The spectrum Decapods

[GN.2-6-8-0]

BumpityBump!

[Isambard]

Dear Isambard,
By all means give service a call. They will be able to give you an ETA, and let you know if the issue is awaiting parts from China, which is likely in this case...
Thanks!
the Bach-man

I received a replacement "Russian" last week that had short circuiting due to contact between the phosphor bronze strips and the driver axles.
After removing oil from the bronze strips, I used a flat toothpick to work CA under the bowed section of each bronze strip and applying pressure from the centre outwards to the end of the strip using another toothpick, bonded the strip to the plastic bottom plate. This divided each "bow wave" in half and moved the halves to the ends with only slight distortion of the end wiper positions.

Since there was now adequate clearance between the strips and the raised edges of the bottom plate I decided that insulating strips were not necessary, although I did CA a small tab of camera film over the solder blobs where the wires are attached to the strips, to ensure no contact with the rear axle.

After buttoning up the loco, using a multimeter I verified that there was no longer any short circuit between the left and right hand sets of drivers before applying track power and putting this latest acquisition into Grizzly Northern service.