I like the way the sunlight comes in through the window across the layout. It gives it a realistic look of the late afternoon sun across the landscape. Internal fluorescent lighting just can't get that same effect.
I have a surprise for you: I serviced an Airfix motor once and..........a "foreign object" fell out during the process of dismantling it. So, exactly like you experienced in this video. I discarded it and a previously running (though rather irregular) motor suddenly stuck dead. So dismantling had made it worse. I had a brand new spare motor which I carefully dismantled to see if I missed something. Well the big surprise was: that "foreign object" proved to be prominently present in the brand new motor. It is a miniature washer fitted on the collector side which prevents the collector from catching on the brush cover. So I made a tiny washer myself from a very thin sheet of plastic (in fact a bit of foil which I pushed over de axle and cut to size) and the offending motor ran again. That's why you had that rattling sound which you thought came from the gears. There is some axial displacement of the collector when changing direction. Running backwards the collector disk catches a bit (without the offending washer), and that is what you've heard. I suggest you check out my story yourself with another Airfix motor of the same style/make. You will see what I mean. Airfix motors are very tightly encased when properly installed so I was a bit surprised that you thought a foreign object had caught in it. A previous owner may have dismantled it, missed the washer, closed the motor again and sold it for spare/repairs as it would not run anymore. By the way, I buy "lost causes" railway models from Ebay just like you and enjoy bringing them back to life. So, let's keep them rolling ! Best Regards from NL
It’s a really nice loco . I got one when they first came out in 1978 . Mine ran perfectly smoothly backwards but frontwards was very juddery . I later found it was the metal loco to tender connection that was slightly off centre causing the loco to be at an angle when the tender pushed which meant not all wheels were picking up . Pulling the loco was dragged so the pick ups were all in contact . I replaced the metal drawbar with a paper clip and it’s worked perfectly since ! Originally Airfix , I think it passed through Dapol before Hornby took over the loco . These were all tender powered , but in the last 5 years or so Hornby have brought out a loco powered one . But the body is still the same which is testament to how good it was back in 78!
My first ever loco was a Airfix 4F, It cost £14 from Beatties back in in 1981. I bought a replacement a couple of years ago for around £20, and after a careful servicing It runs very well indeed. Once I'd got to grips with the tender drive unit, I also bought The Airfix Royal Scot, plus the Mainlne Dean Goods and the Dapol LMS 2P all of which use much the same motor. Because it has traction tyres on all of the tender wheels, my Airfix 4F will pull 40 wagons . My newer and far more expensive locos like the Hornby LSWR 700 class struggle with 20.
All i can do is echo what everyone else has already. but most of all after seeing this video and how you went about it, gives me confidence to have a go if the need arises.......thanks for sharing........Tony
I have got two of these. The original bought in the early 80s new and now hard wired for DCC, and a BR one from Hattons which I was intending to use as spares. However, the recent acquisition is bodily in as- new condition and runs as well as the original, even though the original ran for a year and did not reappear on a layout until 2018. So the recent one is not a spare anymore. I have completely dismantled it following your instructions and the innards appear also to be little used. I will therefore convert this to DCC as well. I have 11 locos in total, including some new ones and I must say that the 1980s one is the most reliable runner of the lot. Well done Airfix who are much maligned.
These are such lovely old models, these Airfix 4f's. I can remember getting mine some time in the 80's. Excitement! If they had been loco drive, that would have been better, admittedly. Thanks for the video.
I've got an LMS Airfix 4F and I rather like it. Mine is very quiet and was mint when I bought it. Hornby re-released the Airfix 4F in the late 90s IRC. I've got one in BR black. The only change Hornby made (that I can see) was to get rid of the traction tyres in the middle tender axle. BTW the spare part number for the traction tyres is X8331. ATB Paula
I take my hat off to you. Repairing that loco was incredible. I wish I had your patience. I bought Gorilla super glue a few months ago and whatever I try and mend it comes apart after a week or so. Great video.
Great stuff Bill. A good repair on that motor. As I read below, it may have indeed been a wee washer causing the 'rattle in reverse' there, you'd think the pressure from the brushes would hold the armature in place, but it still it needs a wee bit help. A quite informative video of the Class 4F, with a great ending and great comments too! Thank you, Bill. Keep Well now. Cheers!
