My Britannia class loco is a 1961 Triang Britannia which I received on my 10th Christmas. She is so much easier to service, less complicated to dismantle and re-assemble albeit less detailed than the Hornby version, but she still runs smoothly and only ever needed one pair of replacement brushes in her lifetime. She's 63 years old and still my pride & joy.
I envy you your demeanor when you realized you forgot the washers you just took it apart and put them in. I have and would have had a melt-down and called myself every expletive at my command so hats off to you. Split gears are my pet peeve and here in the states it is Bachmann and defuncted Lifelike that are the biggest offenders and parts are not available for either. Anyway, great video and repair.
Nice work Bill. Those fiddly wee rods are a representation of the lubrication pump operating rods. Just repaired a Hornby Duchess from this era with a clicking drive. I thought it must be the double gear after seeing so many fail. I dived into it and found all the gears were actually fine. It turned out to be loose assembly of the rods into the backs of the cylinders causing the motion to strike. My learning was that although it will most likely be a cracked gear it isn’t always so.
Thanks for sharing this, the amount of Hornby locos I've had in the past with the same gear issue is unbelievable. Then I found out it's the same product number throughout the range
Thanks, Bill, another great video. Because of all the advice you give on this channel, I can now successfully rebuild the triang motor bogies for the class 31 and 37 as well as the dmu/emu type. I have collected spares over the years which are now being put to good use. I just wish I could find a service that rewinds the armatures and reconditioning of the commutators as I have to use good second hand ones. Thanks again Bill for your inspiring videos. Lots of quieter motors now!!!!
Good work. Looks great on your layout which is looking fanrastic. You know Bill, there was a lot to be said for the old Tri-ang minimalistic detailing when it came time to service. 1 screw and no fear of breaking things when removing the body. Happy Trains.
Always had a soft spot for Britannias since I had the Triang Hornby version in the 1960s. Of course those run for ever with a bit of basic maintenance!
Mine had a smoke unit fitted ,,,,just loved the smell ,,,,that was a long while ago ...Still love the Britannia`s although i run modern image a steam excursion is always welcome 👍👍
I have Britannia, Oliver Cromwell, and Apollo, most have had some issue or other. I have seen the real Oliver Cromwell some years ago, came through the town I live in and stopped for a while to take on water,. It was great to see up close, even when the safty valves lifted. Welld done on fixing this model, yeh the body is a p in the neck to remove and get back on!
That split gear issue is something Hornby have known about for years but have done nothing and continue to make the same gear sets with the same problems. Getting spares now is damn near impossible unless someone comes out with a decent gear set.
Thank you once again sharing the trials and tribulations over working on a modern model. I hate the fragility of them and more than once have found I almost get something done only to have to go back a few steps or, even worse, for carnage to ensue.
"Oliver Cromwell" lives on. Well done again Bill, I wonder why a plastic gear is included in the gear train when a brass one would live forever? Cost again is it?
Yet another excellent job despite the Chinese manufacturing! I did wonder what all the white string was but then realised it was the pipework- why anyone would want it white is beyond me - it's not prototypical.
Probably better for somebody else to write the "Model locomotive Repair & Maintainance Manual" as a collaboration with Bill. Being an expert (Undisputed) at model repair, does`nt make you an expert writer, and likewise a good writer may not be good at model repair. With an extensive library of videos to work from, and Bills knowledge and skills a collaboration would work better for the future owners of the book. With a collaborating writer there would be no need to wait until retirement so the nest egg can be accumulated prior to retirement. Although I do have to agree @peternorris6438 its a great idea.
@@darren25061965 For such a book to be of any real value over video content it would be a huge undertaking. In many respects "How to" books are kind of a thing of the past. The internet is a much better resource.
Hi Bill, If I was going to get another Britannia class engine that was loco driven I would buy the Triang one. At least it is not as fragile as the new one.......... :).
The thing that bugs me is that the Hornby Model seems to always have a Centre wheel crank that isn't off centre, and often is in the wrong direction. Not sure what the technical term is but compare something like a Black 5 or Britannia to a Rebuilt Merchant Navy. the former has the crank 'following' as it goes forwards and the latter it 'leads' the forward revolution. This model seems to have one the wrong way and the other central and not moving. Its something I've noticed mostly on Hornby but lately on Bachmann too. Good thing you have all those spare gears! Great to see it going round, I think 7000 will be on the Christmas list for me!
