Hornby 0 Gauge Clockwork - Compatible Rolling Stock & Restoration

Harry,

 

You might want to look into the Hornby Railway Collectors Association <http://www.hrca.net> They publish, to their members, an annual listing of parts and services offered.

 

 

Ron M

Harry

Marx would do, ( much less expensive) but you would probably need a transition car, one side with Hornby couplers, one side with the Marx.

Bruce

Thanks to you both for those suggestions.

Track is not a problem.  My collection contains CW Hornby, American Flyer, Hafner, Wyandotte, Marx and Bassett Lowke and the couplers are the issue if you are going to try to mix them.   

The early Hornby rolling stock, before c1930, used hook and link couplings and their autocouplers (not actually very auto!) were compatible with the earlier ones.   So, rolling stock from any other British company would do.  Can I sugest you look at Leeds Model Company who made an interesting range which still sell for friendly prices.

 

A good place to start is to look at the website of the Leeds Stedman Trust.

Thanks for your replies.

My sister gave me a present of a Hornby No 21 Passenger set, which she remembered me playing with as a child (50s & 60s). Hence my reawakened interest.

Even at that, relatively, late date Hornby were using hook & link couplings, an issue I ve resolved by buying a second tender (right colour, but still the 'wrong tender').

When I've the time to do the work, I'll probably buy some damaged passenger rolling stock and try to refurbish them.

A company called Aquitrain produce 0 gauge overlays for coaches since theyre only £15 a coach it wouldnt be an expensive experiment.

Obviously it would be better to do it properly. Nevertheless the result might be passable for 'playing'.

In the short term I'll stick to buying freight rolling stock, from Leeds Steadman, (as suggested by claughton1345) or Maddock Toys etc, or ebay, of course.

Harry

 

RobG

 

What's your min radius?   Almost everything will traverse 2ft (0-48) but a few bits of posh stuff need 3ft (0-72).

 

Peter

Two relatively cheap British ranges might help, Chad Valley (a toy company near Birmingham) and Marx (from their British factory).    Both of these go more with the Hornby "M" series, known as Nos 20 and 30 after the mid 1950s, but if it is small stuff you like, this stuff still circulates and was tinprinted too, which lends its own fascination.

 

There is a fellow, now based in Australia, who makes a very good range of transfers for Hornby and has been doing so, with his late father, for about 40 years - Horton transfers.

 

If you are using round-headed tinplate track, just about anything will run on it since the original railhead, dating from the late 19th century, seems to have become universal.   The only stuff that will not work is scale wheels/finescale, since the fine flanges will tend to climb over the outside rail on curves.

 

I looked this up yesterday for someone, but everything about Hornby can be found in the Hornby Companion Series Vol 5, The Hornby Gauge 0 System, by Chris and Julie Graebe.   Look on Abebooks, search by author and you will see it is plentiful seconhand in the UK now; just make sure you have it sent surface mail.  You ought to be able to get this bible, delivered, for $40-50.  I read somewhere on this forum that the book is expensive; maybe in the US, but not in the UK.  There is a supplement, Vol 5a too.