Another brilliant piece, thanks for sharing. I have a 4F like this, it does run, needed new tyres, but it details non-stop. Warrants investigation but it’s further down in like. I used one of these tender drive units as the basis of a loco I drew up and printed. At the time, had no idea it was a 4F it had come from, just happened to fit. It runs fine in reverse but somewhat ropey going towards so I shall be rewatching this video a few more times yet. It might be my pickups are better one way that the other but seems credible the motor too could be a culprit. Cheers
Wow you did really well with that! I thought the first time it was running that it was impressive, but the second time was even better! A great transformation and I learnt a lot today, thanks
Great work. There is lots of inexpensive enjoyment to still be hard from these older models. Perhaps try making some plastic shims to tighten up the side-play in the wheels?
Nice job, I have 3, 2 run very smoothly, the third has a dismantled motor that refuses to be re-assembled. Ilike the fact you are running DC. Prices for these 4f models have risen a lot lately. You have a new subscriber, please keep up the good work.
Hi. I use Inox MX3 Lubricant Spray Bottle 125ml to clean wheels and improve conductivity. I dip the cotton bud in as I find a spray goes everywhere. Keep up your excellent work in saving locomotives
Great video. Have liked and subscribed. Have 3 of these. They run quietly once lube gets round - I use sewing machine oil. Have rebuilt one as 44560 with righthand side boiler feed, shimmed the axles to reduce side play, close coupled the tender added crushed coal and other details and it looks and runs a treat for not a lot of pennies!
This was my second engine as an adult, the first being the Palitoy J72. I used to feel a bit self conscious that I was in a model shop buying myself a toy. The lady behind the counter made things much worse by pushing it along the counter making choo choo noises. Like the J72 it looked excellent in 1980 compared with Tri-ang engines I'd owned as a kid. My only gripe was that the tender derailed if you ran it forwards. So I always ran it tender first. I still have it sitting on a shelf in the house with other non runners.
I should of put a bet on ,I was thinking your next loco would be either an airfix class 31 or the 4F ,I got my first airfix train set in 1977 it was the doctor X set with class 31 a Mk2 coach a lowmac and box van with a tunnel that had a rocket launcher in it and one of the best most detailed half barrier level crossing ive seen in a British outline set ,my grandad was amazed at the detail of the rolling stock compared to mr hornby Royal Mail set I got 2 years earlier airfix and mainline raised the bar bringing more continental detail to the British market but still the motors were naff compared to Roco,Trix and fleishmann etc
Yeah 70s Hornby stuff was pretty poor even though it's what I get nostalgic about. I don't even remember Airfix model railway stuff just their kits of which I built nearly the whole catalog! Which loco will I get next though? I wonder.... it's kinda between two at the moment... :)
I should open a book mate hehehehe ,yes I too have a collection of 70s hornby,I love my blue class 47 I still have yes I have the latest models but have a side spot for those days when I was growing up in the 70s blimey 53 now yoooms ,😂nice one be safe and take care to you and family bud 😊👍🏻
Well done. I recently bought a Hornby 'Jinty' and have yet to get it to function properly. Incidentally what track do you use. I find the Hornby track I have really doesn't suit the older Hornby locos with larger flanges on the wheels. Your older Hornby '2P' seems to be ok with your track.
Just standard modern Hornby track. The only issue I have with it is the points and crossings as the frogs are too shallow. So I file them down as far as they will go,
deffo good edition to fleet reliable engines have 3 of them for my layout had all three 4 year now only ever serviced em all once they run like the day they were made
Good work Bill ,, Yep you are right avoit superglue is no way near as good as it use to be. I use the Revell 39604 Contaca Professional glue and it works even better than the original super glue did. Cheers from John in Australia
Bill, changing the decals isn’t a major problem. You can remove the old ones using T-Cut or Brasso and replace them with water slide or press fix BR ones.
Hello Bill, just found your channel not long after I did my own 4F restoration. Looks like you and I do similar things, I have subbed. So I watched your checks etc, those brushes look wrong to me, like Hornby or Lima ones, the ones on my 4F are small plugs with no taper at all, bit like Mainline ones. I see yours is missing the injector on the side like mine was, might be able to help you with that if interested? Take care Mike
Hi, I am sure when you were putting the tender back together I think you are missing a second set of gears on the tender. I am sure when I took one apart last year it had gears going down to both the front and rear outside wheels of the tender to power all the tender wheels. Checking other 4F's on sale on Ebay it does show that there are 2 sets of gears.
