Thank you for your educating videos, i am a novice at 78 but love to learn , after i check out my existing locos that have sat for many years i am sure i will have a need of your amazing conversion kits . thanks again.
Having bought & fitted 3 of your motor conversion kits all I can say is thanks I now have a 37. 50. & an old lima ahem "clayton" centre cab which all run sweetly on dcc . great product & informative videos
Just bought and fitted one of these off this chap to my hornby class 110 dmu. The motor fitted quite nicely, little filing required to fit the motor, I had to reuse the brass gear but had to be careful pressing it on and managed to swap the pick up contact over which wasn’t too bad a job. Runs absolutely lovely now. Thank you very much 👍
Many thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. What model did you fit this in? Very few need the brass gear to be be retained, but I'm trying to draw up a list for folk so that they know I'm advance.
Hey just started watching your videos as i searched for a dc-dcc conversation and your video was won of the best to follow. As you do i then had a look through your other posts and I'm enjoying them a lot keep up the great videos mate
Thanks, Paul. It was only thrown together, but I was really chuffed to get one out after such a long break. I've a few sitting waiting to edit, but it's amazing how much longer it takes to edit old footage, as you forget what you've done, which takes are better than others etc. Just need to find a bit of time!
Marvelous, absolutely marvelous! The funny thing I've watched Samstrains about his cd motor conversion and that had got me thinking "why has no one made an adaptor kit to get that motor in dead centre?" Not a day later I find this informative video. I admire how you've thought of every motor design scenario. I will certainly be buying a couple of these kits. This certainly makes me a bit more confident to make the conversion. You've done the lords work lad, well done indeed~
@@StrathpefferJunction Well 2020 hasn't exactly gone according has it?... :P Another question about these adaptor kits, would you be able to use these on Lima's steam engines? I.E the 9400s, the J50s, the little USA 0-4-0 switchers they have?
They may well fit. I've not tried them all, but they'll fit most Lima models. The LA3B kit fits the small pannier tanks etc., so may well fit those too. I've only got one Lima kettle, so haven't tested it in more than that, but if you want to send me a photo of the motor bogies, I'll let you know. 👍🏻
Hi. I've tried the CD motors as a conversion but found they got hot after longer running sessions so I look forward to seeing your 'how I did it' video. Great work :)
Many thanks for the comment and support - much appreciated. Like any motor, heat is definitely something that can affect them and they definitely can get warm with prolonged use. When I was designing my original Lima adaptors, I did a range of tests with my infrared camera and the average temperature of the motor after an hour of constant running with a 6V motor in a Lima Class 47 with an average rake was around 47-50°C (the temp was a wee bit lower if I kept the diode voltage dropper and dcc decoder away from the motor, as they get hotter than the motor!). It definitely felts warm to touch, but so long as you give it a break and don't overwork it, I've seen them last for a long time (my original conversation is almost 3 years old and just like it was the day I first converted it). There are a lot of variables though, and the 12v motor kits tend to run cooler than the 6v kits, whine the 6v kits vary depending on the thickness of the motor and also whether you're using diodes. Keeping the gears well lubricated also makes a difference, so to the nature of your layout. One of the main positives of these adaptors is that the motor is also very easy to replace, because no glue is used - so if it does fail down the line, it takes minutes to replace. Of course, after a long running session of many hours, or if the rake pulled is really long or there are a lot of inclines, the temperature could get higher than in my tests. It's hard to predict without knowing the specifics of the install and the usage characteristics, but this is why is recommend that converted models aren't run continuously for more than an hour at a time. I feel that's probably conservative, but it will keep them running happily for a reasonable length of time. Even a five or ten minute break will let a warm motor cool right down again. I did have one customer who ran a converted HST set for around 5 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it lasted somewhere between 6 and 7 weeks. But that means it did around 245 hours before giving up. For me, I doubt any of my converted models will get anywhere near that in a decade of use, however, that was also pushing the motors well beyond their limit with no rest time, so my guess is that if you give them time to cool down and you're not running them hot for hours every day, every week, you'll get many times more hours out of them than that. Mind you, if you ran your £185 Bachmann Class 37 for 5 hours a day, 7 days a week, it's also going to fail an awful lot sooner than it otherwise would!
I'm still alive...just! Had a bit of a rocky period and I'm back into hospital on Monday for another MOT and service on my back, but that'll be the last for a while and fingers crossed I'll get back to things properly before the year is out 🙂🤞🏻
Excellent video, very professional and very detailed. The design of the upgrade is very well thought out and realized. I want an address or get it, please. Excellente vidéo, très professionnelle et très détaillée. La conception de la mise à niveau est très bien pensée et réalisée. Je voudrez une adresse ou me le procure, s'il vous plait
Hi Ian. Many thanks indeed for the comment. I've been experiencing a lot of back issues over the past 18 months so haven't been able I make any new videos, but I'm hoping hat once things have settled, I'll be able to get back to them.
Hi did not know you had a youtube channel i brought a lima motor kit of you yesterday you have just posted it today for me thank you so much all the best Stay Safe Regards Phil C :)
Excellent! Thanks for the support. Just so you know, my webshop will be shut for around a week from tomorrow as I'm heading into hospital for some work on my back. I'll be home around a week to ten days later, so it'll open again then. 🙂
Many thanks, my friend. I'm away for some more work on by spine next week, the hopefully that'll be it for a while and fingers crossed things'll settle and I'll get back to the layout properly. I've an absolute mountain of projects to be getting on with!
Great kit and well thought out as well mate. Not sure is this suggestion would be helpful. But I would be interested in a new lighting kit for the Hornby Eurostar train because its a great model but the lack of directional lights is a let down. I hope that idea will be helpful to you buddy. Please do more great videos like this. All the best Ash.
Many thanks, Ash. I have thought about lighting kits, and may make some for myself or do a video on my approach, but as someone else makes them commercially already, I don't really want to tread on anyone else's toes.
Hi Raymond. I'm afraid I've been in hospital on and off recently. I've also had more issues with my emails due to a DNS issue when they moved servers and for some reason a percentage of emails haven't been making it through. I should have your email in my sent items from previous correspondence. I will add you to a white list and hopefully that'll let your emails through. Would you be able to resend over the weekend and I will make a note to specifically look out for it and try to track it down? Sorry for the delay.
Great to watch this video. A complete novice at this model train hobby. I purchased a used old Hornby 25 247 model and I am trying to convert it to DCC which I have done on other models but on this ring field motor I don't know how to isolate the the motor -Ve connection from the train track connection is it possible to do that??
I had good afternoon I have been told that you might be producing new motor kits for the hornby castle + county class could you let me now when these kits will be Available so I could purchase one to try many thanks Colin.
@@StrathpefferJunction hi and good morning and thanks for getting backto me. I have a about 20 of the hornby castle and county class loco some run better than others four of this have were the Amateur has burnt out they are not very good motor because of this problem I have looked on you tube I am not the only one with this problem after finding out you might be doing a replacement upgrade for this class and I haveSubscribed to you channel and seeing your other upgrades to the other ringfield motor I thought it would be good to get in touch with you to purchase one to try when they are available many thank Colin.
That's odd. Did you get an error message? If so, what did it say? If you have Facebook, you can also send a message via the Strathpeffer Junction page.
@@StrathpefferJunction Good afternoon and thanks for getting back to me I am not on Facebook my wife is I will ask here to look at the best way to get in touch with you many thanks Colin.
Hi hand good morning. Sorry to bother you I now you have been in hospital that’s probably way I have had no reply back from you it’s just seeing if there is any update on the project that you was going to work on the hornby castle- county class with the bad ringfield motor many thanks Colin. Ps keep well I hope thing get better for you and the family.
Hello, have You ever thought about printing an adaptor for a modern 5 pole- motor for the chassis of the old tri-ang single wheeler locos, caledonian 123 for example? maybe with a stay-alive unit for points and diamond crossings?
It's something I'd be happy to look at, if you'd like to email details. I don't have that model in my collection, so don't have a prototype to work from. Always happy to give things a go though! info@strathpefferjunction.com
What a well presented and designed bit of kit, many years back an Australian company sent me some Lima samples which worked ok with the same type of motor. I'd ask about the motor and voltages etc and but would suggest that the suppressor capacitor is retained from the original as this will protect the motor if HF track cleaners are being used. I wonder if some sort of cigar cutter would work for the gear?
Many thanks indeed for the comment and feedback. Much appreciated! I tend just to advise not to use these with HF track cleaners full stop. I still wouldn't want to risk it. The cigar cutter is a good idea. I was looking at pvc pipe cutters a wee while ago and they worked pretty well, but they're a bit more of a safety issue vis-a-vis fingers as the blades are pretty big, so I've stuck with recommending smaller wire cutters or a Stanley knife for now. Was it Model Torque in Australia that gave you then samples? I know there was a guy a few years ago now who made motor kits for Lima comprising a bit of shaped plastic glued to a motor, but I haven't seen them for years and sure I read somewhere that the gent had died. Sad news, if true.
Hi Lawrence. Many thanks indeed for the comment. I've been in and out of hospital like a yoyo over the past year, so I've had really limited time and energy to sit in front of the camera unfortunately. I do have a couple of videos filmed, but I just need a spare moment to edit them down. Hopefully I'll get something out in the not too distant future!
