CNC (Computer Numerical Control) is a manufacturing process that uses computer-controlled machines to cut, engrave or...
Valid to UK only - excludes oversized items
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) is a manufacturing process that uses computer-controlled machines to cut, engrave or...
T-Gauge is the smallest commercially available model railway gauge in the world, with a track width of just 3 mm....
Locomotion No.1 was the first steam locomotive to haul a passenger train on a public railway. Built in 1825 by George...
A traction engine is a self-propelled steam-powered vehicle designed to move heavy loads, plough fields or provide...
You should use rail-built buffer stops instead of sleeper-built ones in situations where greater stopping power and...
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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