Just picked up another one of these, squealed a bit but I cleaned it up and now it runs really smooth. Tge problem is it has no couplings. Can you tell me what kind it should have?
Thank you for the videos. In my humble opinion superglue is only ‘super’ at sticking skin (its original purpose, or is that a myth?). Although the spray activator transforms its effectiveness, with the proviso that you then need to be an octopus to hold it together whilst spraying it.
Superglue was originally invented for medical purposes (mainly eye surgery). Some materials like some plastics can not be glued with it. That's why there was a gluing problem in the video.
Fortget 'superglue' -the only thing it seems to stick effectively, is skin ! For hard plastics, i recommend Bostik Hard Plastic adhesive/bond. As per 'superglue' both sufaces to be 'welded' need to be absolutely clean and free of oil/grease. i joined two pieces of plastic pipe on a Dyson vac cleaner ( handle) and that was several years ago - i can even pick the thing up by the ex broken pipe ! Bostik ! ( you can thank me later )
I need to look into finding proper old style cyano. I remember using stuff in my radio control flying days that was brilliant but very sensitive to temperature. Also gave off a hell of a fume so it's maybe been neutered for health and safety! Used to regularly stick my fingers together which never happens these days....
@@oobill I have used Zap A Gap which seems to work quite well. I think it also depends upon how much superglue liquid comes out of the tube, too much doesn’t dry quickly. Too little is useless!
Very informative. One question please. Having never used a multi metre it look incomprehensible. It seems to have lots of settings. What do you set it to, to do your testing if that makes sense.
He is only testing for continuity. For this you would use the Resistance (Ohms) setting of your meter. Select the lowest resistance range it has, something like "200 ohms" -- the ranges tend to go up in decades: 20, 200, 2000, 20k, 200k, 2M) If you have a digital meter, the display will probably be showing '1' initially, which means the resistance is beyond the set measurable range. (That's fine.) Next, test the meter is working by touching the probes directly together -- this will give you the lowest possible reading, and will be zero for all except the lowest range (which will still be near zero). If this doesn't happen, the battery in the meter is likely flat and will need replacing. Now you're ready to test. For good continuity, the meter reading wants to be towards zero ohms. If you are lucky, your meter will have a beeper so that when you have continuity, the beeper sounds. This is much quicker, as most of the time you simply want a go/no-go test! On the old Fluke meter I have just acquired, the continuity beeper is selected on the lowest resistance range. (NB -- for testing the armature, you will want to compare the actual meter reading of each winding in ohms to check they have a similar resistance value -- but that is getting a bit advanced!) Important safety note: make sure that the item you are testing is turned OFF before you test it. (Otherwise, at best you will get misleading readings; at worst, well electricity can be highly dangerous...)
@@PeterJewell2 ahh ok. I think I have found the right setting in the meter and I am seeing a reading of 1 which then is going down to a much lower value so I think that’s right. Good tip about making sure it’s off! I’d probably blow myself up no seriously I don’t like electrics. I’m assuming The ohms settings which are as you state above are the ones indicated by the omega symbol (and v is volts and a is amps)
@@paulbrennan3760 - yes: resistance - Ohms - Omega. Sorry I couldn't be bothered to find the right symbol for my message! (And I wasn't assuming you'd know what it was anyway.) Sounds like you are on the right track. (excuse the pun!)
I have two of these and they run quite well. The question I have fir you is: do you get a deal on the postage costs in the UK ? Trying to buy here in Toronto it cost a fortune for postage as I think EBay have imposed additional costs ? I would be interested in learning exactly how you are using that meter and what to look for? Here is another question for you: I have a Phoenix and a regular E3000. One runs well but the other cannot pull the same number of cars, it slows right down and the wheels or motor spins. Any ideas? Thanks
Postage is charged by the seller and just added to the cost. It's rarely over £5.00 for a loco. I have a pretty strict £50 max limit on any loco or rolling stock purchase and try as much as possible to keep it under £30. Suppose it's the advantage of a smaller country stuff doesn't have far to travel! A lot of items are delivered within 48hrs. With the meter all I'm looking for in this video is confirmation of a connection. A few different settings on a meter will do that. So it's not what the meter says that matters it's the fact it returns any response at all. Some motors have more torque than others and some locos have more traction than others. A loco with low torque and no traction tyres will not pull as much a loco with traction tyres and/or higher torque. Weight of the loco will also affect traction. So a lightweight loco with low torque and no traction tyres will not pull much. Like a little 0-4-0 etc.
