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Hornby OO/HO Sale layout.

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:53 pm
by n863dwt
Im thinking about setting up my own layout....
im going to dig out a set i got a few years ago that has been in my loft.

i was also given an antique or a vintage Triang Hornby Set that was a night mail or something .. it has a class 37 in BR Blue with D69XX number.. a BR blue/grey mk1, a mk.1 sleepr and a old style TPO with wrking net ctach and its in BR blue+ grey

just wondering if anyone knows if this new old set would work with modern track, stock and transformers

Re: Hornby OO/HO Sale layout.

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:01 pm
by stuartpalmer
Transformers - yes - unless you want to go for "DCC" (digital) control, the basic standard of 12v DC (controlled) hasn't changed over the years.

Stock - most stock available in the UK uses tension lock couplers which are compatible with anything Triang/Hornby produced since their merger (that's about 40 years ago now). Some of the modern stuff has a much narrower version of the coupler, which is still compatible but a bit more fiddly, especially if trying to couple up on a curve.

Track - this is likely to be your biggest stumbling block. You may find the wheel flanges on your old stock are too deep to run on modern track. Stock from about 40 years ago just won't sit down onto modern rails at all, and stock from about 30 years ago will normally run, but rather noisily (as the wheels are actually bouncing over the sleepers) and may derail on points. I can only suggest you get yourself a loop of modern Peco Setrack and try. If the stock doesn't run comfortably then you are left with the alternatives of (a) finding older track secondhand, (b) re-wheeling (not for the faint-hearted) and (c) selling the old stuff and buying fresh. I had a large box of stock carefully preserved from a 70s layout which I unpacked recently. There were four coaches that would run on modern track and the rest went off to an auction house!