to be doing them good.

I have a Crab, but it's a Bachmann-period version. It looks absolutely lovely, though, and also runs well.

Quote from: Dr Al on January 09, 2014, 12:51:09 PM
The older designs can be made to run very well despite the vocal complaints by so many that they can't...

Yes they certainly do, and I've no complaints about mine.

Peter

Zunnan · January 09, 2014, 02:27:34 PM

I have a Minitrix 9F thats older than I am still soldiering on so well that I decided to build the trackside structures on the club layout to allow it through, all of my 8Fs are running on Chinese chassis/wheels but using the older Poole motors and brass gearsets with tender pickups salvaged from second hand bin rejects...while these are technically only a few years old, their innards are well over 20 years old (save consumables like brushes) and run very well indeed. We also have quite a few Peco Jubilees still running large distances on the club layout, though they can be a bit iffy at times and need regular cleaning. We even had a Lima Deltic that ran beautifully, until the bridges were planted and it no longer met the loading gauge.

dodger · January 09, 2014, 04:13:31 PM

Quote from: silly moo on January 09, 2014, 11:34:16 AM
I'm between layouts and have not run many of my locos for quite a few months. I recently set up a temporary test track and gave most of them a run.

I have been selling off some of my older locos and replacing them with newer versions but there are some older locos I will keep because they are such good runners, these include the Minitrix Pacifics and believe it or not some Poole Farish locos.

I have three Poole Farish Crabs which run really well indeed. With all this talk of Farish vs. Dapol and QC, these three oldies have really surprised me with their quality and reliability.

Anyone else got any old timers that are still running well?

Regards

Veronica.

It doesn't surprise me in the least. All of my Poole steam locos are still running with only occasional cleaning and oiling. I expect they will still be running after all of my modern locos have failed completely.

dodger

philwhite · January 09, 2014, 04:50:39 PM

I have a American Rivarossi 0-8-0 circa 1969 which still runs well to this day, admittedly slow speed control isn't great, but it has a well built robust feel to it.

Agrippa · January 09, 2014, 04:57:10 PM

I have a GF Class 47 (Track 29) , Poole made with metal gears, makes a bit of a growl
but runs reliably, got it off Ebay a couple of years ago not too dear.

ajc · January 09, 2014, 05:05:46 PM

I have Graham Farish NE3S and NE7S SR 0-6-0 tanks, two NE5s and one NE5GA SR Merchant Navy 4-6-2s, one 1201 LMS 4-4-0, one 1701 LMS 0-6-0, one 1801 LMS Black 5 4-6-0 and one 1811 LMS Duchess 4-6-0 all running well. I also have Hornby Minitrix N201 BR 0-6-0 Dock tank, N202 Ivatt BR 2-6-0 tender engine and N205 BR Ivatt 2-6-2 tank also running well. I do have a Peco NL21 LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 awaiting attention along with the newer Graham Farish 372-477 LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 which only goes backwards. The older locomotives date from the mid 1970s through to the mid 1980s!
Alex.
An old N gauger

Dr Al · January 09, 2014, 05:06:18 PM

Quote from: Agrippa on January 09, 2014, 04:57:10 PM
I have a GF Class 47 (Track 29) , Poole made with metal gears, makes a bit of a growl
but runs reliably, got it off Ebay a couple of years ago not too dear.

That's not original - it should have black plastic gears - the chassis or bogies must have been changed!

Cheers,
Alan

Agrippa · January 09, 2014, 05:45:57 PM

Pity all GF didn't have brass gears ! The growling noise means I don't need DCC sound!

Dr Al · January 09, 2014, 05:57:23 PM

Quote from: Agrippa on January 09, 2014, 05:45:57 PM
Pity all GF didn't have brass gears !

There's a good reason - brass on brass is a very poor engineering choice - it's ok on the spur gear chains, but brass worms to brass spur gears mean that the worms gear gets eaten fairly quickly. Happens a lot on the Farish all brass steam models, and will eventually happen on the diesels too, though I think the steam seem worse for it.

Cheers,
Alan