Cheapo train sets....get creative!

[33C]

There is a ton of fun in a tin and the Christmas train sets with points are still about, cheapo!

[StanO]

20 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

That’s the one I used (and @33C in some cases) but I’m especially impressed at the regauging to 16.5mm, something I thought about but haven’t attempted yet. Did you need new, longer axles?

Yes, it has had new axles. I used 2mm stainless steel stock. Sorry can't remember the new length, it was a bit trial and error. One word of warning though, the gear and the wheels are of such low quality that that the wholes for the axle are not even central. 

20 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

Is it still 4mm scale though? I started with an H0 US (Model Power) diesel body for mine, but felt that it somehow didn’t look quite right for 00n3 or H0n3.5 so ended up converting it to 1n15 (around 10mm or 1:32 scale, representing 15” gauge). I also thought I could get away with the chunky toy train features more easily in a large scale. I also thought it was 12mm originally but then found that the stock wouldn’t run on normal 12mm track, but a Triang chassis would just about run on the toy track (also the wheel profiles are somewhat different from “proper” model railway stuff I think). I wonder if it might actually be intended to be 12.7mm, i.e. half an inch (coincidentally like American 0n2). I like the way you’ve extended the cab beyond where the motor is.

It's approximately 4mm scale, I didn't use drawings or a scale rule, I just used a figure as a reference and built around that. The wheel profiles are different to normal 00/H0 but close enough to work on standard track. Thanks for the comment about the cab, I was planning to put back head detailing on the back of the motor housing. 

Since the first picture was taken, it's been painted green and had a coat of varnish. 

 

[StanO]

Thought I should put this here, it's my second cheap bash. It is now finished and have a complete log of build photos but i'm too busy at the moment to upload them. 

I tried to use as much of the original detail as possible, draw gear is all 3d printed. It is loosely based on a South Maitland Railways 10 class. 

Edited July 24 by StanO

[StanO]

Right, here is the build of my large tank. 

my starting piont

 

 

first thing I did was make a paper template of the profile of the running plate, this was used to cut out the tank profile.

Then I cut the back of the cab off, this was done using sharp side cutters. Just a quick word about the materials used (I think) the locomotive is molded in standard ABS plastic. this means it welds fine with normal plastic weld glue. 

bunker added

 

Tank tops added, buffer beams and draw gear added (3d prints), feed water heater removed, ready for painting. 

one coat of red oxide, two coats of black and three coats of blue later,

[009 micro modeller]

19 minutes ago, StanO said:

Right, here is the build of my large tank. 

my starting piont

 

 

first thing I did was make a paper template of the profile of the running plate, this was used to cut out the tank profile.

Then I cut the back of the cab off, this was done using sharp side cutters. Just a quick word about the materials used (I think) the locomotive is molded in standard ABS plastic. this means it welds fine with normal plastic weld glue. 

bunker added

 

Tank tops added, buffer beams and draw gear added (3d prints), feed water heater removed, ready for painting. 

one coat of red oxide, two coats of black and three coats of blue later,

Very nice. Is it still ‘cheapo’ with the 3D printed bits? I was wondering the same before in the context of my use of plasticard and plastruct for some of my builds (whereas I think @33C mostly uses card). Not that absolutely every aspect has to be absolutely low cost necessarily, I was just wondering.

[33C]

I use many mediums, out of the recycling! But a cheapo speed controller/reverser from Am@zon opens up some form of realistic running. The most recent ones I bought were a shade over a fiver each and are standing by for insertion(ouch) in the latest, but long in gestation, (work!) model. Plus you can run the headlight wires from it too.

[33C]

15 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

Very nice. Is it still ‘cheapo’ with the 3D printed bits? I was wondering the same before in the context of my use of plasticard and plastruct for some of my builds (whereas I think @33C mostly uses card). Not that absolutely every aspect has to be absolutely low cost necessarily, I was just wondering.

Looks a real bruiser!

[009 micro modeller]

3 minutes ago, 33C said:

I use many mediums, out of the recycling! But a cheapo speed controller/reverser from Am@zon opens up some form of realistic running. The most recent ones I bought were a shade over a fiver each and are standing by for insertion(ouch) in the latest, but long in gestation, (work!) model. Plus you can run the headlight wires from it too.

Which particular loco do you plan to fit them to? I know you’ve used a few different ones.

[33C]

16 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

Which particular loco do you plan to fit them to? I know you’ve used a few different ones.

Same type as the above. The staple fare of the "Rail King" loco.

These are extremely popular on the Indian sub continent going by the many videos on YouTube using them to make articulated loco's and even diesels! Worth a watch just for how they make pointwork from the plastic set track, and, run them through monsoon conditions!

