New Railway Modellers Forums

Thanks pnp. A fifty pence would show up better! But will do - once photos working properly again.

I have a soft spot for narrow gauge myself, and your efforts are really good! Even those huge old Hornby couplers look fine in 7mm scale narrow gauge!

P'bucket testin?

Nope, doesn't work!

Thanks rosenblad - coupling incompatability has caused me grief on previous forays into narrow gauge, so thought I'd try and "standardise" with Hornby chassis, at least initially.

Nothing to see!

Hi Whynot. Shame the photographs are no longer working. I would love to see them. I've tried posting pics (Don't use photo bucket) but I've had no success here. I'm on three model sites and only one I've had success in sharing photographs. I'm using a cheap tablet device so it does not seem to have a reduce feature like more expensive tablets do.
Having said that it is good to read posts of ideas and plans etc.
I'm still working on my first locomotive (Smallbrook Studio "Clio") which I've recently adapted a heavy duty 40 year old chassis using modern wheels, motor and gears from a newish Hornby 0/4/0 chassis. The older chassis has the con rod spacing the same as the new so it was very pleasing when also the centre width of the axles were almost the same. The slight difference is not an issue in the chassis hole drilling so the wheels with the rods run incredibly free.
I had to work on a new set of pickups. Tried cutting and soldering strips of copper from one of the newer Hornby chassis but they were too firm against the wheels. I then used strands from bicycle cable cable and it works fine.
Took a couple of nights of grinding, sawing, drilling, reaming etc to get the chassis and body to marry together. Just smaller details to work on next like installing buffers and touch up painting etc.
The rebuilt locomotive has some impressive weight to it. The original plan of having cast metal loco crew may not be wize now as I don't want to risk too much weight on the gears!
Most of my wagons are scratchbuilt , some for less then a pound. Most cost me less then two pounds per wagon. I use my own design couplings to reduce cost. Wagons built for less then a pound have home made wheels, but the blessing of buying ready made wheelsets is preferred as ready made metal ones out today are lovey.