Campbeltown & Machrihanish 0-6-2T

[rhobat bryn]

I shall be attending Warley next weekend and am tempted to treat myself to the above locomotive.  There are, as far as I know, two choices: the Chivers Finelines at

[JulienW]

With resect to the Chiver's kit it was originally designed for the Minitrix 2-6-2 and then re-issued with a new footplate casting to take the Bachmann 0-6-0.  I suspect though that this would be the 'old style' bachammn chassis with the detachable ballast weight as opposed to the 'new style' one where the ballast weight forms part of the chassis block and is electrically live.  This means that some pretty heavy alterations are needed to either the chassis (not easy as the 'weight' has a fixing that locates the 2 halves of the chassis in it) or the loco body (removing a section from the bottom of the boiler & footplate, which is probably easier).  Of course it may be the case that the kit has been 're-redesigned' for the newer chassis but if it has then that info has been kept quiet.

The other thought with respect to a chassis for this kit would be the Bachmann / Farish 08 chassis that would have the correct outside frames and a set of cylinders and connecting rods from RT models which should look better but would not have the Walscherts valve gear of the prototype.  I think that Golden Arrow do (or did) an etched chassis kit for the Chiver's body which in addition to being used in it's own right could in theory be used to provide 'correct' cylinders and valve gear for the Farish chassis.

I can't comment on the Backwoods kit as I don't have one, and the Chevallier I have whilst similar is one of their early kits - they have since upgraded to better wheels and gears though if they are still using the same brass castings as came with my Chevallier (and L&LSR 4-8-0s) then they may need a little work.

A final thought is that you could try the Backwoods kit but use a Farish chassis with the Backwoods etched valve gear, frames and cylinders under it in much the same that John de Frayssinet has done with his L&B locos, or even a combinations of Backwoods chassis etch on a Farish 08 with a Chiver's body...

[pilotfriend]

If I was doing this, I would use Backwoods body with some chassis parts grafted onto an N scale class 08 chassis. This does seem to be the best combination.

[tedp]

I have built the Backwoods kit about 10 years ago. It's a beautifully made kit but the chassis is not for the faint-hearted. If you build it well it turns into a very smooth running loco. Fitting an 08 chassis instead of using the original one would be an easy way out, but you would lose some of the character. But I'd prefer a running model over a flat kit. You can always give the chassis a try and opt out if it is beyond you. It may be significant I haven't yet built another Backwoods loco. It takes a lot of time and patience.



The Chivers kit I don't know myself but I have seen one in a built state by Lee Bryant, see following link which compares it to my Backwoods loco. If you fit a Minitrix 2-6-2 under it and replace the motor by a Mashima, it will run OK for you. Or you could fit the 08 chassis instead.

http://www.009dutch.nl/main/gallery27/pages/05Dunalistair%20%2859%29.htm