PNP's O-16.5 Workbench

[Emettman]

When next in a toyshop, run a ruler over the coaches in the Thomas Tomy range.
(available more cheaply 2nd hand from ebay)

There is a possibility of taking pre-painted sides from these, depending on your intended loading gauge,
and remembering that a consistent roof-line or door size is NOT a feature found on all narrow gauge railways.
(Festiniog bug-boxes!)

My current 0-16.5 trains come from a different source, the LGB Gnomy range.
Intended as a "play with" table-top railway the two tram locos are battery-powered radio control, and the the "mixed" galloping booby has battery infra-red control.

I haven't yet decided between conventional O-scale or Pokemon figures for drivers and passengers.

Chris

[Mountain]

When next in a toyshop, run a ruler over the coaches in the Thomas Tomy range.
(available more cheaply 2nd hand from ebay)

There is a possibility of taking pre-painted sides from these, depending on your intended loading gauge.

Chris

What width and height are the Gnomy coaches? Any ideas also about sizes of the Faller 4 wheel coaches they made in the budget trainsets?

[kebang]

Thanks for the advice so far folks! I've rechecked the local toy shops but Toby Thomas is not sold here (probably too expensive for local tastes). I'm visiting UK again for a month in May 2018 so I'll be doing a fair bit of shopping then!
Meanwhile lots to be getting on with. It will be about a month before my order from Smallbrook studios arrives and I'm still trying to devise the best plan for the smallest space. I'm also busy mauling those coaches I salvaged from the cheap toy railway I purchased. I've and also been patiently snipping away every other sleeper from the set track I will use. A surprisingly long job - once the sleeper has been removed cleaning away the small stubs left takes quite a while.....

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Thanks for your interest guys . . . I'm back from a week away where railway-related fun was provided in the form of velo-rail on one of these:
IMG_8107 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

Then off down the track under our own power:
IMG_8092 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

Lovely that these abandoned lines in France still have their track so that fun like this can be had

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, on with the build of my first 0-16.5 loco . . .

Whilst I was away, my Smallbrook Studios kit arrived
IMG_8109 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

So I started to hack at 'Bill' to remove the old cab, face (!), chimney etc.
IMG_8108 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

The first part of the new 7mm scale cab was soon fitted in place:
IMG_8110 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

Then I had to start thinking where to hide the electronics? There was enough room for the decoder itself inside the tank, but the stay-alive (which is pretty large) needs to be concealed in the cab. The kit comes with a backhead with a dome - I removed the dome part and found that it just fits in position. So I now need to fashion something (removable) to cover the stay-alive unit. I'm planning on painting it black or dark grey in the cab, with a driver, so hopefully it'll be quite dark in there to hide a multitude of sins
IMG_8113 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr
IMG_8114 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

Thanks for reading . . .

[Mountain]

Looking great so far.. Those velorail things look a bit like they have pedals.

[Emettman]

What width and height are the Gnomy coaches? Any ideas also about sizes of the Faller 4 wheel coaches they made in the budget trainsets?

The Gnomy coaches: the block of the body is 50mm by 40, with a roof 75 by 42.
windows 28mm tall. 4' 2" at 1:45.

The Gnomy trams and trailer cars are 40 x 90 in the body and have more O-scale door openings compared to the coaches' narrow verandas.

I don't have any Faller O, only Playtrain, and the coaches there are scaled for Playmobil-size figures.


Chris

[Mountain]

Thanks Emettman. Was just an idea I had. I will check the Gnomy size with my virtual loading gauge. I say virtual. I'm keeping to the Peco coach with duckets for the width and for height, I'm going for the Smallbrook Studios guards van with the roof lookouts for the maximum height. Was curious about other widths and heights so if I come across any going cheap I can check to see if they are appropriate for my little railway line. I can measure the Peco coach width but not the Smallbrook brake van as I've not finished building it yet!
I'm going to do some measuring....

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Looking great so far.. Those velorail things look a bit like they have pedals.

Yes, and the one we rode even had saddles too

[PinkNosedPenguin]

A bit more achieved on the kit now:
IMG_8117 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

Including boxing in the stay-alive and painting the cab interior before affixing the back and roof makes it hard to reach:
IMG_8116 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

[Mountain]

Did the handbrake come with the kit? Not had one of those on my kits so far but not had the specific kit you are building. It looks like it is coming along well.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Did the handbrake come with the kit? Not had one of those on my kits so far but not had the specific kit you are building. It looks like it is coming along well.

No, I improvised that - I think it'll look OK once the cab is closed in. Kit only came with regulator and reverse lever - a few pipes, hand wheels and dials would have enhanced the cab, but I'm making it pretty dark in there

[Mountain]

Did the handbrake come with the kit? Not had one of those on my kits so far but not had the specific kit you are building. It looks like it is coming along well.

No, I improvised that - I think it'll look OK once the cab is closed in. Kit only came with regulator and reverse lever - a few pipes, hand wheels and dials would have enhanced the cab, but I'm making it pretty dark in there

I used an old watch battery to represent a pressure gauge for my scratchbuilt cab.

[Emettman]

I will check the Gnomy size with my virtual loading gauge.

I've just managed to find out that the Faller "Hit Train" O scals and gauge coach and loco are based on a 60mm width, the coach having a 100 x 50mm four window side panel
(130mm length including verandahs)

The loco body would chop shorter and to a degree Anglicise quite easily, coming out perhaps a bit like the Bowaters Bagnals.
Something a bit heftier than your current approach, I think.



Chris

[Mountain]

Thanks Emettman. That's a real help. Actually, it maybe possible to cut them down a bit in height and width if needed. Was just an idea I have had.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

A couple of coats of primer with the cab interior masked off (this is the first time I have spray painted a model!):
IMG_8118 by Pink Nosed Penguin, on Flickr

This photo shows I have a few small gaps to fill before progressing to top coats . . .