Hi all,
I am contemplating a project involving a steam loco (!) - it should be a big one, not tender drive, the type and era don't matter. Being a diesel guy, I don't follow which ones are good and not so good!
What would be your recommendations for the "best" N gauge steam loco? Smoothest running, reliable, nice proportions, good finish?
Cheers Jon :)
Well in my humble opinion it has to be a US 2-8-0 Consolidation. The ones I have are by Bachmann Spectrum and are geared for slow running. Excellent engines and can pull a useful load.
Alex :wave:
Quote from: PostModN66 on November 30, 2013, 04:59:31 PM
What would be your recommendations for the "best" N gauge steam loco? Smoothest running, reliable, nice proportions, good finish?
The one thing I've learned about steam engine models compared to diesels is that they're more likely to be damaged and much more likely to derail. All that external valve gear is easily knocked if you're as ham-fisted as me, and while a diesel will usually survive a fall to the floor, a steamer won't! Likewise the sturdy arrangement of bogies on most diesels will generally tolerate all but the worst track laying, but the light pony trucks on steam engines need very little to jump off the tracks onto the ballast.
With that said, any steam engine without pony trucks (typically, an 0-6-0 tank or tender engine) is about as reliable as any diesel, and most lack external valve gear too, so they're also pretty robust. You might want to have a flutter with one of the Dapol 'Pannier' tanks for example. Just as good as any 0-6-0 diesel shunter. Since you don't care about region or era, you could opt for the splendid London Transport one that's hard to fit "properly" into a model railway without some sort of made-up excuse for its use on British Railways.
Cheers, NeMo
The man said BIG, I'd hardly call an 0-6-0T big by any stretch of the imagination, to me big means 4-6-0 or larger. If it wasn't for the no Tender dive specified I'd suggest the Union Mills 0-8-0 or 4-6-0, otherwise Minitrix 9F, or any Farish pacific the Spam can has less valve gear to be damaged if that's a consideration.
I don't know about 'best' but the Farish WD 2-8-0 has got to be a contender. Coreless motor in the loco and nice to look at if you think locos should be rugged and utilitarian. Mine runs well with 60 minerals behind it.
Quote from: Dorsetmike on November 30, 2013, 05:45:15 PM
The man said BIG, I'd hardly call an 0-6-0T big by any stretch of the imagination...
Ah, missed that bit! :-[
NeMo
Union Mills every time. For instance, the ex-LNWR 'Super D' is hard to beat; here's one on my old layout:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47719678@N06/4475028987/#in/photolist-7PrGdc (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47719678@N06/4475028987/#in/photolist-7PrGdc)
They are tender drive but don't let that put you off.
Quote from: Irish Padre on November 30, 2013, 06:21:25 PM
Union Mills every time. For instance, the ex-LNWR 'Super D' is hard to beat; here's one on my old layout:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47719678@N06/4475028987/#in/photolist-7PrGdc (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47719678@N06/4475028987/#in/photolist-7PrGdc)
They are tender drive but don't let that put you off.
Agreed. Very robust, very powerful. They do have some "big" tender engines in the range. The new LNWR Prince of Wales is very pretty, especially in LMS red.
Cheers, NeMo
Would go with the Dapol 0-6-0 Pannier.
Lovely runner, very reliable and looks the part.
Quote from: port perran on November 30, 2013, 07:07:49 PM
Would go with the Dapol 0-6-0 Pannier.
Lovely runner, very reliable and looks the part.
Quote from: NeMo on November 30, 2013, 06:09:25 PM
Quote from: Dorsetmike on November 30, 2013, 05:45:15 PM
The man said BIG, I'd hardly call an 0-6-0T big by any stretch of the imagination...
Ah, missed that bit! :-[
NeMo
I think you missed that bit as well, P-D.
I would agree with the WD from Farish, narrowly edging my Farish B1 in running and haulage.
Any reason why not tender drive?
I used to have most of the Minitrix steam locos. Taking BIG as a requirement then a Gresley A4 Pacific like Mallard and it's sisters gets my vote with 9F like Evening Star coming a close second. There are plenty of modern models around.
They both run with much the same grace as model diesels which I too tend to favour after owning some very difficult to rail and choppy motioned other steamers.
Owning both Farish and Dapol steamers and being a Diesel fan like yourself, I would recommend the Graham Farish A1 Pacific 'Tornado' as this is an excellent model and can be used on Modern era layouts.
In my experience, the WD hands down. Nothing comes close in terms of smoothness. It's also the only Farish steam loco I haven't had to return for any reason, and has been perfect from new.
It's a good hauler too, mine manages 40 odd 7 plank wagons without slip on 11" curves. I've seen them do 50 odd at a recent show with imitation loads.
Everything else for me has been hit and miss, quartering or poor wheelset's are frequently mentioned on here and I've had first hand experience of this with the 2MT, 3MT tank and 5MT.
Quote from: stevieboy on December 01, 2013, 08:28:26 AM
In my experience, the WD hands down. Nothing comes close in terms of smoothness. It's also the only Farish steam loco I haven't had to return for any reason, and has been perfect from new.
It's a good hauler too, mine manages 40 odd 7 plank wagons without slip on 11" curves. I've seen them do 50 odd at a recent show with imitation loads.
