Baguley IC petrol loco

[Annie]

I don't think any Baguley petrol locos worked here in New Zealand, but that never stopped me from building one a few years back for one of the earlier versions of the Kotanga Tramway. It ran on 16.5mm track and it was used as a works loco. Since then it's hung about as a display piece and has even done duty as a load on a flat wagon. It looks very Emmett-like with its tall cab, boiler like cylindrical water cooling tank and narrow body work and rare for me I like it more than just a little even though as a rule I don't like IC locos.

Move onto now and I'm thinking about the Kotanga Valley Posthole Mining Co. and how they need a loco for hauling mine tippers and side dump wagons and the like about. On the earlier layout I was going to build a Ewings system monorail for the mining Co., but common sense has prevailed and I'm going to use 1&1/2 inch gauge Lego and Lego clone/compatible track instead of which I have a considerable amount. I trial fitted a 4.5 volt Lego mech under Kotanga Works No:1 to see if it will fit and it looks like it will without any problems.


The wheel arrangement isn't quite right and the leading wheel set should be a round flywheel crank thing on a countershaft, but I'm not that bothered over it. Visually it looks close enough to my Woolworths eyesight.

Old mech and the new.


A look underneath.


An immediate problem is that there's nowhere to fit any batteries as the cylindrical cooling tank is full of something heavy firmly sealed in by a wad of two part acrylic compound. Remember this loco used to pick up current from the rails by virtue of its ancient Triang mech.
I'm considering making one of those peaked roof tool wagons to more or less permanently hitch behind this loco and that can carry the batteries, electrickery speed control & etc.

[sstjc]

I like that and the tool wagon sounds a good idea. Whats the gauge of the lego track in mm?... I always wondered but never checked.
Barry

[MDLR]

I like that and the tool wagon sounds a good idea.

Why not put a sound unit in? That would make it a "brum-brum" wagon!

[Annie]

My ruler says 38mm for the gauge of Lego track Barry. The track in the photos is by Sluban who makes a Lego clone/compatible railway series. The Sluban loco can't pull the skin off rice pudding and is a bit flimsy. I have a couple and they used to look ok parked by the loco shed on the Lego layout I used to have, but that was about all they were good for.



For track look for the clone track by Enlighten, - it's exactly the same as Lego track, just as good and cheaper!. It's made from brown plastic instead of grey by the way.

A sound unit would be a good idea Brian and it's something I must look into

[MDLR]

You need to speak to Dr Acme! http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/view ... 651#113651

[Annie]

Thanks Brian I think the kit for the 'Tin Turtle' will be the most suitable as Baguley petrol locos had a four cylinder engine as well.

[Annie]

I just thought I'd do some checking about with regard to track.  Checking with suppliers webpages in China it looks like Enlighten isn't making their brown plastic track anymore.  Possibly Lego may have sued them for making stuff that was too close a match for their own.  When Sluban released their railway series it was possible to buy track separately and I'm glad I did buy it then because it doesn't seem to be available anymore.  Banbao still seems to be selling their black plastic points/switches separately, but not curves and straights and a new player on the block, Ausini, seems to be making track that looks like Banbao's track except it's grey.

Lego/Enlighten rolling stock wheel/axle units have very narrow treads which is fine because the flanges are set on the axle to run close against the rail.  Banbao wheels are marginally wider in the treads, but are set to a more sloppy back to back measurement.  Sluban wheels run tight on Lego, Enlighten and Banbao track because their track gauge is actually 39mm instead of 38mm.  Banbao wheels jam themselves between the rails on Sluban track and Lego/Enlighten wheels barely keep the edge of their treads on the rails.

Of course if you're running the old Lego 4.5 volt series wheels it doesn't matter at all what track you use because their treads are so wide.  I plan on using Sluban track because it looks better and more like narrow gauge and also their track curves have a wider radius than standard Lego/clone curves which are pretty darn tight.  I'll have to modify either Enlighten or Banbao points/switches a little to fit, but that's ok.
And if you're wondering if I was a Lego trains nerd at one time yes I was (Just stick to the 12 step plan girl and you'll be fine).