Adding realistic tyre tracks to muddy terrain in your scale model can enhance the scene’s authenticity and tell a...
Valid to UK only - excludes oversized items
Adding realistic tyre tracks to muddy terrain in your scale model can enhance the scene’s authenticity and tell a...
When modelling fog in a railway scene, you’ll want to create a convincing sense of mist rolling over the tracks,...
Keeping your model trains running smoothly requires regular maintenance, and lubrication is a key part of that....
Waterslide transfers are a key component of scale modelling, allowing you to add intricate markings, insignias and...
The Firefly Class was a series of broad-gauge steam locomotives built for the Great Western Railway (GWR) between...
A pinion gear (often called a pinion cog) is a small metal cog that can be found fitted to the shaft of a model's motor.
Not all model railway locomotives have a pinion cog with many featuring a long worm screw instead, but whichever is used, their purpose is to connect the rotating movement of a motor's shaft to a series of gears to provide movement to the wheels.
Pinion cogs were commonplace in the motors of model railway locomotives of the '70s and '80s (particularly Hornby and Lima models). They were initially made from alloy but later from brass, this was due to alloy versions being prone to failure.
Pinion cogs are press-fitted to the motor shaft, so replacing them requires a special tool called a Pinion Removal Tool. When a pinion cog is about to fail, a loud screeching noise can often be heard coming from the motor. A pinion cog that has already failed will result in the motor revving freely while the model remains stationary.
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