The Quirky Poll 2023

[Michael Hodgson]

3 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

The Southern's Sentinel-Cammell railcar looked very similar ........... perfect for anyone modelling the Dyke Branch ( etc.).

That's available 3D printed on Shapeways

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, J. S. Bach said:

I'd go for one of those if in 0.

There's photographs and drawings on this site.

 https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/misc/misc_railcar334.htm

Edited December 17, 2023 by PhilJ W

[AyJay]

I have just placed my vote 😀

I chose:

Ivor the Engine, because I remember watching it as a small child. But it’s got to have ‘Jones the Steam’ and it must make the right ‘chuff-chuff’ sound.

Locomotion. I would want to model that painting of it hauling a load with horses etc running alongside.

Trevithicks engine. I once made a motorised plastic kit of this as a child. Was it Airfix?

[Steven B]

One for next year?

Courage Brewery Hudson / Hunslet 0-4-0DM 1786 'Courage' by MikeG, on Flickr

 

Or with a bit more weather protection:

(John Stein on Flickr)

[darthmh]

It would have to be the KESR Railcars for me.  

[tomparryharry]

Hello Quirky Poll Team,

 

Excellent diversity as usual. I must sadly confess that I wouldn't be buying any of your current selection. My collection of Work In Progress far outweighs my desire to vote, and buy, anything. 

 

On a really positive note, the discussions which surround  the Polls are extremely worthy of note. It appears the manufacturers are gaining confidence to look at the niche stuff, instead of 'sorry, not here' response. 

 

Nice!

[The Johnster]

On 18/12/2023 at 01:36, AyJay said:

I have just placed my vote 😀

I chose:

Ivor the Engine, because I remember watching it as a small child. But it’s got to have ‘Jones the Steam’ and it must make the right ‘chuff-chuff’ sound.

Locomotion. I would want to model that painting of it hauling a load with horses etc running alongside.

Trevithicks engine. I once made a motorised plastic kit of this as a child. Was it Airfix?

 

Pshhhticoff, pshhhticoff.

 

Trevithick's Penydarren engine, Cap'n Dick's steam trombone for a  £5 bet, yes, the kit was Airfix and I think 1:24th scale.  There's a Cuneo painting (I think the one you mention of Locomotion is by him as well) of it running somewhere by Troedyrhiw, crowds cheering and kids running alongside, with a very excited spaniel in the foreground!

[Hroth]

2 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

Pshhhticoff, pshhhticoff.

 

If Hornby did it, they could provide a TXS soundfile of the correct noises....

 

Or you could just DIY without a sound decoder!

 

[The Johnster]

As some of my regular readers will know, I already make chuff-chuff noises and whistle noises when I'm operating because I can't afford DCC.  And ts ts ts GW vacuum pump (or clank clunk clonk for BR standards/anything with outside Walchaert's) for coasting/braking; it's a good indication of scale speed, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

 

The last thing I need is more encouragment!

[Compound2632]

Just now, The Johnster said:

The last thing I need is more encouragment!

 

It's what you'll get from me. You have to admit that making the noises oneself is much more spontaneous and satisfying than doing it by pushing DCC buttons. An analogy with making babies springs to mind.

[The Johnster]

5 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

It's what you'll get from me. You have to admit that making the noises oneself is much more spontaneous and satisfying than doing it by pushing DCC buttons. An analogy with making babies springs to mind.

 

A better range of sounds available and more realistic IMHO as well.  And so are the loco noises...

 

Some of them are quite similar, actually.  Pshhhticoff pshhhticoff!

[TimOrTom]

I must admit that I said yes to more of these than otherwise, I guess I'm a sucker for odd locos. Would 3ft gauge prototypes be 4mm scale on 12mm track or some other scale, is this an established scale?
I would definitley love an Aveling and Porter loco but think one of the 0-4-0 with a cab style engines would be more achievable than the open 2-2-0 "Blue Circle" type. Would have to have the fly wheel spin though, I wonder if you could have the motor worm drive the crankshaft and have a functioning gear train.

[PhilJ W]

34 minutes ago, TimOrTom said:

I must admit that I said yes to more of these than otherwise, I guess I'm a sucker for odd locos. Would 3ft gauge prototypes be 4mm scale on 12mm track or some other scale, is this an established scale?
I would definitley love an Aveling and Porter loco but think one of the 0-4-0 with a cab style engines would be more achievable than the open 2-2-0 "Blue Circle" type. Would have to have the fly wheel spin though, I wonder if you could have the motor worm drive the crankshaft and have a functioning gear train.