You can check Royal Mail postage to Canada on their website (www.royalmail.com/sending). As an example, a 1KG small parcel would cost £17.35 airmail or £9.50 surface mail to Canada. I don't know whether you would have any taxes to pay on top of the postage? Worth mentioning that some Ebay sellers do try and rip-off buyers by charging excessive postage/packing. Also worth mentioning that Ebay when charging the seller their fee, include any postage in the sale price so sellers sometimes increase their postage charge slightly to account for that fee.
I've got a 4f it's not the best runner and sparks shoot from the wheels but mine is like a odd type it looks like a modified airfix 4f but I don't think it is
Yeah not everything makes the edit to keep to video length down. I've never really intended these videos to be step by step guides. More just me sharing what I do. All bearings get lubed!! I may do step by step guides on my method of servicing different types of motors at some point.
4F 4454 Says No ..... cough 01:42 In typical Airfix fashion, the gearing is as rough as guts. I had a GWR 2-6-2 tank in the 1970s. It looked nicer than anything Hornby at the time, but it ran terrible.
No, it's not you. I've discovered over many years that there are a few plastics that superglue is not happy with, they're usually extremely glossy, brittle-hard and with an 'oily' feel . . . It may pay to use UHU Power in those circumstances (though it's not guaranteed) and, of course, it's an overnight cure time being a contact adhesive.
Some valuable trouble shooting and repair information from you The Airfix British outline Hong Kong made range were just on the market as Airfix GMR for about five years from 1977. Nothing in common with the plastic older kits just confusion arising. As I remember just four tender locos. All tender drive variations of the one you have. First the Rebuilt Royal Scot followed by the 4F, Castle and Dean goods. The Dean goods drove two tender axles. Planned more like a Schools class and O2 tank before their collapse. Probably all Kader tooling in Hong Kong. Mainline, Dapol, Replica and Bachmann and later Hornby all made use of the best parts of the Airfix range. My Dean goods came as Mainline as did my better Airfix wagons and autocoach. If you get a model that failed early due to something simple then you have a good chance that it is not worn out. .
The super glue is like everything else they have banned the additives to it so its no good Hamerite paint is an example on old tins you had to clean the brush with special cleaner now you can use white spirit
I like the way the sunlight comes in through the window across the layout. It gives it a realistic look of the late afternoon sun across the landscape. Internal fluorescent lighting just can't get that same effect.
I have a surprise for you: I serviced an Airfix motor once and..........a "foreign object" fell out during the process of dismantling it. So, exactly like you experienced in this video. I discarded it and a previously running (though rather irregular) motor suddenly stuck dead. So dismantling had made it worse. I had a brand new spare motor which I carefully dismantled to see if I missed something. Well the big surprise was: that "foreign object" proved to be prominently present in the brand new motor. It is a miniature washer fitted on the collector side which prevents the collector from catching on the brush cover. So I made a tiny washer myself from a very thin sheet of plastic (in fact a bit of foil which I pushed over de axle and cut to size) and the offending motor ran again. That's why you had that rattling sound which you thought came from the gears. There is some axial displacement of the collector when changing direction. Running backwards the collector disk catches a bit (without the offending washer), and that is what you've heard.
I suggest you check out my story yourself with another Airfix motor of the same style/make. You will see what I mean. Airfix motors are very tightly encased when properly installed so I was a bit surprised that you thought a foreign object had caught in it. A previous owner may have dismantled it, missed the washer, closed the motor again and sold it for spare/repairs as it would not run anymore.
By the way, I buy "lost causes" railway models from Ebay just like you and enjoy bringing them back to life.
So, let's keep them rolling !
Best Regards from NL
I love the way you bring poor running or even dead locos back to life. Just shows you should never dismiss a model just cause its old
At least half of my models are triang , Lima or mainline. They still run well and I love the relative simplicity of them when it comes to servicing
It’s a really nice loco . I got one when they first came out in 1978 . Mine ran perfectly smoothly backwards but frontwards was very juddery . I later found it was the metal loco to tender connection that was slightly off centre causing the loco to be at an angle when the tender pushed which meant not all wheels were picking up . Pulling the loco was dragged so the pick ups were all in contact . I replaced the metal drawbar with a paper clip and it’s worked perfectly since ! Originally Airfix , I think it passed through Dapol before Hornby took over the loco . These were all tender powered , but in the last 5 years or so Hornby have brought out a loco powered one . But the body is still the same which is testament to how good it was back in 78!
