Shortest loco

[4472]

I am looking for a very short loco to pull one wagon end to end on a short piece of track. It doesn't matter if it is diesel or steam, and livery is unimportant. The Smokey Joe style pugs are too long, but I see an industrial pug that looks about 8.5 cms, but seem to be quite rare on the secondhand market. Can anyone help as I do not need it new or cost an arm and a leg

[End2end]

Bachmann Wickham trolley?

Thanks
End2end

[Mountain]

My pug is much shorter then it was as I converted it to 0-16.5 use and fitted new buffers and couplings.
If you want something fun and really short, how about the Bachmann Gandy Dancer?
The Dapol (Now Hornby) little saddle tank is shorter then the typical Hornby 0-4-0. They are more expensive to buy but even the old Dapol versions crawl at very low speeds if needed. I've not owned one when Dapol sold the design to Hornby so can't comment about the Hornby made ones. The Dapol model gave instructions to never run them flat out, so I assume they didnt use 12v motors! I briefly turned up the power once and it whizzed away so I see what they mean!
Added pictures of my slightly shorter 0-16.5 locos as examples, though they are only about 1cm shorter overall at the most.
Would a shorter coupling be the answer? (Obviously not the same as my centre buffer type couplings for narrow gauge use).

[GWR_fan]

I am looking for a very short loco to pull one wagon end to end on a short piece of track. ...... but I see an industrial pug that looks about 8.5 cms, but seem to be quite rare on the secondhand market. Can anyone help as I do not need it new or cost an arm and a leg

You are probably looking at the Hornby Peckett. This loco has developed a cult following and so demand is high as is the price (far more than when limited release a few months ago.

A suitable loco may be the Bachmann "Junior" range. These are really 'h.o.' scale but "scale" up rather well with "OO" as an industrial design. They have a quality mechanism and available in four-wheel and six-wheel chassis and as a steam or diesel outline. They come DCC ready.

Examples on eBay -
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/oo-gauge-Bac ... SwinVZs9en

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BACHMANN-30- ... SwDMhZrrA0

[GeoFF03]

Another option, although a pricey one, could be the Y1/3 Sentinel that was produced for Model Rail magazine. I've found mine to be a decent runner, though its haulage capacity is limited.

[Bufferstop]

Yes I'd see if you can track down the Sentinel, it's the shortest of my locos and small locos are my passion.
sentinel by John Williams, on Flickr
It would be ideal for shuttling back and forth with a single wagon, which would actually be longer than the loco. Shifting the odd wagon or two on a private siding is what they were designed for. Top speed is quite low so you can wind the controller up a bit which helps avoid stalling.

[Bigmet]

Hornby offer two varieties of small Sentinel diesel at a relatively modest price compared to their Peckett 0-4-0T, and Hattons were knocking these out new for £40 earlier this week. That strikes me as a s/h scale price...

If you would really prefer steam and can wait a little longer. Hattons have a Barclay 0-4-0T coming soon, Dapol the B4 0-4-0T, and Hornby the next run of their much liked Peckett; all of which will test the scale of demand for the small fry, and may result in some easing of prices.

[Bufferstop]

If your determination for a short loco stretches to a bit of kit building there's this from Roxey Mouldings. Dad-1 has built one if his piccies are still there.

[Dad-1]

The OP has a minor problem in as much as there are few really small steam locomotives
the choice of Diesel, or should I say internal combustion powered is much greater, but
often involve either modifications to an existing model, or a kit built example that will
require some modelling skills to create.

Here we have some small loco choices, but in all honesty I'd not look at the Roxey kits
where faultless VERY slow running is required. The Tenshodo spud chassis will not do
the crawl of main manufacturers products and mine have all been fitted with a DCC
decoder that gives the best slow running options.



Behind that we have Bachmann 03; 04; and a Hornby 06 for easy comparison of sizes.
As Bigmet has already said the Hornby Sentinel is a snip at £40 and again is small. I
have one, but not when the above photo was taken.

Steam ? I use a Bachmann Midland 1F where I need a small locomotive, and the 3F Jinty
is always a sound option.

Geoff T.

[b308]

On the same basis as the Sentinel there's always Toby the Tram! With a bit of modification it will give you a prototypical small loco.

[End2end]

On the same basis as the Sentinel there's always Toby the Tram! With a bit of modification it will give you a prototypical small loco.

AHH! You've just reminded me that there are other Toby tram-like engines on thier way to market!!
I think they are from Kernow.
Thanks
End2end

[Bufferstop]

The J70 for Model Rail by Rapido is still open for pre-orders. The loco comes out about the size of a brake van.

[D605Eagle]

On the same basis as the Sentinel there's always Toby the Tram! With a bit of modification it will give you a prototypical small loco.

Finding one thats not had its chassis turn to dust is not easy. The curse of cheapskate chinese c**p hornby casting I'm afraid.

[b308]

Surely it would be easy enough to re-chassis, you could put just about anything under it as it's got skirts... An old chassis of a Triang 31 or 37 for instance...

[Emettman]

The ex-Dapol Hornby Pug is probably the shortest readily available ready-to run, and is a good slow runner
(check to see if the worm/gear mesh couldn't use a slight shim on the motor mount. Several of mine did.)

After that I can only suggest odder things, or models that would need bashing.
It's not too difficult to cut down the body and chassis of a Hornby D class to produce a more compact loco.

Queen Mary, front centre, original D class behind it.

Chris