Hi Tony. I'm surviving. Last year was a tough one back-wise as I was in and out for hospital for a few different procedures. Right now, we're expecting our first child, so life is hectic getting ready. Once the dirty nappies have cleared through, I hope to be back with some more videos. I have a long list of them to do now!
Strathpeffer Junction pleased to hear your ok. Congratulations, hope everything goes well for you. You forgot to mention the sleepless nights. 😂 look after yourself & I look forward to your videos.
Hi, I have just fitted the conversion kit to a Hornby Black 5 with the Silver Seal motor. I am very impressed with both the kit in ease of fit and improvement in running of the loco. I expect that you have been asked this before but do you have any plans for a conversion kit for the old Tri-Ang/Hornby XO 4 open frame motors? Many thanks.
Hi Chris. Many thanks indeed for the feedback. It's much appreciated! Yes, I am currently working on something for that model. I like to take time and thoroughly test things before making the available, so that I know they're as good as they can be. Once I'm happy that it's reliable, I'll launch a kit. If you'd like to get a notification when a new kit is available, please add your name to my mailing list: www.strathpefferjunction.com/mailinglist
Hi and good morning it’s Colin I hope you are ok I sent you a email about a upgrade kit you was looking at for the hornby castle / county you told in the email you sent me you have some of these class with the same problems with the bad ringfield motor and you was looking later in the year for producing a kit just checking in if you are still working on these kits many thanks Colin.
Hi good afternoon I hope your back problems will get better after you visit to the hospital this is probably way you have not got back to me on your project on the hornby castle / county class upgrade motor for the old ringfield motor as I said in my last message to you about six months ago you said you was looking in on the problems with the rubbish hornby motor with one of your upgrades you did say it would be probably later in the year. many thanks Colin
Hi mate. Do you mean the motor wires? If its just a dc conversion, the new motor is effectively a swap for the old one, so should be wired in to the same pickup feeds. But some ringfield have love chassis, so will need one feed either tapped to the chassis or a the screw that used to feed a ringfield brush from the chassis screwed back in and a feed soldered to the head of the screw which then feeds the motor. Lighting wiring, so long as it's the stock lights, shouldn't really change either. If you're able to send me a few photos of the motor and where you're all, I should be able to guide you. info@strathpefferjunction.com
@@StrathpefferJunction you are very kind, yes the motor ones, I put the red to the left track and black to right track (i think 🤔🤷♂️🤣) and added one of the stock light leads to the left track and it works ok, I did have one odd wire from the old stock light loose but I don’t think it’s needed now I’m picking up from the right rail. It was a Lima HST I was upgrading 👍 many thanks for the offer of assistance
hi great kit I would like to modify my hornby class 86 to improve its poor running I am now using digital dcc so would I need a 6 volt kit or a 12 volt unit and would I need to adjust any cvs for beer control of this motor and if so what settings do you recommend. look forward to your reply it's good to see you back kind regards ralph
Hi Ralph. So long at its the older ringfield motor Class 86, it should fit either the HA2 or HA6 kits. You can use either with a dcc decoder. With the 6v kit, you'll need to reduce top speed using cv5, while the 12v motor can be used without any specific cv top speed adjustment. In terms of cvs for better control, its very much down to a) the specific model and b) personal preference. If you go for the 6v kit, I certainly recommend reducing the top speed quite considerably (try 125 in cv5 to start with, and also change cv6 accordingly) and I also recommend increasing inertia via cv3. If it's the 12v kit, you'll probably not need to make such drastic changes (if any) to cv5, but you may still with to play with inertia/acceleration via cv3 and braking cv4.
In addition to having over five hundred locos, in N, OO and HO scales, I have fourteen, what I term as my heritage collection, all Hornby, from the eighties. Having watched, your video, a couple of times, I would like to attempt a Ringfield replacement. What do I need to order? I have a couple of friends, who have asked me to be the guinea pig, in carrying out the first conversion. They also have locos with the old style motors, both Hornby and Lima. Thanks.
Hi mate. What Hornby models are they? What you need depends mainly on whether they have Bo-Bo or Co-Co bodies. If you let me know the model that you're going to tackle first, I can advise. Might be easiest to drop me a line at info@strathpefferjunction.com and we can discuss the details 🙂
Bonjour David !!! A long silence that was a very productive one - thank God ! I don't have any use for the adapter but I'm glad to see you back. Hope you are well ! And is the layout progress for the near future ? All the best et bon courage. Cordialement, Filip
Bonjour, mon ami! Merci pour le message. I'm back for just a week, then I'm back into hospital for another procedure next week. I'm hoping to get some progress done on the layout before the year is finished out 🙂
@@StrathpefferJunction Bonjour David, I feel for you et je vous souhaite force et courage mon ami! I hope you're not in pain and wish you good luck too! A bientôt j'espère.
That's a neat little kit - I may need to purchase one of those for a Seagull tender drive (because it's running really rough, just now). Incidentally, those green handled wire cutters - do you sell those, or can you give me a brand name, please ? Newly subscribed - I like your presentation style, too....slainte :)
Many thanks indeed! If you go onto amazon and search for Japanese hobby wire cutters, they should come up. I can't for the life of my remember the brand name, but I'll see if I can find the order and clarify.
Hi there. Yes. My HA5 kit should fit that model, unless it's the old Triang Hornby Silver Seal version, in which case my HA8 kit will fit. You can find them here: www.strathpefferjunction.com
Hi just wondering if you still sell your cd kits. If so do you have one for an early 125 (Hornby) ringfield . I bought one of you 18 months ago for my class 47 still going strong. Thanks JC
Hi I wonder if you could help with a issue I have with a old Hornby class 37, I want to convert to dcc but it has only one brown wire from the ringfield motor to the rear chassis, any help would be appreciated Thanks
Sure. The model will have a live motor bogie. The front pickup is the metal chassis and it feeds one of the brushes directly, via one of the screws that holds one of the brushes in place (normally the lefthand brush/screw). You just need to take a feed direct from the motor bogie to one new motor wire and the feed/wire from the rear pickups to the other new motor wore.
I hope you're ok, I have got my old trains out the loft during lockdown where they've been boxed up for twenty years, and have one Dapol class 56 that was a problem 20 years ago and I still can't get it going now, despite tinkering for hours....do you do a version of your conversion that would fit? There are 8 teeth on the little cog on the end of the motor
I was working on an adaptor for that model and was close to perfecting it (its a tricky style of ringfield, so was quite complicated to adapt) and then the motors became unavailable. There was only one particular size of motor that fitted, so unless I'm able to get it again in the future, I won't be able to offer a kit for it, unfortunately.
Just converted some old locos to dcc. They are struggling to run even on a brand new straight of track. Seems to be a wheel/pickup problem, when I measure from wheel to bogie metal block, or the power feed wires I get some resistance and not a zero reading on multimeter. What are my next steps?
Do the motors run with 6v (or a similar constant voltage) applied to them? If it's a Lima kit, are the screws on the adaptor too tight? Are the gears binding at all?
@ thanks for the response. The locos are all runners but the hm7000 decoders are (currently) without power banks so the moment they hit dirty track they halt dead. However, my test track is brand new and perfect condition. Using a multimeter I get poor continuity readings from pickups or wheels. Locos I’m working on at the moment are a ringfield class 43 with the wheels that use the big metal collector - this loco runs better after wheel clean. My (I think class 21 which may not be a hornby) has little pickups that touch the back of the wheels. I assume these are corroded and/or not making great contact… losing will here!
hi. i’ve fitted one of these kits to my hornby Gordon model. the only issue i have with it is that it runs way too fast. i’ve tried to put all sorts of diodes and resistors in it but they do no good. would you have any suggestions? thank you. -jock.
Many thanks indeed! I've got a whole range of adaptors now fie different models. I also make a few different things for customising railway models. I only release them when I've tried and tested them myself, so I have a few other things that are in the pipeline too.
Hi Jon. I have a website at www.strathpefferjunction.com. I've not added much to it or my channel this year as my wife was pregnant during lockdown, which was a bit of a tricky time to be going through that, and no we have a wee baby which is where most of my focus is right now. But, once things settle, I'll be back at it. 😊
Hi Andy. I have in my mind that may be a different design to the normal Hornby ringfield as it was inherited from Airfix. If so, I don't currently have an adaptor for it, but it is one that I plan to have a look at and see if I can design something that'll fit. If you're able to give me the specific model number, I can double check and give you a concrete answer. 🙂
I see you do 6v and 12v motors. I'm planning on using one for my Hornby APT which will be converted to DCC after testing on 12v DC I assume I need the 12V bo bo version...?
Hi mate. Yeah, there are 6v and 12v options for BoBo models. The 12v motor is the most straightforward to use as you don't need to mess about with diodes. It does run a little slower than the 6v motor (the 6v flies like a rocket!) so I offer both to cater for folk who like to have their trains flying round, but I've used the 12v motor in my conversions and I'm perfectly happy with its speed.