The 'traction engine' type of locomotives had a gear train connecting the crankshaft/flywheel to the axle, usually on the side of the firebox. Perhaps this could be reproduced to take the drive from the axle to the flywheel on a model?

[Steamport Southport]

42 minutes ago, TimOrTom said:

I must admit that I said yes to more of these than otherwise, I guess I'm a sucker for odd locos. Would 3ft gauge prototypes be 4mm scale on 12mm track or some other scale, is this an established scale?
I would definitley love an Aveling and Porter loco but think one of the 0-4-0 with a cab style engines would be more achievable than the open 2-2-0 "Blue Circle" type. Would have to have the fly wheel spin though, I wonder if you could have the motor worm drive the crankshaft and have a functioning gear train.

 

Yes. A scale/gauge commonly used by modellers of the Isle Of Man Railways and Irish narrow gauge since at least the 1960s.

 

 

 

Jason

[The Black Hat]

I've been saying for years Aerolite should be done... 

[J. S. Bach]

On 18/12/2023 at 08:26, Steven B said:

One for next year? Or with a bit more weather protection:

(John Stein on Flickr)

I would be in for something like that one (in 0 scale) as I had a chance to operate this one:

[Mol_PMB]

On 17/12/2023 at 13:59, Wickham Green too said:

Nah - North Devon ...... place called Woody Bay !

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway - If you want a quirky monorail, what about - 

 

near Aultnamain Inn ; 15/4/80

This was a fairly well-established system but rarely recorded because it was used for short-term contracting jobs. The photo shows one of the powered V-skips (Lister engine, maybe?) as well as the hauled versions.

Was it Rich Morris who built a steam monorail loco compatible with this system? I remember it chuffing up and down in Minffordd Yard the day before an FR special event. Pretty sure I had a ride behind it after helping with the yard preparations. Sadly it didn't run for the event itself as the boiler paperwork turned out to be unsatisfactory (or perhaps entirely absent).

[Johann Marsbar]

44 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

 

Was it Rich Morris who built a steam monorail loco compatible with this system? I remember it chuffing up and down in Minffordd Yard the day before an FR special event. Pretty sure I had a ride behind it after helping with the yard preparations. Sadly it didn't run for the event itself as the boiler paperwork turned out to be unsatisfactory (or perhaps entirely absent).

 

Looks like that is at the Tanat Valley Railway now....   https://www.tanatvalleyrailway.co.uk/monorail

 

[Wickham Green too]

59 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

This was a fairly well-established system but rarely recorded because it was used for short-term contracting jobs. The photo shows one of the powered V-skips (Lister engine, maybe?) as well as the hauled versions. ...

I don't know whether anyone could determine whether that's a Lister ? ......... the expanse of cut turf in the background would suggest this contract wasn't particularly short term ................................... I hope the notice has been preserved at Nant Mawr !

 

[GM36]

I think the Y5 would make a great model and also offer potential for industrial locos. I like the tram one however to keep it quirky.

[PhilJ W]

English Electric produced a lot of these:-

 

Comes in battery, pantograph, trolley pole and even third rail versions.

[Hroth]

On 24/12/2023 at 19:03, PhilJ W said:

English Electric produced a lot of these:-

 

Comes in battery, pantograph, trolley pole and even third rail versions.

 

Triang did something that resembled one of those late 50s/early 60s!

 

Triang R.254

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by Hroth
Redid the link!

[Steamport Southport]

17 hours ago, GM36 said:

I think the Y5 would make a great model and also offer potential for industrial locos. I like the tram one however to keep it quirky.

 

Apart from the "extras" I reckon that's pretty normal. 

 

Saw the now preserved one in what was akin to a scrapyard in Chepstow in about 1980.

 

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/neilson-co-works-no-2119-great-eastern-railway-229-0-4-0st/

 

I'm afraid I didn't vote for it as High Level make one and I want to keep the vote fair.

 

However the other locomotive that was present that day is definitely quirky. Also now preserved.

 

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/kerr-stuart-works-no-3063-d249-willy-0-4-0wt/

 

 

Jason

[BMacdermott]

Hello everyone

 

FINAL CALL FOR VOTES IN THE QUIRKY POLL 2023

 

Just a reminder that voting will close at: 1800, Friday 29 December 2023.

 

We hope to get the results to you by the New Year - look out for the thread: Results - The Quirky Poll 2023.

 

Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

[Phil Parker]

The results can be found here: