Looking for a six-coupled locomotive

IrishPeter · Post by **IrishPeter** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 7:18 pm

The Ross and Cromarty Light Railways needs something with a little more "grunt" than the current occupants of the Loco Shelf. They look OK and will easily pull a couple of carriages and a few freight wagons, but some of my stock is BIG! That leads me to the conclusion that an 0-6-0, 0-6-2 or 2-6-2 is in the offing. Initial thoughts were either a Lawley (but it is being discontinued by Accy) or a Lady Anne, but other thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

Many thanks,
Peter in AZ
(where it is raining with snow threatened)

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 7:27 pm

Well you can't go wrong with a Lady Anne, though I suspect the "bulk" of the Lawley would be more in keeping with your stock?

From your shortlist I take it you're thinking of a generic loco rather than prototypical? If not, how about the forthcoming Joan?

williamfj · Post by **williamfj** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 7:42 pm

Personally if I had the cash I'd go for a Roundhouse Atlantic, but I doubt I'll be getting £1000+ for Christmas!

dougrail · Post by **dougrail** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 8:02 pm

Try a Lawley or even a Wrekin second hand, or brand new and current, go for the Lady Anne.

IrishPeter · Post by **IrishPeter** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 8:54 pm

Visually I like the 'Lawley' which is rather chunkier than the Lady Anne, and has plenty of power by all accounts. But I have a couple of questions about it...

Is the current Accucraft burner design less temperamental? Do the eccentrics creep? I have had some bother with this on the American generic Accucraft locos.

On the other hand I rather like Roundhouse's reliability and pulling power. I have a 'Millie' that is built like a shipyard toilet, and is probably capable of pulling one of the aforementioned structures down. She just looks a bit small hung in front of a couple of bogie opens and a scale 42' carriage.

Of the non-generic locos I would be most likely to go for a R/H Russell as the Hunslet 2-6-2T was a fairly common type, but 'Joan' is another 'identikit' design.

I can see my protracted 'brew' on this particular subject continuing.

Peter in AZ

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 8:59 pm

I can see my protracted 'brew' on this particular subject continuing.

All part of the fun though eh?!

Yep, I think the Roundhouse Atlantic would be a good investment, though I'd still be drawn to the Joan - leave off the cowcatchers and fit the straight stack ans she's straight off the production line as ordered by the R&CLR

Paul H · Post by **Paul H** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:51 am

Peter,
I happen to have a 45mm Roundhouse Argyll for sale in the states if you are interested. Backchannel me if interested.

Paul

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:58 am

I've had an accucraft Lawley for 4 years now, and it's never given me much trouble. The burner can be a bit temperamental when first lit, but settles down relatively quickly.

ferrysteam · Post by **ferrysteam** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:03 pm

The trouble with RoundHouse 0 6 0s is that they are in fact 0 4 0s because the centre drivers are not touching the track.

Lner fan Sam · Post by **Lner fan Sam** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:47 pm

The middle wheels don't touch the track?

I never knew that!

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:44 pm

LGB and even Lionel in the US did that with some of their models.

Sir Clothem Cap · Post by **Sir Clothem Cap** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:20 pm

ut helps them go around curves even some full sized engines are flangless on the centre wheels

dougrail · Post by **dougrail** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 9:23 pm

If the flats touch the track, it helps with traction. I know some 060s are flangeless, means they can take tighter curves but the main tyres should be touched the track.

What would be the point otherwise?

Lner fan Sam · Post by **Lner fan Sam** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:39 pm

engines like the WD 2-10-0's and 9f's have their middle wheels flangless but I never thought that the lady Anne would have a design like that.

Still I think that roundhouse are one of the best. At one of their open day I drove my first live steam engine ( a Katie I think). At the end of my drive the guy that was watching over my told me to ask the guy at the desk to give me a certificate ( however me being 9 I didn't release that wasnt something they did for everyone). However 5 mins later the guy produce a certificate to me and a really nice one to.

One day I will own a roundhouse loco

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:52 am

Yes, some are flangeless and some are "floaters". The flangless drivers were used in the real world, but not the floating wheels.

Peter L · Post by **Peter L** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:23 am

Here in America they call those blind drivers - and they were very common on little locos meant to go around tight corners. A real life example:

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:07 am

It is true that the flangeless wheels on a Roundhouse loco do not actually touch the rail head on perfectly level track, with a gap of about 0.5mm between the wheel and the rail. Obviously this situation changes on track that is not perfectly level.

A Lady Anne I have runs quite happily with six flanged wheels, but my tightest curve radius is 4ft 6in.

DVT Dweller · Post by **DVT Dweller** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:00 pm

TonyW:78540 wrote:It is true that the flangeless wheels on a Roundhouse loco do not actually touch the rail head on perfectly level track, with a gap of about 0.5mm between the wheel and the rail. Obviously this situation changes on track that is not perfectly level.

A Lady Anne I have runs quite happily with six flanged wheels, but my tightest curve radius is 4ft 6in.

I assume (I know Ass you and me....) that the VoR and the Silver Lady centre drivers sit on the track due to the sprung chassis?

Palmerston · Post by **Palmerston** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:49 pm

I assume (I know Ass you and me....) that the VoR and the Silver Lady centre drivers sit on the track due to the sprung chassis?

Yes...

The Accucraft Countess, the old Baguley Drewery and LGB krok have non-touching center wheels.

Stuvon · Post by **Stuvon** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:00 pm

Non touching centre drivers should actually increase tractive effort, as the weight of the engine is shared over only 4 wheels rather then 6 and this will increase the friction

I believe a Ragleth will probably pull more than a Lawley because of this? (might only be one way to test it tho... Tug of War anyone?)

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