cromptonnut Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Ok don't panic Can you completely remove the point motor and try throwing the points by hand? If that gives you a problem then you have something - which could be as simple as ballast outside of the track getting in the way of the tie bar throwing over completely. If that works fine, then the next question is the hole for the point motor rod/wire (are you using Peco or similar rather than a slow action motor?) big enough or even centred properly? Also I have found before that if the motor isn't exactly 90 degrees across the point then it works one way but not the other as it doesn't have enough clout to pull it across the angle too. Next option, try throwing the point motor electrically without it connected to the board - if it goes clearly both ways then the motor may be fine - try with a point that isn't connected to the board. Does the solenoid bar itself need a drop of oil to help it move? Remember that nothing is inaccessible however there are different levels of work required to repair the damage that may be required by making something accessible... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Thanks 'nut. It hadn't occurred to me to remove the motor completely. I'll give that a go. Edited January 12, 2015 by Pete 75C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Pete, in this situation it's easy to panic, I do! I would start from scratch. Remove motor, does the tiebar move easily? Double check the clearance in the baseboard hole. Make it bigger on the effected side. If you pass that stage mount the motor the other way round. Then try and see what happens. In these cases cool logic is your friend. Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thanks... I wasn't panicking, it was only a mild coronary... I've removed the motor and the point blades themselves seat perfectly in both directions. The motor itself only throws the pin about 70% in one direction. Moving the pin by hand, it's possible to get it to go across more but that's only by using a little more finger pressure than I would like. Electrically, the motor just won't do it. I'm wondering if a little PVA has at some point seeped down the hole in the baseboard and somehow gummed up the motor. There's no obvious glue marks or damage to the motor. As a quick fix, I'm going to remove one of the surface mounted motors from the fiddle yard and use that. One set of points in the fiddle yard will just have to be thrown by hand. I'll lightly oil the pin and leave the motor alone for a while and then try again. If I have to replace one motor, then that's not the end of the world. Thanks for your help guys. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Sounds like "knackered motor syndrome" to me then ... that's a lot easier to fix than many of the alternatives But do check the mounting when you go to refit it, I've had the "not quite straight" problem before. What motors are you using? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 No problem. In the early 90s I was getting a layout ready to show the next day. I was showing a neighbour my method of attaching scatter material to a layer of gloss green paint. I knocked the tin over......,,,,,,,,,,,, straight onto a set of points. I can't remember what I did, but it was ok the next day. Maybe the defibrillator helped. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Sounds like "knackered motor syndrome" to me then ... that's a lot easier to fix than many of the alternatives But do check the mounting when you go to refit it, I've had the "not quite straight" problem before. What motors are you using? Agreed... I've noticed that they need to angled correctly or they're not happy. Just standard Peco PL-10s with the extended pin. Bizarre, as I've never actually had one of these fail like that before. So glad that I don't have to start digging out ballast as that particular point is right underneath the bridge with conductor rail on both sides... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) I have had this issue a few times where the hole drilled through the board insnt quite central to the hole in the Peco tie bar. A way round it is to bend the solenoid arm to one side so that it goes over despite the hole position. However sometimes this isnt enough and the only way is to carefully cut more timber away with a Stanley knife or something similar being careful not to slip and damage the turnout. Edited January 13, 2015 by roundhouse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 No problem. In the early 90s I was getting a layout ready to show the next day. I was showing a neighbour my method of attaching scatter material to a layer of gloss green paint. I knocked the tin over......,,,,,,,,,,,, straight onto a set of points. I can't remember what I did, but it was ok the next day. Maybe the defibrillator helped. Glue+ballast+paint+points=nightmare! ...and I thought model railways were supposed to be a relaxing, stress-free hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 12, 2015 Glue+ballast+paint+points=nightmare! ...and I thought model railways were supposed to be a relaxing, stress-free hobby. They are. Till it all goes wrong!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Glue+ballast+paint+points=nightmare! ...and I thought model railways were supposed to be a relaxing, stress-free hobby. Spraying a little lubricant of the 'WD40 type' into the point motor coil holes should help prevent any errant glue sticking in there. Keep it away from plastic though. Edited January 12, 2015 by leopardml2341 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Having tried to free the point motor off with, as Andy said, a little WD40, I've had to draw the conclusion that for want of a more technical term, it's "knackered". Ebay or a trip to the Bure Valley model shop is called for when I get a chance. Thanks for the tips yesterday, much appreciated! The good news is that everything else survived all the paint and PVA thrown at it since September and everything's working a treat. I nipped upstair last night to add some people to the platform and noticed that one of my bargain ebay purchases of a pack of Preiser people looked a little odd... I really must pay more attention. The entire pack is of pregnant women... There's obviously something sexy going on in Croydon! The tiny little HO scale stork that came in the pack was a nice touch though... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Well there isn't a lot else to do in Croydon... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2015 Well there isn't a lot else to do in Croydon... Apart form going into the Spread Eagle, Green Dragon or Half and Half!!! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Apart form going into the Spread Eagle, Green Dragon or Half and Half!!! Oh God! The Spread Eagle. I remember that. 19, money in my pocket... I knew it well. Is it still a dump with a police prescence at closing time? It was in 1986... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2015 Oh God! The Spread Eagle. I remember that. 19, money in my pocket... I knew it well. Is it still a dump with a police prescence at closing time? It was in 1986... The Spread Eagle next to the town hall rather than The Eagle down at Reeves Corner which I presume you are referring ot and is about the only pub I never went into in Croydon (we frequented the Tamworth for a number of years) - The Eagle is now a community centre. the Spread Eagle on the other hand is quite a decent Fullers pub. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 My mistake Ian. The pub I was thinking of is along South End at the corner of Southbridge Rd... Having streetviewed it, it seems to be called The Tree House now... certainly wasn't called that when I used to go in there. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2015 My mistake Ian. The pub I was thinking of is along South End at the corner of Southbridge Rd... Having streetviewed it, it seems to be called The Tree House now... certainly wasn't called that when I used to go in there. pub.jpg Ah yes, The Anchor or Blue Anchor, I think it used to be called. I remember being in there once. A group of us were sitting near the main door (which is now in the courtyard) when some one who had been refused sevice threw a glass/ bottle as he left with it hitting a brass rail, smashing and a small piece hitting one of my mates in the face. Luckily it was a very small cut but could have been much worse (he always had the bad luck including being a guard on a breakdown train when it derailed). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The Blue Anchor - that was it! Free anti-stab vest with every pint... there were certainly quieter nights out to be had in Croydon. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasatcopthorne Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I remember going to the opening night of 'The Croydon Suite' and dancing the night away. Anybody else? Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted January 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2015 I remember sorting out numerous fights outside 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2015 I think I know that your deadline has been met. Well done! Look forward to seeing the results mate! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I remember sorting out numerous fights outside untitled.png I thought we'd met somewhere before... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 North Street is in two pieces (by design, not accident) and is now stored up against a wall with a Peppa Pig duvet over it to keep it dust-free. Hoping to be able to set it up again in a week or two, depending on whether the plumber and sparkies have finished mess-making upstairs. I had the chance to run a 4BEP on the layout and I was delighted to find that it fits in Platform 1 with a few millimetres to spare. No pictures, but here's one of the duvet instead... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Assuming you have kids (rather than having a worrying interest in Peppa Pig) make sure they realise how important the thing under the duvet is. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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