railroadbill

Possibly, I went looking for the box the drive kit came in, think I'd come across it some time ago but haven't found it yet. Being intrigued by this I took the Athearn rdc body off. There are no markings on the bogie drive but here's a picture of it. A train of gears run to each axle from the worm drive at the top which uses the existing carden shaft from the motor. The Athearn wheels, which are a wheel on a stub axle then just plug into the lowest gear muff. Works ok, much better than the weird rubber band drive (shades of Lone Star). It was easy enough to put together and runs well although the rdc only gets an occasional run on a "run things that don't fit in with the layout" session! The transmission would be useful for other projects as well (one bogie drive with large central motor) but I guess a spud or black beetle etc. would do fine. If I find the box/instructions with the maker's name I'll post back on this.

Whoops, Athearn it is, comes of doing things in a hurry! (Although if John Ahern had build Canadian stock I'm sure they would have looked fine on the Madder Valley :-) )

Here's one (Life Like proto 1000) to a rather higher standard than the Ahern model. I managed to buy this one recently after a tip off from AndrewC who'd spotted it for sale - thanks again. Not a bad model imho, Doesn't have headlight and chains across end doors - easy enough to rectify though. Arrival of grand daughter has put micro Canadian layout idea on back burner for a while but it does run very well round my (BR era) loft layout. It's been sitting in a display case next to my computer since I got it, so a very satisfying model. Now, if there was a very well detailed RDC model as the next step........ edit to add manufacturer

Here's my Ahern one. Had it a long time, got it from Victors when they were in Pentonville Road near Islington. It was the only kid on the block then. It took years to finally track one down as I think they only got made in small batches. It has a replacement transmission with a geared bogie that drives both axles, came as a kit for the RDC but don't now know who made it. Had originally intended to repaint it into CP rail livery but never got round to it. There is something addictive about RDCs.

Couple of great videos Phil, the whistling whistler sounds just the job actually. And nice to see 345/40 145, hadn't realised it was out on the main line, I'll have to keep a closer eye on these things! (Did look good with the headcodes as well). Thanks.

Thanks for the info on the head code size, Phil. Excellent timing, by coincidence I bought a sound chip today (my first with legomanbiffo sound files) so when it arrives 47 148 will be the next project on the workbench. I'll have a go at the head codes (as per your useful advice in post 582) at the same time. Cheers, Bill

Hi John, By a stroke of luck I've found a picture of Happy Knight in "Colour of steam The LNER Pacifics" which was published by Atlantic in 1985 and written by P N Townend. Anyway, there is a picture of 60533 ex works at Doncaster in May 1956. It's a 3/4 view from the front right of the engine, ie the firemans side where the steam generator would be.. Obviously has the early crest but doesn't have either the steam generator or the electric lamps fitted. While the front buffer beam is partly blocked by another engine, it does look as if there is an aws protecting plate behind the front coupling. Another point is that the double chimney is the early type with a thin beading round the top rather than the "flared" top they had later. Good luck with your modifications. Hope this helps.

Thanks, Robin. Just the info needed, gives a bit more operational flexibility to pull one or two through coaches behind the set or indeed have a 3 coach push pull unit.

Having missed out the first time around, I bought R4534A (unit 616) from Model Railways Direct. Cost £59.75 and delivered by trusty postman the day after I'd ordered it. (No connection with MRD except for being a satisfied customer). Coaches in perfect condition, no fingerprints and they do run very freely. They've been trundling round the layout propelled by an M7 - they do look great. So I've been reading up some books on SR branch lines, loads of photos but a couple of questions have been raised in my mind. They is obviously a lot of knowledge and expertise about push/pull units on this thread, so I'm hoping someone will know the answers. 1. The previous post shows a push-pull set being pushed with another coach towed behind the loco. I've also seen a pic at Bramber station of set 601 in 1960 with a compartment third behind it (making a 3 coach rake) being propelled by an H class. Would the extra coach have needed to be modified to connect the air controls from the loco to the p&p set therefore it was a regular 3 coach set- or was there some way of just coupling an extra coach in if needed? The Driving compartment is definitely leading - white disk and no tail lamp, plus train is on left hand line. Can't scan pic I'm afraid, cos it's in an OPC book. 2. Push pull locos like M7 and H have 2 air pipes for push pull control to the right of the coupling hook (looking at smokebox) mounted below the buffer beam. Since pipes are at both ends of loco, I'm supposing that a loco could be coupled to a push pull unit with the smokebox next to the rear coach, ie pushing running forwards rather than backwards.. Was this a regular occurance? They usually seem to be photographed with bunker to coach, though. ed for typos

