Construction kits and their chassis/body requirements.

[petercharlesfagg]

Friends,
The whole world of DIY locomotive kits enthralls me as it does others but it appears to me that the various manufacturers play it very close to their own chests as regards chassis?

There are obviously many around the world who would like the opportunity, like myself, to build something that I could call my own simply becayuse I, and others, have built it.

But where would the would-be constructor obtain his/her chassis & body kit?

Just looking around on Ebay or other places the only chassis (plural?) appear to be for Japanese/Chinese etc. or used items that are probably being sold because they are perhaps almost useless plus no guarantees?

Your thoughts would be appreciated, Peter.

[austinbob]

Friends,
The whole world of DIY locomotive kits enthralls me as it does others but it appears to me that the various manufacturers play it very close to their own chests as regards chassis?

There are obviously many around the world who would like the opportunity, like myself, to build something that I could call my own simply becayuse I, and others, have built it.

But where would the would-be constructor obtain his/her chassis & body kit?

Just looking around on Ebay or other places the only chassis (plural?) appear to be for Japanese/Chinese etc. or used items that are probably being sold because they are perhaps almost useless plus no guarantees?

Your thoughts would be appreciated, Peter.

Very interesting question Peter - I too would like to build some N gauge kits but have been put off by the lack of parts, chassis etc.
I used to build 4mm and 7mm loco kits from brass and white metal and the kits always included the parts to build the chassis. Most N gauge kits rely on ready built chassis which, it seems, are difficult to source. I wonder if there are any N gauge chassis kits out there?

[Roy L S]

There have been several different discussions on this Forum concerning this.

There are still a number of manufacturers of N loco body kits in whitemetal such as Langley: -

http://www.langley-models.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Locomotive_Body_kits_NEW_Kit_Release_73.htm

P&D Marsh: -

http://www.pdmarshmodels.com/product_list.php?gauge=%27N%27&cat2=%2710%27

BH Enterprises: -

http://www.bhenterprises.co.uk/

N Brass: -

http://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/nloco.html

And of course if the modern media of 3D prints are factored in Atso-Cad: -

http://www.atso-cadmodels.co.uk/

With all of the above yes, chassis are the issue but can be found on line BUT if you want a kit with all included how about this little beauty (See also recent NGS Journal and Gareth's exquisitely finished model on this forum): -

http://www.n-driveproductions.com/locomotivekits.htm

Scroll down to the Wisbech and Upwell Tram Loco - a complete kit for £67.50.

More promised too...

Regards

Roy

[Dorsetmike]

As I've posted before, until someone starts producing wheels for N locos we're not going to get very far. The steamer kits by Langley, P D Marsh and BHE all rely on mainly old Poole Farish chassis which means you are stuck with the one wheelbase fits all syndrome, the only exception that springs to mind is the Langley S15 which is intended to use a Fleischmann chassis.

Current Farish and Dapol chassis at least seem have correct wheel size and spacing, but how many of us will fork out £120 for a new loco to hack it about and only use the chassis.

We need wheels, and for steamers that means we need them on axles and quartered (or at least square ended axles). I would also suggest a chassis block with ready cut slots for axles, making up etched brass chassis with sufficient accuracy for trouble free running could be a stumbling block for many.

Then we come up against the problem of needing a number of different wheel spacings to suit different locos.

Having done a few scratch builds and heavily bashed kits I've stumbled over most of the blocks.