Hornby R1089 Class B12 4-6-0 61525 : Repair Request

[@nycscot600]

A splendid repair job well presented and explained. Purely from a historical point of view, there is considerable doubt whether any of the B12s ever ran in BR blue. The experimental blue livery was applied to the highest status locomotives - Pacifics and some GWR Kings - while most other classes were black at that stage. But the model looks great with the plum and custard Mark 1 carriages.

[@attuslebeard5133]

Just locos with 8P classification were deemed worthy of blue livery so the B12 is definitely non authentic

[@alanfbrookes9771]

No B12 ever ran in blue.

[@piers995]

I have the LNER version in apple green with the Type 7 motor, which I bought off Ebay. It, too, has a badly worn drive sprocket but still fortunatly runs smoothly. The problem seems to be that the motor requires a spacer to make sure the motor worm gear meshes neatly with the drive sprocket. If it doesn't then the brass soon strips the nylon. I have the blue version too. Both look lovely but are obviously are not a patch on the re-tooled B12s of recent years. They have the advantage though of being solid, robust, and reliable, so I'm very happy with the older versions.

[@andrewrice6596]

I love watching the running shots as much as i do the repair.

[@johndelamore4186]

Thank you very much Bill an Honour to have ourr loco run on you track.

[@oobill]

No problem it'll be on it's way back today.

[@glennwoods2462]

Always enjoy a OOBill repair video, and appreciate your lovely layout and filming and editing 👍👏

[@hughoconnor9172]

A simply designed loco that even Hornby couldn't ruin! The blue may not be authentic but does give it a Scottish feel and of course several were allocated to some Scottish depots. I have seen one (model) painted in LMS maroon and that looked superb!

[@roberthocking9138]

Nice job Bill, sad to see beautiful locos like that being neglected and not cleaned properly, hopefully you have inspired the owner to see the light 😁

[@peternorris6438]

The Ɓ12 certainly looks good In the blue livery, and another good repair

[@michaelwolak3098]

Well done another repair hits the dust , I have got to look out for a blue steam train besides the mallard I think they look great

[@chriswade7470]

Yes, that version of the B12 was part of a set, came with two Blood and Custard clerestory coaches.

[@monsvillerailways5736]

Nice work Bill. Your layout is looking great. Happy modelling

[@donniblanco5239]

These are Deffo Back to Basics Locos which is what I love About them, I’m watching a type 7 motor Chassis atm so I hope this video doesn’t increase the “watchers”👀 as it’s quite steady for now - watching with interest 👍🏻

[@JerseyBill-x9r]

It certainly seemed like a strait forward repair till you had to put three washers at the back of the motor and I'm sure you didn't select three right off the bat. I did wonder if the replacement drive gear was available from Hornby or any aftermarket supplier, so I looked on Peters Spairs and they had the whole wheel set for 9.49 pound, and I do like that. I have to commend you on your decerning eye that can see the problem quickly in most cases like that crank pin thread out of position, The bent wiper, the worn gear of course, and the positioning of the motor. I do also wonder at the end of the recording Who left that police box there, lol? Great repair and video, Jersey Bill

[@bigmac60]

Very nice looking locomotive. Good job

[@KellinoRail]

I 'watched' a couple of these on eBay a year or so ago and they sold for about £30 - £35, so very affordable. Unfortunately at the time I had two many other bargains to buy!!

[@PaulinesPastimes]

Very nice looking locomotive and it seemed easy to repair too. It does look nice in blue. It would be good to find a supply of that particular Type 7 motor mount to replace noisy XO4 motors but I haven't seen any. 😊

[@oobill]

Someone did 3D print a mount you could get on ebay but although they worked they had a tendency to break after a bit.

[@PaulinesPastimes]

@@oobill Ah, there's always a catch 🙂

[@forrestrobin2712]

Brass worm and plastic drive gear, 🙄 what were they thinking ? Another great one. I like the B12, is this just an updated Triang moulding ? Certainly looks that way. A testament to Triang’s design all those years ago ! And it really looks good in BR blue❤

[@dl582]

The use of plastic with brass was I believe to reduce gear noise.

[@forrestrobin2712]

@@dl582 hmm 🤔 I’d prefer a bit more noise than a stripped gear wheel. I reckon it was more a case of it being cheaper to source or produce than a brass one. The same reason many car components these days are plastic rather than metal. Here again plastic components are nowhere near as durable as metal ones, but they are a lot cheaper ! Looks like the finance department put its nose in here as in the car industry and we all know what that has lead to (I’m thinking Puretech engines with a rubber timing belt bathed in oil 🙄)

[@oobill]

Many locos have brass worms and plastic gears even today. It's not a problem so long as the gears mesh correctly.

[@forrestrobin2712]

I’ve always preferred metal 🤣🎸

[@johnd8892]

Often mentioned as the ultimate performing drive system is the Japanese Kato HO drive variations for American diesels like the Stewart F units. Brass worm gear and Nylon or Delrin gears. But all kept in mesh by a Delrin sidefrsme gearbox and bronze wormshaft bearings that keep all the gears correctly in mesh.

[@shedhead00]

I've been also looking for the B12 in blue, but as you said only came in a set.

