Ox Mountain Railway

[trammayo]

Last week, I took the opportunity to test out a recent purchase (collected from my son`s a week ago). This small, but very heavy loco, has great pulling power. The domes and other metalwork components are all made from brass - a superb model in my eyes.

Here`s a trio of pics as I tested it out....







Today, it will be running on my trailer layout at a Vintage show near Newport, Co. Mayo (and I`ll maybe get some pics). There was some minor damage but that has now been sorted (you wouldn`t want Parcelfarce to be entrusted with delivering Nuclear Flasks would you?).

 

[trammayo]

I did manage to get the odd pic at Newport but rather late in the day (after running the C16 for about four hours and giving it a rest!).

The ends of the layout have some screens to prevent those "touchy, feely" types. I always tell them to look with their eyes and not with their hands >

The screens are just knocked up from some 1" square timber with a clear polyester film stretched over. At least I only need to concentrate on the front!





There was a nice roller there too - ex Dublin and restored by a Longford man - and it moved about the yard and went for for a trip up the road too.





The yard belongs to an engineering firm and there`s a railway link. The man who owns the yard rebuilt our Tractor Club`s 3ft gauge (ex Bord na Mona) Ruston Hornsby as well as building two new passenger coaches for it.



The East Tenesee loco came to grief near the end of day. I had stepped out of the trailer to help somebody and the wind blew up a piece of bubblewrap that I use for packing the rolling stock. The loco was jammed by the wrap and it looks like the motor is burnt out

 

[Neil Robinson]

The East Tenesee loco came to grief near the end of day. I had stepped out of the trailer to help somebody and the wind blew up a piece of bubblewrap that I use for packing the rolling stock. The loco was jammed by the wrap and it looks like the motor is burnt out

Nice pictures.

Shame about the loco. Good news is that Bachmann is still very much in business and spares are available. A complete chassis can be bought stateside for only 55 US Dollar but shipping and taxes will probably double that total. Bachmann Europe at Barwell Leicestershire will probably have a replacement motor at modest cost.

 

[garrymartin]

I have spent an enjoyable 20 minutes catching up with your line , it's always lovely to see

 

[Rhinochugger]

Shame about the Tweetsie loco. The Aristo C16 looks as if it's one of the newer models with axle gearboxes - a little stunner

 

[trammayo]

Shame about the Tweetsie loco. The Aristo C16 looks as if it's one of the newer models with axle gearboxes - a little stunner

Yes I love it - it has some weight in it too!

 

[trammayo]

Thanks Gary - just wish I could find time to improve it!

 

[trammayo]

Nice pictures.

Shame about the loco. Good news is that Bachmann is still very much in business and spares are available. A complete chassis can be bought stateside for only 55 US Dollar but shipping and taxes will probably double that total. Bachmann Europe at Barwell Leicestershire will probably have a replacement motor at modest cost.

Thanks Neill, and for the PM too. As luck would have it, there's no import duty here on goods from the USA! So when other things settle down, I'll have a look to see what has really happened to it. Now that I have a rake of six JS coaches to match it, I will get it going again!

 

[Rhinochugger]

You may be able to simply swap the motor - Bachmann tend to use Pitman motors, ad they are not too expensive.

 

[playmofire]

Good to see your trailer up and running, Mick, and sorry to read about the loco. Hopefully, it may not be as bad as you fear.

 

[trammayo]

Good to see your trailer up and running, Mick, and sorry to read about the loco. Hopefully, it may not be as bad as you fear.

Thanks - I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm at Drumcliff, Sligo tomorrow (W.B.Yeates country), and have shows to go to every week until mid August!
It keeps me on my toes (or on my knees?)

 

[trammayo]

You may be able to simply swap the motor - Bachmann tend to use Pitman motors, ad they are not too expensive.

I commenced step one yesterday - clearing up the workshop (I know there are work benches there somewhere ). Sawdust everywhere!

 

[trammayo]

Well, my worst fears were a little unfounded!

I took the loco apart on Monday and found what was causing the dead short. There was a broken wire leading from the truck which had shorted out (being "back fed" from the drivers!).

So, instead of feeding in back through the pivot spring, I brought both wires out of the bogie and fed them through the plastic plate into the `works` - should give a little more latitude with regards movement and flexibility on the trailer`s R1 reverse curves!

Also repaired another wire from the tender - so now have sound again.

Not so easy to sort out was the clicking sound emanating from the motion. a clean and re-lube, plus examination of the gears didn`t reveal anything but, after removing the chassis cover plate three times the annoying little clicking sound went away (or was it the newly repaired sound wires concealing it? ).

Here it on test in the trailer today......



So thanks for all your kind thoughts and suggestions everybody. I`m so relieved it was nothing more serious!

I purchased it from a fellow Forumite and it fell foul of the RM `chuck a parcel` team. I sorted out those repairs, then I dropped it in the trailer (picked it up by the sand dome and was left just holding the dome as it dropped a foot or two onto the floor) and ended up having to repair the truck and wheels!

