Chassis, please help me

[-steves-]

I have a number of 0-4-0 16mm electric chassis which I wish to build something on, I think they are Essel chassis and Garden Railway Specialist chassis. I just have no idea what body to build on them, really getting stuck for idea, even after just googling 0-4-0 diesel.

If you had to pick one or two bodies to go on them, what would you pick? It can be steam, but as its just an 0-4-0 in electric it might look a bit silly without any cylinders or extra connecting rods, which I don't have, so best bet is little diesels.

If you have any ideas or pictures, please post them here so i can decide what on earth to build. the last one I did was a Harlech Castle on an Accucraft chassis, which i built in plasticard and it came out very very well in my honest opinion.

Your help is requested here for my winter project builds as I can build but fail to have ideas in my head of what to do

Many thanks
Steve

[Big Jim]

If you want to do a steam engine without external motion visible built it as a tramway loco. Either a full tram or just a standard steam engine with the motion covered.

[tom_tom_go]

I always liked Class 08's in OO gauge, could you make a 0-4-0 version of that style?

[-steves-]

If you want to do a steam engine without external motion visible built it as a tramway loco. Either a full tram or just a standard steam engine with the motion covered.

A steam tram, yes, great idea, always liked them but didn't think of that at all

That's one chassis with a name on it, well, not a name as yet, but a definite style 1 down, 3 to go, lol

[-steves-]

I always liked Class 08's in OO gauge, could you make a 0-4-0 version of that style?

The class 08 is a nice loco, but wouldn't fit in with my current stock which is all be narrow gauge.

Steve

[JCSteam]

I saw a number of years ago someone made a representation of a 08 class as a narrow gauge loco, looked rather good with the lourves in the bonnet.

Tram locos may be a way forward, unless you fancy building pistons and connecting rods, don't need much more than that really to make a good representation, quite a few had inside valve gear

[-steves-]

I saw a number of years ago someone made a representation of a 08 class as a narrow gauge loco, looked rather good with the lourves in the bonnet.

Tram locos may be a way forward, unless you fancy building pistons and connecting rods, don't need much more than that really to make a good representation, quite a few had inside valve gear

I have the tools, possibly the parts and maybe even some of the knowledge to make the pistons out of brass and connecting gear out of steel, but its having the time to turn those parts up is where I would struggle, that would be "man cave" time which is hard to come by at the moment, lol I will put a steam one down to a definitely maybe, but even then, what do i build for the body?

I do struggle with imagination and seeing things in my head, if that makes any sense to anyone, once I see it for real, I can make it, build it, spray it, turn it etc etc, applies to everything, I am a need to see it kinda person and draw up hard plans rather than free hand and imagination

[JCSteam]

The pistons can be made from 20mm round plastic tube, plumbers poly pipe, or electrical conduit, cap the ends off with some thick plasticard, with a hole drilled in their centre for the piston rod, glue in some brass tube, and make a frame to support and attach to the chassis frames, rods are self explanatory from there on

Hope this helps with the chassis side, ive always thought as long as you can make a suitable boiler and smoke ox, the rest is easy

[-steves-]

The pistons can be made from 20mm round plastic tube, plumbers poly pipe, or electrical conduit, cap the ends off with some thick plasticard, with a hole drilled in their centre for the piston rod, glue in some brass tube, and make a frame to support and attach to the chassis frames, rods are self explanatory from there on

Hope this helps with the chassis side, ive always thought as long as you can make a suitable boiler and smoke ox, the rest is easy

Smoke box would definitely be an issue, lol But anything is possible I guess.

[JCSteam]

Again not really, just time and patients, I built mine for the hunslet, using again plumbers 1.1/2" waste pipe for the boiler, then slicing two smaller pieces in half, to form a spacer for the smokebox and firebox. Then cup from thicker card the front and back shape of the firebox and smokebox, add details like the doors with more plasticard, two pieces shaped to fit under the boiler, and then wrap around with thinest plasticard you can find, with rivet detail punched into it. The river detail does some of the shaping for you, then glue together with Mek, or something similar then you need to decide the easy route or the hard route by having a side tank or saddle tank, saddle tanks are more work, but the same meothod as described for firebox

[philipy]

GRS do an Electric "steam," 0-4-0 chassis with cylinders and rods and exactly the same thing without them for "diesels". I assume you have the diesel version? The cylinders and con rods on the steam version are enitirely cosmetic and as others have said, can easily be knocked up since no precision is required - the piston rod merely slides in and out of a hole on the cylinder block. If you are capable of doing a decent body job, then that should be no problem at all.

