Giles

Purely out of interest, I recently converted a 4mm Ergomatic to radio control, to play with the idea of driving twin axles. 2020-06-18_06-26-28 by giles favell, on Flickr

This is first-class stuff! And looks neater than the bits I churn out.....!

And you corrected the bridge structure!

My 7mm scale Aveling. Based on a Duncan's Models kit, it has full working valve gear etc. and is radio controlled. TE1 by giles favell, on Flickr 2019-05-31_01-11-06 by giles favell, on Flickr

I'm so sorry - I hadn't realised that you were under a misapprehension ! Although re-reading your posts does make that quite clear.... sorry!

BUNKER 2 by giles favell, on Flickr BUNKER by giles favell, on Flickr Here's more of the Bressingham loco taken more than thirty years ago when I was going to do a kit with Gladiator. I think I have forty or fifty (dodgy) shots if various details - but probably never of exactly what you need.... let me know..... (There is a very slight flat ledge at the top of the coal plate, which gives the reinforcing angle something to sit on - i never worried, because of the coal!)

Sadly, the servo are in the way and prevent that! If they were box vans one could but the servo in the back and retain the cab detail but not viable to have with clear load beds. The 7mm versions do though!

For ten years I have converted and built vehicles to work on layouts in 7mm, including cranes - and fairly recently had a go at some 4mm ones to see if I could get the same characteristics with these. For me, the important things are realistic speed and movement - e.g. slow speeds, and good steering, with three-point suspension. I also want clear load beds so the vehicles can be loaded up and used, as I do with the 7mm ones on Denton Brook for instance. This necessitates fitting the battery between the load bed and the chassis. So far, I have completed four - two identical Bedford TKs, an Atkinson Bordered Artic, and an ACE Ergomatic, which is a genuine 6 x 4 with twin axle drive. All use Deltang radio receivers and small Lipo batteries (180 or 220mAh) 4mm scale radio controlled lorries by Giles by giles favell, on Flickr Ergomatic Drive 2020-06-12_03-15-35 by giles favell, on Flickr

Nice..... Very nice....!

I found that the 100rpm 6mm gearmotor that had proved adequate for the Borderer artic is not quite up to driving a double axle, and looses the slow start . I have replaced the 6mm motor with one of my remaining 8mm gearmotors, and it now performs beautifully! Because there are no diffs, if all three axles are absolutely flat on the ground, there is a tendency to carry on in a straight line- regardless of the steering. However, since it is rather difficult to achieve this in practice, it is likely that one of the rear axles will be slightly 'light, and it won't be a problem. Meshing the gears on the intermediate shaft was a little bit of a faff, but it was doable. With Mod 0.3 gears, you can't afford to have too much play in the axles.....

I've just completed the chassis for a 4mm scale (conversion) of the Oxford ACE Ergomatic 6 x 4 , as I wanted to try out a thought I had regarding driving both rear axles. I'm aware that you can buy a double axle gearbox unit from one of the European companies, but that wasn't the point, as I wanted to see how practical the solution might be generally. 2020-06-12_03-15-35 by giles favell, on Flickr Having completed it with all its wiring, servo and Rx, it taught me a couple of things.

indeed! I've done a variety of similar stuff on the Stepcraft, and I'm sure with gentle settings that little thing will do the job....

easy peasy........ I did that narrow gauge Bagnall, laser and pantograph..... we have technology!!!!!!! :-)

I used Stelfox castings for the expansion link - which were every nice. I dare say thesearen'y available any more, but something similar must be available. I also used their castings for crosshead, slide bars, and valve guides - but the rest were the etchings from the kit (silver soldered).

Just a thought- Micron Radio Control sells teeny inline resetting fuses 0.5 amp for £1 each.. With these in line, that should never happen again...? I use them to protect the batteries in the RC stuff... Best G

If I were doing it retrospectively, I should most likely run them down the inside of the cradle frames, popping insides the firebox for the last bit, and cleat them as oil pipes or similar. Use decoser wire, or something suitebly fine (allowing for AMPS).

i did indeed connect the engines..... I ran everything up into and through through the smoke box and boiler and down through he firebox, having made large holes in all the discs and castings as I constructed it. I suspect this doesn't help you! IMG_1594 by giles favell, on Flickr IMG_2024 by giles favell, on Flickr

It would be great if Hattons also supplied the Altaya stuff as well!

The BR Ford Thames is surprisingly modelled left hand drive, but should be quite easy to convert to right hand drive. Ive converted a couple of the older Gas versions (which were actually right hand drive) to radio control, and the second one to a working tipper, and they're very reasonable models. Hopefully Hattons/Ixo will expand the available range.

2020-06-09_04-20-55 by giles favell, on Flickr

And rails.... pulsing water is from the condensing circuit..... we'll see... 2020-06-04_07-16-59 by giles favell, on Flickr 2020-06-04_07-16-41 by giles favell, on Flickr

Thank you mate!

Ladders now made and being fitted (as well as the thing being dirtier up!) Hand rails will follow. Ladders are laser cut 2020-06-03_06-01-26 by giles favell, on Flickr 2020-06-03_05-59-41 by giles favell, on Flickr