Class 24 build... oh no not another Stoke engine.

Give us a minute or two... uploading now

 

Now I have all the components needed to complete the power bogies which in effect is an inner frame which is the dressed with the outer detailing frame and brake rigging, the Delrins and cogs come from Swift Sixteen and appear identical to the PRMRP ones as supplied in the Hymek detailing kit. The brass axle buses are from Naird, I prefer these as they have slightly deeper flanges which prevent excessive wheel slop, I fitted these to the 4MT chassis. I'm trying a new supplier Taff Vale who have sent me two 1833 type five pole motors, the difference between the Mashima made ones and these are shorter contact tabs but using a pin point solder tip and some heat shrink sleeve should see it right. Wheels are by Slaters as I'll pick up on both sides and not have one bogie powered and the other earthed as the failing with that system a stalled loco when hitting a dead spot... unless a stay alive is used which I won't be doing. The gearing is 26;1 ratio and is by Roxey, the steel worm and brass cog are quite a bit smaller than the type supplied in the Hymek conversion kit, so I'll be interested to see how much better space wise it is to fit the Delrin chain. If I hit problems then I'll replace with something else although Roxey say this set is suitable for O Gauge, we shall see however. Finally Steve sent me some 24 style white metal castings for the sandboxes and brake pistons, so thank you Steve and .

I had a think about pick ups and am going to build my own wiper system as there may be little room for sprung pickups in between the inner frame faces. Anyway here is a picture of all the associate bogie paraphernalia.

 

As we can see comparing the differences in the Roxley worm and gear with the PRMRP equivalent which is much larger. As I say we'll see how it spans out. The observant here will note I've done exactly nothing with the PRMRP Hymek conversion.

 

Now there's a thing Toto a Steve Beattie MacRat a 26 and a 27 would be very nice.

 

Thanks Rob, would you mind casting your opinion if I bring these worm and gear cogs along with me to Thirsk on Sunday? I would very much value your first hand opinion. Thanks.

 

To be honest Toto I have no first hand observations on the PRMRP Class 26, I've seen their 56's and 60 builds for sale and somehow they don't look quite right but that could be down to the particular builder's skill or lack of. A chap did a PRMRP Peak build on You Tube which involved some massive alterations to detail such as brass angle to make up gutter runs offs, again I suppose its whatever suits you best.

 

I'm going to set off about 9.00am ish, its about a good hour from here up the 19 past Easingwold so once I've found a back street to park in and got round to the Town Hall it should be getting on for well turned 10.

 

My take is that PRMRP kits emanate from a time when the O Gauge market was very limited and they did represent a massive leap forward for the scratch builder then, nowadays this aspect of the product has been lost in time due to our hobby developing as it has with such variety we can all feel quite spoiled for choice. In essence these early kits have been overtaken by advances in technology and a desire within buyers to own highly detailed locos. Now you may well have to scratch an internal frame for your 26 when build time comes, this is not too difficult to do and I think the chap who did the Peak had to strengthen his bodyshell to stop flexure. The PRMRP kit I would avoid of is the conversion for the Lima 33, this is not really PRMRP's fault as they merely responded to the market of the time, however in the Lima 33 since there is a catalogue of errors in the dimensions of that loco where no conversion in the world can address putting right, not unless the conversion is supplied by your Local Authority and comes around every week or so at some early hour in the morning..

 

Yes I've seen a 33 conversion on another forum, the chap did a massive diesel smoke/dirt weathering job on it and that did help hide the loco's generous width and of course some others have also lengthened the bodyshell to the right dimension.

 

Hmmm I doubt if PRMRP would really care, the chap didn't design these kits I think he bought the range over.