If it's the Chinese-made D49, then it may well do. If it's the very common metal chassis ringfield dedign, then it should be compatible with the adaptors. Best thing is to email me a photo of the motor and I can let you know which kit, if any, will fit. There's currently two different adaptor designs for Hornby ringfields and three kit options. That cover most of the common designs (but there are a few exceptions).
I have a few ring field powered Hornby locos. Some of these just spin and don’t move. I have tried cleaning the cogs and gears, and finally I secured the cog to the shaft. I ran it slowly until the cog disconnected from the two large gear wheels and the cog continued to spin. I made repeated attempts to fit and engage the gear wheels to no avail but what I discovered was the shat to which the cog is mounted is spring loaded but I have no idea how to fix this. Any ideas? Thanks
Hmmm. I'm struggling to envision the spring loaded shaft. If you want to email me some photos, I'm happy to take a look and see if I can help. I'm pretty snowed under just now, so won't be able to give an immediate response, but I'll reply as soon as I can: info@strathpefferjunction.com
Most motors are 6v, but you can get some that are capable of handling 12v out of the box. I've sold both via my website. I also sell diode voltage droppers that will take care of the voltage for dc layouts, and decent decoders with speed and reference voltage functions are ideal for doing that with dcc layouts. That said, many 6v motors will work just fine, because turning them up above 50% will mean run way too fast anyway, so unless you're a stickler for prototypical speed management, you can often just protect the motor by never running them above 50% speed/speed steps. There's different ways that you can deal with it. I covered voltage droppers in a previous video.
Hi Rich. So long as the motorised tender looks a bit like this one, then the HA1 kit should fit it. www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_04_2010/post-4912-127246167859.jpg
DCC decoders then to work better with these than a poor running ringfield. If the ringfield is very smooth, it may be OK for dcc, although the current draw can be a hit highers, so many not be great with things like a tts decoder. Kits which have the slim 9mm motor may not be quite as robust as a ringfield in terms of their ability to pulls lots of big rakes for hours at a time, it they run much more smoothly and last well if they're looked after.
Darn that's a good kit, are these motors really good? I mean I want to put them in my HSTs and run a 7 car train, I have been thinking about buying the new Hornby HSTs but this looks like a much cheaper fix. The new HSTs look good but it's their pulling power I am interested in, can you do a short video showing the new motors pulling a heavy train? Cheers always enjoy your videos
Hi Guy. Many thanks for the kind words. I've not had any issues pulling what I want to pull with them. That said, I tend to go for diesel-hauled with five coaches, so haven't personally tested much more than that. I'll try to do a quick video of my converted hst set pulling seven cars in due course, but it'll not be until the end of the year I'm afraid, as I'm back in hospital next week and will then be out of action for a bit after it. I have seen a video on UA-cam of a guy with a cd motor in an hst set pulling a load of cars, so folk dp definitely do it. These motors are pretty decent for their size, but very long rakes or lots of steep inclines may test them, or they may run OK, but have a shorter lifespan...or they may be just fine! 🙂
Hi I'm thinking replacing the lima pancake motor in my class 201 co co But the duette controller is pushing 16 v dc to the tracks when turned up would I need diodes/resistors to limit current ? Regards martin
Hi mate. These wee motors can handle a bit more than their design voltage, but I think 16v dc would be too much. You'd also find they flew off the track with the controller only set to 3 or 4. But these motors work well on analogue layouts with diode voltage droppers. You could use resistors too, but their effect changes with voltage/current, so diodes tend to be a better option as (used in pairs on each motor feed) they consistently drop just under 2V. I've never tried adding more than four diodes myself, simply because that's all I need for my layout, but in theory there would be nothing to stop you adding a second load of them into the mix, so you dropped 4V. You might even get away with more, although you may find it affects low speed running (you'd need a bit of trial and error). The diodes will get pretty warm (I've measured them around 50c after an hour running), but so long as they're not taped to the body, you'll be fine. And resistors would get hot, as they shed the energy as heat. If you did use resistors, best to use 1W +.
@@StrathpefferJunction One thing to note is that diodes and resistors work differently in series and parallel. In series, diodes will drop the voltage about 0.7 volts each. In parallel the voltage drop will only be about 0.7, irrespective how many are used, whereas resistors in series increase the overall resistance and in parallel there is a complicated calculation to make depending if the resistors are the same or have different values. www.kitronik.co.uk/blog/how-to-calculate-resistors-in-series-and-parallel/
@@StrathpefferJunction How are you doing? Is the layout progressing? I have resorted to large radius bullhead points for mine but by next year slips and medium radius points should become available so I can progress with the sidings.
@@Pierre-de-Standing Indeed. I use diodes in pairs, but not wired in 'normal' parallel. The pair of diodes sit in parallel, but with opposing polarity, and are wired inline to one motor feed. I then have another pair wired the same, which is soldered inline with the other motor feed. In total, it means you drop somewhere between 1.5-2v irrespective of which way the motor is running. :)
@@StrathpefferJunction I see, you need a pair of diodes because although the DCC voltage from the track is really DC, it behaves as if it was AC? And having the diodes in each side of the motor means you also have them in series.
Many thanks, David. As the motors aren't specifically designed for model trains and every use case is different, so lifespan is likely to change, I first converted a couple of Lima models to these motors five years ago, and they are still going strong. But if you use them very regularly and for significant sessions with long rakes and little rest, you're potentially going to see shorter lifespan. My own experience is that with care and maintenance, there's no reason why you can't get many years our of them. Plus, my adaptors are designed to accommodate most cd style motors (copycat products aren't) and you can replacement the motor very easily and cost effectively further down the line, if need be.
@@StrathpefferJunction Thank you for the quick reply, just looked on your website and I see that the 12 volt motor kit is currently unavailable. Do you know when you will have stock? Regards, David.
@@davidcurrie8429 The 12v motors are like hens teeth and I haven't been able to source any for over a year now, so my own stocks have run out. I have one OO kit for Silver Seal models that features a nominally 12v, but it's not the same make/model (it's very top is 12v, whereas my out of stock 12v kits used motors that were actually rated a bit higher than 12v to cope with higher dcc track voltages) and whilst it works just about OK with the gearing in that model, it's too fast for other ringfields and thus still needs volt dropping. The 6v motors are still very good options and most of my own conversions do actually use them rather than the 12v variety. As most electronics now use 6v cd motors (and cd themselves are fast becoming obsolete anyway) the likelihood of these sort of 12v motors hitting the market again in any real number will be very unlikely.
Afraid not. Those good quality 12v motors are like hen's teeth to source and haven't actually been manufactured for years. Supplier stock has dried up. If I can source more, I'll make the kits available again, but I can't give an eta I'm afraid.
hi interseded in buying but on website it got add to wishlist olny??? little help ofr me please? been after gitting mine bact to running also would it be possable to link to a 4 Function 8 Pin. decoder
Two reasons: 1) Because 12v motors of this size are like hens teeth and hard to source, whereas 6v motors are much more common. 2) The 6v motors normally provide more speed and some people prefer them for HST and other faster trains. The 6v motors work very well too, you just need to take an extra step to protect the motor/get the speed right, either via diodes etc or CV settings.
It's definitely something I'm looking into doing. Each adaptor takes quite a lot of time to design and test, so I have a list of different ones that I'm progressing through and will release them when they're ready and I'm confident that the product is as good as it can be. Not every ringfield can be converted, but I'm working my way through those that can be 🙂 Edit: And I'm looking into frames too. They may require a slightly different approach, but I have a few models myself that could do with better frames, so I'll hopefully get onto those.
Hi! Question can you hard wire a hornby decoder into a britania class with hornby single wire smoke box or should i wire the smoke box through a resistor to reduce the voltage pre the decoder.If that makes sence.
Hi. Do you have the Hornby product number for that model? Is it one with a glowing smokebox or a smoke unit in the chimney? That'll help me help you better 😊
Hi one is R356 winston Churchill x391 an aluminum block single green wire the body used as negative My other is R259 Britania which has a brass smoke stack yellow single wire again chassis used as negative.
I can't quite work out the wiring via the service sheets. But at the very least, if you can isolate the motor from the live chassis, which you'll need to do for dcc conversion anyway, you may be able to leave the smoke gen wired and working as it was from the factor and not have it going via the decoder at all, so the decoder just runs the motor and nothing else. But you won't be able to switch the smoke on/off via decoder using that method. You make be able to isolate the smoke gen from the love chassis and wire it to be powered by the decoder six channel as a different approach, but you'll need to check the aic channel has the current capacity for that and that however you isolate the smoke gen it can handle the heat.
@@StrathpefferJunction Hi thanks for your replies .I have been in and out probing voltages and as you say the safest way bearing in mind the price of decoders is to run the generators sepperate from the chip the diffeŕence being the 10 volts dc to the 15 volts dcc from the rails which i could reduce by fitting a resistor or transistor between the rail wire and generator I will give this a go. I can thank lockdown for getting me back into this how things have changed in 60 years I only went up to clear my loft since having nowt to doo and ended up scrapping all my 60's rails emptying a bedroom and building 26x4foot layout and now having to chip 30 engines a pitty its still not 60s prices .
Hi. No, I'm afraid not. The mainline 56 is a really tricky nut to crack because of how the gear is screwed into the ringfield motor housing. I am trying to develop one, but it's quite tricky and not ready for production yet.
Most of the replacement motors have three poles (I've taken one of each apart to look at them), but they are still better quality and much smoother that even 5 pole ringfields. Many of these motors are specifically designed to spin CDs and DVDs reliably and consistently, and without vibration. They are also fully enclosed, which keeps the armature etc in much better condition and avoids build up of dust and track debris. I've found them to be superior to ringfields in all of my converted models, but the one thing that they can't do is improve the gear train, so while the motors themselves are much quieter, the gears will still rattle...although you can improve that a lot by using fibre washers or shims to reduce play. The shims that kadee make for some of their couplers are ideal.
Has anyone used any of these Strathpeffer motor adapter kits on an old Fleischmann ICE Experimental, 4-wheel motor bogie? I want to adapt it to DCC. The bogie is about 9-10mm thick, has a 27-28mm diameter aperture for the motor and uses a 10-tooth cog. I’ve asked David for advice on his eBay site but not had a response.
Hi would any one know the CV settings as my class 37 shoots of like a rocket i have changed speed steps (Selectable) 14, 28, 128 to no joy with a Hornby TTS Sound Decoder
Hi Phil. Have you emailed me seperately about this? I'm still catching up with emails after an issue with my mail server, so if you have, I'll drop you a reply ASAP. In the interim, a few suggestions: 1. If you've not already tried the other motor algorithm, give that a shot. Read CV150 and if it is 0, change it to 1, or vice versa. 2. Try turning off Back EMF by setting CV10 to 1. Default is 128 on a tts decoder. 3. Try altering the acceleration CV, namely CV3. Reducing the value in this CV will add inertia and helps to reduce the speed that a converted loco will take off on. Each or all of these may help. I'd actually suggest trying no3 first, then the others. Best wishes, David.
Hi mate. Yes, the HA2 and HA6 kits work with the Hornby Class 43 HST (ringfield version). The HA2 is 6v and the faster motor, but the HA6 is 12v and a little slower (but still fine for most models).
Hi, I’m sending you a plea on behalf of all the people who bought Oxford rails ADAMS radial tank It looks beautiful but runs terrible I’m sure you’ve heard about this? Can you make a kit to put this right I think it may have to include a new motor as the current one is pathetic The rest is to do with pony truck / bogie Vertical movement of those wheels and springs There must be thousands of people who would thank you for this as hear about it from someone almost daily Please can you help????😊
Hi Jon. I don't have an Adams Radial myself, but have I'll a look online to see what the issues are and see if I may be able to come up with something.
Strathpeffer Junction thanks for getting back to me me That would be really great if you could Although I do remember what it was like before each of my 3 children were born ! You’ll find a lot of information about their problems on Social media etc No ones come up with a decent solution yet though for a model that’s been in production for 4 years I believe I haven’t bought one because of the problems but if I know it can be fixed I’ll get a couple at least 😊
Well this is technology from the the 1950ies Get a machined block for gearbox and wheel bearings as well a a 7 pole skewed - or better cordless - motor with flywheel combined with an traditional worm an gear drive an you will get a perfect drive. Everything else is not worth thinking about.
To be honest, that would be a complete and utter waste of money for most people. If you have machinist's tools and the skills yourself, then yes, you could definitely improve upon the factory gearing and facilitate a far superior motor arrangement, but for the majority of people with an old ringfield motor that's past it, switching in a CD drive motor is a reasonable and cost effective way to breath new life into it. As with old cars, sure, if you throw enough money at them and change the entire engine, gear box and transmission, you'll likely get a fantastic result, but you'll end up spending far more than the car is worth and you'll be in negative equity. Or you can spend a lesser amount that improves its performance and enables you to still get good use out of it, albeit it may not be transformed into a Rolls Royce. At the end of the day, it's all down to personal choice. People are free to do whatever they want: the main thing is having fun and getting enjoyment out of the hobby. If some folk can afford to spend £75+ buying a high quality Japanese motor and gearing, and getting someone to machine a new motor assembly, all for a £35 model with basic tooling from almost half a century ago, crack on. All power to them. I certainly wouldn't choose that, however. But each to their own.
@@StrathpefferJunction that is exactly what i mean I could not understand why companies produce in 2019 like in 1950.This means dark years after Brexit for you 😉
You need not to spend seventyfive pounds for an Japanese high quality Motor because there aren't those. better is you spend forty five pounds for an Faulhaber or maxon motor or less than five pounds for an chinese coreless motor.
@@steffenrosmus1864 I didn't say you'd spend that on a motor, I said you'd spend that on a motor, new gearing and, crucially, paying someone to machine you a new bogie and motor assembly. And as I also said, if you have the means to mill something yourself or you have the money to pay someone to do it for you, then replacing the entire bogie, using superior gearing and a motor with a flywheel is absolutely the best way to do it. Most people don't, however. Personally, unless you have a prized model or one you've spent time detailing and improving, I don't think it's ever easy to justify doing more than switching in a CD motor. And if you have a large fleet of ringfields, it's almost certainly not worth paying to get a newly machined bogie for each and every one. These CD motors provide a cost effective way to breath new life into an old model. They're not, however, intended to turn a 1980s model into a top end machine like what's coming off the production lines today. I used to have Lima models I never used because the ringfield motor was too much trouble. I've switched them to CD motors, and now I get enjoyment frim and use out of them. For me, that's a good result. 🙂
Thank you for your educating videos, i am a novice at 78 but love to learn , after i check out my existing locos that have sat for many years i am sure i will have a need of your amazing conversion kits . thanks again.
Having bought & fitted 3 of your motor conversion kits all I can say is thanks I now have a 37. 50. & an old lima ahem "clayton" centre cab which all run sweetly on dcc . great product & informative videos
Many thanks indeed for the custom and the feedback, Mark. I really appreciate it. 😊👍🏻
Just bought and fitted one of these off this chap to my hornby class 110 dmu. The motor fitted quite nicely, little filing required to fit the motor, I had to reuse the brass gear but had to be careful pressing it on and managed to swap the pick up contact over which wasn’t too bad a job. Runs absolutely lovely now. Thank you very much 👍
Many thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. What model did you fit this in? Very few need the brass gear to be be retained, but I'm trying to draw up a list for folk so that they know I'm advance.
The model is R2297D, the plastic gear was too wide to fit between the gears that’s all
Hey just started watching your videos as i searched for a dc-dcc conversation and your video was won of the best to follow. As you do i then had a look through your other posts and I'm enjoying them a lot keep up the great videos mate
Thanks, Gareth. I really appreciate the comment and feedback. Glad you're enjoying them 😊👍🏻
Very pleased with my new one, refitted into an early Black five. Pat on the back from me.
I'm delighted to hear that! Thank you so much for the great feedback.
Wow ! Super conversion, with a detailed "how to" dissemble and then rebuild with conversion . Thanks very much!
Glad you enjoyed it 😊
Hi what a super adapter.Glad to see you back
, hope treatment goes well.All the best.
Richard
Many thanks, Richard...both for the great feedback and the best wishes! 👍🏻😊
Excellent video, very professional and so detailed. The design of the upgrade is very well thought out and made.
Many thanks indeed!
Glad to see you back in action!
Many thanks! 🙂
I've just bought one of your kits from ebay for my Hornby class 91. Look forward to fitting it :)
Excellent! Many thanks. I just packed up a bungle of orders today, so I'm guessing yours will be amongst them 🙂👍🏻
Great to see you back David and another nifty kit to add to the list. Paul
Thanks, Paul. It was only thrown together, but I was really chuffed to get one out after such a long break. I've a few sitting waiting to edit, but it's amazing how much longer it takes to edit old footage, as you forget what you've done, which takes are better than others etc. Just need to find a bit of time!
Marvelous, absolutely marvelous! The funny thing I've watched Samstrains about his cd motor conversion and that had got me thinking "why has no one made an adaptor kit to get that motor in dead centre?" Not a day later I find this informative video. I admire how you've thought of every motor design scenario. I will certainly be buying a couple of these kits. This certainly makes me a bit more confident to make the conversion. You've done the lords work lad, well done indeed~
Many thanks indeed for the wonderful feedback. Here's hoping you had a good Christmas. Best wishes for 2020 when it comes 🙂
@@StrathpefferJunction Well 2020 hasn't exactly gone according has it?... :P Another question about these adaptor kits, would you be able to use these on Lima's steam engines? I.E the 9400s, the J50s, the little USA 0-4-0 switchers they have?
They may well fit. I've not tried them all, but they'll fit most Lima models. The LA3B kit fits the small pannier tanks etc., so may well fit those too. I've only got one Lima kettle, so haven't tested it in more than that, but if you want to send me a photo of the motor bogies, I'll let you know. 👍🏻
@@StrathpefferJunction okay, brilliant, how would you like me to send it?
@@trainlover658 info@strathpefferjunction.com
Great to see you back, fantastic piece of kit...............John.
Cheers, John. Really appreciate the support 😊
Hi. I've tried the CD motors as a conversion but found they got hot after longer running sessions so I look forward to seeing your 'how I did it' video. Great work :)
Many thanks for the comment and support - much appreciated. Like any motor, heat is definitely something that can affect them and they definitely can get warm with prolonged use. When I was designing my original Lima adaptors, I did a range of tests with my infrared camera and the average temperature of the motor after an hour of constant running with a 6V motor in a Lima Class 47 with an average rake was around 47-50°C (the temp was a wee bit lower if I kept the diode voltage dropper and dcc decoder away from the motor, as they get hotter than the motor!). It definitely felts warm to touch, but so long as you give it a break and don't overwork it, I've seen them last for a long time (my original conversation is almost 3 years old and just like it was the day I first converted it). There are a lot of variables though, and the 12v motor kits tend to run cooler than the 6v kits, whine the 6v kits vary depending on the thickness of the motor and also whether you're using diodes. Keeping the gears well lubricated also makes a difference, so to the nature of your layout. One of the main positives of these adaptors is that the motor is also very easy to replace, because no glue is used - so if it does fail down the line, it takes minutes to replace. Of course, after a long running session of many hours, or if the rake pulled is really long or there are a lot of inclines, the temperature could get higher than in my tests. It's hard to predict without knowing the specifics of the install and the usage characteristics, but this is why is recommend that converted models aren't run continuously for more than an hour at a time. I feel that's probably conservative, but it will keep them running happily for a reasonable length of time. Even a five or ten minute break will let a warm motor cool right down again. I did have one customer who ran a converted HST set for around 5 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it lasted somewhere between 6 and 7 weeks. But that means it did around 245 hours before giving up. For me, I doubt any of my converted models will get anywhere near that in a decade of use, however, that was also pushing the motors well beyond their limit with no rest time, so my guess is that if you give them time to cool down and you're not running them hot for hours every day, every week, you'll get many times more hours out of them than that. Mind you, if you ran your £185 Bachmann Class 37 for 5 hours a day, 7 days a week, it's also going to fail an awful lot sooner than it otherwise would!
Good to see another post. I was worried about your health.
I'm still alive...just! Had a bit of a rocky period and I'm back into hospital on Monday for another MOT and service on my back, but that'll be the last for a while and fingers crossed I'll get back to things properly before the year is out 🙂🤞🏻
Excellent video, very professional and very detailed. The design of the upgrade is very well thought out and realized. I want an address or get it, please. Excellente vidéo, très professionnelle et très détaillée. La conception de la mise à niveau est très bien pensée et réalisée. Je voudrez une adresse ou me le procure, s'il vous plait
Truly excellent model railway video - enjoyed - hope to see more soon.
Hi Ian. Many thanks indeed for the comment. I've been experiencing a lot of back issues over the past 18 months so haven't been able I make any new videos, but I'm hoping hat once things have settled, I'll be able to get back to them.
Hi did not know you had a youtube channel i brought a lima motor kit of you yesterday you have just posted it today for me thank you so much all the best Stay Safe Regards Phil C :)
Thank you for posting this informative video. When are you going to post more videos please?
I've got a BR Blue 'Les Ross' loco, as soon as I get paid you can bet I'll be buying this kit. Brilliant!
Excellent! I'm in hospital this week, but should be home next week and I'll be taking orders again from them. 😀
Looks like a great bit of kit, informative video well done thank you
Many thanks indeed. Really appreciate the feedback!
Oh my god the UA-cam suggestions actually came up with something I need. Once I get paid, you can expect some orders from me.
Excellent! Thanks for the support. Just so you know, my webshop will be shut for around a week from tomorrow as I'm heading into hospital for some work on my back. I'll be home around a week to ten days later, so it'll open again then. 🙂
That’s a fantastic little kit!
Many thanks indeed! 😊👍🏻
Quite fancy trying one of these in my old Hornby Class 29.
Many thanks for the comment. My HA2 kit should work fine with that model. You can find it on my website here: www.strathpefferjunction.com
Very enjoyable video. So very different, from the usual uploads.
Many thanks indeed. Much appreciated!
Can’t wait to get my upgrade
Many thanks! 😊👍🏻
Great vid - have ordered a bunch of kits and can't wait to get started :)
Many thanks indeed! 😊👍🏻
Nice to see you back
Many thanks, my friend. I'm away for some more work on by spine next week, the hopefully that'll be it for a while and fingers crossed things'll settle and I'll get back to the layout properly. I've an absolute mountain of projects to be getting on with!
Just bought one of the 12v kits and fitted it to my old Hornby HST. It now runs like new.
Great piece of kit
mmm looks great i need a couple for my H S Ts Ill order after 1st november many thanks . syd
Thanks, Syd. I look forward to the order once I'm back on my feet.
Great kit and well thought out as well mate. Not sure is this suggestion would be helpful. But I would be interested in a new lighting kit for the Hornby Eurostar train because its a great model but the lack of directional lights is a let down. I hope that idea will be helpful to you buddy. Please do more great videos like this.
All the best
Ash.
Many thanks, Ash. I have thought about lighting kits, and may make some for myself or do a video on my approach, but as someone else makes them commercially already, I don't really want to tread on anyone else's toes.
Are you still in opertion ? been trying to get you on e-mail.
Hi Raymond. I'm afraid I've been in hospital on and off recently. I've also had more issues with my emails due to a DNS issue when they moved servers and for some reason a percentage of emails haven't been making it through. I should have your email in my sent items from previous correspondence. I will add you to a white list and hopefully that'll let your emails through. Would you be able to resend over the weekend and I will make a note to specifically look out for it and try to track it down? Sorry for the delay.
Great to watch this video. A complete novice at this model train hobby. I purchased a used old Hornby 25 247 model and I am trying to convert it to DCC which I have done on other models but on this ring field motor I don't know how to isolate the the motor -Ve connection from the train track connection is it possible to do that??
I had good afternoon I have been told that you might be producing new motor kits for the hornby castle + county class could you let me now when these kits will be Available so I could purchase one to try many thanks Colin.
Hi Colin. Drop me a line here: info@strathpefferjunction.com
@@StrathpefferJunction hi and good morning and thanks for getting backto me. I have a about 20 of the hornby castle and county class loco some run better than others four of this have were the Amateur has burnt out they are not very good motor because of this problem I have looked on you tube I am not the only one with this problem after finding out you might be doing a replacement upgrade for this class and I haveSubscribed to you channel and seeing your other upgrades to the other ringfield motor I thought it would be good to get in touch with you to purchase one to try when they are available many thank Colin.
I good afternoon I tried sending you emails it would not let me send ??? Many thank Colin
That's odd. Did you get an error message? If so, what did it say? If you have Facebook, you can also send a message via the Strathpeffer Junction page.
@@StrathpefferJunction Good afternoon and thanks for getting back to me I am not on Facebook my wife is I will ask here to look at the best way to get in touch with you many thanks Colin.
Hi hand good morning. Sorry to bother you I now you have been in hospital that’s probably way I have had no reply back from you it’s just seeing if there is any update on the project that you was going to work on the hornby castle- county class with the bad ringfield motor many thanks Colin. Ps keep well I hope thing get better for you and the family.
Great video but are all the motor outside diameters the same mine is too big for the motor
Hello,
have You ever thought about printing an adaptor for a modern 5 pole- motor for the chassis of the old tri-ang single wheeler locos, caledonian 123 for example? maybe with a stay-alive unit for points and diamond crossings?
It's something I'd be happy to look at, if you'd like to email details. I don't have that model in my collection, so don't have a prototype to work from. Always happy to give things a go though! info@strathpefferjunction.com
What a well presented and designed bit of kit, many years back an Australian company sent me some Lima samples which worked ok with the same type of motor. I'd ask about the motor and voltages etc and but would suggest that the suppressor capacitor is retained from the original as this will protect the motor if HF track cleaners are being used. I wonder if some sort of cigar cutter would work for the gear?
Many thanks indeed for the comment and feedback. Much appreciated! I tend just to advise not to use these with HF track cleaners full stop. I still wouldn't want to risk it. The cigar cutter is a good idea. I was looking at pvc pipe cutters a wee while ago and they worked pretty well, but they're a bit more of a safety issue vis-a-vis fingers as the blades are pretty big, so I've stuck with recommending smaller wire cutters or a Stanley knife for now. Was it Model Torque in Australia that gave you then samples? I know there was a guy a few years ago now who made motor kits for Lima comprising a bit of shaped plastic glued to a motor, but I haven't seen them for years and sure I read somewhere that the gent had died. Sad news, if true.
@@StrathpefferJunction Hi, yes it was Model Torque, and oh no I never knew he had passed, that's why I did not get any replies from him! oh dear.
Hi there!
I’m looking to purchase this kit for my Triang 9F - do you ship to the US?
I sure do. You'll find them at www.strathpefferjunction.com
Going to have to have a go at this!
Exelent, thank you
I found your channel from a list that Lumsdonia put out. -Heath
Where are you Strath? I've been missing your 'how to' videos!
I hope you're back operation went well and that you are doing well?
Take care,
Lawrence.
Hi Lawrence. Many thanks indeed for the comment. I've been in and out of hospital like a yoyo over the past year, so I've had really limited time and energy to sit in front of the camera unfortunately. I do have a couple of videos filmed, but I just need a spare moment to edit them down. Hopefully I'll get something out in the not too distant future!
