Ideal 00 shunter

[Guest Jack Benson]

Our apologies for such a 'newbie' question, but bear with us.

 

We are building a small Inglenook diorama of a 1960s PW Depot Southern Region and we need a shunter, industrial or exBR is fine but as the sole item of motive power it needs to be reliable. So far, our Bachmann Jinty and USA tanks do not seem to be particularly smooth. Our next choices, in no particular of merit include an Sentinel, 03, 08, Janus and 07. (Our collective favourite is a Bachmann 03, if only because they seemed to be everywhere in the 60s) 

 

As the sole purpose of an Inglenook is shunting, precise control is pretty important and jack-rabbit performance is not really a good idea. 

 

Our control is a choice between Gaugemaster HH and W. 

 

Cheers

 

JB

[Corbs]

I am surprised that the two you have already are not good runners, they were lauded for smooth running (the USA especially) from what I recall?

Could it be the track/electricals at fault rather than the locos?

[Guest Jack Benson]

1 hour ago, Corbs said:

I am surprised that the two you have already are not good runners, they were lauded for smooth running (the USA especially) from what I recall?

Could it be the track/electricals at fault rather than the locos? 

We don't know as we have not started laying track on the diorama but neither are 'star' performers on the permanent layout.

 

Of the other contenders, we rather like Janus or the Hornby Sentinel...left field choices but interesting.

Cheers

JB

Edited October 5, 2019 by Jack Benson

[D9020 Nimbus]

They might just need more running in—Bachmann can be very variable in that respect. My 03s run fine—but then, so does my Jinty. There are other options—the forthcoming Model Rail/Kernow/Heljan "PWM" for instance.

[ColinK]

I have a fair collection of shunters and the best performers are the Hornby class 08 and the Model Rail Sentinel.   Both have performed faultlessly at exhibitions running at slow speeds.

[Russ (mines a pint)]

I am also finding it a little bit odd that you have problems with your Jinty,  I had one and it was faultless.  Bachmann 0-6-0 chassis generally shares the same mechanism. 
Have you checked cleanliness of wheels, pickups (and that they are aligned correctly) and track, cleanliness is next to godliness  

I have a Bachmann 08 and Pannier tanks which run really well and slow. Beware of older chassis in some of Bachmann range there are new & old 03's in particular if you are looking for them, the original 03 & 04 are based on the previous Mainline chassis (as are some of Panniers) -  So if you go for the 03 make sure it is  of the later release. 

That's not to say older models cant be good runners I have an original Dapol J94 which I am hoping to repaint/convert which is an impeccable runner despite looking like a basketcase !

Edited October 5, 2019 by Russ (mines a pint)
spelling

[JohnR]

If you want to be prototypical, you could use the new Hornby 48DS R&H as DS1169 - used at the Southern Region PWay depot at Broadclyst in the 1960s.

[37255]

I've owned a fair few Bachmann 08s and never had one that ran any less than perfectly! Far better runners in my experience than the Hornby equivalent, though you sacrifice some of the finer detail.

[russ p]

Well if its pway depot the loco would be BR owned , was it 03s or 04s which the southern operated a pair in departmental service? 

[Guest Jack Benson]

An DCC Ready all green Bachmann 03 has been acquired, a logical choice in terms of size and location. 

 

 

I can only comment on the Bachmann Jinty as follows, I was aware of potential issues when purchased, it needed judicious lubrication despite being 'factory-fresh' and it is reasonable enough on trip workings but lacks precise movement.  However, as the main layout purports to be part of the SDJR, it is required as an integral part of the landscape albeit somewhat stationary.

 

The Hornby Ruston was dismissed due to the extra length of the trailer, neither have I ever seen a photo of a 48DS attached to a shunters trailer. The Heljan PW is too distant to be considered and the remainder are just a tad too big. 

