What motor could I put in this loco?

[Andy Lowman]

I would like to change it for a 4 wheel motor as some curves on part of the layout are quite tight and are a bit of a challenge for the six wheel configuration. The motor is held in to the body by the brass screw at the front and 2 lugs at the rear which go into two 'slots' which can be seen in the photo (the chrome screw does not hold in the motor). There aren't any brand names or clues as to what that existing motor is. If anyone would like any more info then please ask. Thanks.

[JulienW]

That looks like one of the Peco Glyn Valley Tramway locomotives built from a white metal kit from the underside, with a Graham Farish Poole-style chassis - from memory the kit specifies a 94XX pannier tank chassis but I can't recall what the Farish number of that was. Your chassis is probably one of those made in China.

On these chassis the middle wheel is the driven one co conversion to an 0-4-0 by dropping out the middle axle isn't possible.  Another thought is that the prototype was actually an 0-4-2, but I suspect that converting the chassis to that configuration would be difficult as I think you would need to chop a lot off the chassis block to get enough swing on the rear pony truck.

One popular alternative is to use a Kato 4 wheel tram chassis - one of the older 11-103 or 104 or newer 11-108 or 109 types.

The newer ones have a form of compensation so may be better running, but the older ones - if you can get one - may be a bit cheaper.

Either way you will need to make up dome form of bracket to hold the chassis into the body. I don't know the details but people have made these from brass sheet, and you may need to reduce the length of the chassis (the bits beyond the wheelbase) to fit. Also, at one time, one could get 3D printed parts on eBay to do the same job, but I have not seen these on sale for some years.

Other alternatives - the Bachmann MDT diesel for example - are 6 wheel so may end up repeating the issue with tight curves.

Equally if the curves on your layout are that tight it might be advisable to avoid using locos with more than 4 wheels...

Hope that helps.

[Andy Lowman]

Thanks Julien, much appreciated, that's a lot of help. Yo're right, the body is white metal and I'll check out the Kato chassis's. It's funny but this is the only 6 wheel loco (photo included) that has a problem with a couple of the curves (these being on a part of a layout that was already partially built and needed a home so was 'taken in' and added to the existing layout and has since been totally re-vamped re the scenery etc). It keeps going but doesn't like them and pauses momentarily as it goes along. I have a Baldwin 4-6-0 which copes ok but all the rest of my loco are 4 wheel.

[cp.409067]

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I have one of these Peco GVT tramway loco bodies fitted on a KATO 11-108 chassis.

The Kato 11-108 chassis has a plastic "footplate" that is longer than that of a KATO 11-109. Each end of the 11-108 is not identical, and the plastic moulding marked with an arrowhead pointing to one end. Mechanically there is no difference between the two types of chassis.

The method was as follows and devised on a trial and error basis as the work proceeded.

[1]   The couplings were removed from the KATO chassis and the end to which the arrowhead points was shortened by c.4mm.   

[2]   The other end of the chassis was shortened by c.2.5mm.

[3]   At the cab end of the body a mounting point was contrived with a styrene strip glued to the inside of the buffer beam.

[4]   The end of the KATO chassis to which the arrow head points hooked over this and under the existing whitemetal bracket of the kit. I think it was necessary to cut away some of the whitemetal bracket.

[5]   At the smokebox end some of the whitemetal bracket there was cut away, but the provided tapped hole for the fixing bolt was intact and in its original position.

[6]   A fixing hole was drilled through the plastic at the non arrowhead end of the KATO chassis. This to align with the kit tapped hole.

[7]   The chassis was secured in place by hooking in at the cab end and using the kit fixing screw at the smokebox end.

[8]   Thus installed the wheelbase is off centre of the loco body. Overhang at the cab end is c.13mm, and at the smokebox end c.20mm.

*****

This may sound somewhat complex but was not difficult in practice. It should be noted that the above was achieved before the kit was fully assembled.

I imagine something similar might be contrived using a KATO 11-109, and that a more central wheelbase could result.


CP

[B.Meldon]

If you file off the flanges from the center wheels this old Graham Farrish chassis will go around much tighter curves. However, with this GVT model you will also find that the coupling overhang is quite long and may well pull the next vehicle off the track on tight curves. Changing the chassis will not fix that issue.
I have used the Fleischmann track cleaning chassis in these GVT kits in the past, but the kit and the chassis will neeed modifications to get the body to sit low enough and to secure the chassis. But that would apply to changing to any other chassis.
If it runs well, I would stick with the chassis you have, and as I mentioned, file the wheel flanges off the center wheels.

[Andy Lowman]

Thanks CP and Brian. Both very differing but equally interesting options on the issue. I'll have a cup of tea and a think. It may end up with the loco only being used on part of the layout (which does have it's advantages in running as I could make 'train transfers' necessary for 'passengers' to then travel to differing parts of the layout) or I could send the loco to the sales team. Tea-time!

[Hugh Norwood]

I have one of these and I really like it; it's a nice, very reliable runner. I built it from the kit and it sits on the correct (Grafar) chassis. I admit it doens't like one (just one!) of the points in the fiddle yard, but that's my only concern about it.

[Andy Lowman]

Hi Hugh, yes it's a great little runner, I've just found out as well that I have another just the same (different colour scheme though). Maybe they'll both be off to the Sales at some time.

[John Galbraith]

Hi Andy, I also have one of these Peco trams. I didn't have the correct chassis but I used a Grafar chassis from an class 08 diesel which worked well and proved a great little runner. Nigel Brooks does a great 3D print of the Glyn Valley tram specifically to fit the Kato 09 Chassis at around £24.You cannot view this attachment.

[cp.409067]

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Agreed. The Nigel Brooks kit for a GVT tram is excellent.


CP

[B.Meldon]

I should point out that the very nice Nigel Brooks 3d print is for 'Glynn' that was longer and had a different cab compaired to the other two GVT locos'Dennis'and 'Sir Theodore'
Fourdees do a kit version of 'Dennis'and 'Sir Theodore' as well as a kit for 'Glyn' but these are somewhat more expensive than the Nigel Brooks version.

As I mentioned with all the 009 GVT locos you may well find that you have coupling overhang issues on tighter curves.