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Question How to clean a Marklin engine and carriage? - Cleaning dos and don'ts - please advise
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Offline John...  
#1 Posted : 25 September 2014 15:34:03(UTC)
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John...

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 5
Location: ENGLAND, CROYDON
Hello everyone,

I have just joined this community on behalf of a friend who has just inherited an old engine and 10 carriages as pert of an old set.

The engine markings read "Bing MARKLIN R950" "Germany"

My friend has shown me them but not sent pictures yet. The items don't look in bad condition having been kept dry wraped in newspaper, although they're obviously old and used.

His question is what is the best way to clean them, if he wants to remove the grime and try and get them looking at their best again?

He has already been offered £150 for the lot, but isn't interested in parting with them at the moment and, besides, has has idea as to their true value. For the time being he is just thrilled to have been left these and just wants them looking cleaner without necessarily investing in a full restoration.

Any advice on what can and shouldn't be done would be much appreciated. There's no serious sign of corrosion or rust, which is a bonus.

Many thanks.
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Offline Webmaster  
#2 Posted : 25 September 2014 22:55:05(UTC)
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Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,161
Is it like this?


Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
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Offline John...  
#3 Posted : 26 September 2014 00:14:03(UTC)
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John...

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 5
Location: ENGLAND, CROYDON
Hi Juan "Webmaster", Yes, it's a wind up engine, exactly like your immaculate R950 engine, without the little coal wagon as far as I know. Thanks for sending the Youtube video. It's great to actually see one raring round a track in the 21st century, so many decades after the little thing was created!
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#4 Posted : 26 September 2014 04:31:06(UTC)
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kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,109
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: John... Go to Quoted Post
Hello everyone,

I have just joined this community on behalf of a friend who has just inherited an old engine and 10 carriages as pert of an old set.

The engine markings read "Bing MARKLIN R950" "Germany"

My friend has shown me them but not sent pictures yet. The items don't look in bad condition having been kept dry wraped in newspaper, although they're obviously old and used.

His question is what is the best way to clean them, if he wants to remove the grime and try and get them looking at their best again?

He has already been offered £150 for the lot, but isn't interested in parting with them at the moment and, besides, has has idea as to their true value. For the time being he is just thrilled to have been left these and just wants them looking cleaner without necessarily investing in a full restoration.

Any advice on what can and shouldn't be done would be much appreciated. There's no serious sign of corrosion or rust, which is a bonus.

Many thanks.


I don't have any idea of the value of that lot, but think that offer is veeeery low ... Crying

My thoughts on cleaning is not to do too much. A brush down with a soft paint brush to get rid of any loose dust is the maximum I would do. The mechanism may require a tiny amount of oil, but be very sparing with it, just tine drops on the bearing points of the gear axles, and a 'wipe it on, wipe it off' layer of oil on the gear teeth. Any more than that is going to collect dust and make a mucky mess that will take a lot of cleaning at a future date.
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Offline Ian555  
#5 Posted : 26 September 2014 07:53:33(UTC)
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Ian555

Scotland   
Joined: 04/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 20,240
Location: Scotland
Hi John,

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks Juhan for the link.

Ian.
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Offline cookee_nz  
#6 Posted : 26 September 2014 08:20:14(UTC)
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cookee_nz

New Zealand   
Joined: 31/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 3,954
Location: Paremata, Wellington
Originally Posted by: John... Go to Quoted Post
Hello everyone,

I have just joined this community on behalf of a friend who has just inherited an old engine and 10 carriages as pert of an old set.

The engine markings read "Bing MARKLIN R950" "Germany"

My friend has shown me them but not sent pictures yet. The items don't look in bad condition having been kept dry wraped in newspaper, although they're obviously old and used.

His question is what is the best way to clean them, if he wants to remove the grime and try and get them looking at their best again?

He has already been offered £150 for the lot, but isn't interested in parting with them at the moment and, besides, has has idea as to their true value. For the time being he is just thrilled to have been left these and just wants them looking cleaner without necessarily investing in a full restoration.

Any advice on what can and shouldn't be done would be much appreciated. There's no serious sign of corrosion or rust, which is a bonus.

