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Wickham Trolley


Combe Martin
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Have a. Look on Hattons web site they list where each manufacturer is up to with each model, there does seem to be some action with the trolley!

 

It lists it as in 'tooling'

Edited by johnd
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  • 3 months later...

From what i read in the "Collectors club"mag, yes motor in trailer.

 

On that basis - my pre-order has been cancelled.

 

The essential character, for me, of a PW trolley was the simplicity and incongruity of the single vehicle.

 

Yes, they pulled a trailer occasionally, but not all the time  - and certainly not as substantial-looking as that shown in the sample.

 

I did wonder how they'd do it, and the answer seems to be that they haven't.

 

Shame!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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Its a shame really. They don't need to move fast so even a very small motor with appropriate gearing would have been able to shift it. When you see what can be achieved in T gauge it would seem that they did not try that hard. I'll stick with the gandy dancer. Might not be in any way accurate but always gets a smile - especially when chased by a full size train!

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On that basis - my pre-order has been cancelled.

 

The essential character, for me, of a PW trolley was the simplicity and incongruity of the single vehicle.

 

Yes, they pulled a trailer occasionally, but not all the time  - and certainly not as substantial-looking as that shown in the sample.

 

I did wonder how they'd do it, and the answer seems to be that they haven't.

 

Shame!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

Agree with you there I was hoping to purchase one for a small layout I quite fancy building representing The Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway when it was Under the control of the Military. These diminutive trolleys were used by Military personal for patrols along the line and often had flag on a long pole when they were parked up in a siding so that they could be seen during shunting movements. 

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Agree with you there I was hoping to purchase one for a small layout I quite fancy building representing The Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway when it was Under the control of the Military. These diminutive trolleys were used by Military personal for patrols along the line and often had flag on a long pole when they were parked up in a siding so that they could be seen during shunting movements.

I think it should be possible to motorise it without the trailer. DCC wiring could be hid behind the gangers with the circuitry hidden in the roof.

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Personally, I am pleasantly surprised at how small the motorised trailer is!

 

I've seen a few motorised trolleys made from the (N Brass Kits) etched brass kit but plastic is thicker so there will be less room under this one. Good luck to anybody contemplating fitting DCC sound (or even DCC at all) without the trailer, have you ever seen a 4mm scale model of one of these?

 

The whole thing isn't going to be much bigger than one of those little sugar cube speakers.

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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I can't see why they've decided to hide the motor in the trailer when there are such small motors available. I built one in 'N' and used a RTR Japanese chassis. Now it's run in it is quite a bit slower than in the video

https://youtu.be/uOyKHXJxTyQ

 

Sorry, don't seem to be able to imbed the video in the post anymore, just a link. I don't think I've done anything different?

Gareth

 

 

Sussed how to add the video!

Edited by Gareth Collier
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The Sun did not exist before the 70's IIRC it was the Sketch before then. Don't forget the packet(s) of Woodbines.

I was a newspaper delivery boy in 1965 to 1969 and the Sun did come out some time in 1965 or may have been earlier. It wasn't a tabloid to start with, as I recall it was between a tabloid and a broadsheet and replaced the Daily Herald. It became a tabloid when purchased by Murdoch. So would have been around

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On that basis - my pre-order has been cancelled.

 

The essential character, for me, of a PW trolley was the simplicity and incongruity of the single vehicle.

 

Yes, they pulled a trailer occasionally, but not all the time  - and certainly not as substantial-looking as that shown in the sample.

 

I did wonder how they'd do it, and the answer seems to be that they haven't.

 

Shame!

 

 

My first thought was to agree with you 100%.

However it looks as though the wheelbase of the trailer is the same as the trolley.

Solution?

Dump the trolley and scratch build a new body for the trailer and run it with the curtains down.

To me the worst feature is the gigantic coupling.

Looking forward to having a go at it.

Just wondering what work needs doing regarding pick ups.

Bernard

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My first thought was to agree with you 100%.

However it looks as though the wheelbase of the trailer is the same as the trolley.

Solution?

Dump the trolley and scratch build a new body for the trailer and run it with the curtains down.

To me the worst feature is the gigantic coupling.

Looking forward to having a go at it.

Just wondering what work needs doing regarding pick ups.

Bernard

Or this:

 

http://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/z4wick27.html

 

No connection other than a websearch :)

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I'm sure that with all R&D available to Bachmann they could have hid a motor in the trolley.

