Help fixing chuffing Annie

mitzalplik

I've come across a used cuffing Annie and it's not chuffing so I opened it up and after cleaning it I'm thinking it's missing 2 pieces that rubs the spring coil as the wheel turns. Has anyone opened up one to know what pieces I'm missing? It looks like I'm missing 2 rods with whatever cogs connect with the driving wheel. Any help sending me pictures of the missing parts would be appreciated as I can try to find spare parts to replace

Super

My mind is telling me that I have seen a video about the workings of this Chuffer. I can't remember if it was a YouTuber or a member hear at BPT's. Maybe someone here remembers better than I.

mitzalplik

Thanks for the reply Super. I tried looking but couldn't find any info regarding taking it apart and the insides. I hope to hear from someone about it.

Super

Check out This Thread here at BPT's to see if it helps...Especially the Posts from Member Chrisjo with pictures and a Post where he shows what could be a rare 1982 'Chuffing' Mail Car.

mitzalplik

This is exactly what I needed but didn't find. Thank you very much Super and thank you Chrisjo for the research and photos of the inside. Now I have to curate those same gears and rods if I can. I'll update this thread if I ever do find these things either through purchase, spare parts and/or custom since one of those peices has half there cogs.

It's kinda a mystery to me why I have such a clean Annie with very specific parts missing from itðŸ¤·

The pictures are not as sharp anymore and I'm surmising that the partial gear might be a ten tooth, but the middle gear is hard to make out how many teeth. Chrisjo (or anyone else that knows the insides) could you please, if you remember, let me know any specifics about these gears for someone trying to replace them? Thank you.

chrisjo

I can answer all your questions and improve the pictures. I don’t know why they’ve gone like that. But you’ll need to be a little bit patient because we’re spending Xmas somewhere a bit warmer this year. I’ll be back on the 28th.

mitzalplik

Will do Chrisjo. I wish you and yours well. Super and the rest of the members here who may celebrate it, I wish you a fun Xmas and/or New Year. Thank you Guys for welcoming me to BPT.

Super

Thanks Dr Chris...Cyprus perhaps???

chrisjo

Thanks Dr Chris...Cyprus perhaps???

No……

Super

LOL...Portugal was actually my first guess but when I checked the weather there it didn't look to be that warm so I went with Cyprus instead. Enjoy your Holidays my friend.

DuckGWR

The middle gear is a 24 tooth gear with integrated 2.5mm axle. The outer diameter is about 13mm.

The other two gears are a somewhat odd 9 tooth gear (Tomy used a lot of 8 tooth gears that were similar to this, but 9 is less common) and a partially-toothed cam to only activate the sound intermittently. It has five teeth covering a quarter of the gear - you best bet might be a 16-20 tooth gear that you remove some teeth from. It is a little hard to tell because there aren't teeth the whole way around but it looks like it would be about 8mm in diameter. These sit on a 25mm long 2mm thick axle.

The old mail car Annie is based on uses a grooved metal cam instead of a partial gear as well as a metal axle in the intermediate gear.

The TomyTrains chuffing car has a gear with two opposite quarters that are toothed but it is right on the drive axle. No nice picture of this one, its in storage right now.

Super

Oh wow...I had no idea...... I had no idea that the Annie's chuffer mechanic's were different than the Mail Cars (assumed it was the same) and....I had no idea there was a third chuffer!!! and it was in the vintage Tomy Trains series. Your wealth of experience, knowledge and advice that you are so willing to share is one of the reasons thousands of visitors to BPT's browse our forums on a daily basis. Many thanks for the detailed photos and explanation on the chuffers and all the other knowledge you share with all.

mitzalplik

Thank you so much DuckGWR. As soon as I can I'm going to digest this information and see what I can make of spare parts and what I have to buy to fix this. Thank you for offering additional help if I have a question. I'm going to start on this in a few days as I'm in the middle of other things but I'll keep everyone posted

mitzalplik

Ok so I found a number of listings for these gears but want to other people's opinion on whether they look about right. My only problem seems to be the 24T gear as I can't find one with it's own Axel (be it 2.5mm or not). Just the one listed without. I would have to put a peg in myself which would be very difficult to even cut to size let alone fit through. If anyone has better listings (or even exact listings) for these parts I would appreciate the help.

