Was this an expensive impulsive buy that I can't use or.....

Chris Vernell said:
Were they not intended to run cab first, as in the pic, thus 2-4-0?
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Yes very debatable but the chimney defines the front and yes there were turntables so that they could effectively work bunker first for most journeys. Surprising that most Tank engines did not employ this mode of operation meaning that the driver did not have a socking great boiler in front of his nose. The USA Cab Forwards sorted this to a dehree.
 
As the GVR was classed as a tramway the driver was required to be at the front of the locomotive, hence running cab first. A requirement conveniently forgotten when no 4 arrived.
 
dunnyrail said:
Yes very debatable but the chimney defines the front and yes there were turntables so that they could effectively work bunker first for most journeys. Surprising that most Tank engines did not employ this mode of operation meaning that the driver did not have a socking great boiler in front of his nose.
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Maybe they found the boiler a nicer view than the bunker
 
The chassis looks like an Essel Engineering product. They have a good reputation.

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Your photo of the underside shows the wires from the charging socket going in to the side tank - an obvious place to hide the batteries.
I wouldn't try charging until you know what kind of batteries.

I suspect that the 4 Philips screws visible underneath in the corners will separate body from chassis. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
 
It took a while to find the time to do more investigation. There were six tiny screws needed to be removed from underneath to expose the innards. What I do know is the battery pack has eight cells but beyond that it's out of my knowledge. It's battery powered but is it radio controlled? There is a single white wire that goes up into the cab and disappears behind the driver who is glued in place, could that be an aerial?

Any useful thoughts will be welcomed.

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Paul
 
voodoopenguin said:
It took a while to find the time to do more investigation. There were six tiny screws needed to be removed from underneath to expose the innards. What I do know is the battery pack has eight cells but beyond that it's out of my knowledge. It's battery powered but is it radio controlled? There is a single white wire that goes up into the cab and disappears behind the driver who is glued in place, could that be an aerial ?

Paul
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That looks suspiciously like a Mac 5 from Brian Jones. It's an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC). 8 cell, 1.2v per cell, NiMH rechargeable pack. On top appears to be a Futuba receiver (RX). Yes, wire is the aeriel. You need the correct Futuba transmitter (TX) to link to it and control. See search link below for transmitter. You could change out the reciever to any other compatible with the Mac 5 if you need/want to use a different TX. Brian Jones very much still in business if you need advise, he was very helpfull when I boughf my MAC5. I have an earlier verision in my first RC/battery/sound conversion, a 16 mm scale GRS L&B Manning Wardell. I did it about 15 years ago. Nice bit of kit. I have mine bound to my Spektrum DX6i TX.

This lovely little model is begging for a nice MyLocoSound (MLS) sound card and speaker. Also a Seuthe #7 smoke generator. I fitted both to my GRS loco. Max

Have a look at this Brian Jones link, explains all.
pp1bdd801c.png

Futuba receiver compatability chart search Google Search
 
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maxi-model said:
That looks suspiciously like a Mac 5 from Brian Jones. It's an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC). 8 cell, 1.2v per cell, NiMH rechargeable pack. On top appears to be a Futuba receiver (RX). Yes, wire is the aeriel. You need the correct Futuba transmitter (TX) to link to it and control. See search link below for transmitter. You could change out the reciever to any other compatible with the Mac 5 if you need/want to use a different TX. Brian Jones very much still in business if you need advise, he was very helpfull when I boughf my MAC5. I have an earlier verision in my first RC/battery/sound conversion, a 16 mm scale GRS L&B Manning Wardell. I did it about 15 years ago. Nice bit of kit. I have mine bound to my Spektrum DX6i TX.

This lovely little model is begging for a nice MyLocoSound (MLS) sound card and speaker. Also a Seuthe #7 smoke generator. I fitted both to my GRS loco. Max

Have a look at this Brian Jones link, explains all.
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Many thanks for all that information. Unfortunately I have a feeling that this lovely model is not for me. I run track powered LGB and Playmobil plus a little of the basic RC Playmobil so this would need a new type of set up. Looking closer it is a Mac 5v3 and the RX is a Futaba FP-R122JE.

