New 16mm Association electric subgroup

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:37 am

Just wondered if anyone else had seen the request for those interested in joining an 'Electric' sub-group of the Association of 16mm NGM towards the back of the most recent Association Bulletin? Looks interesting.

Rik

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 9:16 am

Hadn't noticed that but will go look now.
Barry

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 9:48 am

I had a look and its only for track powered models. Not my cup of tea and id have thought more the realms of the LGB chaps who already are quite well catered for elsewhere.
Barry

Graff B. · Post by **Graff B.** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 10:08 am

If it had been for battery powered, diesel outline locomotives I would have been very interested. Often seen as a loco just to retrieve a dead steamer, to me they are attractive models in their own right.

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 11:22 am

I quite agree. I'm sure there are many that only use/build small battery powered models particularly those who don't have a garden or who like me rent a property short term (ish) and either don't or can't put down a railway outside. I own and have built more battery locos than steam and absolutely love them. Infact although i've owned a number the only engine I have built in the larger gauges is a 5" gauge freelance narrow gauge deisel. And lets not forget that many a small industrial line only had diesel/petrol engines. Perhaps Mr Dominic could consider a battery sub-group.
Barry

Enginehouse · Post by **Enginehouse** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 3:00 pm

Graff B.:114400 wrote:If it had been for battery powered, diesel outline locomotives I would have been very interested. Often seen as a loco just to retrieve a dead steamer, to me they are attractive models in their own right.

We are just about to convert our local 16mm NGM group portable layout to live rail running for those members who run this mode. However the main problem with live rail continually powered up, is associated as ever with non insulated wheels on much of the stock used by the live steam fraternity as supplied by the major manufacturers. Therefore we will probably be looking toward live rail only running slots, which is not exactly convenient to the majority of our members. This household's tracks run live steam as well as live rail and we both run mainly the smaller 32/45 battery powered stock as do many of the local group members. It's hard to see any mileage in a new forum when for example G-Gauge Central etc already provide more than adequate services for those interested.

Enginehouse · Post by **Enginehouse** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 4:28 pm

Further to my previous comment. A member of our Peterborough 16mm group has just set up a brand new forum running on his own servers. It can be found at:-

www.16mmforum.co.uk/index.php

This is a forum which although fully operative is just getting off the ground and where semi private sections for specific 16mm area groups can be set up as required, but where the general section headings required can be requested by members for the various interests current within our hobby.

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:18 pm

sstjc:114404 wrote:Perhaps Mr Dominic could consider a battery sub-group.Barry

(Puts Vice-Chairman's hat on)

I don't quite know how that would work within the current Association setup. Groups are known as Area Groups for a very good reason: they're a mechanism to bring modellers in an area together and they then organise garden railway meetings in that particular area. This would be a national (international?) group which could happily share experiences and experiments on line, but would hardly ever get a chance to meet up, except at shows.

I've already received one request for running rights on Flagg Fluorspar at Peterborough next year (some vintage Brian Clarke models) and if I get more, it could be that we could have a battery line at future shows, or take over the modular layout for a spell - they're always short of runners and it would take an AGE for some battery electrics to do just one lap!

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 6:14 pm

Perhaps i've misunderstood. The notice in The Bullitin looked like it was an announcement of a new official group for track powered models affiliated, like the Area groups, to the association. Is it not ?

I was only suggesting that if track powered could have a group then perhaps battery powered could as well.

Have I missed something ?

Barry

Enginehouse · Post by **Enginehouse** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:16 pm

sstjc:114420 wrote:Perhaps i've misunderstood. The notice in The Bullitin looked like it was an announcement of a new official group for track powered models affiliated, like the Area groups, to the association. Is it not ?

I was only suggesting that if track powered could have a group then perhaps battery powered could as well.

Have I missed something ?

Barry

Having communicated with the originator of the piece in the Bulletin and taking further note of Brian's comment above, even with my interest in electrically powered loco's Both live rail and Battery in both steam and the alternative profiles, I would personally have no interest in this proposed e-mail based group. As there are already many "non 16mm official" excellent content and discussion groups available to those of us who have the time and interest to follow a particular interest, I see no real need for another. This is especially true of course to those of us who run a variety of scales and belong to other similar societies.

andymctractor · Post by **andymctractor** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 12:38 am

Graff B.:114400 wrote:If it had been for battery powered, diesel outline locomotives I would have been very interested. Often seen as a loco just to retrieve a dead steamer, to me they are attractive models in their own right.

