Latest project, Piko into playmobil

[Dave Hub]

Hi all, I got a Plamobil loco the 2-4-0 with tender in the spring for a bargin price. Unfortunately this was the un-powered tender. So I wanted it powered to make this a duel motored brute.

Rather than try to aquire another playmobil block I decided to wedge a Piko 0-6-0 motor block that I had spare into it.

With the use of some cutting with a dremmel typpe tool, I managed to get it to fit. Unfortunately the old playmobil detail was for a 4 wheeled tender and looked odd. So I sanded all the detail off and trimmed it ready for the new detail.


This pic shows how tight a fit it is.

 

[Dave Hub]

I aquired some white metal castings of tender axleboxes, (gauge one) but with space so limited I could not fit anything bigger. It might look a little odd but not as much as having 6 wheels and only 4 axleboxes.

So I cut some plasticard to a kind of shape and stuck the axle boxes to the plasticard. These have now been primed ready and when dry will be painted.

Other modifications that cannot be seen, is an 8mmLED fitted to the lights which is directional for when its going tender first, and about a Kilo of lead has been stuffed into the tender to give the motor some tractive effort.

This pic shows the sideframe of the tender before being primed.

 

[MR SPOCK]

Interesting Idea, never thought about using these blocks for a tender drive loco, thanks,​

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[ntpntpntp]

Dave, how well matched are the Piko and Playmobil blocks for speed and gearing? I've got a few Playmobil locos but no experience of Piko yet.

 

[Dave Hub]

Nick,

I have no actual mechanical measurement or ratio difference. I did it the fools way.

I placed them together and the Piko block in the tender does go a little quicker than the playmobil one. It gained about 4-5" over the space of 25 foot. Note that this is going up hill and the piko block and tender do have a lot more weight than the Plamobil loco (perhaps it has more tractive effort).
When I did it going down hill the Gain the pico made seemed a little less.

I cannot try this experiment on a flat as my layout is all gradients, so I cannot give you any more precise detail. I feel the difference is not too signifigant to cause too much damage. If it does I'll replace the playmo block in the loco with a Piko one too.

 

[stockers]

Put a decent amount of train behing it and the fast block will soon slow down to let the other do some work.

 

[Dave Hub]

Here is the tender with its Piko motor fitted, and its new axleboxes all painted and fitted.

not the best photo in the world as it was take in the garage, I'll take one in the garden tomorrow when out there cutting the grass.

 

[Dave Hub]

Here are some shots of the tender in day light, and next to the playmobil loco that will be alongside it. I also added some real coal and painted the light surrounds gold. the loco detailing is not quite finished yet, it needs some glazing and gold surrounds on the lights.

Tender showing axle detail and coal load:

with the loco:

 

[jameshilton]

That's very effective - actually lets down the loco chassis now!
I wonder if the loco could be turned into a 2-6-0 by using the Piko unit with the Playmobil front truck?
Of if by using a Piko 0-6-0 whether you could put the cylinders further forwards to give it more of a KDL11/Frank S look?

 

[3Valve]

Now Dave you've made that tender look so good that the loco looks real toy-like by comparison.

Like James's idea of a possible 2-6-0 covnersion using another piko block. How about it Dave, I know you like a challenge.

Once again top job on the tender conversion.