Everything else for me has been hit and miss, quartering or poor wheelset's are frequently mentioned on here and I've had first hand experience of this with the 2MT, 3MT tank and 5MT.
Just had a look at the WD on Hattons website. If you mean the 2-8-0 it looks pretty good.
What's it like on curves?
Quote from: ParkeNd on December 01, 2013, 09:26:05 AM
Quote from: stevieboy on December 01, 2013, 08:28:26 AM
In my experience, the WD hands down. Nothing comes close in terms of smoothness. It's also the only Farish steam loco I haven't had to return for any reason, and has been perfect from new.
It's a good hauler too, mine manages 40 odd 7 plank wagons without slip on 11" curves. I've seen them do 50 odd at a recent show with imitation loads.
Everything else for me has been hit and miss, quartering or poor wheelset's are frequently mentioned on here and I've had first hand experience of this with the 2MT, 3MT tank and 5MT.
That's had a look at the WD on Hattons website. If you mean the 2-8-0 it looks pretty good.
What's it like on curves?
That's the one. It goes round 10.5" ok on my layout :thumbsup:
The curves on my branch line are less than 10½" radius and it goes round with no problems
How about this beauty ?
http://www.katousa.com/N/GS-4/index.html (http://www.katousa.com/N/GS-4/index.html)
I promise you it's a stonker - if you don't like it i'll buy it off you ! How's that for confidence...? :)
:laughabovepost: Yes we have seen this classic NSE liveried loco featured before!
Quote from: 4x2 on December 01, 2013, 11:12:11 AM
How about this beauty ?
http://www.katousa.com/N/GS-4/index.html (http://www.katousa.com/N/GS-4/index.html)
I promise you it's a stonker - if you don't like it i'll buy it off you ! How's that for confidence...? :)
It is a nice loco but I like it better in its original livery :heart2:
[smg id=8654 type=av]
cheers John.
Thanks for all these suggestions guys,
As a starting point I had a look on e-bay for a second-hand Minitrix 9F, A4 or "Brit" - thought I might get a real bargain - sadly mistaken!! :(
The Tornado suggestion is another good one, as I could run it on "Lofthole" assuming it will get round 8.5" curves (!) :worried:
But all are under consideration, especially if I can find a bargain (apart from the UM ones as it really can't be tender driver for technical reasons, he says mysteriously.........)
Thanks again Jon :)
If you are patient and keep looking you should get a "Brit" eventually.
I saved a search on eBay for the Evening Star and after a few months of watching I won one for £33 and it runs very well ;)
cheers John.
Quote from: PostModN66 on December 01, 2013, 12:52:33 PM
But all are under consideration, especially if I can find a bargain (apart from the UM ones as it really can't be tender driver for technical reasons, he says mysteriously.........)
It may depend what you need the loco drive for. The loco drive doesn't necessarily mean there is space in the tender for sound or other electronica. The old Farish ones have big open spaces but that is actually quite unusual.
And if you are planning on modelling it running on a load testing bank or similar just buy a dummy and motorise the rollers!
Best running big steam loco I've seen on my layout is the Graham Farish Standard 5. A friend bought two and, as he doesn't yet have a layout, brought them round to mine to test. Smooth, quiet and powerful, better than anything by Dapol, better even than the Ixon Manor although that is a nice runner and the 28xx heavy goods loco isn't bad either but a bit noisy. The 28xx is happy on Settrack points where the Manor isn't.
one of my best running steamers is the Kato GS4 Southern Pacifics ''Morrning Daylight'' smoth and powerfull - haul's the full 18 car consit up the grades and will take 9'' curves , crawls at a sleeper a time or will cruise at Kato's known high speed's :D
the other good runner is also a Kato GS4 in North American Freedon Train livery .
(http://[smg%20id%208660])
Your 8.5" curves effectively rule out Dapol's big engines, though my Britannia managed the 8.5" curve on Parnhams in one direction. Shame that, otherwise I'd have recommended all three pacifics.
Of the big Farish locos the WD is a beautiful runner, though some have a problem with traction tyres not touching the rails (the cause of all the early fuss about haulage), and I can recommend the new Ivatt 2MT. I have no experience of the 5MT as it is inappropriate for my area.
Going tender drive, I'm the poor sod who has had endless problems with locked-up valve gear, but I CAN recommend the J39.
Going secondhand the Minitrix A3 and A4 still generally run well and don't run too badly for their age- and being Continental in origin they're happy with silly curves..
All the very best
Les
WD getting a lot of votes - I will definitely look at this possibility!
Thanks Jon :)
Quote from: PostModN66 on December 02, 2013, 03:48:12 PM
WD getting a lot of votes - I will definitely look at this possibility!
Thanks Jon :)
Love my weathered version. Tempted to get another but when, not if found out, it may cause my early demise! :worried:
Dave G
Not tender drive? You are putting batteries in there? Plus a tiny radio receiver!
my opinions....black 5 always a garunteed good runner...farish b1, dapol b17? standard 4mt, standard 5mt....i have the lot and the best i would say is farish all the way, wasnt too impressed with the wd if im honest...
Quote from: davecttr on December 02, 2013, 11:32:24 PM
Not tender drive? You are putting batteries in there? Plus a tiny radio receiver!
Oh Dave....what a great suggestion - but a little more ambitious than what I'm actually thinking of!
Cheers Jon :)