Model Railway Forum

I'm having trouble with a 2005 vintage Hornby Class 37 (service sheet 210 with a X941 motor I think). I'm using a 9 volt battery with leads attached to test it off the track - the motor runs well both directions if I apply power straight to the 2 terminals. It also runs if I apply power to the rear wheels and to the opposite terminal on the motor, so the rear pickups are ok. It doesn't run with power to the rear pickup and to the front wheels - it's like the motor is insulated from the front wheels but I can't see anything missing. But I also can't see how the front wheels connect to the motor!

Any advice or help appreciated!

Cheers
Wes

I am guessing here a little. The design is driven at one end. They used to only have pickups from the one side of the power bogie and the opposite side of the trailing bogie. The non pickup side of the power bogie had traction tyres to assist in pulling power.
Now with attempts to help slow speed running in more recent years, extra pickups is a common way to do this. With the older designs this would be done by adding pickups so both sides of the trailing bogie has them, though the power bogie would only have the one side. This is because the traction tyred side would be a little pointless as current does not flow through rubber.
This may explain a little. I am guessing here as I only have Lima, ViTrains and Bachmann class 37's. I used to have Hornby and Triang types, but not had the more modern made ones, hence why I am guessing based on common principles I have seen to improve the older designs on other diesel locos.

The wheels either connect to the motor on the power bogie side via a little wire, or some designs con ect via thw axles themselves touching the bogie frame which touches the motor brush (Not easy to convert this type to DCC though it is not impossible. The wire type being easy).

Thanks for taking the time to reply MG, I probably should have posted up a photo! Anyway, it was indeed the small wire that was missing. Going by the service sheet the motor terminals should be connected to the wheels via screws through the chassis so I think the motor was replaced at some point for one needing the wired connection. With a small piece of wire it now works as it should.

I was getting rather frustrated as the seller stated it was tested and worked well in both directions - slightly misleading as the motor did but it obviously didn't on a track

Thanks again

Wes

Most hornby will run with 9v but soe motors are thirsty and love 12v depends on the motor and if it has had a replacement too

I'm glad you fixed it. They are normally reasonably simple to work on which is why I like them.