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Does anone remember Dynadrive?


milepost46

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Hi All,

 

I was clearing out some boxes and came across an old Lima 27 (converted froma 33 to start with) which I had used as the basis of a conversion with the original Dynadrive clutch system, consisting of my own can motor, prop shaft to the clutch, propshaft to brass flywheels held in L shaped supports with ball races, then driving to a gearbox and brass framed bogie - probably all about 22 years old by now.

 

It failed for some reason and was relegated to the repair bin. I'd like to get it running again. The main issue which I'd like advice on is the brass bogie. This came fitted to work with Lima axles and wheels which, as we all know, are a bit over scale. Can anyone come up with some ideas as to a simple method of using modern scale wheels and axles while still retaining the existing gears, etc?

 

I did look at using an Lima class 20 gearbox tower and bogie. I also considered starting with a more modern chassis.

 

I dont have access to a lathe or workshop tools so turning down axles is a non starter.

 

thanks in advance

 

Gary

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I'm assuming that this uses the early bevel and spur final drive gearbox? These were lovely gears, except for their tendency to get stripped if the model suddenly hit an obstruction whilst working at speed....

 

You might want to contact John Lythgoe at Formil (do you still have his contact details?), as he may still hold the odd Dyna-Drive part to help service or repair the engines that he converted to the system.

 

Brimalm Engineering in Sweden still make the Dyna Drive components, but they use worms for the final drive, which in my view tends to take the fun out of it a bit.

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A quick Google came up with this address on a site about a Class 44. Don't get misled by the cricket bats and other things though

Dynadrive is supplied by:

<P align=center>Formil Model Engineering

12 Oak Tree Close

Bedale

North Yorkshire

DL8 1UG

01677 424686

Last updated on: Saturday, 15 March 2003 19:39:03.

p.s. sorry about the formatting, it's from a 'copy and paste'.

 

 

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Dyna-Drive FTW :D

 

Even with the ability to program locos for inertia effects, nothing beats Dyna-Drive for the feeling of mass and momentum in the smaller scales. With DCC if something needs to stop immediately, you can stop it in an emergency, but with Dyna-Drive, you'd have to try a full emergency stop and hope for the best! I have a Lima 37 with the system fitted :)

 

You really had to 'drive' dyna-drive locos!

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Thanks for the addresses.

 

The drive is through spur gears so it is an early version. Yes - they were great fun to drive. There was a need for anticipation and some practice. Emergency stops consisted of extremely fast reaction to put on full reverse power. The more flywheels and the heavier the train, the further it went before it stopped!

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The more flywheels and the heavier the train, the further it went before it stopped!

 

My 37 would go around thrity feet from full speed if you turned the power off! Great fun :)

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  • 5 years later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Hi - does anyone know if Brimalm still do this clutch? I couldn't find it on their website?....

 

Supposedly they do, but since they revamped their website, it's been completely unhelpful. Given that they are apparently notorious for taking a very long time to produce their models, I'm not expecting the website situation to improve.

 

When I wanted to buy a couple more clutches, I had to resort to back-door means of acquiring them (not eBay).

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Here is the chassis my friend has made using Dynadrive components — it works extremely wonderful. I think that Brimalm does not made the system anymore — it is too expensive and so many things are able to make with DCC (not everything but so many).

 

dr13001.jpg

dr13002.jpg

 

Petri Sallinen

Helsinki Finland

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I have a Lima 27 that I fitted with Dynadrive many years ago. Must get round to selling it on sometime.

 

Looks to me like an Ultrascale drop in conversion would fit no problem for finer wheels and/or gauges. Alternatively the EMGS sell 2.5mm/2mm shouldered axles that should do the job with appropriate wheels added.

 

Cheers

 

David

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It looks like an awful lot of complication but the idea of a centrifugal clutch and bevel or spur gear drive appeals to me especially on a big Pacific.

 

However would not 4 or 6 small motors each driving their own axle through bevel gears or a spur gear train get similar results at similar or less cost? It seems to me that it is the resistance of the worm and wheel where the wheels cannot drive the motor which causes much of the jerkiness.  

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It looks like an awful lot of complication but the idea of a centrifugal clutch and bevel or spur gear drive appeals to me especially on a big Pacific.

What we need here is a video clip of Chris Pendlenton's 'Hal O' The Wynd' in motion. I've only my memory of it at the MRJ exhibition, but it made an impression!

 

The Nim.

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 I know it is off topic, but what will this monster drive be powering? (Insatiable curiosity I am afraid.)

 

This "monster" was designed by the French company named Alstom :) In Finland it was made under the French lisence — it was not the curiosity but one of the most powerful locomotives in Finland. One is still left in working condition operated by Finnish National Railway Museum.

jHi2hD.jpg

 

Here you will find more information in English.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VR_Class_Dr13

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I have been following the Finnish Model Rail Clubs N gauge version development with some interest - is this larger model a kit or scratchbuilt?

 

This chassis made by my friend is scratchbuilt and the scale is H0. I have made the first plannings to make the small series kit of Dr13 in H0 scale but I do not know when it will be ready — at this moment I have the prototype. I think that the project of this locomotive in N scale has been aborted.

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This "monster" was designed by the French company named Alstom :) In Finland it was made under the French lisence — it was not the curiosity but one of the most powerful locomotives in Finland. One is still left in working condition operated by Finnish National Railway Museum.

jHi2hD.jpg

 

Here you will find more information in English.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VR_Class_Dr13

What an interesting drive arrangement. Not a milion miles removed from what is found in many models. I am not surprised that the riding qualities were 'challenging' especially in view of the drive line assymetry.  Very French engineering indeed.

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Dynadrive - and the ploy of the largest flywheel possible on the motor shaft generally - succeeds because this gives the largest mass at high rotational rate.

 

You can feel the mass of the model locomotive when you are driving with this chassis. The chassis is still driving about 30-50 cm after you have turn the electricity off (depending on the speed of course) — you have to learn driving again with Dynadrive :) You are able to glue 20 cm long tape on the rail head and nothing will happen — the chassis goes over it. I remember that some UK company was the distributor for Dynadrive in 1990´s — first time I saw Dynadrives in Imrex Exhibition in London maybe in 1993 or so and they had the test track with tapes on rails. They also had assembled Dynadrives in many UK made RTR locomotives (Hornbys etc). I also met Mr. Brimalm there. After that we also had the distributor for Dynadrive during some years in Finland, but that system was not very popular in Finland. Maybe it was too expensive and it also needs a lot of space inside locomotives.

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