I'll look forward to your video.
Take care and best regards,
Lawrence.
Hi hope your keeping well. Missing you informative videos
Hi Tony. I'm surviving. Last year was a tough one back-wise as I was in and out for hospital for a few different procedures. Right now, we're expecting our first child, so life is hectic getting ready. Once the dirty nappies have cleared through, I hope to be back with some more videos. I have a long list of them to do now!
Strathpeffer Junction pleased to hear your ok. Congratulations, hope everything goes well for you. You forgot to mention the sleepless nights. 😂 look after yourself & I look forward to your videos.
I'm trying not to think of the lack of sleep!
I will order some kits asap brilliant
Many thanks, Brian. Really appreciated! 👍🏻
Hi, I have just fitted the conversion kit to a Hornby Black 5 with the Silver Seal motor. I am very impressed with both the kit in ease of fit and improvement in running of the loco.
I expect that you have been asked this before but do you have any plans for a conversion kit for the old Tri-Ang/Hornby XO 4 open frame motors? Many thanks.
Hi Chris. Many thanks indeed for the feedback. It's much appreciated! Yes, I am currently working on something for that model. I like to take time and thoroughly test things before making the available, so that I know they're as good as they can be. Once I'm happy that it's reliable, I'll launch a kit. If you'd like to get a notification when a new kit is available, please add your name to my mailing list: www.strathpefferjunction.com/mailinglist
Hi and good morning it’s Colin I hope you are ok I sent you a email about a upgrade kit you was looking at for the hornby castle / county you told in the email you sent me you have some of these class with the same problems with the bad ringfield motor and you was looking later in the year for producing a kit just checking in if you are still working on these kits many thanks Colin.
Hi good afternoon I hope your back problems will get better after you visit to the hospital this is probably way you have not got back to me on your project on the hornby castle / county class upgrade motor for the old ringfield motor as I said in my last message to you about six months ago you said you was looking in on the problems with the rubbish hornby motor with one of your upgrades you did say it would be probably later in the year. many thanks Colin
Silly question but where does the red and black wires go when upgrading a Lima HST and where do I now soldier or connect the lights too?
Hi mate. Do you mean the motor wires? If its just a dc conversion, the new motor is effectively a swap for the old one, so should be wired in to the same pickup feeds. But some ringfield have love chassis, so will need one feed either tapped to the chassis or a the screw that used to feed a ringfield brush from the chassis screwed back in and a feed soldered to the head of the screw which then feeds the motor. Lighting wiring, so long as it's the stock lights, shouldn't really change either. If you're able to send me a few photos of the motor and where you're all, I should be able to guide you. info@strathpefferjunction.com
@@StrathpefferJunction you are very kind, yes the motor ones, I put the red to the left track and black to right track (i think 🤔🤷♂️🤣) and added one of the stock light leads to the left track and it works ok, I did have one odd wire from the old stock light loose but I don’t think it’s needed now I’m picking up from the right rail. It was a Lima HST I was upgrading 👍 many thanks for the offer of assistance
Glad you got it working!
hi great kit I would like to modify my hornby class 86 to improve its poor running I am now using digital dcc so would I need a 6 volt kit or a 12 volt unit and would I need to adjust any cvs for beer control of this motor and if so what settings do you recommend.
look forward to your reply it's good to see you back
kind regards
ralph
Hi Ralph. So long at its the older ringfield motor Class 86, it should fit either the HA2 or HA6 kits. You can use either with a dcc decoder. With the 6v kit, you'll need to reduce top speed using cv5, while the 12v motor can be used without any specific cv top speed adjustment. In terms of cvs for better control, its very much down to a) the specific model and b) personal preference. If you go for the 6v kit, I certainly recommend reducing the top speed quite considerably (try 125 in cv5 to start with, and also change cv6 accordingly) and I also recommend increasing inertia via cv3. If it's the 12v kit, you'll probably not need to make such drastic changes (if any) to cv5, but you may still with to play with inertia/acceleration via cv3 and braking cv4.
Do you make a CD Motor kit for Lima GWR Railcar ?
Hi. Many thanks for the comment. Yes, my LA2 kit fits the railcar 😊
Might consider this as my Class 91 has a rough motor
What kit for a Hornby A4 8 wheeled tender? Please
Hi Chris. It should be the HA5 kit. You'll also need a volt Dropper for dc running or a decoder with cv5/cv6 for dcc running. 😊👍🏻
In addition to having over five hundred locos, in N, OO and HO scales, I have fourteen, what I term as my heritage collection, all Hornby, from the eighties. Having watched, your video, a couple of times, I would like to attempt a Ringfield replacement. What do I need to order? I have a couple of friends, who have asked me to be the guinea pig, in carrying out the first conversion. They also have locos with the old style motors, both Hornby and Lima. Thanks.
Hi mate. What Hornby models are they? What you need depends mainly on whether they have Bo-Bo or Co-Co bodies. If you let me know the model that you're going to tackle first, I can advise. Might be easiest to drop me a line at info@strathpefferjunction.com and we can discuss the details 🙂
Will your kit work in a bachmann pancake motor
Unfortunately not. The way the gears work in those models makes conversion not possible. Sorry.
Bonjour David !!! A long silence that was a very productive one - thank God ! I don't have any use for the adapter but I'm glad to see you back. Hope you are well ! And is the layout progress for the near future ? All the best et bon courage. Cordialement, Filip
Bonjour, mon ami! Merci pour le message. I'm back for just a week, then I'm back into hospital for another procedure next week. I'm hoping to get some progress done on the layout before the year is finished out 🙂
@@StrathpefferJunction Bonjour David, I feel for you et je vous souhaite force et courage mon ami! I hope you're not in pain and wish you good luck too! A bientôt j'espère.
Newbie question. Is it possible to make one of these DCC ready?
What adapter kit would work on the a3/a4 tender drives?
It's normally my HA5 kit 😊
Alright, thank you!
That's a neat little kit - I may need to purchase one of those for a Seagull tender drive (because it's running really rough, just now). Incidentally, those green handled wire cutters - do you sell those, or can you give me a brand name, please ? Newly subscribed - I like your presentation style, too....slainte :)
Many thanks indeed! If you go onto amazon and search for Japanese hobby wire cutters, they should come up. I can't for the life of my remember the brand name, but I'll see if I can find the order and clarify.
Thank you - I'll look on Amazon - see what they have; if you can recall the order, that'd make it easier to identify - stay safe, now :)
Hi there do you do an upgrade kit to suit the Hornby 9f tender drive unit
Hi there. Yes. My HA5 kit should fit that model, unless it's the old Triang Hornby Silver Seal version, in which case my HA8 kit will fit. You can find them here: www.strathpefferjunction.com
If you need any help, drop me and email or a message via the Facebook Strathpeffer Junction page.
Hi just wondering if you still sell your cd kits. If so do you have one for an early 125 (Hornby) ringfield .
I bought one of you 18 months ago for my class 47 still going strong. Thanks JC
Hi John. I do indeed. You can find them at www.strathpefferjunction.com 😊👍🏻
Hi I wonder if you could help with a issue I have with a old Hornby class 37, I want to convert to dcc but it has only one brown wire from the ringfield motor to the rear chassis, any help would be appreciated
Thanks
Sure. The model will have a live motor bogie. The front pickup is the metal chassis and it feeds one of the brushes directly, via one of the screws that holds one of the brushes in place (normally the lefthand brush/screw). You just need to take a feed direct from the motor bogie to one new motor wire and the feed/wire from the rear pickups to the other new motor wore.
I hope you're ok, I have got my old trains out the loft during lockdown where they've been boxed up for twenty years, and have one Dapol class 56 that was a problem 20 years ago and I still can't get it going now, despite tinkering for hours....do you do a version of your conversion that would fit? There are 8 teeth on the little cog on the end of the motor
I was working on an adaptor for that model and was close to perfecting it (its a tricky style of ringfield, so was quite complicated to adapt) and then the motors became unavailable. There was only one particular size of motor that fitted, so unless I'm able to get it again in the future, I won't be able to offer a kit for it, unfortunately.
Would this work with the old tool Hornby Castles such as R2090? (Loco drive)
Unfortunately not, I'm afraid. They use an atypical motor design which is not possible to convert.
Just converted some old locos to dcc. They are struggling to run even on a brand new straight of track. Seems to be a wheel/pickup problem, when I measure from wheel to bogie metal block, or the power feed wires I get some resistance and not a zero reading on multimeter. What are my next steps?
Do the motors run with 6v (or a similar constant voltage) applied to them? If it's a Lima kit, are the screws on the adaptor too tight? Are the gears binding at all?
@ thanks for the response. The locos are all runners but the hm7000 decoders are (currently) without power banks so the moment they hit dirty track they halt dead.
However, my test track is brand new and perfect condition. Using a multimeter I get poor continuity readings from pickups or wheels. Locos I’m working on at the moment are a ringfield class 43 with the wheels that use the big metal collector - this loco runs better after wheel clean. My (I think class 21 which may not be a hornby) has little pickups that touch the back of the wheels. I assume these are corroded and/or not making great contact… losing will here!
