3.5mm locomotives that could be used to create freelance British locomotives

[eldomtom2]

While obviously those British classes actually produced in HO scale are well documented, what I am curious about is what 3.5mm locos are out there that could be converted into convincing British-outline freelance locomotives with relatively little effort. Considering the amount of locomotives built in Britain for export, there must be some good candidates out there...

[HSB]

Unfortunately, most of them would have been built to fit larger loading gauges!

[Craigw]

Casula Hobbies in Australia have produced a RTR model of the NSWGR 19 class - a Beyer - Peacock built 0-6-0 of 1877 vintage but as rebuilt with Belpaire boiler C1900. If you purchased a version with out electric lighting and removed he air compressor and fittings you could have a passable freelance 0-6-0 tender loco - especially the cut away cab version. The model would be *rather* pricey by UK RTR standards though.

 

Regards,

 

Craig W

[steve1]

Does this qualify?

 

https://uk.electrotren.com/products/industrial-0-6-0-molly-blackberry-black-pale-blue-lining-hes2001

 

steve

[Jeff Smith]

1 hour ago, HSB said:

Unfortunately, most of them would have been built to fit larger loading gauges!

That might then bring them up to a 4mm loading gauge.....

[Jeff Smith]

3 minutes ago, steve1 said:

Does this qualify?

 

https://uk.electrotren.com/products/industrial-0-6-0-molly-blackberry-black-pale-blue-lining-hes2001

 

steve

It is already available in NCB livery.....

[steve1]

Redo the buffer beam with UK buffers and couplings and this would work. (Maybe cut down the cab a little.)

 

https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/category/208/ge-70-ton-dcc-louisville-nashville-99-(black-yellow)/60604

 

Plenty available s/hand.

 

steve

[eldomtom2]

36 minutes ago, Craigw said:

Casula Hobbies in Australia have produced a RTR model of the NSWGR 19 class - a Beyer - Peacock built 0-6-0 of 1877 vintage but as rebuilt with Belpaire boiler C1900. If you purchased a version with out electric lighting and removed he air compressor and fittings you could have a passable freelance 0-6-0 tender loco - especially the cut away cab version. The model would be *rather* pricey by UK RTR standards though.

 

Regards,

 

Craig W

I don't think anyone goes into British HO for the price! Their Z12 also seems like a potential option...

[pete_mcfarlane]

The latest Scalefour news has an article on converting a French 'Bourbonnais' 0-6-0 (Rivarossi I think) into a convincing 4mm British industrial loco (complete with new P4 chassis). 

[SRman]

4 hours ago, steve1 said:

Does this qualify?

 

https://uk.electrotren.com/products/industrial-0-6-0-molly-blackberry-black-pale-blue-lining-hes2001

 

steve

 

There are some resin body kits designed to use this chassis, from Hardy's Models. I'm still working on one at present (the photos show a work in progress). In this case, it represents a freelance Hudswell Clark locomotive. As the Electrotren models are available quite cheaply, this is a worthwhile purchase for conversions. As an added bonus, it is DCC-ready, using a 6-pin decoder.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi there,

 I had followed your other topic about British export locomotives and had a feeling that you may have been looking for H0 stuff! Ha, ha - great minds!

The newer Jouef Hornby 140C would be a good start naturally but also consider Dutch prototypes as imho, they have quite a British look to them but sadly the models that I have seen tend to be very expensive.

I don’t have my big computer available else I could access my links collection but if you could find one of the Dutch forums, you should be able to gather sufficient info from there.

HTH,

 John 

[rue_d_etropal]

Maybe we should be pushing for some British HO models. Gaugemaster have just announced they are doing a TT120 class 31 loco, with possibly some others including an Austerity tank loco. If there is perceived enough interest in this scale, which has little support in UK, then there is an even bigger case for British HO. 

The Electrotren model is of a 5ft 6in gauge loco, running on what s too narrow gauge in HO. This is why it looks Ok for OO scale, but cylinders are too wide for British Ho. Odd thing is that 3mm /ft would make 5ft6in spot on for 16.5mm gauge.

Edited June 16, 2022 by rue_d_etropal
More coments

[Allegheny1600]

3 minutes ago, rue_d_etropal said:

there is an even bigger case for British HO. 

Shhh! 😅

I haven’t liked to mention it - the 3mm boys are so upset by the 1:120 announcements, just imagine how the 4mm boys will react!

As it is, the very existence of British H0 seems to make them feel threatened, I’d have to buy some body armour if it ever gets British trade support!!!

 

I hope it’s plainly obvious that I’m being very “tongue in cheek”

[Phil Parker]

15 minutes ago, rue_d_etropal said:

Gaugemaster have just announced they are doing a TT120 class 31 loco, with possibly some others including an Austerity tank loco.