As for a body, I've recently finished a build based on Quintus, as per the SMT drawings. There is a thread on my efforts at http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/abou ... highlight=

Any small prototype could be done in a similar way.

[GTB]

It can be steam, but as its just an 0-4-0 in electric it might look a bit silly without any cylinders or extra connecting rods, which I don't have, so best bet is little diesels.

You are likely to get better results from google by using a loco manufacturer name with the word diesel, eg. Hunslet, Bagnall, Hudswell Clarke, Barclay, Sentinel, etc. and selecting images.

A lot of the images that turn up will be 0-6-0 types, but with most manufacturers the 0-4-0 types were often just a shorter version of the larger loco. Usually all they did was shorten the engine cover.

Does it have to be a 'little' diesel? Early bogie internal combustion locos often had side rods and one would use up two mechs, assuming you have two the same......

Another possibility that can use a single diesel mech is a bogie railcar of some sort, either a car body type, or an articulated one. Some early ones had rod drive, especially if they were intended to haul trailers, or the odd wagon.

If you do want to build a steam loco other than a tram type, talk to GRS as they may have their cylinders and connnecting rods available as spares.

Regards,
Graeme

[-steves-]

You are likely to get better results from google by using a loco manufacturer name with the word diesel, eg. Hunslet, Bagnall, Hudswell Clarke, Barclay, Sentinel, etc. and selecting images.

Will try this

A lot of the images that turn up will be 0-6-0 types, but with most manufacturers the 0-4-0 types were often just a shorter version of the larger loco. Usually all they did was shorten the engine cover.

Will have a look into this.

Does it have to be a 'little' diesel? Early bogie internal combustion locos often had side rods and one would use up two mechs, assuming you have two the same......

Not sure what you been by the "2 mechs" part, could you explain it for me please?

Another possibility that can use a single diesel mech is a bogie railcar of some sort, either a car body type, or an articulated one. Some early ones had rod drive, especially if they were intended to haul trailers, or the odd wagon.

Again, not exactly sure of what you mean, do you have any reference pictures I could look at?

If you do want to build a steam loco other than a tram type, talk to GRS as they may have their cylinders and connnecting rods available as spares.

Regards,
Graeme

Emailed today and asked the question, thank you

[Crayfish]

I have a very limited budget for my garden railway, my rolling stock collection grows at the rate of about one coach per year. Due to this restriction I decided to build a Locolines card kit "Chunky Diesel" body on my Essel 0-4-0 chassis.

After a little kit bashing I'm pleased with the result, I just need to add a proper Deltang R/C unit to it now instead of the cheap on/off one I have now. The card parts won't be as hard wearing as other materials so in the long run I might replace them with wood or plasticard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFgyFOtS3Ew

[-steves-]

I have a very limited budget for my garden railway, my rolling stock collection grows at the rate of about one coach per year.  Due to this restriction I decided to build a Locolines card kit "Chunky Diesel" body on my Essel 0-4-0 chassis.

After a little kit bashing I'm pleased with the result, I just need to add a proper Deltang R/C unit to it now instead of the cheap on/off one I have now.  The card parts won't be as hard wearing as other materials so in the long run I might replace them with wood or plasticard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFgyFOtS3Ew

I had a look at that vid. The loco looks great and you have done a very good job of it. As you say, its needs some proper RC for it. I will PM you.

Steve

[GTB]

Not sure what you been by the "2 mechs" part, could you explain it for me.

This is a builders photo of a Hunslet diesel from the 1930s, used on the 18" gauge railway at Woolwich Arsenal. The bogies look like two small diesel chassis. The loco is a B-B, not a C-C, the end cranks are on a layshaft and are part of the drive mechanism, not a third axle.



