Garden Railway Forum

Posted: **Sun Feb 24, 2019 10:56 am**

Some years ago IP Engineering offered Jessie, an all metal 0-4-0- diesel and Jessica, an extended 0-6-0 version of the same loco. These were big beasts, about the size of a Roundhouse Bertie for comparison, and looked fine in a g-scale context. Sadly, these went out of production quite quickly, though a picture of one still lurks on the IP website, in the Lineside Detailing section. As others here discovered, these sturdy beasts had an achilles heel, in the shape of a gearbox that consisted of delicate nylon gears contained in two whitemetal castings that had to be glued together, and then glued to the motor. They were not up to the job. I've had a Jessie with an ailing gearbox for many years, and having a bit of time to spare lately, I finally started casting around for a solution. The first thing I turned up was... a new IP product! IP has now got into 3D printing and they have a heavy duty gearbox/motor unit with meaty brass gears in a 3D printed casing. Before wielding my credit card, I dropped Ivan a line asking if he thought it was compatible with an old Jessie loco, and he replied that it was designed as a drop-in fit. Strangely, this is not specified in the product description, so I thought it might be useful info for any Jessie owner or anyone who comes across one for sale or in bits somewhere. The motor duly arrived and even has the correctly placed hole for the brass rod that locates the motor in the frames, whereas with the original one you had to drill the hole yourself. I've now removed the original rather fiddly manual speed control and fear I shall shortly be walking through the valley of the shadow of radio control and soundcards, so wish me luck!

Posted: **Sun Feb 24, 2019 4:12 pm**

Great find and great explanation.

If you go down the RC route, which I happen to think is the best way then I would recommend t go to RC Trains route (absolutely no affiliation just a very satisfied customer) and use one of their all in one receiver and speed controller units. The are tiny compared to most and you can run up to 12 loco's from one transmitter if you so desire.

Sounds cards seem a bit of a black art, depending on what set up you are going for. I always struggle with mine, but then I use a very complex setup and end up reprogramming the receivers to suit my needs, but at least it's possible and it gives me exactly what I am looking for

Posted: **Sun Feb 24, 2019 4:12 pm**

-steves- wrote: ↑Sun Feb 24, 2019 4:12 pm Great find and great explanation. Mine has a plastic gearbox in it, which as you say, was pretty useless.

If you go down the RC route, which I happen to think is the best way then I would recommend t go to RC Trains route (absolutely no affiliation just a very satisfied customer) and use one of their all in one receiver and speed controller units. The are tiny compared to most and you can run up to 12 loco's from one transmitter if you so desire.

Sounds cards seem a bit of a black art, depending on what set up you are going for. I always struggle with mine, but then I use a very complex setup and end up reprogramming the receivers to suit my needs, but at least it's possible and it gives me exactly what I am looking for

Posted: **Sun Feb 24, 2019 5:41 pm**

Sounds like a good solution. I hope it is robust enough. I got through three gearboxes on my 0-4-0 Jessie before I eventually gave up and bought a USAt motor block. It had extended axles so I could attach the fly cranks, but it had a longer wheelbase and so I had to drill new holes in the chassis sides and make new connecting rods. However, I'm really pleased with the outcome.

No good for 32mm gauge, though, so looks like this is a better alternative.

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Rik

Posted: **Sun Feb 24, 2019 8:39 pm**

Hi-I'm aware of your Jessie,it looks and sounds great. I think the motor block was a great idea, so if this doesn't live up to expectations, I may go that way too. Can I ask if you are behind RC Trains? I wanted to order some stuff but I can't open the website

Posted: **Thu Jul 25, 2019 7:38 am**

DAVID L wrote: ↑Sun Feb 24, 2019 8:39 pm Hi-I'm aware of your Jessie,it looks and sounds great. I think the motor block was a great idea, so if this doesn't live up to expectations, I may go that way too. Can I ask if you are behind RC Trains? I wanted to order some stuff but I can't open the website

Hi,

Try this link.

http://rctrains.co.uk

You could always look up Phil Partridge, who is the new owner, on here.....

Posted: **Thu Jul 25, 2019 10:56 am**

FWLR wrote: ↑Thu Jul 25, 2019 7:38 am
You could always look up Phil Partridge, who is the new owner, on here.....

Phil.P is his moniker - https://gardenrails.org/forum/memberlis ... ile&u=2315

Rik

Posted: **Mon Dec 14, 2020 8:55 pm**

In case anyone hasn't noticed, IP Jessie is back in production, with metal gears and improved coupling rods and the chassis is available separately as a "deluxe chassis"

Posted: **Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:50 pm**

I has been good.. No, Honestly!

So am hoping for one of these in about a weeks time?

Phil.P

Posted: **Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:50 am**

Nice to see a solution for the Jessies' issue available. Looking forward to seeing yours running in due course.

Posted: **Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:16 am**

Does anyone know the size and thread type for the grub screws on the fly cranks? There's one lying on or beside the track after my New Year's Eve midnight run and despite crawling around the entire layout with a magnet, it's not turned up.

Rik

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:01 am**

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:16 am Does anyone know the size and thread type for the grub screws on the fly cranks?

M3 is a common size, but you should be able to work it out by measuring one of the other grub screws on the loco......

