# Where to buy Hornby OO loco air pipes, etc.



## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Hi- I have a fleet of old hornby trains, they need the small fittings like the air pipes and engine men.

I know they come with the new trains. Where can I buy these (what do you call those bent pipes?) on line? 

Kiong


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

*Where to buy this contraption (see picture) for OO hornby loco*

Hi,

I own several pre-owned Hornby trains. Where can I buy this contraption (see picture)

My locos do not have that item, mostly missing. I know brand new Hornby comes with these in a small plastic bag with the engine drivers.










Kiong


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

If it helps I would guess it is a manual uncoupler. A handle that opens the coupler. Perhaps they come with a new coupler. A better picture is needed.

I hope you understand that you are the Hornby expert.


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks finally got the name of the manual uncoupler. Now it make sense, US trains have a long handle bar above the kunckle coupler for manual coupler which controls the open and close of the knuckle.

I am no hornby expert, just learning about british trains too

Kiong


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

If I ever travel to the Isles I will take some pictures of the prototypes. I will keep that in mind.

For more information our website is associated with toypedia Search for hornby there.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I konw zilch about Hornby, but in looking at the photo, I'm wonderng if you can fabricate the thingy out of stiff (stainless, etc.) wire?

TJ


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Yes possible. There is ribbed pattern on it that's hard to replicate


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

musicwerks said:


> Yes possible. There is ribbed pattern on it that's hard to replicate


Guitar string...cut to length, bent---already ribbed...:thumbsup:


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

I got a few hornby and Jouef trains my self LOL, I think IIRC that is the manual decouple handle....


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## rgmichel (May 25, 2012)

The "contraption" is only vaguely related to coupling. It is actually a vacuum pipe that carried the vacuum for brakes throughout the train. I don't think this ever became widely used in the US, but only became obsolete in the UK by the 1970s. If you wind some VERY thin wire around a slightly thicker wire (about 1mm or less) you can make a reasonable facsimile. However, parts suppliers in the UK likely have oodles of these things. Try peterspares, or even Hornby or Bachmann Europe.


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## rgmichel (May 25, 2012)

They are vacuum pipes for vacuum braking. Not used in the US, but obsoleted in the UK after about 1970.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Interesting description. Thanks.



rgmichel said:


> If you wind some VERY thin wire around a slightly thicker wire (about 1mm or less) you can make a reasonable facsimile.


Good idea, but I still like Shay's "ribbed" piano wire idea ... easy.

TJ


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Kiong,

I merged your two near-identical threads/questions into one thread.

TJ


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## rgmichel (May 25, 2012)

tjcruiser said:


> Interesting description. Thanks.
> 
> Good idea, but I still like Shay's "ribbed" piano wire idea ... easy.
> 
> TJ


Yes, this is convenient, but my memory of piano wire is that it would not look quite right. The wire is wrapped a bit too loosely, and is a bit thicker than the ribs you are trying to reproduce on a British locomotive vacuum pipe. It actually quite easy to wrap very thin wire around a thicker wire, just by a little judicious twirling. There is a good picture at http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/7029_Clun_Castle_Tyseley_(1).jpg and this is a high res image so you can see the detail of the vacuum pipe.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Excellent pic, RG!

TJ


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## rgmichel (May 25, 2012)

Its been on my desktop since I bought the Hornby Clun Castle with DCC and sound. Nice loco!


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

*Thanks man*



tjcruiser said:


> Kiong,
> 
> I merged your two near-identical threads/questions into one thread.
> 
> TJ


Great thanks!


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## D1566 (Jun 8, 2012)

As someone mentioned earlier 'Peters Spares' are a great source of such parts, they advertise regularly on ebay.


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