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Triang Davy Crockett
After months planning, piece gathering, help from friends and developing my own skills I present the old 1963 Triang Davy Crockett restored and brought up to a modern standard.
When I first got the model it was in a sorry state; the cowcatcher was missing, there was glue all over the front and it had chipped paint here and there, not to mention it looked like a beaten up old toy. So I sourced a new pony truck for the front along with a cowcatcher then (because I’m terrible at painting) I had commissioned In Scale Artwork to redecorate the engine and tender to a more lovely livery.
I wanted to keep the spirit of the old locomotive alive and not deviate from the original red and yellow colour scheme, so that was kept. The pony truck and tender wheels got painted yellow to match the drive wheels, as well as the boiler bands being painted yellow too to match. The cab also got the full yellow treatment along with detailing on the tender.
Then the old Transcontinental Caboose was sent too for a repaint as well because that too was in a sorry state; no chimney, foot ladders missing, all paintwork faded, complete mess. So that received the same treatment as the locomotive to match. True there’s no Transcontinental lettering on it anymore but I love it as it is.
Next there was a problem with the loco’s driving wheels: the flanges are too big for modern track, so with the help of a fellow Chatham & District Model Railway Club member he shaved down the flanges to allow for better running on modern track and at the same time also polished them to allow for a more pristine look.
Then came something I had never done before: wiring and soldering in a new motor as the old one (while it still works) will not suit DCC running. So I carefully soldered in the new motor and wires to their correct places and thankfully it worked first time and did not blow up, not bad for my first attempt.
And then the final thing to do was replace all the old big plastic wheels on everything with modern Hornby ones with the spoke design as they remind me of cowboy boot tassels. They actually roll surprisingly freely, perfect!
And now the project is complete 🤠