 

Cheers

 

JB

Edited October 6, 2019 by Jack Benson

[Ruston]

9 hours ago, Jack Benson said:

 

The Hornby Ruston was dismissed due to the extra length of the trailer, neither have I ever seen a photo of a 48DS attached to a shunters trailer. The Heljan PW is too distant to be considered and the remainder are just a tad too big. 

 

Cheers

 

JB

Just remove the "trailer"? They run just as well without it.

[Nearholmer]

48DS loco DS1169 belonged to BR(S), and its goyt its own thread somewhere on RMWeb.

 

Photo here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/12a_kingmoor_klickr/41516074570

 

and here https://railphotoprints.uk/p852530460/h63ED4264#h63ed4264

 

and here https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordon_edgar_collection/42709847145

 

 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Nearholmer

[Guest Jack Benson]

On 6 October 2019 at 19:02, Nearholmer said:

48DS loco DS1169 belonged to BR(S), and its goyt its own thread somewhere on RMWeb.

 

Photo here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/12a_kingmoor_klickr/41516074570

 

and here https://railphotoprints.uk/p852530460/h63ED4264#h63ed4264

 

and here https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordon_edgar_collection/42709847145

 

 

Ruston and Nearholmer,

 

There is always the possibility of the acquistion of a second loco and DS1169 was very much a local celebrity. If Hornby finally recognise its sales potential, I am sure that DS1169 will find a home on our diorama. In the meantime, a Bachmann 03 will do the business if only because the little Drewery shunters were synonymous with odd job duties and popped up in the most unlikely places, hence a massive soft spot for them.

 

Cheers and thanks to all

 

JB

 

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

As a postscript, the Bachmann 03 has arrived and is a non-runner, although described as 'a great runner' the pre-use inspection revealed an incredible amount of filth on the wheels (see below) and even after a thorough clean with IPA, it is an intermittent performer.

 

 

Caveat emptor

 

JB

 

[SRman]

Not yet mentioned, but smooth runners and compact locomotives also are the Hornby Pecketts and Hatton's Andrew Barclays.

 

I am also surprised that your USA tank is not a smooth runner. Mine runs extremely well. On the other hand, much as I like the models, I have found the Heljan 07 and the Golden Valley Janus locos to suffer from dodgy pickups. They are fixable with a little effort and a soldering iron, but may not entirely suit your requirements.

[Guest Jack Benson]

2 hours ago, SRman said:

Not yet mentioned, but smooth runners and compact locomotives also are the Hornby Pecketts and Hatton's Andrew Barclays.

 

I am also surprised that your USA tank is not a smooth runner. Mine runs extremely well. On the other hand, much as I like the models, I have found the Heljan 07 and the Golden Valley Janus locos to suffer from dodgy pickups. They are fixable with a little effort and a soldering iron, but may not entirely suit your requirements.

The 03 should have been perfect for the location and duties but c'est la vie.......the refund will be squandered on a 48DS.

 

Live and learn

 

Cheers

 

Jack

[Captain Kernow]

Jack,

 

I completely agree with regard to the inconsistency of running between otherwise identical Bachmann 0-6-0 chassis. It seems a bit of a lottery as to whether you get a good one or not.

 

One RTR loco that I acquired recently and which runs superbly straight out of the box, is the Heljan 05. I got the 'industrial' version, named 'Cider Queen' (from Bulmers), together with the false copper-capped chimney modelled on the loco. The chimney will be snipped off and a blanking plate glued on. The loco is really smooth, though, and that is what counts to my mind.

 

A Dapol B4 0-4-0T is also a very good, smooth runner.

 

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

49 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

Jack,

 

I completely agree with regard to the inconsistency of running between otherwise identical Bachmann 0-6-0 chassis. It seems a bit of a lottery as to whether you get a good one or not.

 

One RTR loco that I acquired recently and which runs superbly straight out of the box, is the Heljan 05. I got the 'industrial' version, named 'Cider Queen' (from Bulmers), together with the false copper-capped chimney modelled on the loco. The chimney will be snipped off and a blanking plate glued on. The loco is really smooth, though, and that is what counts to my mind.

