Replacing Loco Motors at Chadwick Model Railway | 151.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sorry but Mark has now run out of these motor kits due to the mad rush of enthusiastic modellers wishing to replace their ailing Ringfield motors.
Rest assured that he has more in the pipeline and in a week or so, Mark will be able to fulfil your orders.
Regards Charlie

Hi Charlie from sunny Thailand. I am a complete beginner and grey of hair. I purchased some track, some locos, loads of carriages and assumed that would be it! Hmm bad move, I should have watched your posts first. So seeing as how my locos buzz but don't go anywhere I believe I need to replace the motor then convert to DCC, Sending the locos back to the UK is both expensive and very time consuming plus I have already paid duty on the used locos and would undoubtedly pay again on their return which when you total it all up equals the cost of buying a new one. What was the expression you said about buying things that you never use? So I am now a subscriber and watch your videos with great interest. I also love your enthusiasm and sense of humour. Keep it up please!

I have seen this video many times and havin got my hands on a Lima 125, I have been trying to find a motor the same as your Hornby, would the same motor fit into a Lima, which was sold back in the late 80s as I would like to put a decoder into it. Thank you for any help or input you can give.

A marvellous video. I have enjoyed a lot watching it. Right now I am restoring and upgrading an old Rivarossi's J3 Dreyfuss Hudson (chassis insulation, replacing the old motor for a new 6-pole can motor, LED lights, improving current pickups, speakers, DCC conversion, etc)

Hi, Charlie! Thanks for this great and detailed tutorial video. I heritage a set of the older version 125 from the eighties and wanted to follow your video to make it "new". But I realized that the seller doesn't ship to Norway. Have you another suggestion for a new motor from other sellers? I tried to reach out to Mike but haven't had any luck yet.

Hi Charlie, not sure if this has been mentioned in previous comments, but when soldering try to keep the heat shrink tubing as far away as possible from the joint, or you run the risk of it shrinking on you, and then it won’t go over the joint….How do I know, because I’ve done it…Already done several of these conversions myself, including adding DCC decoders, and LED lights, but you’ve done another great job. Keep up these interesting, and informative videos.

Excellent. Learnt a lot. Many thanks

I picked up a 125 and dummy plus one coach for 30.00 it runs well. the trouble is it will not run around my setup i have made so many mistakes which your videos have highlighted. So I am building a new set up in a larger bedroom . It will be DC as many of my locos are from the 1960-70. I also picked up a HST for with 5 coaches and dummy for 40.00 needs some work

Hi Charlie, can I recommend that when using a soldering iron to shrink heat-shrink that you consider using the rightangle formed by the soldering iron tip and its retaining nut. This provides 2 surfaces for heat transfer and keeps the solder on the tip out of way. Phil, Geelong, Aus.

May have ben worth swapping bulb for LED. Incredibly smooth runner after replacement

Hi Charlie, out of interest and accuracy a 'cog' is an individual 'tooth' on the rim of a' gear wheel'. The term was originally used in respect of wooden gears used in milling corn etc, in those gear wheel the cog is an individual replaceable 'component which obviously wear as they are made of wood. As you know the term 'cogging' is an intermittent movement by a motor and refers to it moving one tooth at a time on the driving gear. The small gear wheel you pushed on to the motor is usually referred to as a pinion. However this is a great video again, thanks.

Hello, I really enjoyed your video. What brand is your centre punch called? I look in the description box but could not find/see the reference link. Many thanks, Seb.

I bought this exact Hornsby HST set with a total of 4 coaches - one of which is a buffet car and all with lovely smooth running replacement metal wheels - for £80 boxed and delivered to my door. I then used Steathperrer Junction’s version of this kit and the result is an amazing improvement- my 5 YO son loves his new train!

Only problem is the power cars came converted to LEDs and I can get both together lighting white or red when the train is runny get one way or the other - which wires do I need to swap?!

Thanks for this video I followed sute and changed my motor wow what a difference

i got one of those plus 3 MK3s for £20 and somehow, they work lol

Great video Charlie again. I discovered a Hornby InterCity 125 loco (yellow and grey version)in my loft which I thought I could upgrade to dcc. The loco is at least 40 years old, so do you think it could be done. Thanks

E clips are a common item we use in rc car racing. To attach them, long nose pliers are good, and to release them, flat head screwdrivers, but they do have a tendency to fly away when doing this, never to be found again.

