Roxey 0 gauge loco kits

[hayfield]

I am about to order either a SR P class loco or a Beattie from Roxey, if possible would like to buy a complete kit. As well as wheels, motor & gears, there are a couple of other options, think they are sprung buffers and plunger pickups, are these 2 options worth buying ? and any other tips, thoughts or suggestions would be very welcome.

 

 

[Simond]

Hi John

 

Can't comment on either kit, or Roxey in general, as I have no experience of them.

 

I would always fit sprung buffers to a loco, indeed, I have done so to all my rolling stock.

 

Regarding plungers - bit like Marmite - some people love them, some hate them. My experience is generally satisfactory, but with the provisos that they are difficult to fix if they wear out or go wrong, and they can be in the way or visible between the frames. Other options are backscratchers mounted on PCB or on hard wire busbars, or split axles. If you are confident that you can make up back scratchers, or split axles, then go right ahead, if not, I'd suggest plungers. If you do use plungers, then use the thinnest possible wire to connect them to your motor or decoder.

 

HTH

Simon

[david.hill64]

As recommended by Ozzyo, you could try the Alan Gibson 4mm plunger pickups. These seem to have less drag than the 7mm types.

 

I would always fit sprung buffers, if only because they will be turned fittings rather than cast and the ability to paint them with the buffer heads out is useful.

[PatB]

Like Simon, I can't comment on Roxey kits (although the gearbox I bought from them a while ago was very nice) but I've decided that, as a novice kit builder, I like plungers.

 

When I built my Connoisseur Y7 I spent two days faffing around with bits of pcb and springy wire and couldn't for the life of me arrange a set of pickups that were (a) inconspicuous (b) likely to remain in contact with the metal bits of the Slaters wheels and © not almost certain to get pulled off the first time the loco was packed away and unpacked again. Eventually I decided life was too short and ordered a set of Slaters plungers which, when assembled with appropriate care, worked perfectly first time.

 

I can't speak for their longevity. If and when they do wear out, maybe I'll have got better at fiddling with springy wire.

[TJ52]

I built a Roxey G6 - like the P (I'm not sure about the Beattie) it was originally designed by Ray Rogers back in the late 80's or early 90's.

 

I am a very average modeller, the G6 was my first ( and only) attempt at loco building. It went together quite well, I had a bit of a problem with the chassis but Dave Hammersley was very helpful both by email and in person at an exhibition.

 

I chose sprung buffers, I agree that this should always be done. I fitted the chassis with wire wipers soldered to printed circuit board, a bit like the OO locos from my youth.

 

Good luck!

 

Terry

[mikeg]

I have a loco that has Slaters plungers that is about 30 years old, I bought it 25 years ago and it has been well used, it has run on our club layout a 40x20ft oval for long periods up to 3 hours at a time and the carbon plungers have worn about 1mm in that time, another loco with brass wipers has had them replaced after 20 years with a similar amount of running it now has home built plungers, pencil lead in plastic tube across the frames with small springs in the tube that has a central 'bung' a small hole cut in the tube and a wire soldered to a brass pin that fits in the spring and you have a very cheap pick-up that works well, fidely to make but not impossible.

 

regards

 

mike g