Thanks, Phil. I'm hanging on for a blue 40 with discs which ain't one of the first releases so hopefully will be produced soon. Originally thought I wouldn't have a sound one because it would sound too similar to the 37 I've sound chipped but having heard the Bachmann Mauritania running and now your video one, those whistling turbo chargers are very distinctive and I'm hooked. Your Howes sounds are good... cheers Bill

Really good whistling sound - what is the sound chip you've used in the 40? And as has been said before, great video.

Excellent! Thanks for that, couldn't get my head around the apparent difference in power between the B-Gs and 8Fs - but getting the train started isn't the only factor. Steam locos always seem difficult to compare objectively - claims by different railways that they had "Britain's most powerful loco" based purely on tractive effort were common but was a King really better than an A3 on that basis? Better not go there. As you say, brake power must have been really significant especially for unfitted freights, presumably that requirement varied as well in hilly country. Read of locos such as WD 2-8-0s that were not suitable for lines like S&D with heavy gradients although ran very well in flatter country (and may have gone up hill ok although not safely down.) This is a very interesting subject, so thanks again.

Long trains in the garden must have been good. Took me years until I moved to a house that had a usable loft space for a layout. (and understanding swmbo). So some of the stock I bought/built/modified etc over the years has had a big gap between being displayed or stored and now having somewhere to run. Hence some locos like the 4Fs have never had much running, and more recent and technically advance stuff gets run first. However, I'm now finding that some earlier locos aren't that bad with a little tlc and enough running to settle down. Depends whether it looks and runs the part or not. But the Airfix tender drives do have rubber tyres, (which I don't normally like since it makes the tender wheels look weird) ) which no doubt accounts for their pulling ability. Point of this though is that back in 1980 we wouldn't have expected a high quality model like the Garratt (or baby deltic or dukedog etc etc) to be commercially available so I guess we're spoilt by the current standard, really. Mind you, Robmcg did mention the Kitmaster kit which must go back to the 60s but motorising it must have been a pain. Did anyone manage it, I wonder?

Thanks Ian. Steve's suggestion was great fun, just had to be done! It started out rather tongue in cheek but I found that 2 older locos that I'd put to one side actually ran much better than I thought they would, compared to the much newer stock I've acquired. So useful for me. (Not that I'd actually run 30 coach trains of course). Anyway I'd better not hi-jack the B-G thread but following 34theletterbetweenb&d's comments on the full size locos, and how they were used has been very interesting. ps the Airfix tender drive was apparently designed for a 450 hour life. Once they are run in, seem to settle down well. pps Hornby Dublo once did a demo where a loco (think it was a Castle) pulled a railed trolley (on a wide track) behind it with a young lad sitting on it.

Ok Steve, you got it. Having arranged engineer's possession of the up main, I made up a train of 30 coaches plus 1 van. I first tested it with a Heljan class 47 and got it running round loft ok. I've previously found a Heljan 47 could pull 34 coaches which is my line's maximum before they start derailing etc. I then ran the train with double headed Airfix 4Fs which rather to my surprise hauled the train ok. In fact, one Airfix 4F could haul 30 coaches. So that's 122 axles in total. I attach a pic of the two locos (both numbered as locos that ran on the S&D in the 1950s so obviously used to double heading) after their epic run. The 4Fs had been in a display cabinet for some time and I'm now very impressed by how well they run for an old fashioned design. (I got them about 1980). Think they'll be out on the layout a bit more now. Ok Steve, so that's how 2 4Fs pull trains. You don't need a Garratt now, just 4Fs (Airfix ones will obviously do fine. Sure there are loads on e-bay. As a matter of interest Hattons sold them for £11.50 in 1983, their ad in an old RM ). That's saved you £199 plus £4 p&p

