Hornby Dublo 3 rail, Bristol Castle - Can you Help?

[@darby-m7i]

This tender had been modified, with the pickup guide tubes shortened and the crimped ends of the plungers cut off. As a result , the plungers although contacting the centre rail, were under greater pressure. As it is easier to lengthen a compression spring than to permanently compress it, I chose brush springs which naturally are shorter, and gradually lengthened them. The result was satisfactory.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Thanks for the info! May be something I look at if I continue to have issues, anyway many thanks for watching and taking the time to message.

[@johnbishop6667]

Hi I run 6 Hornby engines with tender pick up via plunger pickups ,4 F8 two i converted from 2 rail with 3rail tenders . I made all the connections apart from 1 castle solid wiring doing away with the poor plug in tender connector. The plunger springs seem to be the same as the ones used to put pressure on brushes as used in the old hornby upright motors so quite light pressure . The insulating around the plunger could break down and cause shorting . Good point using stranded wiring inside the tender .

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Thanks for the info, I have a couple of F8 to look into in the near future.

[@CaseyJonesNumber1]

The repair cost £2 2s 1d (2 pounds, 2 shillings and 1 penny) in "old money". We didnt go decimal until 1971...

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Do you know, it really past me by, I have no concept old money and have only ever known decimal currency - time for some learning on my part I think? Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@paulcherrytrains3339]

I remember it well. Loads of confused shoppers asking what's that in old money.

[@darby-m7i]

I had the opposite problem with a recently acquired 3 rail non- Ringfield Castle. The plunger springs were quite strong and retarded the forward movement of the tender considerably. I replaced the original springs with a pair of slightly elongated brush springs for the vertical motor. Much better!

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

I don't think its the best way I have seen pickups work, thanks for sharing and taking the time to message.

[@premikyam2726]

Hi Dusty. first impressions are that the Meccano repair in 1961 was fairly expensive, virtually half the cost of the the loco new. However the front bogie has a new set of wheels and the motor wire has been replaced.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Wow yes that is a bit expensive, I do love finding these bits of 'history' in with the locos.

[@premikyam2726]

the plungers in the tender look good and apart from cleaning, leave well alone. Like the mechanism in the TPO van, works best when dry. Meccano crimped the plunger shaft and rivetted the tags so disassembly is impossible without causing major damage. I believe your issue here is that the tension of the two brush spring arms is excessive.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

@@premikyam2726 That interesting, so let me just clarify reduce the tension in the spring and less force pushing the brush against the armature?

[@premikyam2726]

@@dustyshelfcollectables Yes. a case of less is more, i would say that the arms of the brush spring without tension should be adjusted to approx 20'. Also worth checking the clip that plugs into the tender. definitely clean the clip and the socket before any major plunger surgery.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

@@premikyam2726 Thank you, I will give that a try! Matt

[@johnjephcote7636]

I kept the body of my 2-rail Bristol Castle for half a century. Two years ago I needed a large GW firebox top for a scratch build...so out came the saw. The set in the 1950s had two rather short, enamelled tinplate coaches with nice interiors.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

I will keep an eye out for the coaches that sounds interesting, I guess with the dublo not being overly expensive they do make good donors. Thanks for watching.

[@ianforfun1]

I'm a new subscriber and enjoying your channel, I had a Hornby Dublo 3 rail train set when I was young, a long time ago. I had a Dutchess of Montrose that exhibited the same symptoms as your Castle. I tried everything like the collectors all the wiring cleaned it all up and said to my dad, I'm stuck on this loco. He was a telecoms engineer and taught me a few tricks and taught me how to use a multimeter. The one supplied with Mr Dodd's magnetiser will do. I think you may have a 'dry' solder joint on your armature where it solders onto your commutator, which can give you intermittent running. If you look carefully those coils are very thin and can break so total care. There are three solder points on a three-pole motor and the coil of one coil goes to the next commutator coils or adjoining coils each solder point has two coil ends soldered together and to the commutator segment at this point its worth making sure the gap between the segments are clean and use a wooden cocktail stick, gently. With the armature removed measure the dc resistance between the two adjoining commutators all around so you should have three readings and make a note and compare the values, they will not be exactly the same but quite close. I would reflow the solder joints regardless and if they look dull I would reflow them anyway. Use a little flux or fresh solder on the tip of your soldering iron and soften the solder and remove it quickly when it appears shiny. Don't dwell too long with the iron and measure again. There are many reasons why solder joints fail and that includes heat expansion and vibration that can occur where the tiny coil is not conducting electricity properly and arcing occurs making the flow of electricity through the joint behave erratically or intermittently making and breaking current flow. I hope this helps! Ian

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Thank Ian, that's interesting, I will take a look, I think in this particular loco it was the plungers that needed resetting, but I do have another that is doing a similar thing so I will pay attention to the armature. Thank you for watching and for the advice. Matt

[@paulcherrytrains3339]

The only experience I have with plungers is on a 2 rail Airfix 14XX. It's possible the plungers are sticking. I used contact cleaner and a light oiling. I know it's a different loco but it worked for me. The cost of that repair alone would have been a fortune for some. I hope you get it sorted as its a lovely locomotive. Regards Paul.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Thanks Paul, I think it may be that the plungers are sitting too high, they are quite free moving. I love finding those old repair slips, just so interesting. Anyway thanks again .