I guess this will sadly be heading to the Private Sales/Classified Listings section of our group. Fellow member Brixham knows what it cost but I wonder what it's real value is.

Paul
 
Yep!
An ancient receiver. - It has a crystal plugged in for frequency / channel selection, and a Mac5 speed controller..
9.6V of NiMH (very probably) batteries.

You could pick up an old 'stick' transmitter for this, if you had the urge?

I would be interested, if you want to move it on?

PhilP.
 
voodoopenguin said:
Many thanks for all that information. Unfortunately I have a feeling that this lovely model is not for me. I run track powered LGB and Playmobil plus a little of the basic RC Playmobil so this would need a new type of set up. Looking closer it is a Mac 5v3 and the RX is a Futaba FP-R122JE.

I guess this will sadly be heading to the Private Sales/Classified Listings section of our group. Fellow member Brixham knows what it cost but I wonder what it's real value is.

Paul
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Edit - PhillP you beat me to it. Yes, I noticed that "plug in" on top of the RX. I wondered it might be a channel selector. My first live steamer 20 years ago, an RH Lady Anne, had a 27 ghz set up with a crystal. Bought from GRS.

Lady Anne loco and train 005.JPG

That's pity Paul. It looks a lovely well built model. It only needs the right transmitter (TX) to get it going. Google search for compatible TX type for your reciever (RX) Google Search You might get lucky and pick one up cheap, with crystals. If your layout is outdoors it's always handy to have one or two. RC "lazy days" loco. As we get older track cleaning gets to be a bit of a faff. I know, all my track power locos are now RC/battery :D

If nothing else you now have all the information you need, when selling, to advise potential buyers and maximise sales value. Better than if a buyer has to swap out both the RX, and possibly the MAC5 ESC, because it is not compatible with their preferred RC set up. That could be quite a hit on the potential sale price or attractiveness of the loco to a prospective buyer.

Try a 16 mm scale orientated sales group or site to get best price. Have a word with Brian Jones or PhillP of RC Trains (member on this site) before you sell, there might be a simple solution......a CHIMP ? (Have you looked at Brian Jones's other products ?) All the best, and happy new year. Max
 
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£67.00 plus postage (which I don't charge to Forum members, usually) and you could have a new 2.4gHz transmitter and receiver.
Plug and play.
:blush:

PhilP.
 
All these excellent suggestions unfortunately won't be suitable for my set up. I sometimes have a long track powered train to slowly meander round the garden and then myself or visiting grandchildren control a couple of small r/c Playmobil trains doing the same circuit, regularly stopping at the station and attempting to avoid either being hit from behind or crashing into the back of the track powered train. We have fun. This particular loco cannot be run at the same time as a track powered one so to get it to work I would need a suitable charger, a suitable transmitter and change the wheels. It's a lovely model but I bought it with my heart and not with my head.

Paul
 
voodoopenguin said:
It's a lovely model but I bought it with my heart and not with my head.
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I can see why, it really is a little cracker. Personally I would keep it and maybe set up a dedicated branch line to run it on, otherwise keep it for when your knees give up the ghost and track cleaning is not the fun it used to be. I wouldn't have thought insulated wheels would be a problem and although I don't know what you paid I would think a little additional outlay to keep the thing running would be worth it.
 
pugwash said:
I can see why, it really is a little cracker. Personally I would keep it and maybe set up a dedicated branch line to run it on, otherwise keep it for when your knees give up the ghost and track cleaning is not the fun it used to be. I wouldn't have thought insulated wheels would be a problem and although I don't know what you paid I would think a little additional outlay to keep the thing running would be worth it.
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As it is now there are many whose set up would allow them to use it straight away without any extra buying or altering. These days I limit myself to changing the occasional rubber tyre and pushing back on bits that have fallen off.

Paul
 
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