Oh dear!

[trammayo]

Yesterday, whilst setting up at a show, I dropped a Bachmann Annie. Its a nice loco, got if off a forum member, and was one of five big haulers I had with me. Because every thing is stored under the baseboards, I usually set one or two on the track and place the others on the shelves behind me.

I lifted it by the sand dome as I had done many times before - got to about 3 foot off the floor and found myself still holding the dome but NOT the loco! I'll not do that again.

It crashed to the floor and I felt as sick as a parrot. However, only one pony truck axle was smashed, and a smokebox stay was dislodged. The bits and the loco went back in the box as I had to get on with the show.

On examination this lunchtime, I discovered that axle spigot had snapped off leaving the spigot in the plastic connecting sleeve. I had three options - find a new wheelset, drill out the wheel and mahe a new spigot or drill and pin the two parts together. I have done the latter using a piece of 1.5mm brass rod as per pic. Superglue and an interference fit mated the two metal parts and then the sleeve and good wheel were fitted in the bogie and glued for extra security.

The stay had lost its two "micro" screws so I used two short brass pins and glued them once in position.

I then tested the repaired loco for a while.

Phew! it was a close shave and a salutory lesson!

 

[Gizzy]

Good repair there Mick....

 

[minimans]

Thats a shame I did the same thing with my Mallet, putting it back on the shelf! six foot drop basicaly destroyed the body but the two LGB power trucks were unscathed!

 

[KeithT]

I had a near miss doing the same as you Mick, lifting the loco by the wrong dome - one is fixed but t'other isn't - but caught it in time. However, later one of my Annies did a power dive 5' to a hard floor when a shelf collapsed. The chimney was knocked off, the smoke element bent horizontal, the bogie wheels flew in all directions and the cab roof was cracked.
It is all back together and running normally except that the smoke pours out from under the boiler instead of from the chimney.:-

 

[simon@mgr]

Ouch, mind you the wheel is probably runs true now.

 

[Tim Brien]

The dome only comes off when we are lifting the locomotive. If one wished to replace a dome then nothing short of a jack hammer would remove it. While the dome is an easy pickup point, I generally pick a loco up by the stayrods at the front (finger either side at smokebox) and the cab roof (fingers through window opening) or a hand under the cab. Barring that, the loco is lightrly rolled partially on its side and a hand placed underneath to take the weight when lifting.

Locomotives these days have too much detail and too much onboard weight added. I sold my as new Aristo Pacific because I never felt comfortable lifting it either off the track or out of its packaging. I always was concerned that something would break off.

 

[trammayo]

Thanks for your comments everybody - I really had a good laugh - many a true word spoken in jest as they say. I can see the funny side now but was annoyed when it happened (my own fault).

The boxes (ex Supermarket veggie types) hold two locos with just enough room for some bubble wrap - so I took the easy option. I cannot crouch down and get up again without difficulty so a one-handed lift seemed the answer. Now I know it wasn't

Wouldn't mind in one sense, but it is the second time this loco has suffered - the first being in the hands (or is that feet?) of the UK's favourite state owned Parcel sevice

 

[trammayo]

Nifty repair, you must have a pillar drill to have achieved that!

Actually I cheated - I used a lathe (but don't tell anyone). Doh - the secret's out.