Nu-Cast Beyer Garratt (Again !)

[Staffordshire]

  Hello,

 

     I am looking for  help and advice / recommendations  in building a OO gauge Nu-Cast Beyer Garratt.

 

      I want to try and build this pretty accurately, obviously depending on cost and replacement parts availability ?

 

     I have read other blogs / topics on this loco etc and have become slightly confused, and have the following questions.

 

    What is the best chassis(s) to use to create this loco ?   Is it  2  Comet Fowler 2-6-4  chassis.   Or are Alan Gibson frames a good starting point ?

 

    Who produces the the most appropriate Valve gear ?

 

    I intend to have both 'engines' motorised,   what is the recommended Motor / Gearbox solution ?

 

    Who produces the correct wheels ?

 

   Apologies if these question are repeats but I am starting with a 'blank canvas' and mind

 

   Cheers, Ian 

[micklner]

DJH do the LNER version.

[Staffordshire]

Big apologies, left out the most important fact .....    it is the LMS  2-6-0 + 0-6-2  Garratt . 

 

 Although I think the LNER garratt is a DJH kit not NuCast

Edited March 10, 2019 by Staffordshire

[RexAshton]

I built one of the K's ones for a client some years ago (the Nucast one is a re-release of the K's kit) My brief was to use the original K's chassis and only fit one motor. The body castings were very good and the superstructure was a dream to build. Not so the chassis which I don't think come with the Nucast one. Good thing as they were only fit for the bin. I'm doing an old Kitmaster one now and it's going on two Comet Fowler 2-6-4T chassis. The cylinders are of course wrong but you may be able to use the Nucast ones. At this point I can't tell whether the Comet valve gear will be close enough for you or not but it shouldn't be a million miles off. Motor and gearboxes are another story though as despite it being a big loco it's very difficult to fit them in without them showing under the tank and bunker. Bearing in mind that you've got two of them though they don't need to be particularly big. Might be best to talk to High Level Kits about options around Mashima 1420 and a couple of his gearboxes. Chris seems to manage to supply something that will fit no matter what you're building. Remember to wire the two motors together in parallel so they work together.

[stevejjjexcov]

I built the "ks" kit years ago above the footplate was OK but anything below was only fit for the bin, I ended up scratch building the chassis and valve gear ........must have been mad!! Still it worked tho 

This was before comet and the selection of wheels, motors and gearbox's that are available today

All the best steve

 

 

 

 

[ikks]

Hi Ian,

Have a look on the Heljan Beyer Garratt Thread specifically at the postings by 46256 in early June 2017 where the Heljan chassis was replaced by 2 Comet Fowler 2-6-4 items, High Level Gear boxes and Mashima motors. I think you may find some useful info there.

 

Rgds....Mike

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

19 hours ago, Staffordshire said:

  ...I am starting with a 'blank canvas' and mind... 

Not knowing a shred of your experience and ambitions, might this blank canvas encompass the thought of devising a single motor plus shaft drives to both power bogies layout? This would require considerable ingenuity in design and workmanship for the drive to be well concealed; as compensation it should perform well.  

[Staffordshire]

13 hours ago, ikks said:

Hi Ian,

Have a look on the Heljan Beyer Garratt Thread specifically at the postings by 46256 in early June 2017 where the Heljan chassis was replaced by 2 Comet Fowler 2-6-4 items, High Level Gear boxes and Mashima motors. I think you may find some useful info there.

 

Rgds....Mike

Thanks for that, been extremely enlightening,  although think I will be writing an email to 46256  with a few queries .