Garden Railway Forum

For many years Iv wanted a hopper.

Basically a metal V hopper on a frame to suspend it above the track so I can fill my hopper wagon with stone/sand.

Is there anything like this already available on the market?

Like the hopper thats appeared in the original thomas series

SLR midge has the famous Thrang End gravel works building that I think was commercially made by one of the G-scale maufacturers like Pola or Piko, but I don't know by whom. It contains a hopper, which can drop small chippings etc into wagons by pulling a chain. However, it looks like a building, not a metal hopper so might not be quite what you are after. Also I've no idea if it is still made. It is great fun though!

Have a lookat this video. I am going to give it a go as I rebuild my layout.
It is from the gn15 site, sent to me by Greg Hunter.
I was thinking of making a loader using a servo to operate a butterfly valve from a small carburettor to drop the load into the wagon.
I found while experimenting that the load must be dropped very close to the ore car becuase the gravel or clean cat litter will tend to bounce out.
Try dropping something into you cars to see what hight is reqiured for minimum spillage or you will spend more time cleaning up than loading cars.

http://www.gn15.info/a-working-wagon-loader-the-movie/

I am hoping to have some working aspects for large scale trains.
There is some great scratch built stuff for HO railways but not much for large size.

Cheers from Andrew
Sandbar & Mudcrab Railway

If you want a hopper, shouldn't you get a frog or two??

I'll get me coat............................

LMAO that tickled me did that.

Since these loader got well bashed about, I reckon a round metal funnel "knocked into shape" wouldn't look too out of place!