LGB ®V51 DIESEL, 2051S/20511LGB ®V51 DIESEL, 2051S/20511 John Lythgoe gets down ‘n’ dirty within this classic earlier LGB®dieselJohn Lythgoe gets down ‘n’ dirty within this classic earlier LGB®diesel

22PART

Warm work: the guard’s window is lowered, one August morning.

ONE OF THE AIM s of this series is to encourage careful owners to maintain their garden railway locomotives. In Part One, we covered a minor lubrication service and showed how to change pickup shoes when the need arises. Now, we’ll really take the lids off. When your faithful V51 reaches around fifty-hours’ operation (or yet another multiple thereof), it’s time to offer silent thanks to the factory’s design engineers at Nüürnberg – and give your locomotive some more tender loving care.

WHEELPICKUPBRUSHEXAMINATIONORREPLACEMENT 2051S/20511 (sandwich horizontally-jointed gearbox) 1 Invert the locomotive on a pad of plastic foam and brace it with suitable supports. On one of the power bogies, remove the keeper plate by releasing four screws: long/short/short/long. Unlike the current 63120, the original shouldered wheel brushes and springs are not captive within their brass sleeve. If your locomotive has brassbrush sleeves (not dull silvery-grey zinc), proceed verycarefully. 2 The wheel/axle unit has to be carefully lifted out, one side at a time, using something slim and flat as a shield to ensure that spring pressure does not zap the old brush and spring into orbit. Shorter, 14mm body-length brushes from pack 63120 are direct replacements. If the brush holders are already a greyish zinc colour (not brass) then they are probably 63120. These measure 20mm long when new and relaxed; replace them at 18.0mm. 3 Use LGB 50010 Smoke & Cleaning Fluid to remove the inevitable build-up of carbon from the backs of the wheels. This simple procedure, which can be repeated periodically without dismantling, can often cure a puzzling squeak on an otherwise well-maintained loco. The routine also applies to

‘shell’ gearbox versions (below). Reassemble, then repeat for the second bogie.

GEARBOXRE-GREASINGANDPICKUPBRUSHINSPECTION/REPLACEMENT 2051/2051S (‘shell’ vertically-jointed gearbox) 4 Invert the loco, as above. On the first power bogie, undo the outer two screws. These release two small T-shaped plastic mouldings which retain the gearbox within the power bogie sideframe. Remove the gearbox. 5 Gripping each crimped connector in turn, unplug the white (ws), brown (bn) and green (gn) wires. The rear gearbox has two additional black wires to and from the horn sensor. 6 Carefully unscrew one wheel; retain the shakeproof washer. 7 Slowly and carefully, ease the wheel off its axle. The old brush and spring (separate loose parts) are then released. 8 Clean the back of the wheel (cotton bud + LGB Smoke & Cleaning Fluid) 9 Examine the pickup brushes. At 10.35mm long, type 63110 are shouldered with an absolute maximum working length of 2.8mm, when new. Don’twait until a spring touches the wheel! When replacing, my instinct would be to keep the old ones in your ‘solutions awaiting problems’ box. At 3.3mm diameter and still about 7.7mm long, they’re potentially useful for other projects (so are the springs). 10 Fit a new shouldered brush and spring (former 2110, now type 63110, supplied in a set of four) and replace the wheel. Repeat with the other wheels, then the second bogie. 11Unfortunately, these early gearboxes have often been regarded by owners as ‘no-go’ areas. Because of the age of the model and its likely mileage, my instinct would be to remove all the wheels and fully dismantle the gearbox. However, TAKE CARE: There is a loose single ball bearing(to

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GARDEN Rail
Top:Undo the four central screws

for lubrication, wheel brush and

pickup skate replacement. This is the

front power bogie. When replacing

the cover, note that both cover and

gearbox are marked with a figure 1:

these must both be at the same end.

Above left:For demonstration

purposes on the rear bogie of my

20511 loco, zinc brush holders (left)

denote newer-type 63120 with captive

brushes. Brass holders (right) indicate

the need for slow, ever-so-careful

removal of wheels, one at a time –

or the older 2110 brushes and

springs will zap into orbit, leaving

an empty brass sleeve!

Above right:Remove the two

outer screws to release the forward

gearbox...

Right:... which just lifts out. Keep

the two small T-shaped retaining

pieces safe.

GARDEN Rail

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