Dabbling in a larger (for me) scale

Solvent free UHU is available .

Thanks Reg, I'll have to get some  :thumbs

At the moment I'm trying to resist the urge to paint it yellow………………….. duuno why  


Ed

I resisted, it's burnt umber.





Ed

It has been mentioned several times that the Hornby "Smoky Joe chassis" has wheels that are too large for the narrow gauge engines that they purport to be?
So what size wheels should they be, and where to get them.

My "knottworthy Magna" layout has several of the "Smallbrook loco's" all on "Smoky Joe" chassis, with Radio control and 3.7v Lipo batteries powering them, and I find them very controllable, with smaller wheels they would be even slower, but I might have a go to see what the results are like?

Thanks for any help and good luck with your layout.

Kind regards,

BrianT.

Fitting smaller wheels may affect the coupling height Brian, but as was mentioned earlier another way around it is to fit skirts and run as a tramway.


Ed

Hello Ed, thank you for your reply, I knew the smaller wheels would affect the coupling height, which is easily adjusted anyway, but I was interested in the alternate wheels and their suppliers.Has anyone got details of the bits for Hornby Smoky Joe chassis, or alternate chassis for the Smallbrook kits please?
Does anyone make any brass top hat bushes that would fit in the Hornby chassis to more accurately carry 1/8" axles, and also a gearbox and motor to suit??

Regards, 
  
BrianT.

Not something I'd want to attempt with my limited skills Brian.

I've had a look on various forums and around the web generally, and I can't find any references to anyone re-wheeling the Smokey Joe (or similar) chassis. Doesn't mean to say it hasn't been attempted, I just can't find any published documentation.



Ed

:hiThank you Ed for your trouble, that was the conclusion I came to too.
Because of the few odd references to the Smoky Joe chassis that I have seen posted, I had assumed that there was something out there that would give details of the conversion :roll:.

I think I will stick to the wheels as supplied as I don't know what is considered to be an alternative, although I could carry out the conversion if it was available, and I don't particularly like skirted loco's any way. :roll:

As I do not have a lathe, the turning of top hat axle bushes is beyond me, and I am not going to purchase a jewel makers lathe, and a suitable reamer just to be able to undertake the necessary engineering work to the Chassis's.  

Kind regards,

BrianT. 

Hi Ed, and others who may be interested,

Branchlines in Westbury had/have an etched chassis kit including pistons, cross heads and rods, and scale wheels to match, for the Hornby model. Converst it into a Pug. Add a motor and low ration gearbox (1:50) and it looks the job after some minor fettling of the body shell to get the chassis to fit. I did one some years ago. Stuffed a sound decoder in as well, speaker in the cab. Just buy a spare body shell for the conversion, or sell the old chassis. The Smallbrook Studio models can be fettled to use this chassis as they are specifically designed for the Hornby one.

The Smokey Joe chassis is not amenable to smaller diameter wheels as the couplers are integrated. And the rod and "pistons' still look like a toy locomotive. That byw can be made into a realistic looking system with some spare pistons, cross heads and rods. Putting smaller wheels on means raising the height of the body a tad to allow couplers to work. And then it still needs the rods modifying….

If you fancy a bit of chassis building send them an email for the catalog.

Nigel

This has come a ways since last I looked into this thread.
"Echo" has turned out nicely, and so has that shed after all the trial and error.

I've done some more to the shed Brendan, just not taken any pictures.

Work stalled as I was finding the board too heavy to carry in and out of the garage (it has to move twice a week for domestic duties to be done), hence my dabbling now in 009 as well.

The 009 board is smaller and much lighter, but I hope to continue on the O-16.5 build, in the garage, when the weather warms up.


Ed