Here are my links to the gears

24T: https://www.amazon.com/LUANYUN-GG-242-5A-Pinion-Accessory-Diameter/dp/B098N5KQHZ

9T:
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-50Pcs-Plastic-Accessories-Teeth/dp/B07DH7MB3W/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=1PSE9ZIYEPUA&keywords=9+tooth+gear&qid=1703822588&sprefix=9+tooth+gear%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-4

16T:
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-10Pcs-Plastic-Accessories-Teeth/dp/B07DH898DK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=3V3V9BB3E6HQ6&keywords=162a+gear&qid=1703822884&sprefix=162a+gear%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

Super

I can't tell you how many replacement gears I have bought that turned out wrong but nothing compared to member Ripley in his search for replacement for the Western Steamers. I think he has a Thread here on his ventures to find gears and axles for those steamers. Good thing that Amazon takes returns so easily. I noticed that two of your gears are 2.0mm and the other 2.5, that may make a difference.

mitzalplik

Lol that sounds an annoyance I know as well especially since these parts aren't very expensive I wind up eating the costs if they're wrong. (Also, often I don't need 25-50 pcs). Yes 2 they are 2mm because the one shaft as DuckGWR stated is 2mm thick but the 24 tooth which has it's own plastic axle as part of the gear, was measured at 2.5mm but the diameter is still 13 and the guessed diameter for the 16-20 tooth was 8mm. My listing for the 16T is 9 so I thought to try that one. I'm just waiting to see if anyone has better sources before pulling the devil trigger; perhaps even the 12 tooth with the axle built in because that's going to be a pain in my... Rear buffer to create a makeshift axle between it.

Super

If we could only find Ripleys Posts about trying to acquire parts to fix the western steamers I believe he found sources for metal material for the gear shafts.

mitzalplik

Super wrote
If we could only find Ripleys Posts about trying to acquire parts to fix the western steamers I believe he found sources for metal material for the gear shafts.

That would be great if Ripley has any insight that would help me find better parts for this. I have spare shafts from Trackmaster & plarail sets/trains in different lengths. It is just with that 24T gear, i would prefer not to cut a shaft length down to 1mm length, then peg it through (actually I think Its easier to peg it through then cut it idk yet). I realize this seems like a lot compared to just buying a chuffing Annie (if affordable), but it's also much less fun lol.

DuckGWR

My guess is that because Tomy presumably produced their own gears they began to produce "funkier" gears that would cost them less than using individual parts like the metal shaft required for that intermediate gear on the older mail car. That 24 tooth gear looks like it should work as long as you find a 2.5mm axle to put it on that will fit into the molding slots on the chassis. The 9 tooth gear looks like the same type I bought to repair the handful of Plarail related things that used the same gear (some of the later friction-drive Merry Go trains use them on the motor shaft). The 16 tooth gear looks like it should work too.

I usually cannibalize and cut down shafts from junked gearboxes/trains.

I believe this is the thread Super mentioned. I also have some notes about that gearbox here on my site.

mitzalplik

Hi again DuckGWR, thanks for the confirmations and yes I intend to use rods from spare sets I have. There are certain rear train wheel rods that are 2.5mm diameter but if I find myself without that diameter Amazon sells a 2mm size with the same 13mm OD (I should check my rods before deciding which to purchase then). I'll read the link for fun, maybe I'll learn something else. I'll keep posted

Edit: that was some fine sleuthing and a good read. Most notably on the other gears that might come up in my future.

Update: as I get closer to purchase, I'm really having doubts about the partial gear being originally 16-20T. It's hard to tell because even the estimated OD of the partial gear is guessed to be 8mm. With said estimated OD measure, a 142A fits that diameter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07DH7RTJ6/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A1THAZDOWP300U&psc=1).
Do you think my conclusion is correct DuckGWR?