Static and/or unpowered locomotive models

[Steve K]

A slightly cumbersome title for a fairly straightforward question, really, but I couldn't think how best to phrase it.

 

At a couple of recent visits to local shows or toyfairs, I've spotted the same loco in a trader's bargain bucket (not the same trader or bucket, I should add) - an unpowered model of Mallard, complete with tender. This was a reasonably nice model, all plastic, but the wheels didn't turn, and it was clearly designed for display only. Indeed, the bottom of the loco showed signs of fixing points where it could be mounted on some sort of plinth.

 

I was nearly intrigued enough to make the purchase (£2! But when I went back, it had gone...) the second time I saw the loco, because I thought it might be the right size to add to my HO collection. Certainly, it was much smaller than the OO stuff in the same box, and to my mind, it looked too big for TT (that is, if I'm being pedantic, 3mm). A little research with our good friend Google suggests that the model may have been from a series by De Agostini (who, along with Del Prado, are surely the joint rulers of the Partwork Kingdom!).

 

Is my identification correct, and am I right about the scale? If so, does anyone know what else might have been available in this presumed partwork series?

 

What's more, are there other such series of locos, in whatever scale? An unpowered engine, rusting in a siding, could be a very effective and cheap way of adding some colour to a layout, so what other such models has anyone found and made use of?

 

Sorry to throw a series of questions at the forum, but I often find myself with an hour or so free to browse at a swapmeet, on the lookout for a bargain, and it's useful to know if there's something new worth keeping my eyes peeled for!

[PhilJ W]

As long as they are not metal and likely to cause a 'short' on live track there is nothing wrong in having a 'dead' loco in a siding. Del Prado produced a series of locomotives in continental/US 'N' scale(1/160) including some quite exotic beasts and also including some railcars and MU cars. For OO and HO scale there is the Kitmaster/Airfix/Dapol offerings as well as some kits from Kibri as well as Knightwing. Corgi toys have produced solid resin locomotives in 1/50 scale as loads on their lorry models and I think the locomotive you speak of is a similar product but not by Corgi.

[Pixie]

A little bit of Googling seem to suggest they're something to do with a company called Atlas (I'm guessing not the same as the US RTR people). There's a few on Ebay at present: http://collectables.shop.ebay.co.uk/Collectables-/1/i.html?_nkw=Atlas+Static&_catref=1&_dmpt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282. Usual disclaimer.

 

Pix

[Redkiterail]

at howes there is some dummy class 17 for those who want to model the ones that did not work for long time or being drag

[Chrislock]

If its anything like the Del Prado ones for N scale, they are continental scale and look very small alongside their British relatives. In my case thats 1/160 v 1/148.

 

I bought a Johnson Spinner off u-no-where thinking I could put it in a siding on my N gauge layout. It actually looks ok, providing it is right at the back as it lends an air of perspective to things, and does look further away than it really is!!

 

It did make me reflect though how much better the modelling world would have been if our manufacturers had also used HO or continental N standards. Their 1/160 scale actually gives a track gauge (9mm) considerably closer to the real 4'8" than the British 1/148 N-arrow gauge does.

 

Cheers

Chris

[Jenny Emily]

I've used Airfix kits of the L&Y pug and class 04 to represent scrappers before now - far cheaper than using a Hornby or Bachmann version!

 

In the distant past I used to loosen the grub screw that held the main gears in place on the old Hornby Dublo R1s which were then coupled to the back of a train on a three rail layout. They would happily free-wheel around all day looking like they were banking the train. If I had got a pound for every person asking how I had converted them to run on 3-rail, I wouldn't have needed a day job.

[HerbertHopkins]

We have an unpowered Hornby Cl 29, converted to a Cl 21, that we sometimes run on the front of a suburban train with something like a B1 pulling it so that it looks like it has failed, not an uncommon occurance when these wretched machines were first introduced. I wonder if there might be a market for an unpowered version of Bachmann's new Cl 105. These often worked in multiple on the GN suburban lines.

[Invicta]

I've used Airfix kits of the L&Y pug and class 04 to represent scrappers before now - far cheaper than using a Hornby or Bachmann version!

 

 

With a bit of timber packing for it to sit on, the Pug also makes a neat little load for the Bachmann well wagon . Apparently they were sometimes returned to Horwich for overhaul as wagon loads, rather than under their own steam (Although towing seems to have been a more common method?). I did this a couple of years ago, based on a pic in a magazine article, showing one on a well wagon at Derby in the early 50's

[45156]

I was also going to suggest that the Clayton Cl 17 would be the best candidate for this treatment, as that's all most of them did, sit in sidings here and there with the inspection covers open! And the early Heljan ones were pretty prototypical in that respect.

[Jim Martin]

A complete list of the Del Prado locomotives can be found here. There are photos of all of the Del Prado series on this site, which might help you decide whether the effort of motorising them would be worth it. I've been thinking of trying to motorise the Renfe 319.4 class diesel, which is a GM design and has trucks similar to many 6-axle US types, but it's not exactly at the top of my "to do" list.

 

Jim.

[Steve K]

Thanks for the links, Jim - most instructive. That's quite a range of locos that they produced. It took mw a while to work out that I had to follow the "Regno Unito e Irlanda" link...

 

However, the loco I saw was definitely 3-point-something mm/ft, around HO scale to my eyes, and was made, I seem to recall, by De Agostini, not Del Prado. It was, if not Mallard, then certainly an A4.

 

All your replies have served only to make me more intrigued. If I spot one of these locos again, I won't dither, I'll buy it. All these "what-if"s for the sake of saving £2.00!

[Baby Deltic]

I picked up an un-powered class 29 for a fiver. Nice two tone green paint job too.

[7013]

Certainly having an unpowered loco (dummy) behind a powered loco is an effective way of making up a double header, or as stated before at the back as a banker. Strange isnt it manufacturers are quite happy to release dummy locos to make up a pair but are loathed to release blank locos for modellers to customise to their own no./name