Wondering if anyone can help ? Picked up a so called as new farish 350 off a well known auction site. Turns out all the steps are missing (the ones that clip to the underside corner of each coach) and the last owner has done a repair to the pantograph that looks like, they just used a glue gun and there's a solid lump of glue about 1cm diameter all over the pantograph. Anyone know if or where I could get a new pantograph and steps? It was sold as no return but if I carnt get the spares I will take battle to the auction site or even via my credit card .thanks in advance

Try Lee palmer @lprails. He is authorised to repair and will guide you

I've had second-hand models in the past where someone's glued the pantographs down, usually because they couldn't get it to clip in the down position (there's knack to that )    I just remove and clean it up, and re-fit it it's actually ok. Otherwise fit a new one. 

Looking at photos on google, the pantograph looks like a standard Sommerfeldt item? 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/38743/graham_farish_371_700_class_350_1_desiro_4_car_emu_350_111_apollo_in_unbranded_silverlink_livery/stockdetail
 

I just picked up half a dozen pantos on ebay for a good price from CJM Chris's son Matt who's clearing out loads of bits and pieces. He has a few packs of pantos available.   They're possibly an older style head than that fitted to the 350, they look the same as the ones Farish N Spares sell as GF2855 for the old class 90 but I'm sure would fit if you cannot find genuine spares for the 350.  You can probably swap the head if it's not damaged. I do a lot of panto head swaps on my Continental locos because I need older wider heads to suit my catenary.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385312077915

On the subject of 350 spares, I have a non-running set that is missing the DCC blanking plug in the power car. Any idea where I can get one, please?

No plans to go to DCC in N but if I can insert a chip to do the same as a blanking plug more's the better.

@captainelectra   6-pin or Next18?   

NEM 651 6-pin blanking plates are *usually easy to find on ebay, even the cheap Lais version are fine.   

Next18 blanking plates seem to be much harder to find, I think the last time I needed one a kind forum member had a spare.

*hmmm I'm struggling to find any, that's unusual. 

Peter's Spares are out of stock of the Farish pack
https://www.petersspares.com/graham-farish-379-428-6-pin-decoder-blanking-plug-straight-pk5-n-gauge.ir

[edit] Hattons have the Farish pack
https://www.hattons.co.uk/182324/graham_farish_379_428_6pin_decoder_blanking_plug_x_5_straight/stockdetail

At the risk of being blindingly obvious why not try Bachmann spares department, after all it's their product. Contact details on their web site if you just google.

Quote from: captainelectra on December 31, 2022, 10:47:39 PM
On the subject of 350 spares, I have a non-running set that is missing the DCC blanking plug in the power car. Any idea where I can get one, please?

No plans to go to DCC in N but if I can insert a chip to do the same as a blanking plug more's the better.

Do you want a 6 pin or next 18, PM me as I have both types of blanking plug going spare.

Geoff

Thanks for the leads chaps, see how I get on

The 350s are 6-pin.

They're not steps FWIW, they're a representation of the intra-unit cables, they are vulnerable, and are often missing on second hand units.

Bachmann spares is a reasonable place to go, but given they did one run of these 10 years ago I wouldn't hold out much hope.

Personally I wouldn't rush to replace the pantograph with a direct equivalent, they look nothing like a real pantograph, and being sprung they raise far too high unless you have wires to stop them. I've replaced some of mine with Tomix posable ones, and now replacing them with Revolution BWHS ones, which are excellent.

Quote from: njee20 on January 01, 2023, 05:42:08 PM
Personally I wouldn't rush to replace the pantograph with a direct equivalent, they look nothing like a real pantograph..

Well, I agree they're not a BWHS type.  They are correct for a German style single arm pantograph

Quote
... and being sprung they raise far too high unless you have wires to stop them.

Sommerfeldt pantographs can be limited to a lower height by use of a plate underneath the lower end of the arm or by using a longer mounting screw to push up on underside of the arm (depends on which design of panto is fitted). That's how Arnold used to set the pantos on their locos low in order to clear their rubber thread catenary system.   
I remove the plates from Arnold loco pantos so they can ride my Vollmer catenary

@captainelectra

QuoteOn the subject of 350 spares, I have a non-running set that is missing the DCC blanking plug in the power car. Any idea where I can get one, please?

If you get stuck, I also have a couple of 6 pin blanking plates I don't think I will need.

Also have 1 spare Next18

Cheers Richard

Quote from: ntpntpntp on January 01, 2023, 06:02:38 PM

Quote from: njee20 on January 01, 2023, 05:42:08 PM
Personally I wouldn't rush to replace the pantograph with a direct equivalent, they look nothing like a real pantograph..

Well, I agree they're not a BWHS type.  They are correct for a German style single arm pantograph

Quote
... and being sprung they raise far too high unless you have wires to stop them.

Sommerfeldt pantographs can be limited to a lower height by use of a plate underneath the lower end of the arm or by using a longer mounting screw to push up on underside of the arm (depends on which design of panto is fitted). That's how Arnold used to set the pantos on their locos low in order to clear their rubber thread catenary system.   
I remove the plates from Arnold loco pantos so they can ride my Vollmer catenary

Yes, that's fair, I should have said they look nothing like a BWHS pantograph (or indeed anything UK outline).

The way they're fitted to the 350s you can't adjust them. They're glued on, not screwed, so you can't add the plate nor restrict the height without making holes in the roof.  Dapol's early 86s worked like this though, and I agree it's quite effective.