Battery powered Welsh slate mine loco with R/C

[R. YOUNG]

Hi Folks-
I'm looking for a battery powered loco with r/c that would fit a Welsh slate mine 45 mm gauge garden railroad. I'm having trouble locating such a loco and would invite any help and/or suggestions. I'm ok with taking a track-powered loco and converting to battery power (never have done this and have ZERO r/c experience, but what the heck....how hard can it be?).
Any ideas?
Robin Young / Forest Hill, MD

 

[dunnyrail]

Hi Folks-
I'm looking for a battery powered loco with r/c that would fit a Welsh slate mine 45 mm gauge garden railroad. I'm having trouble locating such a loco and would invite any help and/or suggestions. I'm ok with taking a track-powered loco and converting to battery power (never have done this and have ZERO r/c experience, but what the heck....how hard can it be?).
Any ideas?
Robin Young / Forest Hill, MD

You pretty well have a ready to go with the Piko 25tonner, just take the cab off and remove some obvious US bits and it would be fine. Give you a start at bashing as well.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I'm sure there's a kit around for an FR George England 0-4-0 (the Slater's one is no good as it's only for 32mm track and not convertible).

You can't get much more welsh slate that that!

PDF Models are currently not trading - whether they will get going again remains to be seen.

GRS are still listing a 45mm gauge Quarry Hunslet (without cab - which limits your space for RC)

 

[Paul M]

Check out the suppliers on the 16mm website. There are quite a few gauge adjustable jobs out there

 

[Steve Manners]

You pretty well have a ready to go with the Piko 25tonner, just take the cab off and remove some obvious US bits and it would be fine. Give you a start at bashing as well.

 

[Steve Manners]

Topslots n trains have a Piko 25 tonner starter set at a bargain price. You could sell the carriage and wagon on or convert them to suit your line. A brilliant way to start. Article review in latest G scale society magazine.

 

[Rhinochugger]

All reports are that it's a pretty cracking loco - the drawback is that it isn't redolent of welsh slate mines

 

[dunnyrail]

Topslots n trains have a Piko 25 tonner starter set at a bargain price. You could sell the carriage and wagon on or convert them to suit your line. A brilliant way to start. Article review in latest G scale society magazine.

Have dealt with Topslots a few times and find their service to be superb.

 

[R. YOUNG]

Thank you all for your prompt replies. There's a lot here to consider so I'll get started.
Regards-

 

[maxi-model]

While the name Hunslet and steam are synonymous with Welsh slate quarries there were one or two electric (The Eclipse comes to mind) and diesel interlopers. If a mine, rather than a quarry, then possibly not steam. Perhaps one of IP's diminutive offerings might do Diesel & Petrol Loco Kits | IP Engineering. You will need a trailer vehicle if you are doing RC (& sound ?) as well as the batteries.

It's a pity that PDF are presently not operational due to tragic circumstances. There was a wide choice there. Max

 

[trammayo]

My IP loco -

 

[Fred2179G]

Topslots n trains have a Piko 25 tonner starter set at a bargain price.

Robin is in Maryland, USA, so I doubt the Topslots option will work!

The Piko starter sets are more like $300 here in MD, which is about the same price.
Model Train Starter Sets | Piko #38151 Industrial Starter Set 120V

If you like the little yellow open-cab diesel/petrol loco in the post above, then there is a battery-powered Piko diesel available - just cut down the cab.

Robin, this is the LGB 20140 that we were talking about last year. I think it would fit in a welsh quarry - they often bought Henschel and other EU locos (I think.)




Part of the problem, of course, is that a welsh slate mine loco, by definition, is very small, and therefore tough to fit the electronics inside. My Feldbahn in the photo has all the stuff in the trailing gondola, except the speaker.

 

[Fred2179G]

that would fit a Welsh slate mine 45 mm gauge garden railroad

Of course, as most Welsh slate mine railways had 2' or 600mm gauge track, you really should be looking at 7/8ths scale locos. These can be considerably larger than ther Feldbahn in my prior pic.

Ah - rfecently I read on FB about some guys converting the LGB Porter to 7/8ths scale. Here's the bofore pic:

And here's the 7/8ths scale version:

 

[R. YOUNG]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and pics.....makes my mouth water
I've sent an email to TopSlots inquiring about pricing, shipping to USA, etc. so we'll see if they reply. But I like the alternatives shown here as well. Also, making a ground level roadbed out of concrete blocks is something I hadn't thought about. I've been flip-flopping (no, I'm not a politician, I make an honest living) from elevated to ground level back to elevated but I think ground level has won.

 

[ge_rik]

PDF Models are currently not trading - whether they will get going again remains to be seen.
GRS are still listing a 45mm gauge Quarry Hunslet (without cab - which limits your space for RC)

Those were my thoughts exactly
My GRS Hunslet has a cab but I did manage to squeeze three 18650 cells (and some lead flashing) into the saddle tank, leaving the cab free.


My Hunlest is mounted on an LGB Otto Toytrain 0-4-0 motor block so runs reliably and smoothly

How I assembled a GRS Hunslet loco kit

Narrow gauge large scale model garden railway. Battery powered, radio controlled locomotives, some Bluetooth. Set in Cheshire UK in 1930s

riksrailway.blogspot.com

PDF Models kits are extremely well engineered but, with the untimely and tragic death of its owner it's uncertain as to whether it will continue to trade. Peter Farley is a great loss to the hobby.



Rik

 

[dunnyrail]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and pics.....makes my mouth water
I've sent an email to TopSlots inquiring about pricing, shipping to USA, etc. so we'll see if they reply. But I like the alternatives shown here as well. Also, making a ground level roadbed out of concrete blocks is something I hadn't thought about. I've been flip-flopping (no, I'm not a politician, I make an honest living) from elevated to ground level back to elevated but I think ground level has won.

Hm my suggestion at your age go for elevated, I am just 73 and appreciate that line I have built started back in 2012 at an elevated level. On the basis that less is more, think please that one through again.

 

[dunnyrail]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and pics.....makes my mouth water
I've sent an email to TopSlots inquiring about pricing, shipping to USA, etc. so we'll see if they reply. But I like the alternatives shown here as well. Also, making a ground level roadbed out of concrete blocks is something I hadn't thought about. I've been flip-flopping (no, I'm not a politician, I make an honest living) from elevated to ground level back to elevated but I think ground level has won.

As Fred says I think you need to find a US supplier, on the basis thatbthere is a US Piko brand that should not be too difficult. Though the US Garden railway magazine has demised a copy of Model Railroader will show plenty of adds for US G scale suppliers including Piko ones.

 

[ge_rik]

Just wondering if there was an outcome to this enquiry?

Rik