Garden Railway Forum

Hello all, newbie here, no doubt asking stupid questions with first post...but hey, we all have to start somewhere don't we!

After starting in OO9 about ten years ago and not really getting on with it, I'm slowly working my way up through the scales/gauges.

At a recent show I spotted a load of O gauges track off cuts and some O gauge wagon wheels. Thinking that I'd build an standard gauge feeder line for my O16.5 I bought them.

But have been tempted by the larger scales and also by the extra space that an external railway would offer (SWMBO has started to complain that my box file layout takes up too much space!).

I tried building a wagon just to get he hang of a larger scale (around 15mm:ft) and quite enjoyed it - just used the wheels and scratch built the rest from wood and tin etc.

So, now to the question (at last I hear you say)! I need a loco but the budget is very limited (apparently there's a recession on). After a bit of research I've come up with two options for the chassis and its workings:

1/ The I P Engineering Budget Electric chassis (http://www.ipengineering.co.uk/page57.html), with an extra switch thrown in for reversing , and a scratch built body on top of it. Approx £25 + body materials.

2/ Cambrian Models 'Loco Chassis' (in 4 wheel 1/8th axle config), Metal Gears (1/8th axle fitting), motor, battery box plus IPE 1/8th axle and wheels, switches from spares box and a scratch built body on top of it. Approx £20 + body materials.


The second chassis option is slightly cheaper and has the advantage of being able to select the motor, gear ratio and wheel size of my choice, but does need building rather than coming more or less RTR like the IPE. But then again, if assembling the Cambrian chassis isn't too complex then I think that I'd enjoy it and get more out of it than using a RTR chassis.

So I'd be very grateful for any comments and advice on my two options, or any alternatives that I might consider?

Thanks for reading this far...but not finished yet!

If I went for the Cambrian option, which of their motors should I use, which ratio gearset and what sized wheels? Yes, i know that the answer to the latter is "depends on how fast you want the train to go, how much weight you want to pull and the gradients"! Well, I like slowish shunting, trains will probably be no longer than four or five wagons and it's going to be as flat as I can get it.

Really have finished this time...thanks in advance for any help offered!

Have a look at the Andel chassis i've been very impressed with it for the price (brass gears and very well made) http://andelmodels.co.uk/product_info.p ... cts_id=135
Also have a look at this thread http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/about6125.html and drop busted bricks a line. He is developing a battery engine and a little bird tells me the chassis will be available as a seperate item at a good price although I don't know when it is expected to appear... None of this is to knock the IP or Cambrian offerings which are very good but I would urge you to add a 4 wheel drive kit to any chassis that doesn't have it already (only the andel comes with 4WD as standard) because it will transform the performance considerably.

Barry

It's a bit more costly, a mere £75, but I have found the Essel Engineering chassis (005) to be brilliant. It's all metal, built like a tank with a 24v motor!

I have heard a number of bad reports on the IP Budget chassis..........

http://www.motionco.co.uk/ do chain and sprockets for 4 wheel drive, more reasonably priced than some suppliers and have always given me a good service.

I used an IP chassis for my Battery RC loco "Marmite".
The IP chassis is slow... very slow... I had a few problems with mine as the wheels wouldn't roll freely to begin with so a bit of tweaking was required on the chassis and you have to be very careful when putting the wheels on to get the back to backs correct or you'll have a loco that bounces over points like mine does...

Having built up an IP Chassis I'd say if you want slow running then this is a good chassis but it isn't very heavy or powerful on 2 wheel drive so definitely get the 4 wheel drive pack for it or just do what I did and glue a fishing weight to it but even then it struggles to pull much.

I got an IP Feanor kit (which I think is built on their budget chassis) and I've have no problem with it pulling three coaches around. I did opt for the four wheen driven kit which is worth it as it's not much more.

As laurence703 says it is slow, but on a level track it's not too bad.

I've got a video of it pulling the coaches on the camera somewhere, I'll try and upload it to give you an idea of speed.

Thanks for all of the input. Am now tempted by the AnDel chassis as it seems the same price as the IPE(plus 4wd kit) but with metal gears - anyone any idea how fast the AnDel chassis goes (what the gearing is)?

I believe the Andel chassis is geared at 30:1. On 2 AA batteries,it's not quick, but I've fitted mine with the Andel speed controller. It's a good value,well built chassis in my opinion.

I use it without a speed controler and the speed is not fast but it trundles arounded at a very satifying and suitable speed for a small diesel engine. I don't think you will be disapointed with it. I recommend them for use with my body kits simply because it is a very good product at a good price.
(I have no connection with Andel by the way other than as a very satisfied customer)

I have no connection with Andel by the way other than as a very satisfied customer

Like wise.

Well, my order to AnDel is in the system. Was going to wait until my birthday (as SWMBO never knows what to get me) but having just done a job interview yesterday for what could have been my dream job, and just been told that I came second , I was in need of some retail therapy.

Looking forward to the arrival of my chassis - just hope that the weather holds so that I can put a test track down outside and have some fun.....probably the wrong time of year to be starting a garden railway I guess....but with the weather that we've had this year there probably hasn't been much of a right time!

.....probably the wrong time of year to be starting a garden railway I guess....

Actually, I'd say that we're just approaching the right time - everything in the garden will soon be going into its winter state, and it's not too cold or wet for major civil engineering

I have a dim recollection of starting my line in November - which 5400' up in the mountains of Arizona is about the same temperature-wise as October in England, but with more sunshine.  My major track laying binges have tended to be spring and autumn as the rain tends to settle the earthworks down nicely whereas trying to lay track in the monsoon tends to lead to things getting washed away, whilst January and February - our real winter months even though we have had snow as late as May 22nd - are useless due to moisture and the chance frostheave!

Peter in AZ