Lister Autotruck or Similar

[hconn]

I recently purchased a set of Roco 34512 personnel wagons purely because I thought they would suit my layout. I knew when purchasing them I didn't have a loco that would be suitable to pull them so started researching into what smallish locos were available that I thought would go well with it. I found two particular of note one was (as above) a model based on a Lister Autotruck (by RT Models) and the other was a skip diesel (by CW Railways), however both of these models used Kato Portram chassis and I'm trying to stick to a budget and couldn't find any chassis at a price I would be willing pay. I was wondering if anyone else any suggestions on what I could use. My only other thought was to purchase the Autotruck and have a powered wagon in between it and the Roco models.

[Chris Bridges]

For an alternative way of doing the Lister Autotruck I would have a look on this site:

http://www.stephenjohnsonrailways.co.uk/Lister Rail Truck.htm

 

Thanks Chris 

[Tim Hall]

16 minutes ago, Chris Bridges said:

For an alternative way of doing the Lister Autotruck I would have a look on this site:

http://www.stephenjohnsonrailways.co.uk/Lister Rail Truck.htm

 

Thanks Chris 

I've driven three 15 inch gauge ones, a lot of fun. My avatar shows my then small daughter and me on "Sludge", usually at Evesham but visiting Perrygrove a few years ago. Had several days driving it up and down the 1 in 29 on a couple of coaches (it's now air-braked for the purpose), also drove "Pylon" regularly there and also a privately owned visiting one.

[decauville1126]

Sometimes it's possible to find Kato Portrams or Centrams on ebay - I got one for around £50. This provides two powered bogies and you should have no problem selling one on, probably for a bit more than half the total cost. It's a surprisingly good power unit with good slow running using a resistor to drop the input voltage (as advised in the RT Models info) and a quality controller. The castings are a bit basic but it's very tiny anyway, and a credit to RT Models for doing it.

[hconn]

16 hours ago, decauville1126 said:

Sometimes it's possible to find Kato Portrams or Centrams on ebay - I got one for around £50. This provides two powered bogies and you should have no problem selling one on, probably for a bit more than half the total cost. It's a surprisingly good power unit with good slow running using a resistor to drop the input voltage (as advised in the RT Models info) and a quality controller. The castings are a bit basic but it's very tiny anyway, and a credit to RT Models for doing it.

Do the Centrams use the same unit as the Portrams? I've seen some listed before at a lower price but was hesitant in case it wouldn't fit well enough

[hconn]

17 hours ago, Chris Bridges said:

For an alternative way of doing the Lister Autotruck I would have a look on this site:

http://www.stephenjohnsonrailways.co.uk/Lister Rail Truck.htm

 

Thanks Chris 

Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for those as well. They seem to be less than the Portrams but still a bit much for me, but I'll keep an eye eye nonetheless.

[ssullonly]

I would go for the Kato Portram bogie every time - the Centram bogie is the same as the Portram and so you can save money that way. Remember that you get two bogies for the price of one tram, and that it is possible to find the things considerably cheaper than £100.  Try Amazon - seriously.

I've got six of them (three pairs) running on my "Holbeach" layout, and they go out to exhibitions regularly. They have 4-wheel drive and an internal flywheel, and so they are better than the 2-wheel drive  EB4111 used by Stephen Johnson (although it is the very best 2-wheel drive chassis I've ever tried, and the fit to the Lister body is terrific).

Obviously you /should/ follow the advice about fitting a resistor, but I use a Gaugemaster W and have a good team of operators who know not to "belt" the locos, and I haven't found a need for a resistor. Where would it fit on a Lister?

But throw the driver away!

[ssullonly]

Just checked the "well known online purchase site" and I note (to my horror) that the Centram that I bought in February for £59 is now priced at £110. So the moral is that you should buy when and where you can!  Even so, in a world where OO coaches are around £50 each I still think that you get reasonable value.

[hconn]

On 10/05/2019 at 20:28, ssullonly said:

Just checked the "well known online purchase site" and I note (to my horror) that the Centram that I bought in February for £59 is now priced at £110. So the moral is that you should buy when and where you can!  Even so, in a world where OO coaches are around £50 each I still think that you get reasonable value.

I keep searching for them at this often quoted £59 but can never find them. Oh the pains of inflation. But I agree, for the size they do look incredible value, I'm just trying to build mine on a bit more of a budget. 

[eastworld]

On ‎10‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 15:09, hconn said:

Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for those as well. They seem to be less than the Portrams but still a bit much for me, but I'll keep an eye eye nonetheless.

The EB4111 is almost impossible to find. If it is ever produced, I think it gets done small batches which sell out very quickly.

 

Stu

[hconn]

20 minutes ago, eastworld said:

The EB4111 is almost impossible to find. If it is ever produced, I think it gets done small batches which sell out very quickly.

 

Stu

I think I found one on eBay, but it was from Japan so the shipping price as well as the product made it about as expensive as a Portram. 

[HonestTom]

An alternative little loco might be something like a Simplex. Tebee Models on Shapeways do a Simplex for £17 that fits on the miniscule World Craft Company TU-14CL chassis, available for around £36.

[hconn]

2 hours ago, HonestTom said:

An alternative little loco might be something like a Simplex. Tebee Models on Shapeways do a Simplex for £17 that fits on the miniscule World Craft Company TU-14CL chassis, available for around £36.

Thanks! I'll bare that in mind. I'm trying to find something quite open as the Roco models are very small and I don't want a locomotive to make them look too small. 

[HonestTom]

1 minute ago, hconn said:

Thanks! I'll bare that in mind. I'm trying to find something quite open as the Roco models are very small and I don't want a locomotive to make them look too small. 

 

I used the Simplex for a similar reason - I was modelling a farm railway which used those dinky little Roco wagons. Tyneside Models, also on Shapeways, does a couple of tiny steam locos which go on the TU-KOPPEL chassis. I have one of his Kerr Stuart Wrens in the works, which is not much larger than the Simplex.

[hconn]

22 hours ago, HonestTom said:

 

I used the Simplex for a similar reason - I was modelling a farm railway which used those dinky little Roco wagons. Tyneside Models, also on Shapeways, does a couple of tiny steam locos which go on the TU-KOPPEL chassis. I have one of his Kerr Stuart Wrens in the works, which is not much larger than the Simplex.

Thanks! I'll have a look at these. This has definitely left my options more open!