[@alanfbrookes9771]

That's because it was a fictitious livery that no enthusiast would want to see on their layout.

[@petersmith4455]

hi Bill, great video, why the clowns at hornby stopped making this loco i don't know.

[@thestocktonflyer4059]

Great video bill 👍 keep up the good work 👏

[@BrianSanders-tn7pi]

Hi Bill. Another fine repair. The B12 does look good in blue. What ever happened to the loft idea? It would be nice to know. Regards.

[@oobill]

As I said in one of my Layout Update vids a while ago the loft plan was shelved due to the costs and trouble involved after I came up with the idea for this layout.

[@tonyhill6296]

Hi Bill, I too have this blue B12 but it has a tendency to derail when running in reverse, Please could you tell me the ‘back to back’ setting on this repair Loco as you have a very smooth running model. I also fit a tiny circular magnet into the recess of the front bogie which increases the down force and with clean wheels has resolved the detailing of the bogie. Best Regards, Tony

[@oobill]

Back to back should be no wider than 14.1mm as a starting point but I've seen me bring it in to 13.9mm to resolve derailing issues on points. A lot depends on the sort of points you use and the size of the wheel flanges.

[@007sladegreen]

Interesting video as usual, great stuff.

[@martinpattison1567]

I have this model, i bought it off of Fleabay and it was brand new. I have since bought another 4 coaches, so now it runs with six. I will have to check mine for the meshing problem. It looks like the owner did not do any servicing or it was purchased in that condition and it also looks like it was run on a carpet layout. (We all started off that way as there was not anywhere else to run a train set.) Martin. (Thailand) Another Locomotive saved from the bin.

[@oobill]

The dust around the worm is actually plastic dust from the worn drive gear. No sign this was run a carpet but it had certainly been run a lot on dirty track!

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

great vlog thanks lee

[@stephendavies6949]

B12s are one of my favourite locos types since I relocated to East Anglia. I bid on an example of this same model on eBay. I wonder if it's the same one? I'm really enjoying the escapades of your "layout people" during the end credits. Do any/all of them have names?

[@oobill]

So far the only regular characters with a name are "Bobbie The Barmaid" from The Gnomes Legs "Shug The Shed Dug" and maybe "Old Harry" the farmer. And the gnomes of course...

[@stephendavies6949]

@@oobill Shug's popular enough to have his own spin-off YT channel!

[@periurban]

That was mingin' manky! But you made it brand new spanky!

[@russellbenton2987]

Yeah , just so you know Bill , the BRBlue B12 is a figment of Hornbys imagination . They were only ever black in BR days , not even green

[@oobill]

Just makes me want one more so I could rename and renumber to something completely fictional for fun. In fact maybe I could have more than one and turn one into a Caledonian livery.

[@russellbenton2987]

@@oobillthe wheelbase is roughly the same as Cardean - but you’d need an eight wheel tender !

[@johnd8892]

​@@oobillThe GEM white metal Cardean loco body and tender kit was made to fit the Triang B12 chassis mechanism. White metal kits not as sought after as they once were it might be worthwhile keeping an eye open for one.

[@AussiePom]

The fitment by Hornby of a different motor from the original would have been okay if the chassis to take it had been designed for that motor but the original chassis wasn't so it had to be modified. Well here's one B12 from that era that's now running perfectly and will continue to do so thanks to Bill. The loco doesn't have tender pick ups and yet shows no sign of hesitation through the dead frog point work. So why is it imperative that modern steam outline locos MUST have tender pick ups or they'll be considered by reviewers as sub standard models when this Hornby B12 shows that tender pick ups are NOT needed at all.

[@callumk5]

What’s the outro music coming from the gnomes legs?

[@oobill]

It's actually written, performed and recorded by me!

[@callumk5]

@@oobill That’s why I couldn’t find it. You’re a man of many talents Bill.

[@marktodd6613]

Oh what a shame I had one a couple of years ago and gave it away to a young enthusiast

[@jeffreysmith156]

I prefer to use a wooden cocktail stick to clean plastic wheels to reduce the risk of damaging the plastic. However, 00 Bill is no doubt more skillful in the way he uses a screwdriver to do it!

[@PeterJewell2]

A very fine screwdriver (with an undamaged blade) is useful where the dirt is so thick that it can be peeled off (using the driver as a scraper) ! Where you have that much dirt, any other cleaning methods will take forever.

[@paularmstrong4546]

Hi Bill i have a Blue B12 is you would like it as a donation.

[@oobill]

Thanks! Got your email. I've actually had a few offers to donate one of these locos since uploading this video. Might have to put names in a hat!

[@paularmstrong4546]

​@@oobillnot a problem.

[@alanfbrookes9771]

Not relevant to the repair, but no B12 ever received BR blue livery. That was reserved for express passenger locomotives of power class 8P. The B12s were always green or black in LNER days, and black in BR days.

[@johnd8892]

A transition period where at least one Scottish shedded example was LNER green with BRITISH RAILWAYS in full on the tender with BR 6xxxx series numbering. Colour photo exists if this version.

[@czwij]

don't like the slot car motor at all. i'd replace it immediately if I had it.