Garden Railway Forum

I bought this of Ebay either a year ago or two years ago (memory goes a bit when you get older )



It's very well made, even has full working valve gear, and there is the problem, the gearbox arrangement does not look too good (green plastic gears) One day I would like to finish it as Blanche in Penrhyn days, but I do not now how to fit an electric motor to it as the rear axle has the eccentrics etc??











As I did'nt build it I'm not sure how to dismantle the rear axle? any ideas?

Blimey that looks well made, have a hunt for grub screws. It looks as if the wheels and valve geared have been soldered onto thier axils. Why do you want to dismantle the rear axil anyway?

I can't see any grub screws although the crank pins screw in, the cranks look to be glued in place. I'm not keen on the plastic gears, the gear on the axle is plastic, the last green gear on the right does not mesh correctly either. It's in my head that a replacement axle with worm and wheel in metal would be better, or do plastic gears last well?

It makes me wonder why someone who made such a nice model decided to make it just electric...

mhlr wrote:It makes me wonder why someone who made such a nice model decided to make it just electric...

Same

Because there is a lot more to steam engines than just cutting some bits of steel.

It's a lovely model Andy, it's going to be a challenge getting that motor sorted, do you have a motor for it yet?

That looks like a cracking project Andy, should be a beauty when it's finished - keep us posted.

It's too difficult to tell from the pic's quite how, but if it went together in the first place, rest assured that with a bit of care and patience it'll come apart.

(voice of experience having first of all persuaded my GVT tram to part with its originally fitted Lima chassis then separating it from the IP budget chassis that I'd fitted to battleship specification!!)

Andy,

If the gears aren't meshing properly to begin with then they will wear out quicker than correctly meshing gears. So best sort that out.

Plastic gears will last well, assuming that they are properly lubricated using plastic tolerant oils or grease. But metal will always last longer than plastic...

looks to me like a DJB build that wouldnt steam so was made electric. have you cheaked the cylinders to see if this may be the case? I could be wrong

Sir haydn wrote:looks to me like a DJB build that wouldnt steam so was made electric. have you cheaked the cylinders to see if this may be the case? I could be wrong

Sadly no it's not DJB, that would have been very lucky for the sixty odd pounds I paid for it

SillyBilly wrote:Because there is a lot more to steam engines than just cutting some bits of steel.

It's a lovely model Andy, it's going to be a challenge getting that motor sorted, do you have a motor for it yet?

there was no motor with it, I remember seeing a combined axle / motor assembly in a 16mm or Garden Rail mag around a year ago which may be useable, just been looking but can't find the right mag!

MTA wrote:Andy,

But metal will always last longer than plastic...

thats what worries me about using whats there now!

Why would someone go to all that trouble with building a loco to such detail then stick an electric motor in it. Thats a piece of model engineering surely its intention was steam with perhaps a osmotor maybe! I would fit a mamod boiler in it pot fire it like Mr Bailey has done at East Mids ! Have you heard of Paul Millington!
I think those gears were meant for something else!!

Martin, the guy who owns Atropos models has found a supplier of small strong motors which im sure have metal gear boxes. Its probly worth giving him a ring and asking. he has used one to motories one of his small corris coaches to make it look like a horse drawn tram car.

The gearing looks very half baked compared to the rest of it, I'm wondering if the loco was bought more- or- less in it's current state and the gearing fitted by a later- possibly less competent- owner.

It was 2 years ago when i bought this (for around £60) I contacted the seller about the construction and this was his reply.....

'Hi Andy, Pleased you are happy with your loco and thanks for the positive feed back. I think I started the loco late seventies or early eighties when I got quite interested in narrow gauge railways. The wheels are turned from cast iron bar, the saddle tank is made from an oil tin and the frames and valve gear etc from steel that was salvaged from some redundant machinery, the rest is fabricated from brass sheet, bar and tube as required. At this point I had my mid life crisis and left off railway modelling for a while and started doing stupid things like cycling all over the place, I'm back on track now (pardon the pun) but now model 7mm BR. so that's the reason for selling the SM 32 stuff.
I'm happy the loco has gone to a good home and hope you have hours of enjoyment from it.
You live in Wales and near Boston Lodge, that's like winning the lottery!
Kind regards and all the best for 2008.
Cliff'

I recall he also had another loco for sale (which I spotted too late to buy which was a Talyllyn or Corris engine (memory fade!) also electric, track powered by a centre stud pick up arrangement

Ahh, fair enough. He's certainly done a nice job of the motion work!

From memory, that gearing looks like it's from a Bachmann "Big Hauler" - anyone positively confirm or dismiss this?