What to do with a couple of chassis

[-steves-]

Well I had a couple of old chassis laying around and was wondering on what to do with them.



They did not originally have the second screw poking out the top, this was to restrict movement on the brass chassis coming later.



It dawned on me that I could make a little (or not so little) 0-4-0 0-4-0 out of them. I had various thoughts on what to do and settled on not copying anything as that would be too obvious, so I sat down and sketched the plans up for something.

I had some brass which I could use to join the chassis and see what I had.



So a couple of screws and a bit of milling and a bit of measuring and drawing I had this.

[-steves-]

I then needed something to power this beast of a loco with, so I opted for the Deltang RX65b with a daughter board so it can handle up to 18v at 6A, more than enough. I soldered the wires on and allowed for some forward / reverse lighting options too.





To power this I thought it best to go for 4 Li-Lo 18650 batteries, so fully charged at a voltage of 16.8v, only a temp battery set up for now as it will all be wired in to fit in the end, this was just for testing on the track, which worked perfectly.

[-steves-]

Next on to the body, which is where I am at and will be at for a few weeks now so the updates will be few and far between I am afraid. Already the work so far has been over a number of weeks and the plan to do this has been in the process for over a year, lol.

[-steves-]

So a bit more on the body, it's looking huge! Obviously this is all rough cut, not sanded down and all will be tidied up as I go along in the build.









And once they are put together in rough, you end up with something looking like this.

[Big Jim]

That looks rather good. I have been after a pair of outside cranked chassis, with a horizontal motor for a while. Who made them?

[-steves-]

That looks rather good. I have been after a pair of outside cranked chassis, with a horizontal motor for a while. Who made them?

I believe that they are GRS chassis, but someone had cut the side chassis frames down and redrilled them so that they are only just long enough to take the wheels inside. A top plate was made by someone else, but one was 3mm plastic and the other was 1mm steel, so I ditched the plastic one and made another 1mm steel one to suit.

I think this is the link to what they originally were when they started life.

https://www.grsuk.com/shop/0-4-0-GRS-Di ... -T-R-M2491

[SimonWood]

Very much like the look of this!

[Peter Butler]

Having two identical chassis is a great opportunity to build a loco. This should have serious pulling power when completed.

[philipy]

That looks rather good. I have been after a pair of outside cranked chassis, with a horizontal motor for a while. Who made them?

I believe that they are GRS chassis, but someone had cut the side chassis frames down and redrilled them so that they are only just long enough to take the wheels inside. A top plate was made by someone else, but one was 3mm plastic and the other was 1mm steel, so I ditched the plastic one and made another 1mm steel one to suit.

I think this is the link to what they originally were when they started life.

https://www.grsuk.com/shop/0-4-0-GRS-Di ... -T-R-M2491

I agree that that is what they started life as. I used one in 32mm as the chassis for my "Octavius" but in my case I had to extend the frames slightly rather than shortening them!
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... s&start=15

I've been very pleased with the way it runs and two under one body should have no probs with anything you hang on it.

[IanC]

An interesting project. I need a diesel for my fleet so I shall be following for ideas.

[-steves-]

An interesting project. I need a diesel for my fleet so I shall be following for ideas.

The idea behind this one is just to have something different that no one else has and something that will bring back steam engines when they die on the track. I have made the joiner in thick brass and the tanks under the cab are going to be solid steel. Although the body is plasticard, when finished this loco should be more than heavy enough to drag any loco and it's load back home. I will add weight where ever I can once I know how much room I have.

This is a couple of previous diesels that scratch built from plasticard, the chassis my dad made up. The roof is not down properly on my burgundy one.

[IanC]

I like the idea of designing your own body work. I run generic Roundhouse and Accucraft locos, so a freelance diesel would be perfectly at home on my railway . The two plasticard diesels are great looking models. You've given me food for thought.

[daan]

Your batterypack is a good idea! It has a lot of juice and I could use some of them too. Didn't know these kind of batteries excisted, guess I'm living under a stone
Nice diesel loco too, keep up the good work!

[ge_rik]

Looking good so far, Steve.
I've always fancied making one of the Walker diesels which ran on the West Clare. Not sure I can justify running it though as they were from the 1950s and my railway is set in the 1930s.

Rik

[-steves-]

I like the idea of designing your own body work. I run generic Roundhouse and Accucraft locos, so a freelance diesel would be perfectly at home on my railway . The two plasticard diesels are great looking models. You've given me food for thought.

It's really easy to design your own, just measure something you have to give you an idea of the scale you want, then just start drawing, erasing, drawing etc until you have something that you think might do. Build it, modify it, add some detail and away you go, very satisfying.

[-steves-]

Your batterypack is a good idea! It has a lot of juice and I could use some of them too. Didn't know these kind of batteries excisted, guess I'm living under a stone
Nice diesel loco too, keep up the good work!

Thank you.

The batteries come in all different shapes and sizes, but lithium ion are the way to go, the batteries in this are what many people use for those electronic cigarette things. They are 4.2v when fully charged so a really good source for a 16.8v which works great on the 12v to 24v como drill motors and give a lot of power.

[-steves-]

Well a bit more work done today on the details, some rounded corners, some strips around the window and between the cab and engine covers, windows all cut out and clear perspex cut ready to be glued in after painting.

Started on the electrics today while the glue dries overnight. Must admit I have having some issues with the directional lights, but hopefully that will get fixed one way or another, might end up posting it on here for help, lol.

Any way, more pictures.

[-steves-]

Next jobs are to decide what colour to do it? Any thoughts on this are welcome

The lots of work on the chassis. I would like to make some heavy weight tanks for underneath the cab, these are likely to be solid steel as it will add weight. The make a step for the cab, add buffer beams, spray the chassis and running gear.

After that who knows, maybe add some details like exhausts, air filters etc, see what I can know up on the lathe to suit.

[-steves-]

Well, got a bit more done on it now, just a bit more cab detailing (now painted but not seen in pictures) and the handles for the doors and inspection hatches to go on.

Black it is then as I had more of that than any other colour. Think it's going to be call Goliath considering how much it weighs and how big it is, I sure don't think it's going to have any bother shoving a steam loco back home.

[-steves-]

And more