Im very surprised by the vast improvement that new motor gives. I suspect traction could be an issue though as its still only got 2 driven axles and pizza cutter wheels.

Loved your instructional video. Obtained my first HST non DCC ready yesterday to add to my existing nineteen different liveries. Was going to use Strathpeffer Junction replacement motor for the Ringfield until I found your video. Thought your choice of motor was better, so tried to order, but still out of stock.

Really useful video which I used to update my old HST. Worth watching plus the subsequent video to upgrade the lighting.

Hello where did you buy the decoder for DC to DCC, many thanks I look forward to your reply

A good job use to be $30 in Australia in 1972. John Robertson

Good afternoon Charlie... I have just fitted one of the slimline, 9.5MM?, to an A3 Bittern, tender fitted. Also at the same time converted to Dcc. lucky there is space at the back of the tender to fit a protective plate to put the decoder on.. works well, the only thing with the slimline motor is its 6volts.. but obviously just set the CVs to top out the top voltage.. anyway enjoyed the vid.. still not got my shed built but am converting a loco a day :) cheers..
Dave

I don't have any Locos with Ringfield Motors but if I ever pick some up that have them I am definitely upgrading them, your videos inspire me so much and I always look forward to the next one.

Superb video Charlie, very interesting 👍. One question, what's the difference between the ring field and new motor? All I can think is that maybe the new one could be a 5 or even 7 pole motor instead of 3,or is there more to it than that?Just be interesting to know.

The issues with this are many. Firstly, it appears that to get a motor slim enough to do this correctly, without the motor hitting the inside of the body (9/10mm), you can now only get a 6V one. These 12v motors are 12mm thick and will hit the inside of the body and will reduce the tightness of the curve the loco can now travel around. With the 6v motors, especially with DCC, you are going to have to half the votage, either by programming they DCC chip, or by adding a diode drop-down bridge. But, for all that effort, what do you actually get? You are still running a locomotive with reviled traction tyres, and you are only picking up the voltage from one bogie, and not two. Plus you are getting all that noise from all those cogs on the side of the ringfield body. On a side note, you put the cogs on the wrong way around, as there is a raised lip on the cog that if positioned against the motor will create a gap between the main part of the cog and the metal of the motor. Putting them on the wrong way around will further increase the noise and cause wear.

If you were to remove the body of your edition of the 125, you will see two motorless bogies with a central motor with drive shafts, which is infinately superior, allowing for both rail electric pick-up from both bogies, preventing drop out over points, plus you are getting eight wheel drive with no traction tyres rahter than the lob-sided two wheels with tyres you get with this conversion. However, this is a far harder project needing a greater level of modelling skill, plus the expense of doner motor and bogies, costing in the region of £75 from Bachmann spares. But this is still a bargain compared to the absolute silly money Hornby are now demanding across their entire range. It is also something I am considering for the old 1980 APT model, since the new version is an astronomical £550. I have seen a couple of them done on places like RMWeb. The other alternative is to replace the Ringfield with a Tenshodo motor bogie, needing to get a model with the correct wheel span and the abailty to be housed in the wheel frame cradle. The downside of this approach is that you are still driving your train from one bogie and so you will need to add a fair amount of weight to improve traction.

Hornby are going to price themselves out of the Market, I for one Will NOT be paying these Stupid Prices

Hi Charlie just looked a some of your videos on U tube they are very informative. I have a DC locos from the late 1960's and was wondering if I could upgrade to DCC. The locos use a Hornby motor for that period and look nothing like the ones in this video. Can you help thanks

Mine is from 1982 with a mates bi-directional fitted lights runs like a dream still

Well done, I'm glad I found your channel. I can now possibly get all these old Hornby engines running again.

Hi Charlie as ailing 72 year old Patreon I was fascinated by this episode unfortunately I could not do this myself so I sent Mark a email if he could do it for me.
So I sent 2x A4's 2xDeltics 1 The city of Nottingham.
Not only did he change the engines but also gave each engine a service plus postage for I think a great price of £175(eat your heart out Hornby)
I am a DC man and as you will have gathered It was around 1961 my trainspotting era makes up my model railway and I suggest to any of your members in the same boat as me
get in touch with Mark.
The performance of the engines is brilliant, I don't think I have had a A4 take off with a full load(intentionally ) as slow ever and the guagemaster controller has never been above 30.
Many thanks
Robert Elliot

why are Hornby ripping people off when the models are made in China at a low rate then they charge us a crazy price of love 300 pounds for a model which is only worth 150 pounds at best whats going on with them have they just gotten greedy for a person like me who is disabled and on a low income the prices are just way out of my pocket reach and I must think a lot of other people too.

