Today an ÖBB class 52 arrived, an eBay purchase from a favourite dealer who, alas, is giving up the business after 20 years citing the difficulties associated with Brexit.
The loco is a 3 pole armature one from around 1998 but seems little used if at all, it performs remarkably well and doesn’t trip the Rokuhan controller even on full voltage. It negotiates my 145mm radius figure of eight test track with no problems. A good addition to my roster.
ChrisG

Hello everyone, hope all is well.

I know I have purchased, perhaps several of my Railbus sets from Gardener Jane and was never disappointed. Sad to lose a reliable, professional seller. I didn’t make many purchases because shipping to here is very expensive.

This might be slightly off of what this post became, but . . .

You might recall a while back I mentioned how rare it might be to find a 1972 release model with the one year only package design. As you know four individual locomotives were announced in 1972. Two were steam locomotives (BR 89 and 003) and two diesel models (V260 and BR 216). I decided I needed a first year Marklin mini club BR 216 and began watching. I even purchase what I thought was a first year model but when I received it it did not have the first year box design, the correct couplers, and shell of the first year models. I returned this one. I think they were using stock descriptions and photos.

I found this one on EBay. It had the correct couplers, locomotive shell without rivets, and the correct box. Inside I noticed the wheel scraper are not made of copper. The coupler springs are usually long and with a quick cleanup it works as good as could be expected on a item 50 years old. It is surprising how much of the basics designs are still in place today.



So, they are still out there and if you watch, you too might find one for your collection. There is something special about having a model which has been around for 50 years, and this one is a great puller!

Take good care

Dwight