My first ever loco was a Airfix 4F, It cost £14 from Beatties back in in 1981.
I bought a replacement a couple of years ago for around £20, and after a careful servicing It runs very well indeed.
Once I'd got to grips with the tender drive unit, I also bought The Airfix Royal Scot, plus the Mainlne Dean Goods and the Dapol LMS 2P all of which use much the same motor.
Because it has traction tyres on all of the tender wheels, my Airfix 4F will pull 40 wagons . My newer and far more expensive locos like the Hornby LSWR 700 class struggle with 20.
The old Airfix locos always were growlers. Nice one Bill!
All i can do is echo what everyone else has already. but most of all after seeing this video and how you went about it, gives me confidence to have a go if the need arises.......thanks for sharing........Tony
Love watching you get them going again. You obviously have the patience that I wish I had. All the best Mick🇬🇧
Great job Bill, looks a great wee addition
Learning loads , great clear operations. 👍🇬🇧
The loco (and layout) looks especially glorious in the natural sunlight.
I have got two of these. The original bought in the early 80s new and now hard wired for DCC, and a BR one from Hattons which I was intending to use as spares. However, the recent acquisition is bodily in as- new condition and runs as well as the original, even though the original ran for a year and did not reappear on a layout until 2018. So the recent one is not a spare anymore. I have completely dismantled it following your instructions and the innards appear also to be little used. I will therefore convert this to DCC as well. I have 11 locos in total, including some new ones and I must say that the 1980s one is the most reliable runner of the lot. Well done Airfix who are much maligned.
These are such lovely old models, these Airfix 4f's. I can remember getting mine some time in the 80's. Excitement! If they had been loco drive, that would have been better, admittedly. Thanks for the video.
There is nothing I love more than picking up a bargain none runner and getting it working again great job .
Brian
I've got an LMS Airfix 4F and I rather like it. Mine is very quiet and was mint when I bought it. Hornby re-released the Airfix 4F in the late 90s IRC. I've got one in BR black. The only change Hornby made (that I can see) was to get rid of the traction tyres in the middle tender axle. BTW the spare part number for the traction tyres is X8331. ATB Paula
I take my hat off to you. Repairing that loco was incredible. I wish I had your patience. I bought Gorilla super glue a few months ago and whatever I try and mend it comes apart after a week or so. Great video.
Great stuff Bill. A good repair on that motor. As I read below, it may have indeed been a wee washer causing the 'rattle in reverse' there, you'd think the pressure from the brushes would hold the armature in place, but it still it needs a wee bit help. A quite informative video of the Class 4F, with a great ending and great comments too! Thank you, Bill. Keep Well now. Cheers!
Another brilliant piece, thanks for sharing. I have a 4F like this, it does run, needed new tyres, but it details non-stop. Warrants investigation but it’s further down in like. I used one of these tender drive units as the basis of a loco I drew up and printed. At the time, had no idea it was a 4F it had come from, just happened to fit. It runs fine in reverse but somewhat ropey going towards so I shall be rewatching this video a few more times yet. It might be my pickups are better one way that the other but seems credible the motor too could be a culprit.
Cheers
God! You're a loco whisperer! A good addition to the fleet.
Well done mister. For its age the model seemed in very good nick body wise. Congratulations on getting it moving. I enjoy the video.
Wow you did really well with that! I thought the first time it was running that it was impressive, but the second time was even better! A great transformation and I learnt a lot today, thanks
Great work. There is lots of inexpensive enjoyment to still be hard from these older models. Perhaps try making some plastic shims to tighten up the side-play in the wheels?
Nice job, I have 3, 2 run very smoothly, the third has a dismantled motor that refuses to be re-assembled. Ilike the fact you are running DC. Prices for these 4f models have risen a lot lately. You have a new subscriber, please keep up the good work.
Hi. I use Inox MX3 Lubricant Spray Bottle 125ml to clean wheels and improve conductivity. I dip the cotton bud in as I find a spray goes everywhere. Keep up your excellent work in saving locomotives
What a well thought out repair, even coping with someone elses botch-up. Cheers
Another great video - thank you. With regard to the Super Glue, try 'industrial grade' Super Glue - it's like the old stuff and works very fast.
