Hogwarts Castle

[chris m01]

Somehow I got talked into buying this yesterday. Its not anywhere near a scale model, its battery powered and has a remote control. It also has some sound.

It works although the range of the remote control needs to be more.

 

[chris m01]

The loco isn't too bad but the coaches are an abomination.

 

[Pauly]

god! its a castle on steroids!

 

[Netty]

Hello Chris, where did you get it? Do you know if it will do R1s? and any chance of a few more piccys. Thanks.

 

[Bram]

The coaches apart, the engine dosen't look too bad and I'm interest to hear if it will negotiate R1's

 

[chris m01]

I got it from Tennents Trains at Halesowen - £140. It comes with a plastic track oval which is just over 4 foot across - I guess that would be the equivilent of R1. It will pull the two coaches up my 1 in 20 incline. The speed control has three speeds and gives a delayed start up and slow down.

The pity about this is that they have made the loco and tender too short. The loco is about the right length for a Churchward 2-6-0. I might build a new chassis some day but having seen the price of gauge one wheels not for a while.

Although the coach bogies aren't great in detail I plan to use them as a base for scratch building a couple of British outline mainline coaches over the winter. Don't think the coach bodies can be used for much.

 

[chris m01]

I've posted a short video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4l9jEvrFK8

 

[chris m01]

Although all the best locos were painted maroon (Duchesses and Westerns) I expect this loco to turn green over the winter

 

[New Haven Neil]

Is it me, or do those coaches look as if they are copied from 1950's tri-ang ones?????

 

[Ferrysteam]

The loco certainly isn't a Castle,it's supposed to be a Hall.

 

[chris m01]

I'm afraid the 1950s Tri-ang ones were far better

 

[Gareth]

How about making it a Manor or grange ! have a look at GRS they do a set of manor wheels for g64 which G scale axles and their motor gearbox combo might something half decent and green of course Am thinking of getting one myself !

 

[themole]

Chris, is it a Lionel radio control set? Alyn

 

[chris m01]

Yes - from Tennents.

 

[Doug]

Gareth - 8/11/2009 6:57 PM

How about making it a Manor or grange ! have a look at GRS they do a set of manor wheels for g64 which G scale axles and their motor gearbox combo might something half decent and green of course Am thinking of getting one myself !

Might as well go the whole hog(wart) and get the Manor kit too.

 

[dunnyrail]

What I like about this loco having seen the Vid is that the wheels and motion look very much like the real thing. I would be tempted to convert it to a 2-6-0 on the lines of the one at the West Somerset. Also you could perhaps but in an electric hand controller that was in the cab as a regulator. A reverser could be done by a proper skrew jobby mving a DPDT. With a better battery setup in the tender and repaint to GWR or BR Green you would have a nice loco. The sound is not too bad either. Thanks for popsting the vid.
JonD

 

[Richie]

Back in the summer when i went to Hamleys in London i came across a very nice model of Hogwarts Castle all metal made by Noble collections for under £100 looked like it was O gauge.

 

[Gareth]

Chris how does it compare in size to LGB locos and other G scale rolling stock ?