Prompted by your video, I went one step further. I have put the latest HST bogies (regauged to EM) and drive motor into an old 1980s chassis and will be adding DCC sound and separate white and red lights. Total cost £150 including buying a 1980s HST as the victim. Much better than £369, and that's without sound...! And that's before I sell on the old bogies and ringfield motor..! Thread on RMWeb under Modifying & Detailing RTR stock Keep up the good work!

Just a comment about circlips and E-clips - they are different, although both fit into a grove on a shaft. The circlip sits in the grove all the way around (almost), encircling the shaft, hence the name, whereas with an E-clip only the three lobes sit in the grove. This means, pound for pound, a circlip is much stronger but it usually requires a special tool to remove it and it will only come off along the length of the shaft. An E-clip can be removed with a screwdriver and comes off the shaft sideways.

Well done, Charlie. Quite the fiddly little job, but well worth it. I much prefer the old locos that have some history attached to them. Especially if they came from a relative or friend. Brilliant job on the rehab. Thanks for all you do.

Open frame motors are actually very tough, if you keep the commutators clean, and don't run them on the carpet, and people add DCC to old Marklin AC locomotives all the time, and they have the old open motors.

Hi Charlie, first time I’ve commented. Heat shrink is the most useful stuff, but behaves so much better with a mini heat gun. I have this one from Hobby Craft, but near identical tools are available from around £10 from Amazon. Shop if around local craft stores might be even cheaper- when I got mine it was £15 for a black one “man tool”, but only £10 for an identical blue or pink version “for embossing and crafting”😁
Trust me on this, it is so good to use. You’ll end up using heat shrink far more often: it’s so much neater.

Love the channel and find it inspiring. I recently bought a Lima class 40 used but what seemed like great condition. Unfortunately when it’s on the layout it short circuits the controller, any suggestions

I have got a 2882 engine that will not run on the tracks but if I put my wire to the ground and to the wheel it will run do you have any ideas how to make it run on the track

Great conversion idea .like you I have looked at replacing Ringfield motors with CD motors but have not been convinced by the other you tubers methods .This is a great idea but unfortunately your videos are getting like Oprah's book club, anything you show is out of stock immediatey after airing

Really enjoyed the video Charlie, good standard helpful information as we expect thx.

I think that specific design of clip is actually called e-clip and circlip is actually a different design of clip. I call them circlips too though so yeah haha.

What is that that you use for the black trackbed that the track sits on?

hello charlie i do enjoy following your videos very imformative can these ringfield motors upgrades fit a class 47 regards dan

Hi Charlie great vids as always. Could I ask you 2 Q's? When you get to adding the scenics for the branch line woodland scenics 'walls', what material are you going to use ? And do you just push the droppers straight down to the existing bus or is there a separate arrangement? Just to let you know, there's a good number of new modellers in my club who are using your video's as a manual for layout building. Thank you. Peter.

Outstanding video , can't wait for the DCC upgrade

i have to say irish railway models a class diesels are much more worth your money really good detail and only 189 euro which converted to pounds is great they are part of accurascale models and i think hornby are a rip off now.

You don't mention that there are two motors you can order - a 6 volt one and a 12 volt one. The 6-volt one gives better acceleration, but is at more risk of burning out than the 12 volt one! Hornby says they don't recommend this conversion as these motors are subject to overheating. It might be as well to point out the conversion should not be done for locos which are to run continuously for more than an hour, for example at an exhibition. A good video clearly explaining. I have still got this job to do. I ordered the kit ages ago, still haven't got around to it! Thanks for uploading.

I have fitted cd motors to all of my ringfield diesels, best thing I've ever done, it's given them a new lease of life. I am also considering buying more margate models deliberately to covert them rather than as you say buy new at great expense.

Great video!!

Like you said Charlie why spend £363 on new tech, when one can buy a few bits and bobs to upgrade an older model with a bit of time and effort. So probably for the £63 in parts and the other £300 on buying lots more vintage coaches to make up a prototypical full-length train. Plus buy that Kernow Class 41 Warship out of the change. Well done to Mark for producing this motor upgrade kit and extending the life of an old model. Now if only I could get a cheaper upgrade for a multitude of worn-out body parts for myself than paying for a private surgeon, and still have change to go on a full board holiday, with spending money of a few grand, LOL.