I had a little red dock shunter in the 1960s. Sold it cheaply to a friend when I shifted and had no space for a train set. Come the 2020s and I’m a bit sad I did this. The Tri-ang dock shunter was not the most realistic of locos but it was fairly reliable and mine had a good crawl speed (except on points). All in all, these locos were quite cute and a good and inexpensive way for entry to the hobby of model railways for kids.
Age about six i used to dismantle my red one and drop the massive knurled wheels out clean and oil and reassemble with the paxollin keeper plate and spring steel current pick up. It failed to work for a while as i had no idea the wheels were handed amd getting one or both in wrong would be a dead short. Tearing round my layout in the dark the flashes off the wheels were spectacular amd the tv interference was quite something!
I've got a couple of black ones and a red one but not the yellow. The motors are quite easy to clean and service. I also picked up the green DMU which I cleaned and it runs well but none of my track is that new! The old steel track allows the Magnadhesion to work on other models like 08's, Jintys and Panniers.
I've got the green DMU too but I've yet to clean it up, although, I expect that will struggle with my track, same as the yellow shunter. I am considering an oval of older track somewhere though. Thanks for watching
That rare yellow locomotive without the ''buffers'' was an export model meant for the north American market where our locomotives don't have that on their front pilots, Nice layout and greetings from the U.S.A.
It came in a set which included US style box car, open lwb wagon & what can only be described as a big ass caboose. So that it was originally destined for the US doesn't surprise me. Greetings from South Devon
I have one of these on my modern image layout. I have fitted a new motor and new wheels to it and some extra details. It now runs super smooth. I use it as a shunter for my brewery sidings, shunting wagons in and out of the brewery.
The r.253 Dock Authority shunter first appeared, in 1958m with Mk.IIb couplings. From 1959 onwards, it always had Mk.III tension lock couplings. Discontinued and replaced, in the late 1970's by the Class 06 Barclay 0-4-0 diesel shunter, in starter sets.
The motor top is slightly narrower and has a shorter screw. Get out a coarse file for the wider versions, if that is all you have, a take off about 1-1/2mm and snip off the end of the screw. The thread will repair itself as you withdraw it.
I have a couple of the Shunters but both have the heavy knurled wheels. Like yours they hesitate over the Peco code 100 points and the flanges grind on the shied. Wish I could find plain wheels with smaller flanges. Johns amazing trains did a couple of videos on these Shunters/wheels. I have shown them on some of my videos. Thanks for sharing this
I have watched the Johns Amazing Trains videos but sadly he doesn't seem to be around anymore. I just didn't realise Triang made any of these with slightly more modern wheels.
Take out the knurled wheel sets from any Tri-ang motor bogie. Put a hard grinding wheel in your "Dremel" and work it round the faces of each wheel in turn to remove the knurls. Keep it moving to avoid flat spots. Then, go round the flanges and remove about 2 mm. Dress/smooth with a wet/dry sanding block and replace. (remember to put the insulated wheels on the pick-up side) Works on Tri-ang, DMU/EMU/Transcontinental bogies and princess/jinty chassis, solid type wheels too. No more running on the chairs! Each chassis/motor bogie can be done in about 10 minutes. A lot cheaper than replacing them. I have done all my stock and cleaned and re-magnetised the motors while they were stripped at the same time. The transformation, in running quality, is amazing.
@@fairweathertrains The small, pink grindstones seem to work best and are more controllable. Two more modelling tips. (1)Bad paint job? Put the body in a clip/zip seal bag, spray liberally with Mr. Muscle oven cleaner, squeeze out excess air and seal. Give it an hour, remove and scrub with an old toothbrush under the cold tap. Should leave the original finish and transfers 90% of the time. Rare to need a second go but, one model did have seven, thick coats of enamel and came back to original, gloss black finish. (2) Lighter petrol, (sold in squirt tins at the newsagent) can eat glue. Sticky price tickets, model glazing, old kits. A soaking can remove all and, dry/evaporate clear. Kit joints may need light taps to crack the seal and allow it to soak in. Good luck!
They were nice little locos for their time mate. I ended up taking the wheels flanges down about 1.5mm with a dremel. Runs quite a bit better. The Victorian railways diesel is in good condition , runs pretty good for its age. Steven.
