Hornby APT Power Car: Repair Request

[@timsmith8189]

That was a Master Class in overcoming " designed life shortening ". Nothing short of Brilliant 👍😁

[@mikep4821]

Without doubt Bill you are a master of the art, such skill and patience.

[@donniblanco5239]

Wow that was Tense, specially with those clips. Nice fix on the motor cover. 11/10 yet again 👍🏻🎥🥇

[@ianturvey3894]

I’ve only just come across your channel and I’ve got to say, it’s the best and most informative one by far in my opinion. I love how you solve problems and how you rectify them. Your channel is also the best I’ve seen on showing visually how you go about doing the repairs. I’ve now subscribed to the channel and are watching all of your previous videos. Keep up the great work!

[@ArcadiaJunctionHobbies]

Lack of weight. I have one of these and add some extra weights to the powercar and massively improves performance.

[@richardturnnidge]

I was just thinking the same thing, it looks very plasticky and lightweight. A few lumps of lead would help the contacts and add pulling power.

[@ArcadiaJunctionHobbies]

@@richardturnnidge I was told that it would affect the passive tilting mechanism. But I did it anyway with self adhesive wheel balancing weights and it still tilted. The performance was night and day.

[@oobill]

Yes it is light. But without the full train to see how it affects I didn't want to add weight. Generally speaking a little weight helps most locos if you can add it. A few of mine have bits of lead taped inside the body. And tenders.

[@paulrb894]

Great videos, but the corridor ends just need a screwdriver underneath the raised part then they unclip and it's much much easier to dismantle as to the way you unclipped it. Cheers

[@grahammellstrom4995]

Bill that was a brilliant idea to repair the motor cover by drilling and threading new screws. It is a crazy design how you need to remove the wheels to service the Hornby motors, my last set of wheels snapped when removing.... Great video thanks for posting.

[@TheDaf95xf]

Fantastic fix Bill 👍🏻 Love your channel 🤩

[@ollywelsh1198]

Great efforts btw, something very satisfying getting these old ringfields to run well again!

[@PaulinesPastimes]

And you fitted the screws in the motor plate that Hornby should have fitted in the first place instead of those nerve wracking clips. It's nice to know that it can be done. I wonder how many ring field motors are out there with broken clips 🙄. Thanks for the video. 👍😊

[@PaulinesPastimes]

@Alan wragsdale So you don't think the screws were a good solution then? Better to just blame the user I suppose.

[@oobill]

Every hornby ringfield I've worked on has had broken clips. Usually the pins are enough to hold it on and it just prises off but on this everything was broken. Screws required. M2 screws and a mini tapping tool are invaluable..

[@PaulinesPastimes]

@@oobill Thank you 😊👍

[@brucewoods9377]

The train Dr. does it again. 👏👏👏👏

[@petertate5741]

Great stuff again mate,admire your skill and patience.😎

[@russellbenton2987]

Nice one . I’ve never been into my APT so that’s useful . I did buy it second hand a few years ago but fortunately it runs well . Shame you didn’t have full train to run it really is impressive

[@craker4658]

I had this model back in the day... sure the bogie unclipped like any other Hornby engine. I was a bit unforgiving with my maintenance and didn;t have to apologise if I broke it though! Great videos OOBill :-)

[@johne5854]

Great job. Wish I had your patience.

[@barra8771]

Another educational video 👍

[@Hal-Zuzzu_Model_Railway]

wow - looks and goes like new now :) well done!!

[@eddyweller4503]

Nice one Bill. It always makes me nervous taking off these types of body, you could see what was going on have you ever used a old credit card to slip in to enable you to get enough spread on the body to release the clips. Nice fix though. Eddy xx

[@oobill]

Credit card would be too thick for this. I used a spudger cos it needed pried open from a very fine slot. Otherwise I just use my fingernail... 😉

[@RobA500]

You should be able to unclip the bogies without removing the body using a flat blade driver on the clip at the end of bogie towards the middle of the carriage. All Hornby diesel / electric loco's with this type of motor can be serviced that way as far as I know.

[@davemc1944]

I agree. I bought an intercity with exactly this problem and the bogie just unclipped as you say.

[@oobill]

I thought that too. Like the 58 I worked on recently but on this the bogie clips are metal and don't bend.

[@RobA500]

@@oobill Ah I guess that would be a problem, never known that before maybe it's because of the tilt system.

[@grahammellstrom4995]

@@oobill I think it might just be an edition design as my APT I got 2nd had in December had clips I could prise with a flat head and the bogies came out no bother.

[@paulrb894]

To pull the bogies off they need to be hard into the corners of bogie opening in chassis then they come off..

[@nickfennell7]

Hello Bill. This is an excellent video. I have two questions: - 1. What contact cleaner do you use? 2. What do you use to clean the wheels? Many thanks, Nick

[@oobill]

WD40 Contact Cleaner. Great stuff. I clean wheels with T-Cut and clean off with the contact cleaner. T-Cut is brilliant for cleaning commutators, wheels, axles...

[@scooby2142]

Nice one .

[@arrow1414]

I would also add some weight to the center of the power car for both better traction and pickup.

[@oobill]

Yeah probably not a bad idea. Without the full train I wasn't going to try that though. Too much weight might affect the tilting though.

[@arrow1414]

@@oobill Oh I missed the part that said it had a tilt function.

[@ollywelsh1198]

Interesting you put peco power lube on the axles before fitting, I've done this on many of mine over the years, initially they run great but have found over time that this becomes a creamy dirt coloured paste which then reduces the performance of the motor and reliability (having the push the loco to start it/stalling over points seems to increase) significantly over time. Cleaning the axle with a rotary wheel brush on a dremel and fitting dry (yes - sounds wrong) has caused no problems whatsoever and the reliability seems to be maintained. I can only attribute it to carbon building up in the tube by design default but when you add the powerlube it makes the carbon build up creamy instead. Maybe theres something I've missed?!

[@oobill]

Most lubricants coagulate to some extent over time. Regular servicing prevents it. Running Ringfield motor axles dry probably seems fine in the short term. You will get good conductivity and no sticky old oil. But you have a spinning steel rod rubbing against a brass tube. It will wear over time if you don't lubricate.

[@Ratty_Rex]

Great video of a non user friendly design. I can see a lot of other power cars being glued on after their clips break. :(

[@robinforrest7680]

I wonder. I'm not going to be able to get started on my planned new layout as originally planned next week. But my daughter is pestering me to do something for my granddaughter. I have a big box of ancient Hornby Dublo 3-rail track and a couple of locos so I quite fancy setting something up maybe on an 8x4 base to keep them happy until I can get back into some "serious" OO modelling. Your layout doesn't seem to be too big, uses standard set track geometry and appears to have quite a bit of operating potential. Do you have a track plan by any chance? I'd really appreciate it. Rob

[@oobill]

Not as such no. My layout uses some flexi track it's not all standard sections. I may do a how I made it using Anyrail6 software video at some point as I get asked this a lot.

[@blairleipst4508]

Just a thought, using kapton tape might be better than insulation tape as it is less likely to break down over time

[@oobill]

If you don't service the motor within the time it takes insulating tape to perish then the tape is the least of your worries....

[@bpresolve]

Classic Case for a CD motor? Bill From WA

[@H_chapman17]

Hi Bill how acquaint are you with fairly new locomotives as I have a hornby Bob which is a pain? Many thanks Hatry

[@oobill]

As long as it isn't DCC I'd take look.

[@H_chapman17]

@@oobill chip had been removed for a blanking plug, have emailed you Harry

[@davidford2169]

How can i pm you regarding a project.

[@oobill]

See description.