Garden Railway Forum

Posted: **Fri Dec 12, 2025 7:27 pm**

Thanks Rik, interesting logging locos there, even a couple built by Butler Brothers... I get the feeling I've been set-up!
By sheer coincidence when your message came in I was looking at this...

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Spooky!

Posted: **Sat Dec 13, 2025 12:50 am**

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Fri Dec 12, 2025 5:55 pm The colour image of a tractor conversion illustrates my previous comments about gauge conversion perfectly.

Fordson Model F tractors aren't very big, that Natrass railtractor is running on NZ broad gauge, ie. 3'6" and Natrass managed to sell a couple in Aust. that ran on 3' gauge.

The rail tractors built by Olly Smith for Gammon Bros. at Mamaku are probably more in your line.

Check out the third photo down on this web page. http://www.trainweb.org/loggingz/smith.html

One wonders if Olly was a reader of the Dr. Dolittle books when he was a kid.........

Graeme

ps. re the inspection car that started this. This style goes back to the dawn of railways. Search google for 'steam powered inspection car' images. There were VB types, think a De Winton with a sofa at each end.

Posted: **Sat Dec 13, 2025 7:01 am**

I like the Spooky post Peter. Looks like a nice project for the master of scratch building “Locos”

Posted: **Mon Dec 15, 2025 12:25 am**

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Mon May 22, 2017 10:10 pm Thanks to all for your replies, the Drain Train has been one of my current projects and is now nearing completion. In order for it to be a representation of a self sufficient work platform I have built a workmen's carriage combined with a lockable storage unit for their valuable tools (not that they would be stolen in my friendly and honest village) and a cage for holding various sizes of spare pipes and couplings.... just in case!
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A useful train I think.... just needs some 'mucking-up'

The post may be 8 years old, but I only just discovered this thing via your eBay listing! It is VERY similar to the Bala Lake Railway's 'Catoflat', which has a compartment for the workers (with tram-style bench seats but covered with artificial leather), a tool compartment with double swinging doors and a flat area for sleepers or anything larger than the hand tools.

It is a very nice model by the way and I hope it goes to a good home, I may even try and convince one of my friends to purchase it so it can be used in "helping" construct his own line.

Posted: **Mon Dec 15, 2025 11:00 am**

That's such an uncanny resemblance are you sure theirs isn't based on mine?

Posted: **Mon Dec 15, 2025 8:09 pm**

I don't believe so Peter, although I could be wrong! The Catoflat has been around for a long time!

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2025 1:15 am**

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2015 2:46 pm Continuing with the chassis build mentioned above, the reason for the construction was to get a battery powered, steam outline locomotive out on the line.
This is yet another project which I have been sitting on for far too many years.... something like 30 years in fact!
It came about during the exhibition years when a locomotive body shell was made by a good friend and colleague at the time. It just sat on a plinth, static with plastic disc wheels and covered in rust effect powder. It represented a forthcoming restoration project for the fictional preservation railway and was never intended to be completed.
During the installation of the model railway into my shed, certain items had to be removed and this was one! Although not intended to work it was too good to scrap so I set about it with determination and an assortment of tools!
Much alteration was needed to make the body look the part and hold all of the necessary equipment inside the shell. A lot of cutting and reinforcing was required and new access made for the battery pack and receiver to live.
I am happy with the overall impression and here she is just leaving the workshop......

I wanted to fit an on/off switch where it wasn't visible so bought a rotary switch to fit underneath here....

Just needs the receiver to be wired in and off we go...
I think she looks quite happy to be paired up with the 'Lady'

May I ask the dimensions of this loco? Mainly width, height (both rail-to-cab & rail-to-chimney) and length but also the width between the outside frames and the tram skirts?

I'd love a loco like this, as I am obsessed with tram engines.

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2025 2:18 pm**

tommygander1941 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 16, 2025 1:15 am
May I ask the dimensions of this loco? Mainly width, height (both rail-to-cab & rail-to-chimney) and length but also the width between the outside frames and the tram skirts?

I'd love a loco like this, as I am obsessed with tram engines.

The model was originally built to represent a small standard gauge locomotive (not by me so don't ask why) and was static as previously described. I really liked it far too much to junk it so decided to narrow gauge it. Yes, it is a large loco, but looks OK alongside other stock. It is also heavy so has great pulling power. Dimensions are as follows.
Length over buffers... 330mm.
Width... 115mm
Height... 160mm +/- (cab and chimney)

The distance between the frames and skirts can be seen here, it is a GRS chassis with cylinders and cranks removed and new bevel gears installed (engineers look away now!)

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If you're into tram engines, try this one...

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Posted: **Wed Dec 17, 2025 4:49 pm**

Peter’s skills are to be admired by those of us (me) who would never be able to achieve such modelling prowess has Peter as.

Posted: **Sun Dec 21, 2025 1:54 pm**

That is such a sweet little tram. You don't see yellow much, on a loco. It's hard to make yellow engines not come out either garish or starkly weathered, and I think you've nailed it.

Posted: **Thu Jan 01, 2026 11:01 am**

Thanks Aaron, I built the tram in 2017 and it made an appearance in the video which Rik produced and is still available on YouTube. It is a great runner and looks the part but I have been reading the thread on vinyl cut lining (which I have used on other locomotives in the past) and thought I could make the tram a little prettier.
I have a sheet of straight, plain white lines cut about 0.5mm and surrounded the existing panels with them...

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After a spray coat of matt lacquer they are firmly attached and improve the appearance, I think.

Just scroll up for direct comparison.

Posted: **Thu Jan 01, 2026 12:14 pm**

The difference is amazing..
Really lifts the model.

Phil.P

Posted: **Sun Jan 04, 2026 12:53 pm**

Decisions, decisions... whether to play trains today or not...

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Difficult one that!

Posted: **Sun Jan 04, 2026 1:17 pm**

What you need, Peter, is a snow plough .....
Another project?

Rik

Posted: **Sun Jan 04, 2026 1:22 pm**

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 1:17 pm What you need, Peter, is a snow plough .....
Another project?

Rik

Cue Peter producing something exquisite:
"Here's something I built earlier..."

Phil.P

Posted: **Sun Jan 04, 2026 3:58 pm**

My initial thought was to share it with others less fortunate and post some to Grant!

Posted: **Sun Jan 04, 2026 8:53 pm**

I've just noticed, your thread is just coming up to 2M views!
Wow!!

You must have a world following

Rik

Posted: **Mon Jan 05, 2026 12:57 am**

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 3:58 pm and post some to Grant!

Thanks for the thought Peter, doubt I'd even get it out of the box before it melted.
Forecast is for 41deg in Melbourne on Wednesday, luckily we get a bit of sea breeze here so a much cooler 39deg!!!
Grant.

Posted: **Mon Jan 19, 2026 1:30 pm**

A little catching-up is in order I think... firstly, the snow has been gone for some time now and the railway appears to have survived intact. It has been too cold to be outdoors for any length of time, other than walking the dogs, so the workbench called and naturally I answered!
A while back I showed a picture of an early articulated road vehicle...

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Now that would make an interesting model, I thought, so with more recent purchases of Japanese radios in the form of cars I had the basic ingredients to hand...

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The motor is fitted to the rear wheels of the 'tractor unit' allowing it to operate independently of its removable trailer...

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Looking good so far and I'm pleased with progress. More detailing to follow and then a splash of paint.

Posted: **Mon Jan 19, 2026 6:39 pm**

Another great looking project. You have a good eye for interesting potential builds. And the skills to carry them out.

Rik

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