[StanO]

1 hour ago, 009 micro modeller said:

Very nice. Is it still ‘cheapo’ with the 3D printed bits? 

I would say so, the material cost of the 3D printed parts is less than 1P for all of the pieces. I 3D print at home on an FFF machine. When I brought it five years ago I brought it as an investment in my model making, so I could make High spec parts and kits of parts at home for next to nothing as opposed to buying them. I must stress that the only 3D printed of my last one is the draw gear, I could have fabricated them, but chose not to on this occasion. 

[StanO]

I thought I would start my next cheap train set bash, interestingly enough, it's using a train set which has not made an appearance yet.  

These first two images are just examples. The coach I have been working on is basically the same but is much older (it's about 13 years old at this point) much more detailed (lots of rivets) and is accident damaged. (I fell on it when I was six) 

 

In the intervening 13 years since I got it. it spent 8 of those as a scrapped coach, with various thick coats of rust coloured paint, those have now been stripped and it is back to bear plastic. this picture highlights the damaged it recived when a giant fell onto it, the chassis and bogies were beyond repair. my plan has been to chop the end off and make something similar to this observation car belonging to Rovos rail. 

photo credit Bob Adams

 

My build 

my build is far from finished, but I still wanted to show it here, see what you guys think and hopefully give me some more inspiration, I'm also stuck what colour to paint it however I have decided I want to have a go at real miniature wood paneling. 

(Note: if anyone can ID the pieces of plastic making up the bar and the water closet i will be very impressed)

(sorry for the large wall of writing and pictures in this post and not posing a fully finished model, i'm about to go away so will leave it for at least a week if not longer.)

Edited July 29 by StanO
posted prematurely, missing pictures and with spelling errors

[33C]

I have quite a bit of this train set type. Seems to be near S gauge and of South African prototypes but i could be wrong. It is very rugged stuff and ideal for the garden where the "sounds" are not too intrusive! With an 0-8-0 chassis and, the clerestory roofs, a world of prototypes opens up. Watching with interest.

[Hacksworth_Sidings]

I’ve got one of these train sets kicking about my bedroom somewhere, unsure what to do with it, rather tempted to build up some custom Walschearts valve gear for it… 

[AVS1998]

Do we all have a variation of this set 😂

 

 

I was also considering putting it in the garden, or hacking about with the coaches, not sure into what yet though... 

[StanO]

On 31/07/2024 at 02:22, 33C said:

Seems to be near S gauge and of South African prototypes but i could be wrong. 

When I measured it up it was 25mm gauge so 2.5mm wider than S. It's based on Chinese (loosely) prototypes, the coaches where coaches delivered to Chinese railways. The locomotive is a Japanese 9600 class (built in japan, exported during the 30s)

photo credit Saigen Jiro

(This locomotive is an dead ringer for the one in the set, it's at the chinese railway museum in Bejing)

photo Siyuwj

 

Mine spent many happy hours running through the garden, until I fell over on the coach. 

On 31/07/2024 at 02:22, 33C said:

 a world of prototypes opens up. Watching with interest.

I recently wondered about modifying or even just repainting the locomotive and doing something akin to Indian broad gauge The track gauge scales up well and the locomotives are similar to the BESA - HGS class locomotives standard across all Indian railways in the 1920s. For the moment however I haven't really got any interest in doing it. The coaches compare well for use with 00 scale and my plan is to re bogie some for use on my 00 mainline. My only real plan with the locomotives is to use them as part of my (as yet unfeatured) locomotive work diorama as equipment ready for export. 

Edited August 1 by StanO
missed a detail

[StanO]

32 minutes ago, StanO said:

as equipment ready for export. 

Just remembered these, they are approximately the same size as the train set previously mentioned.

I don't think they are really based on anything, 

(although the tender engine looks a bit midland compound esque)

[33C]

The blue engine being a saddle tank with an open cab suggests a tender. Wood burner/Bagasse maybe? Also has a hint of Furness about it. The 4.4.0. is very much like a 2P with the 4P  smoke-box saddle! And haven't we seen that tender before? 

Recently dismantled a saddle tank i was donated and they are quite robust with light and sound. Potential for a "Pug bash"?

[33C]

On 31/07/2024 at 17:02, AVS1998 said:

Do we all have a variation of this set 😂

 

 

I was also considering putting it in the garden, or hacking about with the coaches, not sure into what yet though... 

If you want to get a child into trains, get this set. Forget Hornby's pathetic  0-4-0, 2 wagons and oval on a trackmat. Big engine and tender, coaches, wagons, station, points, big oval, lights, sound, (foot bridge, figures and scenery in some) for a third of the price if you shop around. Cheapo! And if they stick with it, maybe Hornby etc. later. (or get another set from the charity shop and make it even bigger!) Want to stick to 00? Any "Rail King" set fits the bill and there are lots of different sets from a fiver. Double cheapo! And then when Johnny or Jane grows up, you can post wot-u-dun here!

