Friday, February 24, 2023

Locomotive Roster

 I've just noticed that the last time I updated the blog post about my loco roster was in 2015. A lot has happened since then and so, it's now time to report on progress. 

Updated 26th August 2024

Loco No.  1 Name: PECKFORTON
Manufacturer: Peckett 0-4-0T
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2008
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: Phoenix 2k2
Notes:  Constructed from an early Garden Railway Specialists kit. Originally track-powered. Converted to battery power in 2015. Programmed its Deltang Rx65b for auto-station-stop in 2018
Video:


Loco No.  2 Name: BEESTON
Manufacturer: Barclay 2-4-0T
Photo: 

Date acquired:  2010
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  LGB 0-4-0 motor block
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: MyLocoSound soundcard
Notes:  Bought secondhand from Garden Railway Specialists. It is a very early GRS kit based on a loco which ran on Jersey. Originally track powered, it was converted to battery power in 2014
Video:




Loco No.  3 Name: BICKERTON
Manufacturer: Hunslet 0-4-0T
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2008
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: MLS soundcard
Notes:  Constructed from an early Garden Railway Specialists resin kit. Originally track-powered. Converted to battery power in 2015.
Video:


Loco No.  4 Name: BULKELEY
Manufacturer: Manning Wardle 0-6-2T (ex Southwold Railway)
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2013
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  LGB U Class motor block
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells (originally 12v li-ion CCTV battery)
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver (originally Deltang Rx61b)
Sound: MLS Mk3 soundcard
Notes: Based on Southwold Railway loco No. 4 Wenhaston. My first steam outline scratchbuild  and was also one of my first purpose-built battery locos.
Video:


Loco No.  5 Name: TARPORLEY
Manufacturer: Sharp Stewart 2-4-2T
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2013
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  Playmobil 0-4-0 motor block
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells (Originally li-ion 12v CCTV battery)
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: MLS Soundcard
Notes: My second scratchbuilt Southwold loco and designed to be battery powered. It had to be a Sharpie. The 2-4-2 was chosen rather than one of the Southwold's 2-4-0s to provide a little more room for the batteries and RC.
Video:


Loco No. 6 Name: Harthill
Manufacturer: Manning Wardle 0-6-0T
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2014
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  Piko 0-6-0 motor block
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound:  MLS Soundcard
Notes:  Another scratchbuild based on one of the Davington Light Railway 0-6-0s. Probably my favourite loco. The motor block is so reliable and controllable.
Video:


Loco No.  7 Name: TOLLEMACHE
Manufacturer: Fowler 0-4-0DM
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2011
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells (Originally, 6 x 1.2v NiMh cells)
Control:  Deltang Rx565b receiver + Deltang Rx102 receiver for soundcard
Sound: Alan Bond/Technobots programmable soundcard
Notes: My first scratchbuilt loco. A cross between a 2' gauge and a standard gauge Fowler loco as I couldn't find drawings of a 3' gauge loco. The Alan Bond soundcard requires a servo input but wouldn't respond to the servo output from the Rx65b and so the Rx102 is used in tandem with the Rx65b to control the motor.
Video:


Loco No.  8 Name: WYNFORD
Manufacturer: IP Engineering Freelance "Jessie" 0-4-0DH
Photo: 



Date constructed:  2013
Materials used: Steel
Chassis: USAt 0-4-0 motor block (Replacing 3 previous)
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells (Originally 6 x NiMh cells)
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver (originally Rx102 and Brian Jones Mac5 ESC)
Sound: MTroniks Small Diesel soundcard
Notes: Bought secondhand as a partially completed kit is was stripped down and rebuilt, this loco has had four gearboxes; the final being a USAt motor bogie with extended axles for the fly-cranks.
Video:


Loco No.  9 Name: LOLLY
Manufacturer: Freelance IP Engineering Lollypop Railcar kit
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2013
Materials used: Laser cut plywood kit
Chassis: IP Engineering
Power:  3 x NiMh cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver (Originally Rx60a)
Sound: Alan Bond FE101 soundcard
Notes: My first battery RC loco. Constructed to explore the potential of Deltang RC equipment (since when I have never looked back!)
Video:


Loco No.  10 Name: TIVERTON
Manufacturer: Beyer Peacock (ish)
Photo: 

Date constructed:  1995/2017
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  LGB Stainz 0-4-0 motor block
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: Dallee DC V3 soundcard
Notes: My first G Scale loco (part of a Starter set). Converted to battery power (twice) in 2016 and Anglicised in 2017.
Video:


Loco No.  11 Name: RIDLEY
Manufacturer: Bagnall 0-4-2T
Photo: 

Date acquired:  2016
Materials used:  Plasticard
Chassis:  LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: MyLocoSound soundcard 
Notes: Bought secondhand in 2016. Constructed from an early GRS kit. It was originally equipped with RCS radio control which was soon replaced with Deltang equipment to make it compatible with my other locos.
Video:


