Bargain Indutrial Shunter

[Joseph_Pestell]

OK, it's French and it's a static model which would not be the easiest to motorise. But what a bargain this looks to be. https://trains.lrpresse.com/A-18968-locotracteur-berliet-plm-1926-bleu.aspx

 

 

[The Bigbee Line]

It quite like the home made shunted from Lancing Carriage Works

[Joseph_Pestell]

I headed this thread "Industrial" as that is how I have always known these shunters. I have two in HO.

 

But the model is actually shown as being PLM, i.e. main line railway.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Just ordered one - and then noticed that they also do SNCF green.

[Welchester]

The maker's website has it at a lower price, but delivery charges are higher, which I think just about evens it up.

[toplink@()1989))((]

It looks a cracking little shunter! Doe's anyone know if the wheels turn/are metal? If so, maybe couple it to a motorised van wagon perhaps?

 

Cheers, Pete. 

[Joseph_Pestell]

46 minutes ago, toplink@()1989))(( said:

It looks a cracking little shunter! Doe's anyone know if the wheels turn/are metal? If so, maybe couple it to a motorised van wagon perhaps?

 

Cheers, Pete. 

 

I have one on order. Should hopefully arrive this week and I will give a further report then.

 

I' thinking that it will need some sort of 00 chassis with axles replaced. But that might make it a bit speedy.

 

Ideally, a small motor with a high-reduction gearbox onto one axle and a Delrin chain drive to the other axle. I think that this is correct to prototype (the chain drive not the electric motor).

[ColinK]

Perhaps a ‘High Level’ gearbox.  I’ve used a ‘00’ one on my 0 gauge powered Grampus waggon and it works well.

[ColinK]

Perhaps a ‘High Level’ gearbox.  I’ve used a ‘00’ one on my 0 gauge powered Grampus waggon and it works well.

[DCB]

Should be easy enough to motorise, its 1 /43 scale    I would look at using N gauge bits and a belt drive, don't exactly expect it to pull 14 coaches up Dainton.

[Father Dougal]

Have a look at Slaters website. I bought one of their o gauge motor and gearboxes for a light shunter, It is about the size of a 20p piece, but does the job. I think it was about £80

Dougal

[Joseph_Pestell]

Hi,

 

The postman has just delivered my blue (PLM) Berliet shunter, made by/for Chrezo.

 

It is just lovely although a bit glossy - definitely a candidate for some weathering and matt varnish.

 

There is a superfine rendition of the chain drive (too fine?) and very fine gear lever, brake handle and other controls.

 

Only black mark is for the couplings, a strange 2D representation of a screw coupling.

 

The wheels are plastic but do turn, not very free running. Wheelbase 63mm (9ft).

 

Main problem at the moment is getting it off the display base. It is screwed down to the base with a screw that has a head that needs a special screwdriver to remove (triangular head).

 

After that, I will do some proper research as to how to motorise it. Happy with any solution that will allow it to shunt up to three wagons.

[Joseph_Pestell]

On 18/03/2020 at 15:14, Father Dougal said:

Have a look at Slaters website. I bought one of their o gauge motor and gearboxes for a light shunter, It is about the size of a 20p piece, but does the job. I think it was about £80

Dougal

 

Their SG4? Looks as though it would fit well with perhaps just a bit of incursion into the cab. A bit pricey but the overall price will still be cheap for 0. I wonder if one axle drive will be enough or if I need to fit a chain drive between the axles. I have some scrap lead sheet that I can hide underneath to give a bit more adhesion if necessary.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Sorry, not quite got the necessary lighting to show the amazing detail on the underframe.

[Neil]

I've had things in the past with the triangular recess. I've found that they can be undone with a suitably sized flat head screwdriver; I use one of my set of cheapo jewellers screwdrivers.

 

Edit: see you've overcome that difficulty.

Edit: somehow in the cross posting I appear to have gained your photos. Sorry, no idea how that happened.

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Neil

[Nile]

Had a quick play with it, does this look any better?

[Joseph_Pestell]

6 minutes ago, Neil said:

I've had things in the past with the triangular recess. I've found that they can be undone with a suitably sized flat head screwdriver; I use one of my set of cheapo jewellers screwdrivers.