 

A Dapol B4 0-4-0T is also a very good, smooth runner.

 

 

Changing the handheld to a Gaugemaster W made quite a difference to the Bachmann Jinty's performance although the best control was our ancient AGW/Graham Farish clone. The Jinty seems to be improving with each circuit of the track (maybe the seller was truthful and it was as new?),  it does wobble slightly but it seems that initial concerns were ill-founded.

 

Cheers

 

Jack

[Guest Jack Benson]

On 5 October 2019 at 21:48, JohnR said:

If you want to be prototypical, you could use the new Hornby 48DS R&H as DS1169 - used at the Southern Region PWay depot at Broadclyst in the 1960s.

Hi John,

 

The current Hornby Ruston is unsuitable to represent S1169, the variant should have the 'open' cab, but the forthcoming Dewars and WD versions are suitable hence a preorder for the latter is in hand.

 

I forgot to mention that another USA tank has been procured, to be renumbered as 30062, the natural companion to the current G6, unfortunately, despite trawling the internet no side-on images of the USA tank at Meldon have been found. Though end views or images of 30062 seem plentiful, did the loco actually receive a local departmental number?

 

Cheers for all the help

 

Jack

[JohnR]

I've found a couple of images of 30062 that while not fully side on, show enough of the side tank to reveal it did get its departmental number of DS234. Theres one on ebay of it at Cashmores yard in Newport which shows it quite clearly, while these show it at Meldon:

 

https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p597862420/h6026FA1B#h6026fa1b

 

https://railphotoprints.uk/p670284858/h7E6FDE82#h7e6fde82

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by JohnR

[sb67]

It's a shame about your experience with the 03, I've a couple of them and the run superb, and I've an older 04 that runs great. 

The new ones appear as bargains as well sometimes.

You're layout sounds interesting, will you start a thread on it?

Steve. 

Edited October 16, 2019 by sb67

[Guest Jack Benson]

16 minutes ago, sb67 said:

It's a shame about your experience with the 03, I've a couple of them and the run superb, and I've an older 04 that runs great. 

The new ones appear as bargains as well sometimes.

You're layout sounds interesting, will you start a thread on it?

Steve. 

Try here  and the link in the signature try here

 

Thanks

 

JB

[alastairq]

Of course....[with the disadvantages of electrical pickup & shunters?]....many running problems [especially with shunting layouts?] could be 'solved' by taking advantage of modern technology, and converting the locos to radio control?

Dead rails?

 

 

35 years ago, many of the running issues of small shunting locos resulted in persuading me to go over to USA prototypes...where their shunters [switchers] were cheap, and performed almost faultlessly ...especially at low speeds.....probably still struggle to beat the track performance of an old Athearn SW7?

[sleepyrider]

A bit late I'm afraid - I bought a Bachmann Jinty, supposedly unused, but was very hesitant, even after running in. Someone suggested slackening off the two screws that hold on the keeper plate underneath a little, totally transformed it. Might be worth a try.

I also picked up a used Bachmann 04 recently, the split frame chassis type. Like your 03 the wheels were filthy, but the biggest change came from cleaning all the old gunk out of the U shaped channels in which the axles run and which act as the pickup surfaces.

As a general note, I've found for shunting, an 0-6-0 will always outperform an   0-4-0. My Hornby Peckett for instance is a lovely runner, but far more sensitive to dirt than any of its six couples stablemates.

[Guest Jack Benson]

On 16 October 2019 at 10:39, JohnR said:

I've found a couple of images of 30062 that while not fully side on, show enough of the side tank to reveal it did get its departmental number of DS234. Theres one on ebay of it at Cashmores yard in Newport which shows it quite clearly, while these show it at Meldon:

 

https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p597862420/h6026FA1B#h6026fa1b

 

https://railphotoprints.uk/p670284858/h7E6FDE82#h7e6fde82

 

 

 

John,

 

The image at Cashmores is perfect and mine.

 

Thank you

 

JB