Great video. Have liked and subscribed. Have 3 of these. They run quietly once lube gets round - I use sewing machine oil. Have rebuilt one as 44560 with righthand side boiler feed, shimmed the axles to reduce side play, close coupled the tender added crushed coal and other details and it looks and runs a treat for not a lot of pennies!
Interesting video series, just enjoy watching your thought process.
Coupling rods reassembled upside down - the lumps represent lubrication receptacles. Very common error. But a lovely watch, as ever - thank you.
Nice job bill really enjoyed that 👍
I really enjoyed this. You have a very clear method of presentation.
glad its not just me who puts tools down and then can,t find them. great vidio very informative regards sam woodward
Tweezers and scissors are particularly bad for this phenomenon for some reason...
Good job, well done - and very satisfying!
This was my second engine as an adult, the first being the Palitoy J72. I used to feel a bit self conscious that I was in a model shop buying myself a toy. The lady behind the counter made things much worse by pushing it along the counter making choo choo noises. Like the J72 it looked excellent in 1980 compared with Tri-ang engines I'd owned as a kid. My only gripe was that the tender derailed if you ran it forwards. So I always ran it tender first. I still have it sitting on a shelf in the house with other non runners.
Good job well done. Thanks for sharing.
00bill... You know your way around a loco. Awesome.
I should of put a bet on ,I was thinking your next loco would be either an airfix class 31 or the 4F ,I got my first airfix train set in 1977 it was the doctor X set with class 31 a Mk2 coach a lowmac and box van with a tunnel that had a rocket launcher in it and one of the best most detailed half barrier level crossing ive seen in a British outline set ,my grandad was amazed at the detail of the rolling stock compared to mr hornby Royal Mail set I got 2 years earlier airfix and mainline raised the bar bringing more continental detail to the British market but still the motors were naff compared to Roco,Trix and fleishmann etc
Yeah 70s Hornby stuff was pretty poor even though it's what I get nostalgic about. I don't even remember Airfix model railway stuff just their kits of which I built nearly the whole catalog! Which loco will I get next though? I wonder.... it's kinda between two at the moment... :)
I should open a book mate hehehehe ,yes I too have a collection of 70s hornby,I love my blue class 47 I still have yes I have the latest models but have a side spot for those days when I was growing up in the 70s blimey 53 now yoooms ,😂nice one be safe and take care to you and family bud 😊👍🏻
Nice repair....
With super/CA glue, sprinkle a bit of bicarb soda on the join and BAM, wizardy. It creates a great bond.
Recently bought one of those which was heavily weathered. Very nice loco and mine runs well. Quite like these but the tender drive isn't my cup of tea
Well done. I recently bought a Hornby 'Jinty' and have yet to get it to function properly. Incidentally what track do you use. I find the Hornby track I have really doesn't suit the older Hornby locos with larger flanges on the wheels. Your older Hornby '2P' seems to be ok with your track.
Just standard modern Hornby track. The only issue I have with it is the points and crossings as the frogs are too shallow. So I file them down as far as they will go,
Very nteresting and great job. Superglue isn’t as ooo as it used to be. I never stick my fingers together now 😂😂
Love the cradle, home made? The Peco commercial one is a little tight. Also, modern superglue is crap unless you spend some proper money.
deffo good edition to fleet reliable engines have 3 of them for my layout had all three 4 year now only ever serviced em all once they run like the day they were made
Good work Bill ,, Yep you are right avoit superglue is no way near as good as it use to be.
I use the Revell 39604 Contaca Professional glue and it works even better than the original super glue did.
Cheers from John in Australia
Thanks for another informative video.
Bill, changing the decals isn’t a major problem. You can remove the old ones using T-Cut or Brasso and replace them with water slide or press fix BR ones.
Yeah not a bad shout. I may do that some time. Or just get a br version cheap. Any excuse.... 😃
@@oobill Some 4Fs ran in LMS trim for years into the BR era.
I have a Lima 4f that does not work maybe you could do a service video on one of them it’s a lot different to the air fix one
I have one of these one of my best running models it will what ever you put on the back of it
The power of six traction tyres!
