Garden Railway Forum

What an interesting subject Peter, looking forward to see it progress.

Durley wrote: Mon Jan 19, 2026 9:09 pm ... looking forward to see it progress.

And so you shall....
Much more detail added, namely Jockey wheels, external gear selector, bolt heads, rope cleats and drop-down Artillery wheels for road use.
A quick coat of grey primer and ready for top coat.
I know what colour to use but currently out of stock amongst my rattle cans.

A driver figure has been selected and is awaiting some paint, I can be getting on with that soon.

I am very much reminded of the Hendre Ddu Tramway book cover.
Dan Quine being the author..


Phil.P

Wonderful... love the chain drive.
Just remind me how many receivers I ordered from you Phil?

I've made a start...

Peter Butler wrote: Wed Jan 21, 2026 5:10 pm Wonderful... love the chain drive.
Just remind me how many receivers I ordered from you Phil?

I've made a start...

100_1674.JPG

A batch of receivers..... Does this mean there's going to be a flurry of building?

Rik

I thought to adopt the government's 'one in, one out' policy, but with a twist. Having decided to thin out my collection of unused stock items my new personalised policy has become 'one out, two in!'... Not quite what I expected to happen.

During the cold and wet beginning of 2026 my time has been spent at the workbench so currently there is a backlog waiting for receivers. Phil is doing his best to keep up with demand after a busy year of shows, orders and supply issues.

Also, more of the car shaped radios became available so my stock levels are encouraging me to build even more.

Back to the Hendre Ddu..

I looked at trying to recreate this, but I am unable to find suitably small chain for the drive..

It might have to be a fixed chain, with perhaps the axle through to a 'spinner' to give the illusion of movement?

Peter, without checking, I believe it is three, plus the 'ice-cream'? - I will check, and email you..

Phil.P

Phil, is there further detail of the chain drive on that locomotive? Does it drive on both sides or only one?

Phil.P wrote: Fri Jan 23, 2026 4:35 pm but I am unable to find suitably small chain for the drive..

Hi Phil,
This may not be of any help as I don't know how available it is, as I am into antique clocks Fusee clocks have a very small chain (about 2.5mm high approx.) linking the spring barrel to the Fusee. Pic. below. Just a thought.
Grant.

Thank you for that..

A 'dummy' fine chain is not a problem, it is finding a very fine roller-chain.

Fusee chain is also quite expensive. But in the overall scheme of things, I might be able to source a bit of 'scrap' from somewhere.

Another line of enquiry, thank you.

Phil.P

What a great model to be adding to your fleet . It reminds me of the prototype ro rail bus built by Karrier and Cravens for the LMS in the early 1930s.
Re Chain drive would a delrin chain work?
Chris

Phil.P wrote: Sat Jan 24, 2026 11:55 am Fusee chain is also quite expensive.

The average Fusee has quite a long chain and they do break, just wondered if a clock repairer might have some broken pieces. They are very strong as the Fusee spring is pretty powerful.
Grant

Peter Butler wrote: Fri Jan 23, 2026 10:06 pm is there further detail of the chain drive on that locomotive? Does it drive on both sides or only one?

The old truck used to build the contraption is a pre-WW1 Willys-Overland and the transmission was fairly typical of US practice at the time. As built the intermediate shaft was a more or less normal diff bolted to the chassis, with a sprocket and brake drum on each output shaft. The chain drive was from the diff to the wheels and there was a chain on each side. With only a transmission brake, life would get interesting very rapidly if a chain broke.......

Unless there are photos of both sides showing only a single chain on the Hendre Ddu contraption, I'd think it would be likely it retained the two chains to keep the conversion simple. The chain sprockets are still in the same place, all they seem to have done is fit flanged wheels on the axle inside the sprockets instead of outside and replaced the front axle with a modified wagon chassis.

If you want a chain drive that works I'd use the 'Serv-o-Link' plastic chain. It's overscale (approx. 1/8" pitch) and Fusee chain would look better, but I don't think there are matching sprockets available for Fusee chain. The chain and sprockets used by Regner might also be a possibility, assuming they are available as spares.

MotionCo in the UK appear to have stopped selling the plastic chain, but the chain and matching sprockets are still available in the US from Serv-o-Link itself, Micro-Mark, and SDP-SI (all at a price).

Graeme

That's really useful information Graeme, thank you I'm grateful for your time.
I will be building my model 'based on' the Hendre Ddu one so perfect scale chain doesn't overly concern me. I managed to buy the last stock of Delrin chain from a UK supplier and have a few suitable sprockets, so that will suffice.

Peter Butler wrote: Sun Jan 25, 2026 10:18 am That's really useful information Graeme, thank you I'm grateful for your time.
I will be building my model 'based on' the Hendre Ddu one so perfect scale chain doesn't overly concern me. I managed to buy the last stock of Delrin chain from a UK supplier and have a few suitable sprockets, so that will suffice.

Hi Peter,
I saw a post by PDF models yesterday (24th Jan) saying they have now got delrin chain and sprockets in stock. Also, Swift Sixteen are working on an alternative for their powered bogies (which previously utilised delrin) which are due for release imminently. As delrin is a US product, I wonder if the supply issues relate to current trade policies?

Great news Phil, thanks for sharing that.

GTB wrote: Sat Jan 24, 2026 11:28 pm
MotionCo in the UK appear to have stopped selling the plastic chain, but the chain and matching sprockets are still available in the US from Serv-o-Link itself, Micro-Mark, and SDP-SI (all at a price).

MotionCo were "out of stock" about 18 months ago and on looking around now, the other UK stockists are in the same boat i.e Swift16, PDF, etc, so I wonder if they simply re-sold from MotionCo.
I haven't checked but I wonder if the robotics suppliers stock it?

philipy wrote: Sun Jan 25, 2026 11:39 am

GTB wrote: Sat Jan 24, 2026 11:28 pm
MotionCo in the UK appear to have stopped selling the plastic chain, but the chain and matching sprockets are still available in the US from Serv-o-Link itself, Micro-Mark, and SDP-SI (all at a price).

MotionCo were "out of stock" about 18 months ago and on looking around now, the other UK stockists are in the same boat i.e Swift16, PDF, etc, so I wonder if they simply re-sold from MotionCo.
I haven't checked but I wonder if the robotics suppliers stock it?

PDF now have stock of chain and sprockets, as they posted on Facebook yesterday. https://www.pdf-models.co.uk/delrin-chain-sprockets

Thanks Phil, thats good news.

philipy wrote: Sun Jan 25, 2026 11:39 am so I wonder if they simply re-sold from MotionCo.

Probably. I've got a vague memory that Ivan used to get his supplies of chain from MotionCo back in the days when he had it in the IP Engineering catalog.

It would be worth a try to check UK robotics suppliers. Aust. robotic suppliers carry a heavier plastic chain and sprockets around 8mm pitch and Tamiya have a DIY chain kit around that size, but I've not seen the 1/8" size available here.

Graeme