Grasslands Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Hi all Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about butchering a silverfox j70 steam tram. My aim is to create one of these, a steam tram with no skirts. My question is simple enough: What is the smallest wheelbase 0-6-0 chassis that I can get that will best suit the steam tram in OO gauge? My current thinking is the Mercian Models Fowler Dock Tank, but I still think that the wheel base will be a bit wide. All ideas happily welcomed. Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard of the Moor Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 The Fowler dock tank has a 9'6" wheelbase with 4' wheels. The J70 has a 6'8" wheelbase with 3' wheels. The Mercian Models dock tank kit certainly can be built up to run well, but I don't think that it will look right under a J70. Would an HO chassis from a Continental manufacturer, if there is one suitable, be a better bet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasslands Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 I was wondering the same about a HO gauge engine. Just need some suggestions. Preferably a decent runner (obviously). Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 A possibility could be one of these (various models available). http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DR-Baureihe_80 The dimensions are still too large however, even scaled up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Should we not get a J70 RTR by the time it finally arrives at the head of my 'to do' list, I will be using the Bach 03 chassis. 9' wheelbase, 3'6" wheel, very sweet running thanks to a reduction ratio of about 44:1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I'm not even sure they ran in service without skirts. That picture seems to be taken at Stratford, where they were overhauled. I've seen pictures, and spoken with the drivers, of them passing from Wisbech to Stratford (and return) in steam, in normal condition. Though the drivers related that the locos wer fitted (by law) with a speed governor for use on the tramway; after overhaul, the crew would illicitly remove the drive belt so they could get up speed on the journey back north! Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted February 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 16, 2013 There is a well known photograph of one of these engines storming up Brentwood bank, complete with skirts. I should imagine however with such a short wheelbase that there would be problems with any substantial speed. IIRC they were governed to about 5 mph, so the disconnection of the governor may have had official sanction or at least a 'blind-eye'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasslands Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 I'm not even sure they ran in service without skirts. That picture seems to be taken at Stratford, where they were overhauled. I've seen pictures, and spoken with the drivers, of them passing from Wisbech to Stratford (and return) in steam, in normal condition. Though the drivers related that the locos wer fitted (by law) with a speed governor for use on the tramway; after overhaul, the crew would illicitly remove the drive belt so they could get up speed on the journey back north! Stewart Hi Stewart The Wisbech & Upwell Tramway Centenary Album has some pictures of the trams skirtless and shunting around Yarmouth and Ipswich. There is also a picture of a skirtless one at Colchester. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glo41f Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I can confirm that they did indeed run without skirts. I saw these locos daily running on the Ipswich dock lines out of Ipswich lower yard. They mostly ran without skirts especially towards the end before they were replaced by the Hunslet diesels. I thik Ipswich shed removed these for ease of maintenance. I do not think the Wisbech ones ran without skirts, well at least I have seen no pictures of them in this condition but perhaps this was due to the fact that the tramway ran a greater distance over public roads. The ones used at Yarmouth also seemed to keep their skirts according to pictures taken at the time. I intend to build one without the sideskirts - well its on my "to do" list! Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasslands Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 A possibility could be one of these (various models available).http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DR-Baureihe_80The dimensions are still too large however, even scaled up I was doing some research into short wheel base HO, and saw that one yesterday. I wonder if the chassis will fit? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasslands Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 Should we not get a J70 RTR by the time it finally arrives at the head of my 'to do' list, I will be using the Bach 03 chassis. 9' wheelbase, 3'6" wheel, very sweet running thanks to a reduction ratio of about 44:1. I know all about the positive qualities of the Bachmann 03. Hadn't considered it for this conversion. Not too sure how I would make the coupling rods and valve gear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I was doing some research into short wheel base HO, and saw that one yesterday. I wonder if the chassis will fit? The wheelbase is 3200mm and the wheel diameter 1100mm. This scales to 9'2" and 38" in 00 (assuming the original model is correct, of course). The only model I have is by Trix Express with steam roller wheels, so not really suitable. The USATC tank has a slightly smaller wheelbase but 4'6" wheels Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 If you really want rtr chassis, I think it would need to be modified N or TT. Probably easier to build from scratch or kit. Guess that someone has done a kit??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasslands Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 If you really want rtr chassis, I think it would need to be modified N or TT. Probably easier to build from scratch or kit. Guess that someone has done a kit??? There are kits for a skirted one, but to my knowledge no one has done a fully coupled version. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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