I’ve got a very similar model but mines 70000. It runs quite badly due to it being dcc fitted and running on a dc layout. I am getting a blanking plate soon. Also the tender is missing the drawbar as the part that holds it in place is missing
Is it age or amount of use that splits these gears? I watch your channel all the time, and it seems to be a very common problem. I have many new Hornby locos in storage awaiting my layout. Most have never been used other than basic running in.
Not sure. That particular model came out in the mid to late 2000s so 15-20 years ago, so may have had a fair bit of use, though you never really know for sure. It could equally have spent much of it's life in a box or display cabinet. I don't know if the plastic they're made from gets more fragile with age too, but it seems to be a common issue with that particular model.
I don't think it's really age or use it's more the simple fact that the plastic gear is a very, very tight fit and due to expansion and contraction of the metal rod it will split. I suspect temperature fluctuations are a factor more than anything else.
@@oobill Is the plastic they use the same consistency as the rest of the body? Nylon gears from the Tri-ang era may last for ever and there used to be something called "engineering plastic" for such high stress roles. 3D printed gears will need to be done on a high precision machine and made of the right material. Peters Spares should be looking at this as a lucrative project. Great repair as usual.
Hi Bill. Another enjoyable video. I was never a fan of this class of loco. Loco As a young boy they just did not appeal to me. Nevertheless, the Hornby model does seem to look very good, although it appears that it is not an easy model to work on. Nothing ever seems to defeat you. I am very impressed by the progress you are making with the layout. It’s beginning to look really good.I was wondering whether you plan to add a back scene
Ironic seeing this episode today. Looked at buying a used Brit yesterday. Looked today, and it had been sold. Perhaps a lucky break if spares are at a premium. Thanks.
I've always rather liked the Britannias. As a kid I remember day dreaming over Britannia & Duchess of Sutherland in the Hornby catalogue, think it was either the 1978 or 1980 one. Unfortunately both were quite expensive. Split gears do seem to be a common issue with Hornby's Britannia class. I bought a 'Robinhood' off Ebay which had that issue, although the seller agreed a return. The most recent issue of 'Oliver Cromwell' has the white 4 wire connection plug and box with the plastic icecube. The one you worked on was the previous release, other than that I don't think there's any other difference. I've currently got the Golden Arrow 'William Shakespear' Britannia class and a Clan class 'Clan Stewart', which would go well with your Scottish layout. So far I've not had any problems with either. hope that's not tempting fate!😐
Rather than using "The Hand of God" tp push the loco into the shed, it would be more realistic if you used a small shunter to push it into the loco shed.
I don't think there are any small shunters with enough traction. Also if the subject loco is pulling current then it lessens the power of the shunter. I used to use an Airfix 4F for pushing locos into the shed when possible though and may do so again but it can't be done every time so there will always be a need to just shove it in by hand.
Pity they didn't make those split gears out of brass for then they probably wouldn't split. They may have been a bit noisy but greased up they may not be too bad. It seems to me that these Chinese made locos are more complicated than they have to be. Being on the other side of this planet when my locos suffer from the split gear dilemma if I can't get a replacement then into the rubbish bin the loco will go to not be replaced by another one. Even 3D printed gears aren't as good as injection molded gears or brass gears.
I don't think Hornby care anymore regarding quality, reliability or durability. This has brought them to where they are now, losing money and having to sell assets. Sure is a shame to have sunk to this level because they were at one time long ago in a galaxy far away one of if not the best..................
My Britannia class loco is a 1961 Triang Britannia which I received on my 10th Christmas. She is so much easier to service, less complicated to dismantle and re-assemble albeit less detailed than the Hornby version, but she still runs smoothly and only ever needed one pair of replacement brushes in her lifetime. She's 63 years old and still my pride & joy.
I envy you your demeanor when you realized you forgot the washers you just took it apart and put them in. I have and would have had a melt-down and called myself every expletive at my command so hats off to you. Split gears are my pet peeve and here in the states it is Bachmann and defuncted Lifelike that are the biggest offenders and parts are not available for either. Anyway, great video and repair.
Nice work Bill. Those fiddly wee rods are a representation of the lubrication pump operating rods. Just repaired a Hornby Duchess from this era with a clicking drive. I thought it must be the double gear after seeing so many fail. I dived into it and found all the gears were actually fine. It turned out to be loose assembly of the rods into the backs of the cylinders causing the motion to strike. My learning was that although it will most likely be a cracked gear it isn’t always so.
Thanks for sharing this, the amount of Hornby locos I've had in the past with the same gear issue is unbelievable. Then I found out it's the same product number throughout the range
hornby should be ashamed of themselves with this bad quality and the spares service is ghastly
Thanks, Bill, another great video. Because of all the advice you give on this channel, I can now successfully rebuild the triang motor bogies for the class 31 and 37 as well as the dmu/emu type. I have collected spares over the years which are now being put to good use. I just wish I could find a service that rewinds the armatures and reconditioning of the commutators as I have to use good second hand ones. Thanks again Bill for your inspiring videos. Lots of quieter motors now!!!!
Just bought a train set for my granddaughter. Gave it a clean and an oil. All good. Thanks for your help with these videos
Good work.
Looks great on your layout which is looking fanrastic.
You know Bill, there was a lot to be said for the old Tri-ang minimalistic detailing when it came time to service. 1 screw and no fear of breaking things when removing the body.
Happy Trains.
Absolutely.
Always had a soft spot for Britannias since I had the Triang Hornby version in the 1960s. Of course those run for ever with a bit of basic maintenance!
Mine had a smoke unit fitted ,,,,just loved the smell ,,,,that was a long while ago ...Still love the Britannia`s although i run modern image a steam excursion is always welcome 👍👍
I have Britannia, Oliver Cromwell, and Apollo, most have had some issue or other. I have seen the real Oliver Cromwell some years ago, came through the town I live in and stopped for a while to take on water,. It was great to see up close, even when the safty valves lifted. Welld done on fixing this model, yeh the body is a p in the neck to remove and get back on!
That split gear issue is something Hornby have known about for years but have done nothing and continue to make the same gear sets with the same problems. Getting spares now is damn near impossible unless someone comes out with a decent gear set.
There are 3D printed double gears which I've ordered to try out.
Thank you once again sharing the trials and tribulations over working on a modern model. I hate the fragility of them and more than once have found I almost get something done only to have to go back a few steps or, even worse, for carnage to ensue.
"Oliver Cromwell" lives on. Well done again Bill, I wonder why a plastic gear is included in the gear train when a brass one would live forever? Cost again is it?
another great repair thanks for showing
Nice job Bill, that’s a good looking model
Another good one Bill. Thank you so much for bringing the lovely large logo 37 out.
Hi Bill could you give us a rundown on what you have for lunch please in future videos. Thanks
Great vid ^.^ The parts that drop down are the mechanical lubricatiors on the real loco
Layout looking good!
Yet another excellent job despite the Chinese manufacturing! I did wonder what all the white string was but then realised it was the pipework- why anyone would want it white is beyond me - it's not prototypical.
Another good repair in your retirement you could write a book on repairing model railway locomotives
Probably better for somebody else to write the "Model locomotive Repair & Maintainance Manual" as a collaboration with Bill. Being an expert (Undisputed) at model repair, does`nt make you an expert writer, and likewise a good writer may not be good at model repair. With an extensive library of videos to work from, and Bills knowledge and skills a collaboration would work better for the future owners of the book. With a collaborating writer there would be no need to wait until retirement so the nest egg can be accumulated prior to retirement. Although I do have to agree @peternorris6438 its a great idea.
@@darren25061965 For such a book to be of any real value over video content it would be a huge undertaking. In many respects "How to" books are kind of a thing of the past. The internet is a much better resource.
Hi Bill, If I was going to get another Britannia class engine that was loco driven I would buy the Triang one. At least it is not as fragile as the new one.......... :).
Well done Bill 👏👏
The thing that bugs me is that the Hornby Model seems to always have a Centre wheel crank that isn't off centre, and often is in the wrong direction. Not sure what the technical term is but compare something like a Black 5 or Britannia to a Rebuilt Merchant Navy. the former has the crank 'following' as it goes forwards and the latter it 'leads' the forward revolution. This model seems to have one the wrong way and the other central and not moving. Its something I've noticed mostly on Hornby but lately on Bachmann too.
Good thing you have all those spare gears!
Great to see it going round, I think 7000 will be on the Christmas list for me!
I’ve got a very similar model but mines 70000. It runs quite badly due to it being dcc fitted and running on a dc layout. I am getting a blanking plate soon. Also the tender is missing the drawbar as the part that holds it in place is missing
Nice work
Is it age or amount of use that splits these gears? I watch your channel all the time, and it seems to be a very common problem.
I have many new Hornby locos in storage awaiting my layout. Most have never been used other than basic running in.
Not sure. That particular model came out in the mid to late 2000s so 15-20 years ago, so may have had a fair bit of use, though you never really know for sure. It could equally have spent much of it's life in a box or display cabinet. I don't know if the plastic they're made from gets more fragile with age too, but it seems to be a common issue with that particular model.
I don't think it's really age or use it's more the simple fact that the plastic gear is a very, very tight fit and due to expansion and contraction of the metal rod it will split. I suspect temperature fluctuations are a factor more than anything else.
@@oobill Is the plastic they use the same consistency as the rest of the body? Nylon gears from the Tri-ang era may last for ever and there used to be something called "engineering plastic" for such high stress roles. 3D printed gears will need to be done on a high precision machine and made of the right material. Peters Spares should be looking at this as a lucrative project. Great repair as usual.
Hi Bill.
Another enjoyable video. I was never a fan of this class of loco.
Loco As a young boy they just did not appeal to me. Nevertheless, the Hornby model does seem to look very good, although it appears that it is not an easy model to work on. Nothing ever seems to defeat you. I am very impressed by the progress you are making with the layout. It’s beginning to look really good.I was wondering whether you plan to add a back scene
Yes back scenes are planned I actually have some. But I don't like the look of them. More on that in the next layout update video.
Ironic seeing this episode today. Looked at buying a used Brit yesterday. Looked today, and it had been sold. Perhaps a lucky break if spares are at a premium. Thanks.
More hornby modern tat
I've always rather liked the Britannias. As a kid I remember day dreaming over Britannia & Duchess of Sutherland in the Hornby catalogue, think it was either the 1978 or 1980 one. Unfortunately both were quite expensive.
Split gears do seem to be a common issue with Hornby's Britannia class. I bought a 'Robinhood' off Ebay which had that issue, although the seller agreed a return.
The most recent issue of 'Oliver Cromwell' has the white 4 wire connection plug and box with the plastic icecube. The one you worked on was the previous release, other than that I don't think there's any other difference.
I've currently got the Golden Arrow 'William Shakespear' Britannia class and a Clan class 'Clan Stewart', which would go well with your Scottish layout. So far I've not had any problems with either. hope that's not tempting fate!😐
Rather than using "The Hand of God" tp push the loco into the shed, it would be more realistic if you used a small shunter to push it into the loco shed.
I don't think there are any small shunters with enough traction. Also if the subject loco is pulling current then it lessens the power of the shunter. I used to use an Airfix 4F for pushing locos into the shed when possible though and may do so again but it can't be done every time so there will always be a need to just shove it in by hand.
Pity they didn't make those split gears out of brass for then they probably wouldn't split. They may have been a bit noisy but greased up they may not be too bad. It seems to me that these Chinese made locos are more complicated than they have to be. Being on the other side of this planet when my locos suffer from the split gear dilemma if I can't get a replacement then into the rubbish bin the loco will go to not be replaced by another one. Even 3D printed gears aren't as good as injection molded gears or brass gears.
hi there, yet another bad quality hornby product, quality control is useless as is the parts service, well done for fixing the loco
I don't think Hornby care anymore regarding quality, reliability or durability. This has brought them to where they are now, losing money and having to sell assets. Sure is a shame to have sunk to this level because they were at one time long ago in a galaxy far away one of if not the best..................
Beyond me why people buy made in China crap from Hornby.