I very much agree with this. I treat live steam as a bonus when it is convenient to run it but most of my running sessions are battery powered diesel outline. I've also considered kits or RTR models of battery powered steam outline, as they can be stopped at stations and similar without concern over steam pressure increasing too much and me having to get off my fat a+++e and do something about it. Look at The photo of the week No. 320 on the 16mm Ass website homepage. Perfect stuff.

good luck

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 1:03 am

And thereby lies the problem. Battery powered being seen as 2nd class when in fact for many of us they are a primary interest. I've never understood why it is that those who are interested in battery powered engines particularly the small contractors locos are invariably accepting of all areas of interest but the staunch steam men seem not to be very accepting of battery power. I'd say the 16mm world is more forgiving than most but nevertheless its a situation that seems to hold true for nearly every area of the railway hobby.

Its good to see Brian pushing the battery electric cause and I hope it bares fruit. What a pity the Stomper disappeared. It was ideal to get people dabbling and playing.

Barry

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 8:18 am

I dropped John an email and, despite the impression given in the bulletin, the group is for anyone interested in electric power. I'm exclusively battery power /rc , mainly for reasons of cost and convenience, but also because I prefer the slow running and fine control which is achievable from battery/rc.

I often feel that I am ploughing my own lonely furrow. I assumed membrrship of this sub group would put me in touch with other like minded individuals who want to have not only battery powered diesel outline locos, but also battery powered steam outline. I sometimes feel that in the Association, putting batteries in a steam loco is considered at best eccentric or at worst, sacrilegious.

Rik

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:03 am

Very true Rik and very well put.
Barry

Enginehouse · Post by **Enginehouse** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:10 am

ge_rik:114433 wrote:
I often feel that I am ploughing my own lonely furrow. I assumed membrrship of this sub group would put me in touch with other like minded individuals who want to have not only battery powered diesel outline locos, but also battery powered steam outline. I sometimes feel that in the Association, putting batteries in a steam loco is considered at best eccentric or at worst, sacrilegious.

Rik

Certainly not the case in our local 16mm group, where currently an on going demo is running at every meeting on turning a variety of bog basic kits into models of a real electrically powered locos, and where we number both G and 16mm devotees among our membership. Some of us rarely run our loco's unless at garden meets and are possibly more interested in experimentation and construction. Some of us also enjoy watching other members chasing steam loco's about and struggling to keep them running at any sort of reasonable scale speed 😊

Nothing wrong with any sort of motive power (even clockwork). As to the perception of some members toward electric powered loco's I regard that as a bonus. We do after all not want an association group formed dictating what we can run and whether certain practices are for example considered "safe" etc.

andymctractor · Post by **andymctractor** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:10 pm

ge_rik:114433 wrote:I sometimes feel that in the Association, putting batteries in a steam loco is considered at best eccentric or at worst, sacrilegious. Rik

I know exactly what you mean. However, I will just have to be considered eccentric, sacrilegious or anything in between.

I've been called much worse in the past.

Graff B. · Post by **Graff B.** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:18 pm

I like diesel outline battery locomotives in there own right and feel that battery powered steam outline is still putting diesel locomotives as 2nd best. This is just my opinion, I appreciate that we all have our own favourites. I do run steam but far prefer my battery diesels.

IrishPeter · Post by **IrishPeter** » Tue Nov 24, 2015 7:48 pm

I rather like narrow gauge diesels. In fact, the first NG locomotive I ever saw was a 20hp Ruston that worked the local 2' gauge clay pit line. On my line, a battery diesel appeared this autumn in the form of an O&K MD2 kit from IP Engineering, and it is a lot of fun. It was bought for use as the PW hack, and to shunt tippers at the mine, but it has branched out into hauling the mail train, when there is no mines traffic, though a bogie coach and a van is on the limit of what it can haul up a 4% grade.

Another critter is planned as bottom shunter in due season, and not having to wait for the kettle to boil means I operate the railway a lot more often.

Peter in AZ

Garden Railway Forum

New 16mm Association electric subgroup

New 16mm Association electric subgroup

Who is online