[@leonardsloman480]

Hi Matt, I've solved this problem on my 3rail caslte by soldering a soft muti strand wire to the top of the plunger shaft , joining each of the plungers and then on the tender connection. You might find that you have to file the top of the shaft to obtain a good soldered connection. Leave the original wire in place.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Thank you, I will add that to the list of things to try, that sounds like a nice easy one to give a go. Thanks for watching.

[@dotcomdotcomdotcom]

The way I cure this problem is to file the lower half of each plunger shaft crimped section away with a needle file. This allows the plungers to descend a little further resulting in compensation for the slightly worn plunger shoes.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

I like that idea, let me take a look, that me just give that fraction more, thank you. Also thanks for watching.

[@kanehood3478]

You can also solder a cap over the top of the plunger with a thin layer solder will add a little depth and will keep pressure on the pickups, and the solder is softer than the rails so no damage to the rails either

[@platformten5958]

Hi. If the sticking only happens with that particular loco, either try replacing the plungers by making your own or, if the track has indentations, simply replace the sections that have them. 👍 Paul.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

I did think about adding some material to the plungers just to give them a mm or 2 more reach, The track is good suggestion and something I am looking at but its a big job for one loco as it several places. Anyway thanks again for watching and taking the time to message.

[@barryjgalbraith2635]

I’m having the same problem with my 3rail castle class. Cleaning and oiling helped but I couldn’t get it to pull anything! A couple of goods wagons and that was it! I did notice the carbon brushes had worn down so I’ll try to replace them and see what happens. My other Dublo locos pull long heavy trains with ease. Hope you get yours sorted out. They are lovely models.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

@@barryjgalbraith2635 They sure are, I will get there in the end, thanks for watching.

[@platformten5958]

Hi. You forgot to inform viewers to make sure that the magnet's polarity is the correct way around before remagnetising it. Paul.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Yes, good point.

[@gcmet1063]

Just had a look a my three rail castle tender , the plungers seem quite softly sprung and when not the track they come down below the tender wheels so when the tender is on the track the plungers will under tension which means if the tender goes over some uneven track the plungers should drop down to follow the contours of the track . It might be worth looking at plungers to see if they are little too stiff and not moving up and down freely. Putting a little PECO power lube on the moving parts of the plungers could help free them up and improve conductivity, but only use a little as it can go everywhere.

[@platformten5958]

Hi GC. Better still, use WD40 Contact Cleaner spray (NOT plain WD40) as it can splatter without harming any part of the loco (comes with a narrow plastic tube for directing the spray). OOBill on KZbin uses it all the time and I swear by it as, after a short period of time, it frees up moving parts of a loco that are sticking. 👍 Paul.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Thanks Paul I will get some, matt.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Thank you for looking, I will go and take a look at mine again, the plungers are quite free but I will give the Peco lube a go as well as the WD40 suggested, I am thinking that mine may be too high and need to be lowered some how. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment .

[@nwrail]

This was a superb model for the time ... until altered with a ring field motor which stuck out of the back of the cab. Hornby really made some stupid decisions towards the end. This is an original version

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

I need to take a look in the books and date this one, I have a later one with the motor in the cab and although the body casing is still awesome the motor is so evident. Thank for watching and taking the time to message.

[@nwrail]

@@dustyshelfcollectables Pleasure. Great website. I had a ring field 8F. Looked awful. Cant think of a fix for the plunger problem though.

[@johnjephcote7636]

Actually, it was three-rail. I just remembered the tender plungers but it was converted to 2-rail early on.

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

As I have a 3 rail layout for now I will keep mine with the plungers, assuming I can get a better performance with some of the suggestions.

[@user-in9oy8he3w]

Hi i had same fault with mine it turned out that the connection to the tender from motor would move while running and break connection even though it looked ok. I adjusted metal tag to make it a tighter fit been ok since hope this works for you

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

I got it going in the end, Plungers on mine, but what a great loco! Thank so much for watching and taking the time to message.

[@timchalk6810]

Do the plungers need more travei so they spring out further from the tender ?

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

Yes that was the issue, they are an interference fit so needed a little tap. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@lesfewtrell4845]

I saw a flash on the first tender wheel

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

I think that was just a joint in the track but I will check, Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment

[@peterwatts4163]

Not £2.21, but Two pounds, two shillings and a penny, or two pounds, two and a penny, as we used to say when talking about real money.;

[@dustyshelfcollectables]

You are not the first to correct me, many thanks for pointing that out. I didn't experience shillings and pence so not intuitive, but that doesn't excuse my ignorance - time for some learning. Anyway thanks for watching and for the comment

[@alness1289]

Try WD-40

[@platformten5958]

Hi Alness. Yes, but as I said earlier, WD40 'Contact Cleaner' and NOT plain WD40! Paul.