 

Actually, Heljan.

 

[Tartaruga]

Has no one ever made the Thomas series in HO or was it all HO/OO? Likewise for Hogwarts Express. I understand not for everyone's taste but their chassis would be workable.

[eldomtom2]

8 minutes ago, Tartaruga said:

Has no one ever made the Thomas series in HO or was it all HO/OO? Likewise for Hogwarts Express. I understand not for everyone's taste but their chassis would be workable.

All OO, even for production intended for the US market. Doing otherwise would mean OO tools couldn't be reused.

[Tartaruga]

9 hours ago, eldomtom2 said:

All OO, even for production intended for the US market. Doing otherwise would mean OO tools couldn't be reused.

Shame. I wondered if any of the German of Kato had rights.

[rue_d_etropal]

10 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Actually, Heljan.

 

I did wonder. That hurts even more given that Heljan originally planned to do British HO but backed down because they did not think there was a market.  Not sure how big market for British TT120 is. 

[spamcan61]

42 minutes ago, rue_d_etropal said:

I did wonder. That hurts even more given that Heljan originally planned to do British HO but backed down because they did not think there was a market.  Not sure how big market for British TT120 is. 

OK I'm going on memory rather than digging out 20+ year old magazines but I thought the HO Class 37 was commissioned rather than a direct Heljan product as such, and there simply weren't enough orders. I was thinking yesterday that with British HO at least there are some re-usable items out there (e.g. some of the better Lima models)  whereas there's pretty much nothing for UK outline TT:120.

[rue_d_etropal]

Yes it was a commission , might be something in archives. My point is that  I have not come across anyone  looking for British TT120 until Peco announce they are doing the track, which is more likely to appeal to Continental TT modellers.

One of the big problems facing us here is that with smaller loading gauge it is difficult finding HO chassis to fit British models, and this will also be a problem for anyone thinking of doing TT120. I get that question often with my own designs, but  I will still add TT120 to scales for my designs. Starting with new designs.

[spamcan61]

5 minutes ago, rue_d_etropal said:

Yes it was a commission , might be something in archives. My point is that  I have not come across anyone  looking for British TT120 until Peco announce they are doing the track, which is more likely to appeal to Continental TT modellers.

 

 

Absolutely, I was thinking to myself earlier today that I don't recall anyone, anywhere, ever asking for UK outline TT:120. Seems an odd/brave  idea to launch the first new commercial RtR UK outline "range" for what, 50 years? - Not sure if 'Z' counts - but we'll see what pans out no doubt.

[Barclay]

I remember Malcolm Carlsson doing at least one cut and shut on the Mainline J72 to make other loco's in HO. This would have been in Scale Trains in the early 80's when they were plugging British HO quite a bit.

[Moxy]

35 minutes ago, Barclay said:

I remember Malcolm Carlsson doing at least one cut and shut on the Mainline J72 to make other loco's in HO. This would have been in Scale Trains in the early 80's when they were plugging British HO quite a bit.

 

There were a few of those, I think Chris Ellis did some as well.

 

Off the top of my head there were:

J72 to J73

J72 to Southern G6

I have a vague memory Malcolm Carlsson also made an 0-4-4 tank similar to G6 body, but I can't remember what class it was.  That of course had a scratchbuilt chassis.

Dapol/Hornby Terrier to E1

Dapol/Hornby Pug to Industrial tank

I also seem to remember a conversion of a Hornby 'Smokey Joe' by replacing the cab with an Airfix Pug cab and reducing the height of the chimney.  There may also have been a version of that on a Terrier chassis.

[BernardTPM]

49 minutes ago, Moxy said:

I have a vague memory Malcolm Carlsson also made an 0-4-4 tank similar to G6 body, but I can't remember what class it was. 

LSWR/SR Class O2?

Edited June 17, 2022 by BernardTPM

[rue_d_etropal]

2 hours ago, spamcan61 said:

 

Absolutely, I was thinking to myself earlier today that I don't recall anyone, anywhere, ever asking for UK outline TT:120. Seems an odd/brave  idea to launch the first new commercial RtR UK outline "range" for what, 50 years? - Not sure if 'Z' counts - but we'll see what pans out no doubt.

I think it is part of marketing for new Peco track, which will probably sell more to continental modellers than British ones. Nothing wrong in Peco doing the track, as probably a market for it, and it does seem to introduce a new rail profile , proper code 55, suggesting other changes in the future.

 

It is also a lot easier to model 3mm scale these days thanks to wargaming 15mm which at 1/100 scale is close enough, and there is a very big range of buildings, both resin and lazer cut kits, and accessories available. Some of it would easily suit British modellers, and is not expensive. Easy to find online.