Loco No.  12 Name: EMMA
Manufacturer: Motor Rail Simplex
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2015
Materials used:  Whitemetal kit
Chassis:  IP Engineering 0-4-0 (32mm and 45mm gauge)
Power:  2 x 14500 Li-ion cells in parallel
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: Modified greetings card recordable sound module
Notes: Constructed from an IP Engineering kit with additional plasticard cab. It has interchangeable 32mm and 45mm motorised chassis.
Video:


Loco No.  12a & 12b Name: Samantha & Josephine
Manufacturer: Ford(ish) Railmotors
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2012
Materials used:  Resin
Chassis:  Freelance with MFA Como 918D 30:1 gearbox motor
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: MP3 music player (modified)
Notes: Constructed from two freelance Andel resin coach kits. The sound system is a modified MP3 music player with Model A Ford sound files triggered by the Rx65 output pads.
Video:


Loco No.  14 Name: BURWARDSLEY
Manufacturer: Black Hawthorn 0-4-0T
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2017
Materials used:  Modified LGB Otto body with plasticard additions
Chassis:  LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: MyLocoSound soundcard
Notes: Started off as a simple bash of an LGB Otto loco but I wasn't pleased with the result and so it was further modified to more closely resemble Kettering Furnaces loco No. 3. One of my favourite locos.
Video:


Loco No.  15 Name: DORIS
Manufacturer: Houston Gate Loco Works freelance
Photo: 



Date constructed:  2018
Materials used:  Laser-cut MDF
Chassis:  HGLW Deluxe chassis
Power: 2 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: Acme multi-cylinder diesel soundcard
Notes: Initially constructed as an evaluation exercise for HGLW kits I quickly realised it had potential as a shunter for the timber yard at Peckforton. 
Video:


Loco No.  16 Name: ERNEST
Manufacturer:  IP Engineering Freelance 0-4-0DH
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2018
Materials used:   Laser-cut plywood kit
Chassis:  IP Engineering powered chassis
Power: 2 x 14500 Li-ion cells in parallel
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound:  None (at present)
Notes:  Constructed as an evaluation of IP Engineering kits. It now potters about on the 2' gauge feeder railway for the copper mine.
Video:


Loco No.  17 Name: MAISIE
Manufacturer:  Freelance 
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2020
Materials used: Modified Sylvanian Families Vintage Wedding Car
Chassis:  Cheap 3v worm gearbox from eBay
Power:  2 x 14500 Li-ion cells in parallel
Control:  Deltang Rx60 receiver
Sound: None (at present)
Notes: This was originally bought secondhand on eBay but I was dissatisfied with how it had been converted to run on the track. I modified it and added additional detailing,
Video:


Loco No.  18a & 18b Name: DOROTHY & DIANA
Manufacturer: Freelance 3D printed models downloaded from Thingiverse,com
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2022
Materials used:  PLA 3D printer filament
Chassis:  1 x IP Engineering budget chassis & 1 x 3D printed chassis
Power:  2 x 14500 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound:  None (at present)
Notes:  Constructed to evaluate the potential of 3D printed locomotives, Two slight variants of the loco were constructed and coupled together back to back. Initially, only one loco was motorised but eventually both are now powered.
Video:


Loco No.  19 Name: LIONEL
Manufacturer: Walker Brothers diesel railcar
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2020
Materials used:  Etched brass kit
Chassis:  Modified Aristocraft 0-4-0 motor bogie
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound: MyLocoSound Railcar soundcard
Notes: Constructed from a bare-bones etched brass kit produced by John Campbell. The missing whitemetal and resin components were replaced with my own hand-crafted wooden and plasticard versions.
Video:


Loco No.  20 Name: ROBERT
Manufacturer: Freelance 0-4-0DH
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2019
Materials used:  Modified LGB ToyTrain diesel loco
Chassis:  LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0
Power:  3 x 14500 Li-ion cells
Control:  Arduino Bluetooth control
Sound:  Arduino controlled MP3 player
Notes: The loco was initially used unmodified as a platform for testing various configurations of Arduino Bluetooth control. It was then modified to vaguely resemble something which might have run on a UK railway. To my mind it looks like some sort of loco which might have been seen in the World War I trenches.
Video:


Loco No.  21 Name: BROXTON
Manufacturer: Nasmyth & Wilson 0-4-4T
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2021
Materials used:  PLA 3D printer filament
Chassis:  Bachmann Lyn 0-4-0 motor block / Redesigned and rebuilt
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65c receiver
Sound: MyLocoSound Universal soundcard
Notes: This started life as a Bachmann Lyn battery conversion. However, I wasn't happy with its appearance or its performance and so looked for a suitable loco with outside frames which could use its motor block. The result is an amalgamation of two Schull and Skibbereen locos which became my first 3D printed scratchbuild. The motor block was also completely redesigned and rebuilt to improve its performance.
Video:


