What to do with this GWR Railcar chassis?

[BusDriverMan]

I picked this up as a "DMU Chassis" as part of a small ad a week or two ago along with an aged BH Enterprises Class 121/122 kit and a few other items. Took a little while to recognise it for what it was with those external driveshafts! Runs OK with a 9V battery across the tracks - I don't have a DC controller.

 

Was thinking of using the chassis and kit to make a grimy Scottish Region Class 131 as a modelling exercise, as I already have a Dapol 122 cobbled together from spares. This would mean replacing the bogie sideframes, adapting it for DCC, and ideally replacing the wheelsets with something less pizza-cuttery.

 

My question is, in the year 2020, is this a good use of the chassis? And if so, can I source better wheelsets somewhere? I've searched a bit but haven't found clear answers.

 

Meanwhile, it can push a CCT back and forth under the monitors on my desk

[Dr Al]

This is the chassis from a GWR Railcar.

 

BR Lines have newer wheels, but don't bin the old ones - those white gears are rare, and the best Farish did (only in 1984, so dates this chassis precisely).

 

These chassis are similar to Farish's 101 of the same time, albeit with longer driveshafts and wheelbase. They have very good slow speed performance due to the high gearing ratio and 5 pole motor.

 

Various kits or scratchbuilds could use this (the easiest being a parcels GWR railcar that Farish never did, only the passenger version).

 

Alternatively, given this is a white geared chassis and presumably working well, it'll have strong value on secondhand market (£35 easily) so you could move it on very easily I'd think to put funds to something else.

 

Cheers,

Alan