Those old wheels always seemed to be made of something harder than diamond! I am just pleased they did actually make one with usable wheels on modern(ish) track even if I have only just found out! The Victorian diesel, known as the transcontinental here. Thanks for watching
To clean the wheels, I suggest soaking in a dish of lighter fluid for 30.mins, rub with old toothbrush and see the muck fall off! I see you've got nickel silver and steel track mixed - not a good idea, needs to be all the same, nickel silver preferred of course although steel making a comeback for realism - yes code 100 rail so narrow so will bounce off the sleepers, but best of luck - lovely little loco
I still have some old track in the sidings to be replaced at some point. I didn't realise that some of these shunters had smooth, smaller flanged wheels but I'm glad I found out. Thanks for watching
I also have the early Diesel Railcar with the neid wheels and it does run on my layout (Yorkdale LNER Preservation Railway. YouYube Channel.) I have a mix of steel and Nickel tracks. All the points are the new Nickel type and even my later trains have problems running across them. The diamond crossing are also a problem. I had an A4 Kingfisher locomotive running on the outer loop and during the second run the front bogie decided to turn left, derailing the whole train. As there was no track connected to the left of the crossover Kingfisher took a nose dive off of the layout and landed in the dirty clothes basket, hitting the basket's rim on the way down. I am still waiting for replacement parts to carry out repairs. The latest type of diamond crossing's no longer have that lump of plastic. I am still looking for new wheels for the Railcar. Martin. (Thailand)
I have 5 diamond crossings on my layout at the moment. Only one never derails anything, and that's an old Lima crossing. However, it has so much plastic on it, it will halt anything with a short wheelbase. You can't have everything I suppose! Thanks for watching
I had a little red dock shunter in the 1960s. Sold it cheaply to a friend when I shifted and had no space for a train set. Come the 2020s and I’m a bit sad I did this. The Tri-ang dock shunter was not the most realistic of locos but it was fairly reliable and mine had a good crawl speed (except on points). All in all, these locos were quite cute and a good and inexpensive way for entry to the hobby of model railways for kids.
Realistic or not, I love mine!
@@fairweathertrains So did I and I’ve regretted selling mine for more than half a century.
Age about six i used to dismantle my red one and drop the massive knurled wheels out clean and oil and reassemble with the paxollin keeper plate and spring steel current pick up. It failed to work for a while as i had no idea the wheels were handed amd getting one or both in wrong would be a dead short. Tearing round my layout in the dark the flashes off the wheels were spectacular amd the tv interference was quite something!
Oh yes. I forgot about the interference and the sparks. Nice one!
Super. Hello from the Tracy Mountain Railway in Colorado, U.S.A. 💙 T.E.N.
And hiya from South Devon
I've got a couple of black ones and a red one but not the yellow. The motors are quite easy to clean and service. I also picked up the green DMU which I cleaned and it runs well but none of my track is that new! The old steel track allows the Magnadhesion to work on other models like 08's, Jintys and Panniers.
I've got the green DMU too but I've yet to clean it up, although, I expect that will struggle with my track, same as the yellow shunter. I am considering an oval of older track somewhere though. Thanks for watching
@@fairweathertrains They all light up but if you can't get the bulbs, a diode can work.
That rare yellow locomotive without the ''buffers'' was an export model meant for the north American market where our locomotives don't have that on their front pilots, Nice layout and greetings from the U.S.A.
It came in a set which included US style box car, open lwb wagon & what can only be described as a big ass caboose. So that it was originally destined for the US doesn't surprise me. Greetings from South Devon
@@fairweathertrains Much appreciated, And, Thank you very much for your comment.
I have one of these on my modern image layout. I have fitted a new motor and new wheels to it and some extra details. It now runs super smooth. I use it as a shunter for my brewery sidings, shunting wagons in and out of the brewery.
Now that's cool. Thanks
Nice one great information lovely running cheers thanks Patrick Quinn IRL
Thanks for watching & the nice comment
The r.253 Dock Authority shunter first appeared, in 1958m with Mk.IIb couplings. From 1959 onwards, it always had Mk.III tension lock couplings. Discontinued and replaced, in the late 1970's by the Class 06 Barclay 0-4-0 diesel shunter, in starter sets.
Thanks for the info and for the (presumably) unintentional hilarious typo!
The dock shunter and the double ended diesel do have the same bogie but the motor is different. The dock Shunter motor is narrower.
The motor top is slightly narrower and has a shorter screw. Get out a coarse file for the wider versions, if that is all you have, a take off about 1-1/2mm and snip off the end of the screw. The thread will repair itself as you withdraw it.
