Don't do that British fangled stuff

Was at the wrinklies for Christmas, dad says come in to the train room, I found more trains.

Now given that Dad started buying trains for me when I was born in 61, and I haven't played with one yet :roll:, I was quite surprised at his 'new'finds.  All his stock is probably circa 61 -65, Triang \ Hornby stuff (all boxed BTW) he pulled out this blue and yellow diesel, ran it up and down a couple of times then put it away.

He then pulled out a 6 axle green diesel which weighed a ton, and ran up and down majestically.  All I know, before he hid it again was that it had 9D80 on a number board above the cab.  Before I knew it, it was tucked away again as "I've already got eight locos on track, there isn't really space for these 2"

No idea what it was, but given that it sat in a tea chest in Euston Station left Luggage for the best part of 30+ years (along with the rest of his stock) it ran like a dream.  Whatever it was, I reckon they don't make locos like that any more.

The green one sounds like an early Hornby or Tri-ang class 31 (Brush Type 2 they were known as back then from the manufacturer and power rating).

The 9D80 headcode sounds familiar as I had one for many years which might still be around.  My early stuff passed to my nephew Adam known to YMR members as Photoman.

That loco, new to me in 1963 IIRC, was run on Series 3 track plonked on the back lawn :shock::shock::shock: with grass literally between the sleepers.  It ran around the living room on a carpeted floor and picked up who knows how much dust.  And it was still running in 1995 when I finally packed up the "old" stuff in Cornwall deciding that it had a better future with a younger generation.

They don't make them quite like that but I'll bet the current Hornby class 31 will also last pretty well.

I've found a blue one with 9D80 but not green, yet.

http://www.cbtoys.co.uk/images/gd120505-012.jpg

Edited by CT - Copyright images replaced by links.

TF: Oops, sorry CT

Green one here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hornby-Triang-Class-31-BR-Green-D5572-Spares-Repair-/250736238084?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item3a610b5e04#ht_1154wt_1141

And here

http://spet0114.webs.com/Pics/IMG_2152s.jpg

£24.99 for this one

Common as muck now aren't they? 


Edited by CT - Copyright images replaced by links

TF: Double oops!

I had one of those on my model railway as a youngster bet the cost new was something like £2 7s 6d in the sixtys

Probably had a similar motor to the blue pullman an open frame motor with 2 brass worm drives to the end 2 axles on the bogie.

The engines then used to spark blue sparks on the wheels a lot then something i had forgot about until it just jumped back in my head.

To be fair they seem to sell around the £15-20 mark on Ebay with a bit of work detailing and bashing wise you could probably make them into pretty good looking models really.

Brian