Loco No.  22 Name: LINDA
Manufacturer: HGLW freelance 0-4-0DM
Photo: 

Date acquired:  2015
Materials used:  Laser cut MDF
Chassis:  HGLW 0-4-0
Power:  1 x 18650 Li-ion cell
Control:  Deltang Rx65b receiver
Sound:  None at present
Notes:  Bought secondhand and converted to radio control. Its Deltang receiver was reprogrammed for auto shuttle triggered by reed switches to trundle backwards and forwards on the 32mm gauge Copper Mine feeder line. 
Video:


Loco No.  23 Name: BUNBURY
Manufacturer: Kerr Stuart 0-4-2T
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2021
Materials used:  PLA 3D printer filament
Chassis:  Bachmann Lyn 0-4-0 motor block
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Deltang Rx65c receiver
Sound: MyLocoSound Universal soundcard
Notes:  My second 3D printed scratchbuilt loco. Based on one of the locos which ran on the Metropolitan Water Board Railway near Kew. The motor block was donated by a fellow modellers who had heard about my problems with my Bachmann Lyn conversion.
Video:


Loco No.  24 Name: CHOLMONDELEY
Manufacturer: Beyer Peacock 0-4-2T (Ex Glyn Valley Tramway)
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2022
Materials used:  PLA 3D printer filament
Chassis:  Scratchbuilt with MFA Como 918D series gearmotor
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Micron MR603a receiver
Sound:  MyLocoSound soundcard
Notes:  Adapted from a 7mm scale model this was scratchbuilt using drawings made in TinkerCAD. After initially using a Bachmann motor bogie and finding it was underpowered, I have now constructed my own 3D printed motor block from scratch
Video:


Loco No.  25 Name: TATTENHALL
Manufacturer: Hunslet 0-4-0T
Photo: 


Date constructed:  2023
Materials used:  Carboard kit with 3D printed enhancements
Chassis:  LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0 motor block (modified)
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Micron MR603a receiver
Sound:  MyLocoSound soundcard
Notes: Originally Constructed from a Rail-Road (formerly LocoLines) card kit it was then rebuilt using 3D printed parts
Video:


Loco No.  26 Name: JAMES
Manufacturer: Gmeinder 0-4-0DM
Photo: 


Date constructed:  2024
Materials used: MDF and 3D printed PLA
Chassis:  HGLW Deluxe motor block
Power:  2 x 14500 Li-ion cells
Control: Deltang Rx65c receiver
Sound:  AliExpress Diesel Simulation Module
Notes:   Adapted from a HGLW centre cab loco kit bought secondhand
Video:


Loco No.  27 Name: NICK
Manufacturer: Ruston 0-4-0DM
Photo: 


Date constructed:  2024
Materials used:  3D printed using PLA filament
Chassis:  My own motor block with GA25-370 gearmotor
Power:  3 x 14500 Li-ion cells
Control:  Micron MR603a receiver
Sound:  Cheap recordable soundcard with WAV file of a Ruston
Notes:  As I had no scale drawings I've found it is slightly larger than prototypical to accommodate the batteries and RC equipment.
Video:


Loco No.  28 Name: GREG
Manufacturer: Ruston Proctor 0-4-0DM
Photo: 

Date constructed:  2024
Materials used:  3D printed in resin
Chassis:  My own design of motor block using a GA25-370 gearmotor
Power:  3 x 18650 Li-ion cells
Control:  Micron MR603 receiver
Sound:  AliExpress diesel simulation module
Notes:   The single .STL file for a Gn15 model was downloaded from the Shapeways website and re-scaled for 15mm scale. Slightly over-scale to provide room for the batteries and RC equipment
Video:




Loco No.  29 Name: RAWHEAD
Manufacturer: de Winton 0-4-0T Vertical boilered loco
Photo: 


Date constructed:  2024
Materials used:  3D printed using both PLA filament and resin
Chassis:  Bespoke motor block using GA25-370 gearmotor
Power:  3 x 14500 Li-ion cells
Control:  Micron MR603 receiver
Sound:  MyLocoSound soundcard
Notes:   After downloading a set of files for a 32mm gauge de Winton and modifying them for 45mm, I decided to start again from scratch as the modification didn't look right.
Video:


Loco No.  30Name: CHALONER
Manufacturer: De Winton vertical boilered 0-4-0
Photo: 

Date acquired: 2017
Materials used: Metals
Chassis: Regner geared loco with two oscillating cylinders
Power: Live steam - gas powered
Control: Manual
Sound: Live steam sounds
Notes: My one concession to live steam. Chosen because it is a geared loco and is hence easily controlled. One day I will equip it with radio control. It rarely makes an appearance as I prefer the predictability of my battery powered locos.
Video:

When I was planning my railway, I predicted that I would only need three locos. That was nearly twenty years ago. I keep telling myself that I don't need any more - until I see another attractive looking locomotive which I feel wouldn't look out of place on the PLR!

So, who knows what will appear next? I certainly don't!