 

[ge_rik]

Well, my worst fears were a little unfounded!

Great to hear, Mick. I've had a couple of locos which have failed in the past - very frustrating. Nice to hear good news like that

Rik

 

[beavercreek]

The best solution to a problem......a free one!

I have a couple of the old version of the Aristo C16.
Great little loco but as it has the rigid chassis (unlike your more recent model) it is not so tolerant of track alignment imperfections.
The original model was made initially by Delton and Aristo bought the moulds when Delton folded ( all of Aristo's Woodside rolling stock also came from Delton). They produced it, as is, until the totally redesigned chassis and wiring was introduced.
I would like get hold of a newer one....... Cheaply

 

[trammayo]

I really like my C16 - diminutive against the Bug Maulers - delightful to see it hauling Sierra coaches!

 

[trammayo]

I finally got all three trailer done with a new ID and I actually managed to give them a run yesterday (after clearing up more cuttings and clipping). I did try one on the trailer layout but the reverse curves are a bit restrictive.







Now I need to build a tractor unit of a type that might have hauled the semi trailers in their heyday. Will post a request for links to piccies!

 

[trammayo]

The show season is over for this year (for me at least) and I was looking forward to some R & R - or at least different time consuming projects. My last appearance was at Hollymount Harvest Festival, held on the village main street. The road is quite wide and was not closed to other road users for the event. This also meant that there were a lot of parked cars left outside the numerous pubs dotted along the street!

The fact that these cars were in the way didn't help with the process of setting up. With a gradient of around 1 in 40, it isn't a case of just plonking the trailer in position and opening up. It has to be levelled up!

A couple of pics showing part of the process. Even though the layout itself only needs the battery connecting and stock to be placed on the rails, the same cannot be said of the setting up!





As can be seen, I even fill the corners in to give a continuous canopy around the three sides of the trailer. The little low height screens at either end are an attempt to stop those who think the display is a tactile experience rather than a visual one (I don't have eyes in the back of my head or in my posterior). The spirit level is there to guide me in my levelling task.

The bunting is in Mayo colours.

One little tiny improvement to the layout was the addition of 'planking' to the station canopy. All done in Microsoft Word (including the glazed roof as originally contructed), the planking is printed out on thin card and then cut to suit. Once cut, the card is treated to several coats (both sides) of clear varnish. Once all was dry, I used double sided tape to apply it.

Ist pic shows the canopy prior to the embellishment and the others after the process. Its a quick fix, although I have long-term plans to inmprove even further. But, as everything is on a round tu-it list, don't hold your breath!

 

[trammayo]

Anyway, the canopy roof improvements brings me round to a 12 inch to the foot roof improvement - the trailer itself. The trailer itself has already experienced one, rather major, improvent a couple of years back. This involved lengthening by 50%! I figured that altering the roof might be a lot easier. Time-wise the duration of effort will be shorter, but otherwise it has been fraught with physical problems.

It took two (admittedly fragmented) days to get the hundereds of self-tappers undone, then another two cleaning up the metalwork and fitting the firrings to allow a fall to either side for the roof.

The cleaned up, and primed, metal .....





The firrings in position ......



The ply had been cut to size and primed (for the interior ceiling) so awaited fitting. Not too difficult in comparison withe preparatoty work but it was 7..45pm Friday night before all was tacked into position.

I say tacked, but in reality I used some short felt nails. I figured that the large heads would have a better chance of keeping the 3.6mm thick (or thin?) ply in position.

The ply - both tacked and taped (to hold the edges down - seen less curls in Brandy Snap). When the aluminium is glued and screwed down all will be secure. Honestly. .......



As is my perogative (not an action only confined to the distaff side), i changed my mind on the new roof construction. First thing that struck me (almost a "Road to Damascus" occurrence) was the apalling quality of the plywood. I figured that using painted cloth as the final exterior covering was a no no. How would it stop the ply from delaminating? There must have been a shortage of glue in the Phillapines when the ply went through the mill - as was visually obvious. I know it was the afternoon heat and morning mist that brough it to my attention but it would have only been a matter of a couple of days before there would have a been a wringing and a weeping from me.

So, at the cost of an instant diet for my wallet, aluminium has been ordered - it will take a week to arrive so if I wait another week, number one son will be here and able be to lend a hand to his dear old, doddering (but determined) dad. Maybe in three weeks time I might be able to post a pic of the completed job.

So the ply will be my ceiling, and the ali my roof! And all at a cost increase of only 300%. So, for the moment, the trailer languishes on the drive with tarps providing a weather barrier. I would put in the barn but I'm awaiting a load of hay. That was promised last week but I understand. The hot weather meant make hay while sun shines!

 

[PhilP]

Won't you have an expansion problem on the few hot days with the ali roof? - Thinking of how to seal it and not have the screws forced out by expansion.