Very interesting point about 8Fs doing the same work as the BG. As a very very rough rule of thumb, the BG produced 45,620 lb TE so a lot of pull at the slow speeds it worked long freight trains at. A 4F was 24,555 lb TE so 2 of them had a 48,110 lb TE (so double headed should have been able to do a little better than the Garratt). The 8F had a 32,440 lb TE so although in service very competent with fast freight and indeed passenger trains, would one have been able to haul an unfitted freight the same length/weight as a Garratt, although as a large standard freight class they presumably did. 9F was 39,670 lb TE so near enough with a more modern design. While there are doubtless many other factors that could be used to compare abilities of different locos, it would be interesting to learn what the laid down limits were (presuming there were some set) for pulling heavy freight trains by these locos. The LNER Beyer Garrett had a tractive effort of 72,940 lb - now that is impressive :-)

Suppose the trouble is you can't sound horns etc.with DC? Not so bothered about buffer clank, guard's whistles and coupling up noises that the sound chips I've got come with, but being able to make the loco go "dee daa" at the appropriate moment is the icing on the cake.

I was in a model shop today (just buying paint and electrolube, not idly looking around, honest) when I heard the sound of a sound chipped loco coming from the back. When I asked they said it was a Bachmann 40 they'd got in for a customer and were checking it for him. Now I was told that the loco was on DC - certainly started up, idled and sounded like it was running at speed. I haven't tried a sound chipped loco on dc myself but could be worth further investigation with Bachmann if you want to run on DC? In any case it certainly sounded good imho.

B1

Your photos and text show the problem and remedy absolutely spot on, thanks for that, Andy. Sold me on getting one, now.

Thanks, Phil. Just been looking at your 37254 thread (a loco I have myself, favourite 37 condition) - very inspiring, weathering on loco roof superb imho. And very informative about how you did it. Re 47148, I managed to move the headcode transparency a fraction, but can't get it out. There is some black paint or similar around the panel inside the body, which seems to form the black surround to the panel as seen from the front. Think this is what is holding panel in place and stopping it moving. Don't want to put any more pressure on panel in case I damage the nose of the loco. If all else fails and I can't get panel out, presumably the precision labels codes would also fit behind the clear panel if I cleaned off the printing from the back. On locos that needed headcodes I've used Heljan codes (mainly because they came with Heljan locos and were easy to fit) but also used them on a Dapol Western. There was a long discussion on the Western thread about the best size of codes to use, the Heljan ones being 4mm, scale height, so is this also the right height for a 47? Off to look at the precision labels web site to get a pack, Thanks, Bill

Hi Sean, No worries mate, it was very good of you to try, would have been a logical exchange! Found same on 47148 as you say, headcode window moulded in. Think I'll get the precison labels set as suggested above (if I can find an appropriate number for a fixed 3 part grill round boiler exhaust domino headcode loco!). Actually I'm not sure how Bachmann have moulded a clear panel as part of the body - at first I thought it must be all clear then spray painted but the inside looks like blue coloured plastic - crafty moulding. Thanks again, cheers, Bill edited to add content

Hi Sean, Taken body off 47148 (only one I've got with all the body screws left, I think). Can't see how headcode panel comes off, if in fact it does. Found article by George Dent in Sept 2008 Model Rail where he removes printed codes on a green Bachmann 47 with t-cut form inside then re codes with precison labels ones. Should the clear panels come off (the Heljan ones just press in). cheers Bill

Hi Jon020, just spotted your earlier post which explained my query in my last post about 47 headcode box modifications when dominoes fitted. Thanks, Bill

Precision labels look good. (recommended over on the Dapol western thread). This was my first attempt at 47 dominoes, scanned the body of the old Lima model (left) printed out scan and put it behind panel of Heljan 47 (middle). 2 tone green Bachmann on right with headcodes has a slightly recessed panel with black surround (teh blue 47 148 with headcodes is same). Am I right in thinking that a domino era loco should have a flush headcode panel? Did they fit the domino code over the old recessed panel then?