Garden Railway Forum

Just taken delivery of a Little John electric loco with RC. Only run it on some test track so far. Very impressed with its power and slow running capability, I know some say that the run too fast, maybe they are a little ham fisted with the controls. I planned initially weathering the little loco but cant bring myself to do it. I have laser cut and engraved 2mm acrylic name plates and number plates. These were painted with brass aerosol and relief picked out with brushed black acrylic. The plates are stuck on with double sided tape. Next job I plan making some floor boards for the cab and maybe make some spectacle glasses. Possibly also paint inside of the cab cream??? I will pick out detail in the grill with matt black and also paint the hand rails a different colour.

I will post more once I get it running on a longer track.

Hi.
That's a lovely little loco you have there and your plans for it sound great too. I bought an RH Bulldog last year and if you look back through my posts, you will see that I too was very reluctant to weather the lovely paintwork! I did go for it in the end (with a little encouragement from my forum mates) and I am glad I did. All my diesels and one of my steam locos are currently weathered.

I am now into scratchbulding and almost sold the Bulldog but in the end decided to hang on to it...as with all RH products, they are really well built....if perhaps, a little too fast at top speed!

I hope you enjoy your new loco.

My Bulldog: (just got to get rid of those screw heads on the cranks!)

Hi James,

What boltd did you buy to replace the CSK screws used for the cranks? Doesn't the conrod rub against a raised hex bolt?

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2017 5:24 pm What boltd did you buy to replace the CSK screws used for the cranks? Doesn't the conrod rub against a raised hex bolt?

I use 4BA countersunk socket cap screws on all my outside framed Roundhouse locos. The shortest I can get are 3/8" long, so the threaded part needs to be shortened by a couple of mm, or the screw will bottom out and leave the crank loose.

I get mine from BA-Bolts, but there will be other suppliers in the UK model engineering trade.

http://www.ba-bolts.co.uk/otherbolts.html

The hex key used for these screws is only 1/16" across flats, so the socket looks like the centre hole in a prototype axle from any distance. The attached pic shows them fitted to my RH #24.

Regards,
Graeme

The hex bolts look nice, the problem with them is that if you need to get them replaced, you easily slip the key in the hole, making it round. The smaller the easier this happens. At my work we often replace hex bolts and screws with torx heads, since they don't give way so easy when undoing.
You could also fill the slot in the original bolts with laquer and paint them, then it will look like a normal axle. When you need to undo the cranks, simply scrape the laquer out of the slots.

Thanks Graeme for the post. Those CSK screws are something I have always wanted to change on my locos.

Ran Eryri for a short while on the 9 metres of track that is the Swansea Vale Light Railway (SVLR) Big job this summer will laying more track now I have figured out where to go. The Little John ran real well pushing its way through some overgrown vegatation which I have now trimmed. Very impressed with this loco which is Number 4 in my little collection. Next job will be to mod the controller so that I can set the speed then leave it.

Hi,
One crude but quick way of setting speed before you modify the controller is to move the tyre on controller so that it is pushing against controller body. So wherever you set speed control wheel it stays put. Crude but effective.

Regards Alan.

Thanks Alan, will try that. My other option was to use a stick controler on the ratchet,

Nice loco. If you set your speed then turn the transmitter off does it not keep going like other Roundhouse diesels ?

Nice little engine! Gives me an idea of what to built on some chassis I got from fleabay.

A propos transmitter: Normally the neutral position is achieved by one or two springs pulling the lever or wheel back when you let it go. You could simply unhook these I guess?

DLRdan wrote: ↑Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:16 pm Nice loco. If you set your speed then turn the transmitter off does it not keep going like other Roundhouse diesels ?

Oooo - didn't know that - one to test at the weekend!

Hi,
In the manual for Little John, it says that there are 2 O rings supplied, which can be fitted behind transmitter wheel, holding it in set position as well. I don't think the transmitter can be switched off as in some other Roundhouse locos. Sold my Little John as I have been reducing my fleet, seeing your one I feel a tinge of regret!

Regards Alan.

Hi - due to my Millie being out of action my Little John has got some more use that normal this weekend - and yes, both the ideas mentioned work

a) push the tyre down on the wheel and it rubs against the background allowing you to turn then let go - the only challenge is remembering which way is which which can can cause some acceleration when you are wanting to brake!

b) switching off the transmitter after you have set a speed indeed allows the loco to carry on at the same speed without any input

Not tried the two o ring approach yet