Grandt Line Battery Mine Loco:
Just in time for the first show in early 2019, I actually managed to finish another of the locos that I started in 2015. This was a Grandt Line battery mine loco powered by a Bullant chassis – the yellow loco on the left. The body came from the 7mm NGA sales dept and being plastic was readily adaptable to the Bullant chassis. Unfortunately, as of mid 2019, Hollywood Foundry who manufactures the Bullant chassis have decided to retire so the source of these excellent chassis is no longer available. Fortunately for me, I had already bought all the chassis that I think I will need for my 14mm gauge projects.
I have another one of these locos along with a Plymouth loco that have power units supplied as part of the kit and wheels gauged for On30. However, I am not sure if the gears mounted on the outside of the wheels are part of the wheel molding or not, so I don’t know if they can be re-gauged to 14mm?
The battery mine loco is quite wide and it turned out to be too wide for the quarry loop so is used to bring filled wagons from the quarry onto the main line. I also found after the first couple of exhibitions that it was much easier to push the wagons into the quarry for loading, so this loco is actually far more useful now. The battery box is stuffed with as much lead as I can get into it around the motor so it is a nice heavy loco and subsequently runs far more reliably on my track than some of the lighter 4 wheel diesels.
Nonneminstre Battery Mine Loco:
I started a Nonneminstre battery loco quite a long time ago and carved it to fit a Wrightlines SPUD-U-Like chassis. All I needed to do to finish it was to combine the main assemblies, carve a driver to fit (it did come with one but I preferred the Phoenix figure) and painting. I added a bit more weight to the non-driver end, not because it needed it but more to balance it out. Consequently it actually runs quite smoothly for a direct drive 15:1 ratio gearing. As with my Rustons, I have had to pivot the couplings due to the overhang from the wheels.
Locos n stuff Brush Battery Loco:
In July 2019 Mark Clarke at Loco’s n stuff introduced a 3d printed battery loco based on a prototype from Brush that was used in a munitions factory during the First World War. This uses one of his 3d printed power bogies which is similar to a Tenshodo SPUD with a direct drive and Mark’s 13:1 gears. It runs surprisingly well, obviously faster than his other bogies but he has used a slow revving motor and from my initial trials seems to be very controllable. The battery boxes at each end come packed with lead which helps both with traction and running.
I filled the coupling slots which were intended for Kadee couplings and added in an impression of the prototype buffer/coupler in their place. I really struggled to find a figure that would fit. Most proved just too wide to squeeze in. A Phoenix figure fitted but his feet were way too high in the air, hence the chunk of timber that I added as a foot rest.
I have to admit that looking at the videos from Tracks to the Trenches I am not too sure of the overall proportions as the driver in the video only just fits in the cab and looks like he has to stoop to look out of the window. However, I am more than happy that I have a loco that I would not otherwise have built. In my version of history, this was from a 4th batch of locos built to a slightly different design to suit a more relaxed loading gauge!
It’s not strictly a mine loco but I have put it here as it is a battery one.
I think it will get better with running in. Top speed is impressive if somewhat unrealistic. Sorry about the end of the video. I struggle to hold the phone and operate at the same time.