 

Thanks. That is very useful information. Now that I have got it off the base by squeezing the roundhead screw with pliers, I find that there are more of these strange screws holding the bodywork to the underframe, etc.

I will try your method but if anyone here knows where to get the right screwdrivers, I would prefer that option. If I can get them out, might replace with something more conventional.

[Joseph_Pestell]

2 minutes ago, Nile said:

Had a quick play with it, does this look any better?

 

Thanks, Neil. This shows the moulded chain drive much better. There is a moulding of the bottom of the engine and crankcase. The brake gear is very fine and I have come to the conclusion the brake shoes are really working and what is stopping the wheels rotating freely. The plastic wheels will need changing anyway as the axles are too fine for any motorising solution that I know of.

 

For anyone coming to this thread today, the price, including postage, is about £32 at current exchange rate.

[Nile]

Could even try with working chain drive.

 

[Hal Nail]

36 minutes ago, Neil said:

I've had things in the past with the triangular recess. I've found that they can be undone with a suitably sized flat head screwdriver; I use one of my set of cheapo jewellers screwdrivers.

 

Same here with Ixo cars. I've always found a bit of swearing helps but I think you can get the screwdrivers on ebay if anyone really wants to.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Could be an option. I like it in theory.

 

Replace that transverse driveshaft with an  00 loco axle and fix a cog where the 00 driving wheels would normally go. Suitable chain to another cog on each axle. Need to do some more research to find a gearbox that would be small enough yet give enough reduction.

[Nearholmer]

You can buy the triangular-tip drivers from good tool suppliers on-line, Axminter might be a worthwhile first place to look, or you can make one by filing a piece of bar, or an old door key.

 

This model looks superb, and a bargain, and I’m mightily tempted, but what do others think about mail-ordering right now?

 

I’m heading towards a ‘don’t mail order anything non-essential’ policy for three reasons:

 

- distribution staff are as much affected by Covid as anyone else, so will increasingly  be self-isolating or affected more directly, putting heavy pressure on those left at work;

 

- postals systems do convey near-essential items as well as complete non-essentials like our toy trains, and it seems right to leave as much capacity in the system as possible for near-essentials;

 

- selfish one this, but at some point the postal systems will clog-up due to staff shortages, creating ‘mail mountains’, in which will get buried the near-essential and the non-essential alike, increasingly the probability of stuff getting lost (The Hermes sorting centre at Calais loses stuff in normal times!).

 

Kevin

[Hal Nail]

1 minute ago, Nearholmer said:

I’m heading towards a ‘don’t mail order anything non-essential’ policy for three reasons:

 

- distribution staff are as much affected by Covid as anyone else, so will increasingly  be self-isolating or affected more directly, putting heavy pressure on those left at work;

 

- postals systems do convey near-essential items as well as complete non-essentials like our toy trains, and it seems right to leave as much capacity in the system as possible for near-essentials;

 

- selfish one this, but at some point the postal systems will clog-up due to staff shortages, creating ‘mail mountains’, in which will get buried the near-essential and the non-essential alike, increasingly the probability of stuff getting lost (The Hermes sorting centre at Calais loses stuff in normal times!).

 

Kevin

Good points but on the other hand I think business need the income especially if their physical stores are closed so if they are taking appropriate precautions to protect delivery staff, it is certainly keeping the latter employed.

[Nearholmer]

Couldn't argue with that ........ its a difficult call.

 

I will open a thread on this to see what others (including delivery personnel who are members) think.

[Phil Traxson]

Just tried to order one of these but their site will accept neither my Welsh postcode or Porthmadog in my address so sadly and annoyingly I will not be able to get one. No e-mail address in there contacts either. Pity really because I may have wanted one more to convert to 0-16.5 once I had seen the first one. 

There is a phone number but I can just imagine the frustration, on both sides, of a non French speaking Englishman trying to explain a Welsh post code and town to a Frenchman who may or may not speak English, though to be fair more Europeans speak English than English speak their languages!   

Phil T.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Phil Traxson