Hello Bill, just found your channel not long after I did my own 4F restoration. Looks like you and I do similar things, I have subbed. So I watched your checks etc, those brushes look wrong to me, like Hornby or Lima ones, the ones on my 4F are small plugs with no taper at all, bit like Mainline ones. I see yours is missing the injector on the side like mine was, might be able to help you with that if interested? Take care Mike
Great work
Bonus points for spotting the loco wheelset is now upside down at 18:00 ? 😂
I thought it was just me but you're right, super glue isn't super anymore
Hi, I am sure when you were putting the tender back together I think you are missing a second set of gears on the tender. I am sure when I took one apart last year it had gears going down to both the front and rear outside wheels of the tender to power all the tender wheels. Checking other 4F's on sale on Ebay it does show that there are 2 sets of gears.
There's nothing missing. Gears on one side of motor just like any other ringfield driving front and rear axles.
Sorry about that. It just looked like it was missing when you put it together.
Just picked up another one of these, squealed a bit but I cleaned it up and now it runs really smooth. Tge problem is it has no couplings. Can you tell me what kind it should have?
Great job again
Or if not my motor works but not picking up from the tracks power any suggestions?
Thank you for the videos. In my humble opinion superglue is only ‘super’ at sticking skin (its original purpose, or is that a myth?). Although the spray activator transforms its effectiveness, with the proviso that you then need to be an octopus to hold it together whilst spraying it.
Superglue was originally invented for medical purposes (mainly eye surgery). Some materials like some plastics can not be glued with it. That's why there was a gluing problem in the video.
th-cam.com/video/hnMqfBMJ8ow/w-d-xo.html
Fortget 'superglue' -the only thing it seems to stick effectively, is skin ! For hard plastics, i recommend Bostik Hard Plastic adhesive/bond. As per 'superglue' both sufaces to be 'welded' need to be absolutely clean and free of oil/grease.
i joined two pieces of plastic pipe on a Dyson vac cleaner ( handle) and that was several years ago - i can even pick the thing up by the ex broken pipe ! Bostik ! ( you can thank me later )
Excellent Comment - 🤔 (thought was just me) 🤔 - New delivery - Will it work? Will it run? Will it Burst into Flames?🤣🤣🤣
Bill, you’re right. Superglue doesn’t set as well as it used to!
I need to look into finding proper old style cyano. I remember using stuff in my radio control flying days that was brilliant but very sensitive to temperature. Also gave off a hell of a fume so it's maybe been neutered for health and safety! Used to regularly stick my fingers together which never happens these days....
@@oobill Try Gorilla Gel...
@@rhiwderinraytube Never without it. But still seems to be slow to set at times. A good micro filler when sprinkled with baking soda!
@@oobill I have used Zap A Gap which seems to work quite well. I think it also depends upon how much superglue liquid comes out of the tube, too much doesn’t dry quickly. Too little is useless!
Superglue setting time was changed to give you more time to position items being glued and not your fingers apparently.
Very informative. One question please. Having never used a multi metre it look incomprehensible. It seems to have lots of settings. What do you set it to, to do your testing if that makes sense.
He is only testing for continuity. For this you would use the Resistance (Ohms) setting of your meter. Select the lowest resistance range it has, something like "200 ohms" -- the ranges tend to go up in decades: 20, 200, 2000, 20k, 200k, 2M) If you have a digital meter, the display will probably be showing '1' initially, which means the resistance is beyond the set measurable range. (That's fine.) Next, test the meter is working by touching the probes directly together -- this will give you the lowest possible reading, and will be zero for all except the lowest range (which will still be near zero). If this doesn't happen, the battery in the meter is likely flat and will need replacing. Now you're ready to test. For good continuity, the meter reading wants to be towards zero ohms.
If you are lucky, your meter will have a beeper so that when you have continuity, the beeper sounds. This is much quicker, as most of the time you simply want a go/no-go test! On the old Fluke meter I have just acquired, the continuity beeper is selected on the lowest resistance range.
(NB -- for testing the armature, you will want to compare the actual meter reading of each winding in ohms to check they have a similar resistance value -- but that is getting a bit advanced!)
Important safety note: make sure that the item you are testing is turned OFF before you test it. (Otherwise, at best you will get misleading readings; at worst, well electricity can be highly dangerous...)