@ it’s not a power issue either steady 15v on approved hornby psu
hi. i’ve fitted one of these kits to my hornby Gordon model. the only issue i have with it is that it runs way too fast. i’ve tried to put all sorts of diodes and resistors in it but they do no good. would you have any suggestions? thank you.
-jock.
Do these kits suit the really old Hornby Ringfields? I have a Class 47 R060 (1976) and it ringfield gears are quite different to newer ringfields.
Fantastic this is the best ringfield conversation I’ve seen
It’s great you’ve made kits with instructions etc
Do you have any other similar products?😊
Many thanks indeed! I've got a whole range of adaptors now fie different models. I also make a few different things for customising railway models. I only release them when I've tried and tested them myself, so I have a few other things that are in the pipeline too.
Strathpeffer Junction fantastic Do you have a website or Facebook page where I can see what you do?😊
Hi Jon. I have a website at www.strathpefferjunction.com. I've not added much to it or my channel this year as my wife was pregnant during lockdown, which was a bit of a tricky time to be going through that, and no we have a wee baby which is where most of my focus is right now. But, once things settle, I'll be back at it. 😊
When your cutting the nylon gears with cutter pliers put them into open clear plastic bag so it catches the flying offcut!
Very interested! Have a hornby/airfix 4f tender drive, would this kit work with it?
Hi Andy. I have in my mind that may be a different design to the normal Hornby ringfield as it was inherited from Airfix. If so, I don't currently have an adaptor for it, but it is one that I plan to have a look at and see if I can design something that'll fit. If you're able to give me the specific model number, I can double check and give you a concrete answer. 🙂
I see you do 6v and 12v motors.
I'm planning on using one for my Hornby APT which will be converted to DCC after testing on 12v DC
I assume I need the 12V bo bo version...?
Hi mate. Yeah, there are 6v and 12v options for BoBo models. The 12v motor is the most straightforward to use as you don't need to mess about with diodes. It does run a little slower than the 6v motor (the 6v flies like a rocket!) so I offer both to cater for folk who like to have their trains flying round, but I've used the 12v motor in my conversions and I'm perfectly happy with its speed.
@@StrathpefferJunction Thanks. I ordered last night
@@kingswoodjunction897 It's on its way :)
@@StrathpefferJunction Impressive. A breeze to fit. You're onto a winner with this
Could it work with the hornby d49?
If it's the Chinese-made D49, then it may well do. If it's the very common metal chassis ringfield dedign, then it should be compatible with the adaptors. Best thing is to email me a photo of the motor and I can let you know which kit, if any, will fit. There's currently two different adaptor designs for Hornby ringfields and three kit options. That cover most of the common designs (but there are a few exceptions).
I have a few ring field powered Hornby locos. Some of these just spin and don’t move. I have tried cleaning the cogs and gears, and finally I secured the cog to the shaft.
I ran it slowly until the cog disconnected from the two large gear wheels and the cog continued to spin. I made repeated attempts to fit and engage the gear wheels to no avail but what I discovered was the shat to which the cog is mounted is spring loaded but I have no idea how to fix this. Any ideas? Thanks
Hmmm. I'm struggling to envision the spring loaded shaft. If you want to email me some photos, I'm happy to take a look and see if I can help. I'm pretty snowed under just now, so won't be able to give an immediate response, but I'll reply as soon as I can: info@strathpefferjunction.com
You don't mention the motor voltage and if they are 5 volts, how to get around speed / over voltage issues.
Most motors are 6v, but you can get some that are capable of handling 12v out of the box. I've sold both via my website. I also sell diode voltage droppers that will take care of the voltage for dc layouts, and decent decoders with speed and reference voltage functions are ideal for doing that with dcc layouts. That said, many 6v motors will work just fine, because turning them up above 50% will mean run way too fast anyway, so unless you're a stickler for prototypical speed management, you can often just protect the motor by never running them above 50% speed/speed steps. There's different ways that you can deal with it. I covered voltage droppers in a previous video.
Is this kit ok for a tender driven GWR city of Bristol loco?
Hi Rich. So long as the motorised tender looks a bit like this one, then the HA1 kit should fit it. www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_04_2010/post-4912-127246167859.jpg
I’m looking at getting one of these I’m still debating whether to convert one of my locos or not and does it make it any easier to convert it to DCC ?
DCC decoders then to work better with these than a poor running ringfield. If the ringfield is very smooth, it may be OK for dcc, although the current draw can be a hit highers, so many not be great with things like a tts decoder. Kits which have the slim 9mm motor may not be quite as robust as a ringfield in terms of their ability to pulls lots of big rakes for hours at a time, it they run much more smoothly and last well if they're looked after.
Darn that's a good kit, are these motors really good? I mean I want to put them in my HSTs and run a 7 car train, I have been thinking about buying the new Hornby HSTs but this looks like a much cheaper fix. The new HSTs look good but it's their pulling power I am interested in, can you do a short video showing the new motors pulling a heavy train? Cheers always enjoy your videos
Hi Guy. Many thanks for the kind words. I've not had any issues pulling what I want to pull with them. That said, I tend to go for diesel-hauled with five coaches, so haven't personally tested much more than that. I'll try to do a quick video of my converted hst set pulling seven cars in due course, but it'll not be until the end of the year I'm afraid, as I'm back in hospital next week and will then be out of action for a bit after it. I have seen a video on UA-cam of a guy with a cd motor in an hst set pulling a load of cars, so folk dp definitely do it. These motors are pretty decent for their size, but very long rakes or lots of steep inclines may test them, or they may run OK, but have a shorter lifespan...or they may be just fine! 🙂
Hope all goes well with the hospital visit. Looking forward to seeing the video at the year's end. All the best,👍🤓
Hi I'm thinking replacing the lima pancake motor in my class 201 co co
But the duette controller is pushing 16 v dc to the tracks when turned up would I need diodes/resistors to limit current ?
Regards martin
Hi mate. These wee motors can handle a bit more than their design voltage, but I think 16v dc would be too much. You'd also find they flew off the track with the controller only set to 3 or 4. But these motors work well on analogue layouts with diode voltage droppers. You could use resistors too, but their effect changes with voltage/current, so diodes tend to be a better option as (used in pairs on each motor feed) they consistently drop just under 2V. I've never tried adding more than four diodes myself, simply because that's all I need for my layout, but in theory there would be nothing to stop you adding a second load of them into the mix, so you dropped 4V. You might even get away with more, although you may find it affects low speed running (you'd need a bit of trial and error). The diodes will get pretty warm (I've measured them around 50c after an hour running), but so long as they're not taped to the body, you'll be fine. And resistors would get hot, as they shed the energy as heat. If you did use resistors, best to use 1W +.
@@StrathpefferJunction One thing to note is that diodes and resistors work differently in series and parallel. In series, diodes will drop the voltage about 0.7 volts each. In parallel the voltage drop will only be about 0.7, irrespective how many are used, whereas resistors in series increase the overall resistance and in parallel there is a complicated calculation to make depending if the resistors are the same or have different values. www.kitronik.co.uk/blog/how-to-calculate-resistors-in-series-and-parallel/
@@StrathpefferJunction How are you doing? Is the layout progressing? I have resorted to large radius bullhead points for mine but by next year slips and medium radius points should become available so I can progress with the sidings.
@@Pierre-de-Standing Indeed. I use diodes in pairs, but not wired in 'normal' parallel. The pair of diodes sit in parallel, but with opposing polarity, and are wired inline to one motor feed. I then have another pair wired the same, which is soldered inline with the other motor feed. In total, it means you drop somewhere between 1.5-2v irrespective of which way the motor is running. :)
@@StrathpefferJunction I see, you need a pair of diodes because although the DCC voltage from the track is really DC, it behaves as if it was AC? And having the diodes in each side of the motor means you also have them in series.
Where you can buy this kit ? For lima G motors ?
www.strathpefferjunction.com/shop
The kits look very well made, what is the expected life of the replacement motor? Happy new year, Regards, David.
Many thanks, David. As the motors aren't specifically designed for model trains and every use case is different, so lifespan is likely to change, I first converted a couple of Lima models to these motors five years ago, and they are still going strong. But if you use them very regularly and for significant sessions with long rakes and little rest, you're potentially going to see shorter lifespan. My own experience is that with care and maintenance, there's no reason why you can't get many years our of them. Plus, my adaptors are designed to accommodate most cd style motors (copycat products aren't) and you can replacement the motor very easily and cost effectively further down the line, if need be.
@@StrathpefferJunction Thank you for the quick reply, just looked on your website and I see that the 12 volt motor kit is currently unavailable. Do you know when you will have stock? Regards, David.
@@davidcurrie8429 The 12v motors are like hens teeth and I haven't been able to source any for over a year now, so my own stocks have run out. I have one OO kit for Silver Seal models that features a nominally 12v, but it's not the same make/model (it's very top is 12v, whereas my out of stock 12v kits used motors that were actually rated a bit higher than 12v to cope with higher dcc track voltages) and whilst it works just about OK with the gearing in that model, it's too fast for other ringfields and thus still needs volt dropping. The 6v motors are still very good options and most of my own conversions do actually use them rather than the 12v variety. As most electronics now use 6v cd motors (and cd themselves are fast becoming obsolete anyway) the likelihood of these sort of 12v motors hitting the market again in any real number will be very unlikely.
