On an earlier project I’d used Delrin chain despite reservation about their durability. Having my doubts satisfied I felt the need to build a loco using as per the prototype, a chain drive. The use of chain drive in small locos was common place as it was cheap, easy to maintain and replace when worn.
This is very much a bits-box build with only the batteries needing to be bought in.
Starting with the drive, this uses a small gearhead motor, onto the 3mm output shaft is pushed a 9-tooth sprocket. This drives another 9-tooth sprocket on the layshaft, the motor mounting and the layshaft mountings have a small amount of adjustment to allow for chain tensioning. Also, on the layshaft are two 9-tooth sprockets to take the drive to the wheelsets. The wheelsets have 15-tooth sprockets and the 1/8th diameter axles fit into the Swift Sixteen axlebox/spring castings which bolt onto the chassis. This arrangement allows for a simplified one-piece chassis fabrication.
The rest of the body is built in sub-assemblies using 0.022 thick nickel silver sheet and brass sections soldered together with two different temperature solders. The rivet detail uses 3/64th brass rivets drilled and soldered into place, in some locations these were closed to hold parts together to prevent de-soldering, all the sub-assemblies are then bolted together. In the cab there is a drop-down seat which is by the cab doorway. It appears Baguleys had the driver sitting forward facing rather than the more normal side facing position. The top of the gearbox sits in the middle of the cab floor and a representation of this was made.
The electrics except the lights are all mounted on a bracket bolted to the chassis with the on/off switch and charging plug protruding through the footplate under the loco. Radio control is provided by a Deltang combined Rx and ESC, which also controls directional lights. The lights are wired as an assembly which bolts to the cab front and back and connects to the receiver by a Hitec plug and socket.
The most prominent feature of the loco is the sandboxes. The original are castings of standard design as they appear on many locos, hence on this small loco looking incongruous perched on the running board. These are a sandwich of nickel silver sheets and pairs brass squares sections, after soldering the nickel silver was filed down to form the three ribs on the mounting feet. A top plate was added with the filler lid and operating lever linkage.
March 2021