 

I mean, http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/186/entry-10884-wickham-trolley-progress/

 

Bachmann have a similar but slightly larger 12 volt motor in their armoury.

 

Porcy

Edited by Porcy Mane
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The issue is always that the smaller the motor,, the faster it turns. That, in turn, means greater gearing which is difficult with small wheels.

 

So, in all fairness, putting a motor below the floor of the trolley was probably a non-starter. I think that any models that I have ever seen had the curtains down to conceal a motor.

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The issue is always that the smaller the motor,, the faster it turns. That, in turn, means greater gearing which is difficult with small wheels.

 

So, in all fairness, putting a motor below the floor of the trolley was probably a non-starter. I think that any models that I have ever seen had the curtains down to conceal a motor.

I think most folk appreciate the point your trying to make and that Bachmann have engineered the model down to a cost and with durability being high on their design priorities. They also have to find somewhere to fit all the suppression componentry etc.

But a number of modellers will be looking at the production photographs and wondering why, as the mechanism etc. has been fitted in the smaller trailer, could it not have been fitted in the larger trolley in the first place and possibly been disguised with the addition of crew?

 

I take your point about smaller motors being higher revving but modellers have been using Micro motors to drive chassis slowly for a good number of years and even Bachmann have an exceptionally low profile and super slow running chassis that is fitted in their Birkenhead/Hong Kong tram. See Pic.

post-508-0-37935700-1438255763.jpg

For all I know it may be an adaptation of this mechanism that they are using to power the trolley. Sometimes the RTR manufacturers are on a hiding to nothing as they can never satisfy everybody. At least it will still leave a few of us with some modelling to do. :smile_mini2:

P

Edited by Porcy Mane
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The issue is always that the smaller the motor,, the faster it turns. That, in turn, means greater gearing which is difficult with small wheels.

 

So, in all fairness, putting a motor below the floor of the trolley was probably a non-starter. I think that any models that I have ever seen had the curtains down to conceal a motor.

The two successful (open) ones I've seen had no gears, just a rubber wheel running directly against the motor shaft - pretty much the only way to get enough reduction in the space available.  Even then, IIRC, getting the tiny motor (roughly 8mm x 4mm) at the required angle meant having part of it protruding above the floor, covered by a tool box, jackets etc.

 

I think both were built using the N Brass Locos kit and by the same chap. His name unfortunately escapes me but he had a trade or demonstration stand at Small & Delightful a couple of years back. He also builds working LIster Railtrucks in OO9 which is something else again! 

 

The kit doesn't look like something for the beginner but might well be easier that motorizing the Bachmann one in order to discard the trailer. Bear in mind also that the very short wheelbase will be very sensitive to current interruption - I'm guessing (hoping) that these will pick up on all wheels of both trolley and trailer.

 

For me, what Bachmann have done definitely beats rolled-down curtains but I don't think I'll be able to resist giving that coupling arrangement a bit of attention.

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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I think most folk appreciate the point your trying to make and that Bachmann have engineered the model down to a cost and with durability being high on their design priorities. They also have to find somewhere to fit all the suppression componentry etc.

But a number of modellers will be looking at the production photographs and wondering why, as the mechanism etc. has been fitted in the smaller trailer, could it not have been fitted in the larger trolley in the first place and possibly been disguised with the addition of crew?

 

I take your point about smaller motors being higher revving but modellers have been using Micro motors to drive chassis slowly for a good number of years and even Bachmann have an exceptionally low profile and super slow running chassis that is fitted in their Birkenhead/Hong Kong tram. See Pic.

attachicon.gifBmannB-head-Tram-02-2sm.jpg

For all I know it may be an adaptation of this mechanism that they are using to power the trolley. Sometimes the RTR manufacturers are on a hiding to nothing as they can never satisfy everybody. At least it will still leave a few of us with some modelling to do. :smile_mini2:

P

 

Surely the tram chassis, although quite small, must be far bigger than one for the Wickham trolley.

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I can't see why they've decided to hide the motor in the trailer when there are such small motors available. I built one in 'N' and used a RTR Japanese chassis. Now it's run in it is quite a bit slower than in the video

https://youtu.be/uOyKHXJxTyQ

 

Sorry, don't seem to be able to imbed the video in the post anymore, just a link. I don't think I've done anything different?

Gareth

 

It was certainly "going a bit" in the video!

 

Lovely layout.

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