confused?

Thanks, peters spares was the place I have been dealing with. This little b12 has taught me a lot. Kind of want to save the old girl now. May look to a donor.

Hey people, I have a little Caledonian tank engine that has really come alive pulling on the garden line, still under construction between the weird, baking hot/cold and windy mix we seem to have lately. Chugging around at scale speed with some freight looks lovely and runs like a swiss watch. My point, we also have a b12, that did not take to the transition so well. It ran for maybe 15 minutes, had never run that long in our ownership before (set bought second hand). I am now a master at quartering and wheel cleaning and lubrication, yes maybe a little late. It just doesent want to run, the motor works but put it under load and it is not very powerful and gets hot. I have been trying to track down spares, especially the pick ups as someone has really crackerd them (so the power is unreliable increasing current), bent 3 ways from Sunday. Should I persevere with this chassis, or get a donor chassis. Motor and pickups with postage are starting at 20quid or so but haven't found any available. There are locos on ebay and such but the prices are like a lucky dip. What are the goto places for you guys. Running outside will wear these little guys so spares are going to be needed. Repair or will she be a railyard static? She is a green b12 number 8544 in good nick other than the running issues.

Ah ok. Just another obstacle then. It does appear that the track has at least one area developing a name already. We noticed little swirls of dust and whatnot swirl around the corner of the kitchen just before a train flattening gust (by afternoon it would level the whole train, engine included), like dust devils. That was all she needed "Aye we be negotiating Devils Turn!", "should nae be up on Devils turn in a blo", comes from my ( drama obsessive) daughter in a not all bad Scots lilt.. So Devils turn it is. 😄

Yep, something that never even entered my head. Daughter has been out in the (chilly) sunshine this morning and has had an issue. The trains if they get hit with a gust are blown right off the rails, the engine is fine but if she runs the 2 larger carriages. Whoosh, they are on their side. I know weight is the answer but, where d you put it on a carriage. Waggons are easy, just load then with something. Or am I wrong there too? Words of experience anybody?

Have been quietly lurking for a while, daughter has been asking about a railway, I have wanted an excuse for years. So I have been reading up and tried a few things at home, the biggest annoyance for me was the trains chasing their tail. While in the garden I absently looked at the perimeter wall around our patio and with a couple of 'bridges', (trains don't do 90 deg) I could see two loops connected by a good 20ft of straight with station/shunting potential. Think wonky sunglasses. Then a couple of small adds dropped around 100ft of track in my lap, well you gotta do it eh? Anyway, have the primary loop down so the daughter can mess about, its probably 20 ft of track with one 6ft siding and a 3 ft. I have certainly learned a new respect for the words 'flat' and 'gap'. So I am mechanically sound in my skills, normally used on automotive but im sure it transfers. Will be on with questions im sure but its a lovely way to pass the lockdown time, wife is onboard too.