Afraid not. Those good quality 12v motors are like hen's teeth to source and haven't actually been manufactured for years. Supplier stock has dried up. If I can source more, I'll make the kits available again, but I can't give an eta I'm afraid.
hi interseded in buying but on website it got add to wishlist olny??? little help ofr me please?
been after gitting mine bact to running also would it be possable to link to a 4 Function 8 Pin. decoder
Can I just ask why is there a 6volt option ? Thanks
Two reasons: 1) Because 12v motors of this size are like hens teeth and hard to source, whereas 6v motors are much more common. 2) The 6v motors normally provide more speed and some people prefer them for HST and other faster trains. The 6v motors work very well too, you just need to take an extra step to protect the motor/get the speed right, either via diodes etc or CV settings.
Please, please, please do replacement Mainline Class 45 motors..... and please 3D Print some motor bogie outside frames as well!
It's definitely something I'm looking into doing. Each adaptor takes quite a lot of time to design and test, so I have a list of different ones that I'm progressing through and will release them when they're ready and I'm confident that the product is as good as it can be. Not every ringfield can be converted, but I'm working my way through those that can be 🙂
Edit: And I'm looking into frames too. They may require a slightly different approach, but I have a few models myself that could do with better frames, so I'll hopefully get onto those.
Hi! Question can you hard wire a hornby decoder into a britania class with hornby single wire smoke box or should i wire the smoke box through a resistor to reduce the voltage pre the decoder.If that makes sence.
Hi. Do you have the Hornby product number for that model? Is it one with a glowing smokebox or a smoke unit in the chimney? That'll help me help you better 😊
Hi one is R356 winston Churchill x391 an aluminum block single green wire the body used as negative My other is R259 Britania which has a brass smoke stack yellow single wire again chassis used as negative.
I can't quite work out the wiring via the service sheets. But at the very least, if you can isolate the motor from the live chassis, which you'll need to do for dcc conversion anyway, you may be able to leave the smoke gen wired and working as it was from the factor and not have it going via the decoder at all, so the decoder just runs the motor and nothing else. But you won't be able to switch the smoke on/off via decoder using that method. You make be able to isolate the smoke gen from the love chassis and wire it to be powered by the decoder six channel as a different approach, but you'll need to check the aic channel has the current capacity for that and that however you isolate the smoke gen it can handle the heat.
@@StrathpefferJunction Hi thanks for your replies .I have been in and out probing voltages and as you say the safest way bearing in mind the price of decoders is to run the generators sepperate from the chip the diffeŕence being the 10 volts dc to the 15 volts dcc from the rails which i could reduce by fitting a resistor or transistor between the rail wire and generator I will give this a go.
I can thank lockdown for getting me back into this how things have changed in 60 years I only went up to clear my loft since having nowt to doo and ended up scrapping all my 60's rails emptying a bedroom and building 26x4foot layout and now having to chip 30 engines a pitty its still not 60s prices .
@@StrathpefferJunction once again thankyou for your time
Regards
Will
Will these fit the Mainline class 56 ?
Hi. No, I'm afraid not. The mainline 56 is a really tricky nut to crack because of how the gear is screwed into the ringfield motor housing. I am trying to develop one, but it's quite tricky and not ready for production yet.
WHICH KIT DO I NEED FOR MY LIMA CLASS 55
The LA5 kit. Feel free to drop me an email if you need any further help: info@strathpefferjunction.com
How many poles do the new motors have?
Most of the replacement motors have three poles (I've taken one of each apart to look at them), but they are still better quality and much smoother that even 5 pole ringfields. Many of these motors are specifically designed to spin CDs and DVDs reliably and consistently, and without vibration. They are also fully enclosed, which keeps the armature etc in much better condition and avoids build up of dust and track debris. I've found them to be superior to ringfields in all of my converted models, but the one thing that they can't do is improve the gear train, so while the motors themselves are much quieter, the gears will still rattle...although you can improve that a lot by using fibre washers or shims to reduce play. The shims that kadee make for some of their couplers are ideal.
Has anyone used any of these Strathpeffer motor adapter kits on an old Fleischmann ICE Experimental, 4-wheel motor bogie? I want to adapt it to DCC. The bogie is about 9-10mm thick, has a 27-28mm diameter aperture for the motor and uses a 10-tooth cog. I’ve asked David for advice on his eBay site but not had a response.
How much are these kits ?
The price varies depending on whether it's Lima or Hornby, also the type of bogie. You can find out more at www.strathpefferjunction.com/shop 🙂
Hi would any one know the CV settings as my class 37 shoots of like a rocket i have changed speed steps (Selectable) 14, 28, 128 to no joy with a Hornby TTS Sound Decoder
Hi Phil. Have you emailed me seperately about this? I'm still catching up with emails after an issue with my mail server, so if you have, I'll drop you a reply ASAP. In the interim, a few suggestions:
1. If you've not already tried the other motor algorithm, give that a shot. Read CV150 and if it is 0, change it to 1, or vice versa.
2. Try turning off Back EMF by setting CV10 to 1. Default is 128 on a tts decoder.
3. Try altering the acceleration CV, namely CV3. Reducing the value in this CV will add inertia and helps to reduce the speed that a converted loco will take off on.
Each or all of these may help. I'd actually suggest trying no3 first, then the others.
Best wishes, David.
hi wuold this werk on an 125
Hi mate. Yes, the HA2 and HA6 kits work with the Hornby Class 43 HST (ringfield version). The HA2 is 6v and the faster motor, but the HA6 is 12v and a little slower (but still fine for most models).
Hi, I’m sending you a plea on behalf of all the people who bought Oxford rails ADAMS radial tank
It looks beautiful but runs terrible
I’m sure you’ve heard about this?
Can you make a kit to put this right
I think it may have to include a new motor as the current one is pathetic
The rest is to do with pony truck / bogie
Vertical movement of those wheels and springs
There must be thousands of people who would thank you for this as hear about it from someone almost daily
Please can you help????😊
Hi Jon. I don't have an Adams Radial myself, but have I'll a look online to see what the issues are and see if I may be able to come up with something.
Strathpeffer Junction thanks for getting back to me me
That would be really great if you could
Although I do remember what it was like before each of my 3 children were born !
You’ll find a lot of information about their problems on Social media etc
No ones come up with a decent solution yet though for a model that’s been in production for 4 years I believe
I haven’t bought one because of the problems but if I know it can be fixed I’ll get a couple at least 😊
Well this is technology from the the 1950ies Get a machined block for gearbox and wheel bearings as well a a 7 pole skewed - or better cordless - motor with flywheel combined with an traditional worm an gear drive an you will get a perfect drive. Everything else is not worth thinking about.
To be honest, that would be a complete and utter waste of money for most people. If you have machinist's tools and the skills yourself, then yes, you could definitely improve upon the factory gearing and facilitate a far superior motor arrangement, but for the majority of people with an old ringfield motor that's past it, switching in a CD drive motor is a reasonable and cost effective way to breath new life into it. As with old cars, sure, if you throw enough money at them and change the entire engine, gear box and transmission, you'll likely get a fantastic result, but you'll end up spending far more than the car is worth and you'll be in negative equity. Or you can spend a lesser amount that improves its performance and enables you to still get good use out of it, albeit it may not be transformed into a Rolls Royce. At the end of the day, it's all down to personal choice. People are free to do whatever they want: the main thing is having fun and getting enjoyment out of the hobby. If some folk can afford to spend £75+ buying a high quality Japanese motor and gearing, and getting someone to machine a new motor assembly, all for a £35 model with basic tooling from almost half a century ago, crack on. All power to them. I certainly wouldn't choose that, however. But each to their own.
@@StrathpefferJunction that is exactly what i mean I could not understand why companies produce in 2019 like in 1950.This means dark years after Brexit for you 😉
You need not to spend seventyfive pounds for an Japanese high quality Motor because there aren't those. better is you spend forty five pounds for an Faulhaber or maxon motor or less than five pounds for an chinese coreless motor.
@@steffenrosmus1864 I didn't say you'd spend that on a motor, I said you'd spend that on a motor, new gearing and, crucially, paying someone to machine you a new bogie and motor assembly. And as I also said, if you have the means to mill something yourself or you have the money to pay someone to do it for you, then replacing the entire bogie, using superior gearing and a motor with a flywheel is absolutely the best way to do it. Most people don't, however. Personally, unless you have a prized model or one you've spent time detailing and improving, I don't think it's ever easy to justify doing more than switching in a CD motor. And if you have a large fleet of ringfields, it's almost certainly not worth paying to get a newly machined bogie for each and every one. These CD motors provide a cost effective way to breath new life into an old model. They're not, however, intended to turn a 1980s model into a top end machine like what's coming off the production lines today. I used to have Lima models I never used because the ringfield motor was too much trouble. I've switched them to CD motors, and now I get enjoyment frim and use out of them. For me, that's a good result. 🙂