Live Diesel 1/12th scale

[Peter Butler]

Nice and steady, beautifully smooth realistic speed. Looks just right Dave, brilliant!

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

What a stonking success. Beautiful slow running and it didn't seem too loud.

[Annie]

What a wonderful loco. Lovely slow running and just the right amount of delightful mechanical sounds to accompany it on its way.

[JCSteam]

Really enjoyed reading through this thread

The work you've put into that wonderful loco has created a truely unique, and marvelous creation Look forward to seeing more runs of the loco

[dewintondave]

Thank you, much appreciated!

Best wishes,
Dave

[dewintondave]

I bought a new glow starter after failing to start the loco a few weeks ago.

What a transformation! The engine started easily today with only one priming. It makes me think that the original glow starter was a dog, causing my very first video (engine starting) to be so long

The glow starter is LiPo powered, with an indicator lamp


The loco was run NZR style with the headlight on during the daylight


First gear running


I spent a pleasurable hour in the garden with the loco running. The last tank full lasted 24 minutes, I top up every 15 minutes or so with the engine running.

The loco was run backwards and forwards in all three gears. It climbed the steep, tight 180 deg return loop the wrong way in third gear without trouble at the same engine revs as the video.

This run I tested out the 12V extension cord to power the onboard centrifugal cooling fan for when the hood is off and the loco stationery. I bought a 12V plug pack from eBay plus two 5M extension cords, all plugged together they easily reach the sidings

[tom_tom_go]

If only they made 1/12th scale narrow gauge live steam locos to run with your diesel!

[dewintondave]

If only they made 1/12th scale narrow gauge live steam locos to run with your diesel!

I'm working on it Tom! In the meantime this one is 1/12.7th

[tom_tom_go]

I forgot about your live steam build, oops.

The diesel in neutral waiting for the line is brilliant and it would be great if a commercial offering ever happens to be the same build quality as your one.

Why go 7/8ths when you can go bigger!

[FWLR]

Just read the whole thread and I must say this is a very very impressive build…far and away more than I could ever achieve in my lifetime.

Just love it and so very envious of you Dave, you sure are a master engineer, craftsman and builder and anything else that goes with what you can do.

[dewintondave]

Thank you Rod!

I've just re-read the whole build again, it was so much fun. Wish I had posted some photos of the gear making, they took so long to make but were so satisfying.

I did a service of the loco in November and removed the sump cover, and was pleased to see that the amount of metal debris had reduced a lot. I'm using magnets to attract the steel particles.

[tom_tom_go]

Just like in a car Dave, great thinking!

[dewintondave]

Just like in a car Dave, great thinking!

I'm using 20-50W multigrade oil too
(correction. It was actually 15-40W)

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Bravo, well done.
I don't have a Kiwi stamp so the Aussie one will have to do


What is next ?
A gas turbine loco ?

[FWLR]

Just like in a car Dave, great thinking!

I'm using 20-50W multigrade oil too

Just goes to show what a bit of oil can do Dave. Love the gearbox and sump.

[dewintondave]

This is how I spent New Year's eve. It's been quite a while since this loco last ran and the engine needed a lot of glowplug igniter before it would remain running unaided, perhaps the plug was loaded with oil. The silencer drain was gummed up for quite a while too. I like to run the loco for a full hour. The motor was set to run leaner, but there's still plenty of smoke. The fuel tank lasted about 25 mins, that's a scale 5 hours I always run the last tank dry at the end of the run, it took ages. When the bonnet is on the loco and clicked all the way home a cooling blower and two small extraction fans are activated. I now have a stationary plug in cable for the blower for running bonnet off when oiling, making adjustments, and waiting for the fuel to run out. I hope the smoke didn't annoy the neighbours, there was a bit of washing out

[FWLR]

Brilliant video Dave.

All the Best.

[tom_tom_go]

Is that a tree the track runs through?

[dewintondave]

Is that a tree the track runs through?

That's it Tom

[tom_tom_go]

How did you manage to bore through a whole tree?