Belgian Type 23 Garratt

[Hugh Norwood]

The original locos were built in Liege for the metre-gauge Belgian tramway system for hauling freight. Well, who would not want one of these monsters on their layout?

David Hurst has published his design for this loco to run on two Kato 11-110 chassis (or one and a dummy). He has skillfully scaled it so that it looks "right" on 9mm gauge track. This means it is really H0 scale (3.5mm/ft) but otherwise it would be too large.

You need to get the body print (which contains the body shell, roof, boiler, safety valve and chimney) and two power unit prints.

[Hugh Norwood]

As I had a pair of Kato 11-110 chassis, I wondered if it was possible to wire the two together; giving in effect 8 wheel pick up.

Firstly, the "balcony" ends need to be cut off both ends of the chassis. The plastic top cover unclips from the ends and middle of the split-frame chassis, revealing the motor wires. I soldered some fine "decoder wire" to the pickups, then drilled a couple of 1mm holes in the plastic top cover, threaded the wires through, and re-clipped the cover to the chassis.



The next hurdle was how to thread the wires into the body of the loco and fix the power units so that they would not simply drop out if the loco was lifted by its body. Fortunately, the pivot stub for each power unit is quite substantial and I managed to drill a 2mm hole vertically through it for the wires. In addition I drilled a 0.9mm hole horizontally from one side to the other just above the body floor; this would take a length of brass wire which would hold the power unit securely to the body but allow it to pivot.



The yellow pieces are short lengths of insulation from some 7/0.2 wire I had handy.

[Hugh Norwood]

The loco weighs 109g – the weight is stuck inside the top covers of the power units.

And it does go round Angst-Lesspork (with a very narrow gap between it at a couple of buildings...)


The Garratt compared to the Bachmann double Fairlie

[Jeff Schumaker]

Hugh,

That is a beast.

Jeff S.

[Graeme Dunbar]

You are right! I hadn't appreciated how big when I saw it during a recent Zoom meeting. The comparison really shows it.

[Ian McAulay]

And it's HO scale too! I agree - it's a monster! Rather magnificent monster though.

Ian

[JulienW]

Very nice indeed Hugh.

[Hugh Norwood]

Thanks, chaps. I'm really pleased with it - even though it _is_ a tad too long for the layout .

At least now I have a loco big enough for a nameplate that says "BERGHOLT STUTLEY JOHNSON" <grin>

[Peter Boulter]

Thanks, chaps. I'm really pleased with it - even though it _is_ a tad too long for the layout .

No, no, no. The loco is not too long, the layout is too short.  :)

[Graeme Dunbar]

Thanks, chaps. I'm really pleased with it - even though it _is_ a tad too long for the layout .

At least now I have a loco big enough for a nameplate that says "BERGHOLT STUTLEY JOHNSON" <grin>

He would be proud to see his blue(s) harp design come to life.