Using two 0-4-0 mechanisms and some weights with a single body gives you a large diesel with more power for longer trains, or for hauling dead steam locos back home.

Railcars of the pre-war period often had coupled wheels on the power bogie, like this Tasmanian one, built from Drewry parts in the 1920s.



It isn't a very clear photo, but it is basically just a bogie coach with a small 0-4-0 diesel chassis replacing the front bogie and a driving cab at each end.

Regards,
Graeme

[-steves-]

Not sure what you been by the "2 mechs" part, could you explain it for me.

This is a builders photo of a Hunslet diesel from the 1930s, used on the 18" gauge railway at Woolwich Arsenal. The bogies look like two small diesel chassis. The loco is a B-B, not a C-C, the end cranks are on a layshaft and are part of the drive mechanism, not a third axle.



Using two 0-4-0 mechanisms and some weights with a single body gives you a large diesel with more power for longer trains, or for hauling dead steam locos back home.

Railcars of the pre-war period often had coupled wheels on the power bogie, like this Tasmanian one, built from Drewry parts in the 1920s.



It isn't a very clear photo, but it is basically just a bogie coach with a small 0-4-0 diesel chassis replacing the front bogie and a driving cab at each end.

Regards,
Graeme

Loving that Hunslett, I have 2 smaller chassis that could be easily adapted to take a drive lay shaft and I pretty sure I could knock up some soft of extra shaft and bearings as I have done this before, my problem generally comes with the accuracy of the holes in the chassis compared to the additional crank length and it then not turning properly I am sure I have some metal that I could practice with, well thats potentially another 2 chassis taken care of, I think that only leaves one or two now

[GTB]

Loving that Hunslett, I have 2 smaller chassis that could be easily adapted to take a drive lay shaft and I pretty sure I could knock up some soft of extra shaft and bearings as I have done this before, my problem generally comes with the accuracy of the holes in the chassis compared to the additional crank length and it then not turning properly I am sure I have some metal that I could practice with, well thats potentially another 2 chassis taken care of, I think that only leaves one or two now

Personally, I wouldn't bother adding the layshaft, as a 2' gauge loco would have more space between the wheels for the final drives and unlike an 18" gauge one, may not need a layshaft.

There were some 2' Hunslet diesels in South Africa that had similar bogies, but without the layshaft. You'll find a photo near the bottom of this RMWeb page.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... -railways/

My interests in diesels tend towards the early ones, especially with boxcab style bodywork riding on bogies with side rods. There's one on my bucket list, but it's a long way down that list......

Graeme

[-steves-]

Loving that Hunslett, I have 2 smaller chassis that could be easily adapted to take a drive lay shaft and I pretty sure I could knock up some soft of extra shaft and bearings as I have done this before, my problem generally comes with the accuracy of the holes in the chassis compared to the additional crank length and it then not turning properly I am sure I have some metal that I could practice with, well thats potentially another 2 chassis taken care of, I think that only leaves one or two now

Personally, I wouldn't bother adding the layshaft, as a 2' gauge loco would have more space between the wheels for the final drives and unlike an 18" gauge one, may not need a layshaft.

There were some 2' Hunslet diesels in South Africa that had similar bogies, but without the layshaft. You'll find a photo near the bottom of this RMWeb page.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... -railways/

My interests in diesels tend towards the early ones, especially with boxcab style bodywork riding on bogies with side rods. There's one on my bucket list, but it's a long way down that list......

Graeme

I assume you meant the green one with the side covers off. Liking the running set up of that so could go for a mix of the two, but it would be nice to do something "close" to something real, somight just go for the green one even though I prefer the looks of the Hunslett I am not sure I cn manage that extra lay shaft, lol.

[MDLR]

Railcars of the pre-war period often had coupled wheels on the power bogie, like this Tasmanian one, built from Drewery parts in the 1920s.



It isn't a very clear photo, but it is basically just a bogie coach with a small 0-4-0 diesel chassis replacing the front bogie and a driving cab at each end.

Was it a bit of a devil??

(ducks & runs)