Classic UK Minitrix Models  -  Class 47
Lift the Body
Ignore the photo.  You can't tell from the orientation of the plastic body which end is the front - it fits either way round.  You need to look more carefully underneath to establish which way round the engine faces.  Not that it matters aesthetically, but it makes a difference electrically - otherwise when all of your other locos are running clockwise around the track, this one will run anti-clockwise.

The purists will chime in here and say that the ventilation fan grills in the roof should be at the back.  That may well be the case, (I don't know, I only read it on a web site) but that piece of info relies on the previous home mechanic knowing this when the body was replaced.  Clearly, I didn't know this when the photo was taken !

I've printed and labelled a sheet of paper so that you can tell on the photos which part of the loco I am working on.  At this point though, I haven't got enough information to be able to tell.

I bought this loco second hand, in pretty good condition.  No screws to hold the top on, so I slid my thumbnail between the chassis and the bottom side of the body, to feel for any plastic tags. Nothing.  I had to ease the body away from the chassis at the front of the loco.  I couldn't see what was holding it, but later I spotted these two nicks at the base of the plastic sides.  It appears as though the lugs that I had been searching for had been broken off, and the body was attached by tiny spots of glue at the front and rear.  The top no longer stays attached.  Note how the dmagaed platic marries up with the small recesses in the metal body.  The same thing exists on the other side.

Gently ease away the side and lift it past the recess to remove the body.  Clearly, as the previous owner has shown, they break off if you are not careful.

The easiest way to remove the body is to let gravity help you. Put the loco on its wheels on something soft on the desk. Use both hands, and slide two or three finger nails under the body side and work your nails into the small gap between the body and the chassis. The location tags are just either side of the battery box. If you are doing this right, your thumbs will naturally rest on the roof. Pry the body outward slightly - a mm is about right, and lift the loco off the desk. The chassis will drop down onto the desk, leaving you holding the body.

Here, with the top removed, we get the first indication of which is front and back.  There are two screws which hold the long circuit board in place.  One is at the very front of the loco (left hand side of photo), one is just to the right of the central metal bar.  The position of the screw at the very front is a good indication.  Undo the screws and lift off the circuit board carefully - note the 3 copper contact tabs, and the green wire which needs to remain intact.  The tab can be seen at the rear end of the loco on this photo.  Note also that there is a bulb behind the copper tab at each end.  Once the circuit board is removed, these are free to fall out.....
Removing the screw at the front of the loco.  Note that the copper tab that retains the light bulb cannot be seen on this photo - it is around the other side, roughly behind the screwdriver blade.
Make sure that you catch both of the bulbs.  The photo shows the bulb at the front of the loco, viewed from the other side.  How do I know it is the front ?  I can see the small threaded hole for the circuit board screw.
Lift off the two weights.  They are identical, and although heavy, they are flimsy where the two sides are joined.  Put them out of the way where they can't be knocked, dropped or bashed.

Note the circuit board is still attached with its green wire, and in this photo, the bulbs have not yet been removed - we can see the rear one.  We can also see the motor with the silver brush caps towards the front of the loco.

 

Maintaining Classic UK Minitrix Locos
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