Edited August 2 by 33C
add letter

[33C]

On 29/07/2024 at 15:44, StanO said:

I thought I would start my next cheap train set bash, interestingly enough, it's using a train set which has not made an appearance yet.  

These first two images are just examples. The coach I have been working on is basically the same but is much older (it's about 13 years old at this point) much more detailed (lots of rivets) and is accident damaged. (I fell on it when I was six) 

 

In the intervening 13 years since I got it. it spent 8 of those as a scrapped coach, with various thick coats of rust coloured paint, those have now been stripped and it is back to bear plastic. this picture highlights the damaged it recived when a giant fell onto it, the chassis and bogies were beyond repair. my plan has been to chop the end off and make something similar to this observation car belonging to Rovos rail. 

photo credit Bob Adams

 

My build 

my build is far from finished, but I still wanted to show it here, see what you guys think and hopefully give me some more inspiration, I'm also stuck what colour to paint it however I have decided I want to have a go at real miniature wood paneling. 

(Note: if anyone can ID the pieces of plastic making up the bar and the water closet i will be very impressed)

(sorry for the large wall of writing and pictures in this post and not posing a fully finished model, i'm about to go away so will leave it for at least a week if not longer.)

Any progress? Wood panelling from matchsticks?

[StanO]

1 hour ago, 33C said:

Any progress? Wood panelling from matchsticks?

Not quit enough for posting yet. When I posted that last set of pictures I was about to go away and when I got back Harvest has started so I've had little chance for model making. For the wood paneling I'm planning to use some thin model making timber (oak for those interested) I milled up a little while ago. (match sticks, coffee stir sticks or lolly stick would work fine, but I wanted to use wood I've harvested myself).

 

I did manage to get a bit of time, so I got this finished off

it's kit bashed from an Ertl James but I'm not sure whether it counts as cheap train sets. It uses a number of 3d printed parts (not expensive in and of themselves but you need a specialist piece of machinery to do it) and, more to the point, it's not a cheapo train set, however I have recorded the build process, so i could put them up here if people want. 

[33C]

That's a nice bit of wood. Cheapo is as cheapo does! Like to see others mindsets so I can  pinch their ideas...

[StanO]

I'll post my images of my Ertl kit bash, I would have posted them a while ago, but my computer broke down, then I went away and then I had more important things than model making, no rest for the wicked. I also have not forgotten about my observation coach, I've just been too busy. 

 

 

I don't think I need to describe every detail, but I did have to cut away at the original running plate to allow 00 wheel profiles space. 

 

 

Glamour shots. 

 

 

One thing to take into account about this one is I used a lot of 3D printed parts. 

I also might make a new chassis as it just dose not run smoothly at all. 

It's also not motorized, could not be easily motorized (even with a motor bogie)

and probably won't run on anything other than strait or gently curved track. 

[StanO]

On 15/08/2024 at 14:43, 33C said:

Any progress? 

Now I have something worthy of posting.

still need some touch ups and the light in this photo is quite cruel 

still stuck for bogies though.

[Hacksworth_Sidings]

Dunno if I’d call it a “cheapo train set”, but she was built on the cheap. :)

 

 

3R Castle from a free job lot, converted to 2R, Milliput, plasticard, and a 3D printed nose used to adapt the body to resemble GWR No. 5005 in its 1935 streamliner condition, decals from Fox, paints by Tamiya and Citadel (I had the paint on hand before starting, the decals I had to order, but I can use these on multiple models). Just waiting on some brass nameplates from LRS…

 

Got a thread on the models construction where I go into more detail.

[cypherman]

Hi all,

This is not a cheap train like Hacksworth has just said. But it was completely free. Everything in it came from my scrap box. And I mean everything. Even the plasticard came out my scraps box.

Boiler from a scrapped Lima Crab.

Cab from GBL Flying Scotsman.

Motor was just lying around in a box of spare motors.

Chassis came in a job lot of spares and repairs stuff. It was not what I bought the box of scrap for.

Valvegear is from an old Triang Hall.

Valves again out of one of my scrap boxes. Not sure what they are from, But it might have been an old Jinty.

Wire for the handrails was just a load of light bailing wire I had hanging around

Boiler backhead was from an unknown source.

Buffers are drawing pins on plasticard bufferbeams.

Whistle is a bit of crimped wire.

And so on.

It was just something to do during covid. And it turned quite a nice little engine. I did several like this. But this one was the best.

Edited September 18 by cypherman