Class 110 - Power car covert from Class 121?

[creilly81]

Hi,

I have the Hornby 3 car class 110 DMU with the Hornby 5 pole ringfield motor, but i know from this drive type, numerous amounts of deposits are left on the track, to the train wheels and any rolling stock that uses the same track in between cleaning!

I know the deposits build up over a period of time anyway, but this power unit seems to leave them more frequently, probably not helped due to the rubber traction tyres. Although general good running, they have been a constant problem for me over the years.

I was looking at one of the Hornby class 121 railcars, for the entire chassis and running gear..........then thinking i could clip my Class 110 power car body on top. The drive appears to be better with a motor feeding a worm gear each side direct onto each of the 2 driving axles on the driving bogie. Are the chassis's the same size in terms of fitment etc?

If not, does anyone have any suggestions as to how i could lower the maintenence of cleaning the track in swapping this drive unit for a better alternative?

Many thanks in advance.

Chris

[Son of Triangman]

Sadly Chris there is very little you can do to reduce such cleaning, traction tyres are the main culprit for such dirt on most layouts, why Hornby insist on sticking with traction tyres is anyones guess. Tri-ang didn't need them except for their ringfield tender powered 9F and that was only due to the lack of a suitable motor to power the loco section.

I suspect the use of traction tyres has more to do with Hornby's history, it's a throw back to Hornby Dublo days when some H/D models such as the Bo-Bo diesel, Co-Co diesel, Co-Bo or Bo-Co (depending which way round the loco is) and EMU had traction tyres H/D part number 20252 service sheets 13,15,16, and 22. Today traction tyres are mainly used to make up for inadequate motors causing lack of traction the Hornby re-introduction of the Caley single being a classic example.

The 110 and 121 chassis are significantly different, you would have major problems fitting a 121 chassis to your 110 class alas.

The only real solution is to search the web and Railway Modeller(back pages) for a suitable replacement mechanisim.

[John Kelly]

Hi Chris
Also owning a class 110 Hornby dmu and hating traction tyres I found an easy answer. The bogie opposite the motor end has plain wheels with gears and I got another two axles from local model railway show,fitted them in the motor bogie, perfect,dosn't need traction tyres at all. I don't know why Hornby fitted them in the first place as its only pulling or pushing two coaches.

Regards John

PS: Did a similar thing with a s/hand Airfix GWR 14XX. Found same size plain wheels in someones junk box. The tyres have a lip and only push off inwards. So had to grind balance weight flat to get t/tyred rims off and plain on. Then filled little gap to make new balance weights. Now runs perfectly pushing and pulling its auto coach. J.

[Son of Triangman]

That's a good idea John, hadn't thought of that.

Let's hope Hornby see the light one day. Their use of traction tyres is a major bugbear. The Javelin is awful, it shreds traction tyres and burns the little motor out all too easily. The Javelin on James May TV show that did the record had to have all sorts of stuff put on top of it to add weight as the traction tyres went and Hornby hadn't got replacements form China in time.