@@PeterJewell2 ahh ok. I think I have found the right setting in the meter and I am seeing a reading of 1 which then is going down to a much lower value so I think that’s right. Good tip about making sure it’s off! I’d probably blow myself up no seriously I don’t like electrics. I’m assuming The ohms settings which are as you state above are the ones indicated by the omega symbol (and v is volts and a is amps)
@@paulbrennan3760 - yes: resistance - Ohms - Omega. Sorry I couldn't be bothered to find the right symbol for my message! (And I wasn't assuming you'd know what it was anyway.)
Sounds like you are on the right track. (excuse the pun!)
@@PeterJewell2 I need to get one that beeps like I used to have ages ago. SO much better!
I have two of these and they run quite well. The question I have fir you is: do you get a deal on the postage costs in the UK ?
Trying to buy here in Toronto it cost a fortune for postage as I think EBay have imposed additional costs ?
I would be interested in learning exactly how you are using that meter and what to look for?
Here is another question for you: I have a Phoenix and a regular E3000. One runs well but the other cannot pull the same number of cars, it slows right down and the wheels or motor spins. Any ideas?
Thanks
Postage is charged by the seller and just added to the cost. It's rarely over £5.00 for a loco. I have a pretty strict £50 max limit on any loco or rolling stock purchase and try as much as possible to keep it under £30. Suppose it's the advantage of a smaller country stuff doesn't have far to travel! A lot of items are delivered within 48hrs.
With the meter all I'm looking for in this video is confirmation of a connection. A few different settings on a meter will do that. So it's not what the meter says that matters it's the fact it returns any response at all.
Some motors have more torque than others and some locos have more traction than others. A loco with low torque and no traction tyres will not pull as much a loco with traction tyres and/or higher torque. Weight of the loco will also affect traction. So a lightweight loco with low torque and no traction tyres will not pull much. Like a little 0-4-0 etc.
You can check Royal Mail postage to Canada on their website (www.royalmail.com/sending). As an example, a 1KG small parcel would cost £17.35 airmail or £9.50 surface mail to Canada. I don't know whether you would have any taxes to pay on top of the postage? Worth mentioning that some Ebay sellers do try and rip-off buyers by charging excessive postage/packing. Also worth mentioning that Ebay when charging the seller their fee, include any postage in the sale price so sellers sometimes increase their postage charge slightly to account for that fee.
I've got a 4f it's not the best runner and sparks shoot from the wheels but mine is like a odd type it looks like a modified airfix 4f but I don't think it is
connecting rods on one side look upsidedown to me !
I don't see you lubricating the rear bearings when you replace the commutators . Are you doing that & just not mentioning it ?
Cheers
Yeah not everything makes the edit to keep to video length down. I've never really intended these videos to be step by step guides. More just me sharing what I do. All bearings get lubed!! I may do step by step guides on my method of servicing different types of motors at some point.
@@oobill Thank you
Try the hard plastic glue from Wilcos.
4F 4454 Says No ..... cough 01:42
In typical Airfix fashion, the gearing is as rough as guts. I had a GWR 2-6-2 tank in the 1970s. It looked nicer than anything Hornby at the time, but it ran terrible.
No, it's not you. I've discovered over many years that there are a few plastics that superglue is not happy with, they're usually extremely glossy, brittle-hard and with an 'oily' feel . . . It may pay to use UHU Power in those circumstances (though it's not guaranteed) and, of course, it's an overnight cure time being a contact adhesive.
Love your videos try revell or humbrol poly glue works wonders
Many thanks
Some valuable trouble shooting and repair information from you
The Airfix British outline Hong Kong made range were just on the market as Airfix GMR for about five years from 1977. Nothing in common with the plastic older kits just confusion arising.
As I remember just four tender locos. All tender drive variations of the one you have. First the Rebuilt Royal Scot followed by the 4F, Castle and Dean goods. The Dean goods drove two tender axles.
Planned more like a Schools class and O2 tank before their collapse.
Probably all Kader tooling in Hong Kong.
Mainline, Dapol, Replica and Bachmann and later Hornby all made use of the best parts of the Airfix range.
My Dean goods came as Mainline as did my better Airfix wagons and autocoach.
If you get a model that failed early due to something simple then you have a good chance that it is not worn out.
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Hi, you have the wheelset upside down, oil boxes face upwards, in real life all the conrod oil would run out
The super glue is like everything else they have banned the additives to it so its no good
Hamerite paint is an example on old tins you had to clean the brush with special cleaner now you can use white spirit
When you say nice detail, do you mean no detail?