Many thanks.


Hi and welcome. You've come to the right place.

The description is a bit confusing. Bing & Marklin were competitors but that's not to say there might not have been a collaborative effort on certain models.

It may be that he has confused the trademark which back then was a stylised shield spelling overlapping "GBM&cie" (Brothers Marklin & Co) or more exactly "Gebruder Marklin" even though if I recall the 'cie' is actually French!

Some pictures will reveal all.

As for cleaning (cosmetic), the paint they used back in the day was generally good quality enamel or lacquer and you may find that it will clean up well with a damp warm cloth and nothing more than a mild detergant such a dish-washing liquid or hand-wash but never use any form of solvent or chemical unless you know exactly what you are doing.

Do a test clean on a small area first, and generlly try to avoid any potentially delicate decals, pin-striping etc.

If you or your friend have a museum nearby you could also have a chat with one of their restorers, it's amazing what they can do with old paintings etc.

Cleaning the mechanism if it were particularly dirty would be a more involved process possibly requiring solvents etc and there you have the old advice, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Looking forward to the photo's.

Regards

Steve
Cookee
Wellington
NZ image
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Offline John...  
#7 Posted : 26 September 2014 13:28:35(UTC)
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John...

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 5
Location: ENGLAND, CROYDON
Alan, Steve and Alan,

Thank you all for your replies and very helpful advice which I'll pass on when I see my friend Chris today. I'll take my camera so I can take some pictures and so we can at least see how these two competitor names Bing and Marklin are represented on the same engine! He hasn't started cleaning it yet so I can get some before and after shots for you.

Again, much appreciated your welcome and taking the trouble to advise me in so much detail.

Best regards,

John
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Offline Ian555  
#8 Posted : 26 September 2014 18:19:37(UTC)
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Ian555

Scotland   
Joined: 04/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 20,240
Location: Scotland
Hi all,

Couple of photo's of my R950 and tender.

I've never attempted to clean the Loco, best left as original....

We discussed it 3 years ago on the forum and reckon it's from around 1927. This one was bought new in England.

Was in the same family that I bought it from.

Ian.


..


..

....
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thanks 1 user liked this useful post by Ian555
Offline Webmaster  
#9 Posted : 26 September 2014 21:23:57(UTC)
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Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,161
John, it was a video posted by Ian that I linked to - I don't have such treasures myself... BigGrin
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
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Offline Renato  
#10 Posted : 28 September 2014 17:30:00(UTC)
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Renato

Italy   
Joined: 19/03/2004(UTC)
Posts: 976
Location: Gorizia, Italy
Hi John,

Welcome to the forum from me too.

Cheers

Renato
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Offline steventrain  
#11 Posted : 28 September 2014 17:55:05(UTC)
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steventrain

United Kingdom   
Joined: 21/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 31,606
Location: United Kingdom
Hi and welcome to the forum John.Smile
Large Marklinist 3- Rails Layout with CS2/MS2/Boosters/C-track/favorites Electric class E03/BR103, E18/E118, E94, Crocodiles/Steam BR01, BR03, BR05, BR23, BR44, BR50, Big Boy.
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Offline Webmaster  
#12 Posted : 28 September 2014 20:49:34(UTC)
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Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,161
Steve, are you sure about the paint used? - I myself am under the impression that they used mostly nitro-based paint before the 60's..
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
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Offline John...  
#13 Posted : 28 September 2014 22:47:29(UTC)
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John...

United Kingdom   
Joined: 25/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 5
Location: ENGLAND, CROYDON
Hello all,

Just a final word to say my friend 'Chris' wishes to convey his thanks for all the advice.

He cleared up the confusion over the makes: he has a separate Bing engine. I only saw the Marklin one and misheard him and thought he said it was marked Bing as well.

Anyhow, he will do as you suggest and take a very softly, softly approach using just a toothbrush or similar, and otherwise will let it show its venerable age with distinction! The mechanism still works, which is a big bonus. Unfortunately he has taken them home, so I couldn't get a second look and take pictures. Will definitely post them here if I ever get a second chance.
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