Diesel shunter based on ones used at Ebbw Vale Steel Works

[Hrw-Amen]

I have just uploaded the photos to my flickr account.

A friend of mine asked me a while ago if this could be built in LEGO as he used to see them as a child working near to where he lived. Apparently they had four of them at the steel works in Ebbw Vale. They were made by Hunslet.

I have had to make a couple of concessions to the format of LEGO in the main down to the constraints of the size of the battery box. I would have liked the central cab to have been shorter enabling me to make the engine (in the real ones.) covering noses longer. I would also have liked to make the 0-8-0 wheel base shorter but again I am constrained by the spacing in the LEGO Train motor. I did consider using a M Motor and tried a couple of arrangements but it got way too fiddly to conceal it and have it look the same as the other end with the IR unit in it. Also driving the wheels from one end just seemed to place too much stress on the frame and it kept breaking apart. I have ended up using BB Medium wheels as the standard LEGO wheels were way to small and the big drivers/blinds were way too big.

Anyway, it is what it is, it runs fine, handles all the curves points etc a lot better than i thought it would, I only have had one derailment so far and that was me going mad with the speed. So what do you think, is it OK or not?

[garethjellis]

This looks like a fun little model. I like the way you have good spacing of the wheels using BFFB.

[zephyr1934]

That is a nice little industrial switcher MOC and good job balancing all of the pf constraints.

[Man with a hat]

It certainly is ok especially given the restrictions you had using PF. The only thing I would have liked is a shorter cab, but you already mentioned that yourself.

[Hrw-Amen]

I have been running it with a few small freight wagons. I was expecting it to go quite fast using the BB Medium wheels on a standard PF motor but I am surprised to find it has a lot better speed control that using standard sized LEGO wheels which really surprised me. Anyway, I am pleased with how it has gone.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Nice locomotive and amazing livery: I like the yellow base