I have a couple of the Shunters but both have the heavy knurled wheels. Like yours they hesitate over the Peco code 100 points and the flanges grind on the shied. Wish I could find plain wheels with smaller flanges.
Johns amazing trains did a couple of videos on these Shunters/wheels.
I have shown them on some of my videos.
Thanks for sharing this
I have watched the Johns Amazing Trains videos but sadly he doesn't seem to be around anymore. I just didn't realise Triang made any of these with slightly more modern wheels.
@@fairweathertrains He is locked up
Sorry, what?! Please explain
@@fairweathertrains Can I email you or....
Yes, send it in an email. Thanks
Take out the knurled wheel sets from any Tri-ang motor bogie. Put a hard grinding wheel in your "Dremel" and work it round the faces of each wheel in turn to remove the knurls. Keep it moving to avoid flat spots. Then, go round the flanges and remove about 2 mm. Dress/smooth with a wet/dry sanding block and replace. (remember to put the insulated wheels on the pick-up side) Works on Tri-ang, DMU/EMU/Transcontinental bogies and princess/jinty chassis, solid type wheels too. No more running on the chairs! Each chassis/motor bogie can be done in about 10 minutes. A lot cheaper than replacing them. I have done all my stock and cleaned and re-magnetised the motors while they were stripped at the same time. The transformation, in running quality, is amazing.
Excellent info and something I may attempt when I've got some time. I've got the Tri-ang DMU that's ripe (because I got it free) for experimentation.
@@fairweathertrains The small, pink grindstones seem to work best and are more controllable. Two more modelling tips. (1)Bad paint job? Put the body in a clip/zip seal bag, spray liberally with Mr. Muscle oven cleaner, squeeze out excess air and seal. Give it an hour, remove and scrub with an old toothbrush under the cold tap. Should leave the original finish and transfers 90% of the time. Rare to need a second go but, one model did have seven, thick coats of enamel and came back to original, gloss black finish. (2) Lighter petrol, (sold in squirt tins at the newsagent) can eat glue. Sticky price tickets, model glazing, old kits. A soaking can remove all and, dry/evaporate clear. Kit joints may need light taps to crack the seal and allow it to soak in. Good luck!
I did, in black, it worked for all of a month!
Nice!
They were nice little locos for their time mate. I ended up taking the wheels flanges down about 1.5mm with a dremel. Runs quite a bit better. The Victorian railways diesel is in good condition , runs pretty good for its age. Steven.
Those old wheels always seemed to be made of something harder than diamond! I am just pleased they did actually make one with usable wheels on modern(ish) track even if I have only just found out! The Victorian diesel, known as the transcontinental here. Thanks for watching
@@fairweathertrains You can buy carbide tipped burrs that will do the job.
14m 21s, i had that black DA No3 in the 70s 😃
I wish I'd got mine back then. I got mine about 3 weeks ago!
To clean the wheels, I suggest soaking in a dish of lighter fluid for 30.mins, rub with old toothbrush and see the muck fall off!
I see you've got nickel silver and steel track mixed - not a good idea, needs to be all the same, nickel silver preferred of course although steel making a comeback for realism - yes code 100 rail so narrow so will bounce off the sleepers, but best of luck - lovely little loco
I still have some old track in the sidings to be replaced at some point. I didn't realise that some of these shunters had smooth, smaller flanged wheels but I'm glad I found out. Thanks for watching
I also have the early Diesel Railcar with the neid wheels and it does run on my layout (Yorkdale LNER Preservation Railway. YouYube Channel.) I have a mix of steel and Nickel tracks. All the points are the new Nickel type and even my later trains have problems running across them. The diamond crossing are also a problem. I had an A4 Kingfisher locomotive running on the outer loop and during the second run the front bogie decided to turn left, derailing the whole train. As there was no track connected to the left of the crossover Kingfisher took a nose dive off of the layout and landed in the dirty clothes basket, hitting the basket's rim on the way down. I am still waiting for replacement parts to carry out repairs. The latest type of diamond crossing's no longer have that lump of plastic. I am still looking for new wheels for the Railcar. Martin. (Thailand)
I have 5 diamond crossings on my layout at the moment. Only one never derails anything, and that's an old Lima crossing. However, it has so much plastic on it, it will halt anything with a short wheelbase. You can't have everything I suppose! Thanks for watching
at least you wont get cracked gears or mazak rot here..................jpj
spot on there!