First find out what size hex key is needed to loosen the grub screw. If it is 1.5mm that would suggest an M3 grub screw.

Once it is out, measure the OD of the grub screw and if it is 2.9mm then that confirms it is an M3 thread. Note, the metric thread form is truncated, so the OD of a metric thread is slightly smaller than it's nominal size.

If it doesn't use a 1.5mm key and isn't a bit under 3mm OD, then let me know the sizes and we can look it up.

Graeme

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:54 am**

I also suspect it’ll be m3, if you’ve got a spare m3 bolt kicking about might be worth seeing if it fits. Probably got a few m3 grubs knocking around, happy to pop one in the post if it saves ordering a bunch when you only need the one!

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:55 am**

Also suspect M3, but worth checking with a bolt as mentioned.

I have literally hundreds or grub screws in packets as I use them for making loco chassis.

M3 x 2.5
M3 x 3.0
M3 x 4.0

Could also post you a few out if need be, FOC of course.

Steve

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2021 5:26 pm**

Hmmmm ..... I've tried fitting metric screws into the hole. It's too small for M3 but too large for M2. I suspect it might be Imperial. I've lost track of my diddy Allen keys, but when I track them down I'll see what fits.

I've emailed Ivan asking what size and thread they are but not heard back yet.

Rik

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2021 6:24 pm**

Could be 3/32 (2.2381mm) or 7/64 I guess (2.778)? I don't have any of those to offer I am afraid

Posted: **Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:00 am**

ge_rik wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 5:26 pm Hmmmm ..... I've tried fitting metric screws into the hole. It's too small for M3 but too large for M2. I suspect it might be Imperial. I've lost track of my diddy Allen keys, but when I track them down I'll see what fits.

Welcome to the wonderful world of thread 'standards'..........

It might be quicker to wait for Ivan to reply, so let us know what he says.

With an OD between 2mm and 3mm, the easily available candidates in the UK, would be either 6BA, or maybe M2.5.

If you have a 6BA screw available try it and if it fits then 6BA grub screws are still available. I usually get mine from the local ME suppliers, but have also bought them from BA Bolts in the UK and I think EKP Supplies would have them.

If you want to play around and measure things while waiting for Ivan, 6BA uses a 0.050” key and M2.5 uses a 1.27mm key. The same size key actually, if you do the calculation. If you manage to remove one to measure, a 6BA grub screw will have an OD of 2.8mm and M2.5 will have an OD of 2.4mm.

I keep some M2.5 grub screws, but they are fiddly to use and I only keep them as spares for a couple of locos that use them. They are even harder to find on the workshop floor than a 10BA nut.........

Less likely candidates would be the US threads, #3-48UNC or #3-56UNF, which have an OD of approx. 2.5mm. Presumably available in the US, but as rare as rocking horse manure here in Oz, and also the UK I should think.

Small 'imperial' fasteners below 1/8” BSW and 3/16” BSF have been obsolete since Adam was in short pants, with BA sizes being the recommended alternatives.

Just to make life interesting, a 6BA screw will fit into an M3 threaded hole, but an M3 screw won't fit into a 6BA hole, which is why I think you might be looking at a 6BA grub screw in this case. Maybe.........

Regards,
Graeme

Posted: **Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:24 am**

Thanks Graeme
I'll await Ivan's response in the first instance, but if nothing is forthcoming, I'll have a go at figuring it out using your guidance. My problem is that I have a container full of miscellaneous nuts, bolts, washers and screws and have no idea what they are. Whenever I need one, I dip into it, find a bolt of about the right dimensions and then fish around trying various nuts until one fits (a Cinderella moment!).

The metric ones are easy, they are the silver ones - the brass ones are Bassetts Allsorts. I'm afraid I'm not very systematic when it comes to keeping tabs on my fixings collection.

Rk

Posted: **Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:08 am**

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:24 am My problem is that I have a container full of miscellaneous nuts, bolts, washers and screws and have no idea what they are. Whenever I need one, I dip into it, find a bolt of about the right dimensions and then fish around trying various nuts until one fits (a Cinderella moment!).

I have one of those as well, well actually I have two. A small one with all sorts of small modelling size nuts, bolts and screws and also a 2 litre ice cream tub with larger, mostly BA brass but also steel Whitworth and other odd threads, plus washers, bits of stud and strange things that I can't imagine what they were for. I inherited it from my dad who worked for the MOD and was a bit of a kleptomaniac!( I do know that some bits originated in German V2 rockets which he worked on after WW2!)

Posted: **Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:44 pm**

philipy wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:08 am I have one of those as well, well actually I have two. A small one with all sorts of small modelling size nuts, bolts and screws and also a 2 litre ice cream tub with larger, mostly BA brass but also steel Whitworth and other odd threads, plus washers, bits of stud and strange things that I can't imagine what they were for. I inherited it from my dad who worked for the MOD and was a bit of a kleptomaniac!( I do know that some bits originated in German V2 rockets which he worked on after WW2!)

I've still got a box inherited from my dad with all manner of rust and grease encrusted nuts and bolts. I have no idea where they originated but some of them must go back to when he worked at Stansted aerodrome or when he used to repair mowers for Atco.

Rik

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