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. :goggleeyes:
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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. :D
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. :goggleeyes:
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
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.
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.
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
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
Pity all GF didn't have brass gears ! The growling noise means I don't need DCC sound!
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
Hi Al,
Nothing wrong with brass on brass/worm etc IF its properly lubricated and you dont mind a little noise. At least it doesn't split.
A steel worm would be better according to...
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1080/worm-gears (http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1080/worm-gears)
(Brass gears are pre 1984).
Regards
Russ
Quote from: RussellH on January 09, 2014, 06:39:57 PM
Hi Al,
Nothing wrong with brass on brass/worm etc IF its properly lubricated and you dont mind a little noise. At least it doesn't split.
A steel worm would be better according to...
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1080/worm-gears (http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1080/worm-gears)
(Brass gears are pre 1984).
Regards
Russ
I'm sure lubrication helps - but I've seen so many that have been killed by this that the plastics seem better, though only if correctly fitted so there's no splits! :beers:
Cheers,
Alan
Hi Al
Brass geared ones do die from worm wear (avoid this with oil and you'll have something to leave your kids). Anyway were going way from the OP post - old locos still going after all these years - damm good job too or what sort of a hobby would we have. I do wonder how many of the recent locos will still work at a similar age and usage give the design, complexity and lack of spares already. Dont dismiss old loco because they are old - I still use trix warships, 27's and 47's - and after all these years Iv acquired a peco jubilee - something I could never afford as a kid. Quick service and shes lovely runner.
Regards
Russ
The very first Farish locos I bought were:-
1105 Pannier
1445 Castle
1905 8F
8133 Class 101
Apart from the 101 grinding to a halt (needs a visit to BR Lines) the others are still going strong and I purchased them around 1985 :)
I bought this lot recently on eBay and the seller had written he bought them in Germany in 1982.
They have since been run and although the loco needed a few helping pushes to get going, once it had completed a few circuits, it was running very well forwards and in reverse. They are Minitrix and the little loco pulls the three coaches without any problem :heart2:
(http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq108/Scotsoft/Minitrix%20Train/DSCF2847.jpg) (http://s438.photobucket.com/user/Scotsoft/media/Minitrix%20Train/DSCF2847.jpg.html)
cheers John.
Cute :heart2:
I especially like the Scotsoft Quilted Toilet Tissue background ;)
Quote from: newportnobby on January 09, 2014, 09:41:15 PM
Cute :heart2:
I especially like the Scotsoft Quilted Toilet Tissue background ;)
No expense spared in the Scotsoft Photogenic Laboratories :D
Quote from: scotsoft on January 09, 2014, 09:31:41 PM
I bought this lot recently on eBay and the seller had written he bought them in Germany in 1982.
They have since been run and although the loco needed a few helping pushes to get going, once it had completed a few circuits, it was running very well forwards and in reverse. They are Minitrix and the little loco pulls the three coaches without any problem :heart2:
cheers John.
Hi John :wave:
Yes those small Minitrix locos are good runners with fair haulage power for a small loco
But the haulage can be increased quite a bit by removing the body and replacing it :hmmm:
With a nice chunky 009 white metal body >:D :D
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee398/davieb68/IMG_2475_zpsa7250503.jpg) (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/davieb68/media/IMG_2475_zpsa7250503.jpg.html)
dave :thumbsup:
I've still got the dublo 3 track that my granddad gave me, that still runs really well, I'll have to dig it out and share some photos. all the cast metal platforms and bridges etc... were great.
Hi
Old locos rule!! They certainly have staying power.
I bought 15 locos late 70's to early 80's and I had to return non of them, even those bought second hand.
The only problems I have had with them has been worn out motor brushes (with Minitrix) that I cannot replace and poor running due to general wear and tear on my two Peco Jubilees.
I have only one non runner and that is a Minitrix Britannia which has a worn out motor and a damaged con rod (due to a fall to the floor).
Still running well are 2x Minitrix 9f ; Minitrix Mallard, 4 x Minitrix tanks and a 2MT
Farish Jinty, Compound 4 4 0, Black 5 and a Duchess Pacific
These locos are mostly not nearly as detailed as present day ones, especially the Farish and some are of dubious accuracy in scale and detail to the prototype but they all run and pull well and some are great at low speed.
I do not think I will ever sell any of them. That Britannia, now replaced on the layout by a Dapol (which is superb - so far!) must have been twice round the world in scale terms as I had it running on a loop for hours on end for years.
I do not expect any of my recent purchases to last as well but then they won't have to as because there are more of them and each individual runs far less.
One thing to note is that all the tweaking my recent purchases have needed (some from out of the box) has taught me even more ways to keep the old soldiers going!!
Cheers
Mac
:beers: