4mm Scale Motorising Options
This page is intended to draw your attention to
various ways of motorising kits. No way is definitive, each has their pros and cons and
you will need to establish the most appropriate way to motorise your kit.
Manufacturers and suppliers mentioned here can be found in our contacts list.
Below the floor ready to run:
"Spud" bogie by Tenshodo or similar. These Far- Eastern produced small
ready to run motor bogies will fit totally below the floor for most installations and only
require dummy sideframes and preferably electrical feeds from pickups on another bogie.
However, being designed for HO scale the majority of wheelbase/wheel diameter
combinations are not 4mm scale Southern Electric friendly, though the wheels can be fairly
easily be replaced by larger diameter versions. Obviously the small motor involved
can only have limited power so one motor bogie per two cars is advised. The model
will also need to be weighted carefully to ensure maximum adhesion. These motor
bogies tend to have plastic/nylon gears which can wear out or strip. Some modellers
have also reported them overheating if subjected to very heavy use - say for all day at an
exhibition. This can be cured by carefully drilling ventilation holes in the outer
casing, though lie replacing the wheels, this will invalidate the guarantee.
"Spuds" are available from many suppliers such as Branchlines of Exeter,
DC Kits, Roxey Mouldings, etc.
Almost below the floor ready to run:
"Black Beetle". For most applications this Australian produced ready to
run motor bogie tends to require an aperture in the floor but does not intrude into the
body too much. In essence it is a heavier duty version of the "Spud" using
a larger motor and metal gears. However, one motor bogie per two or three
cars plus careful weighting is still advised, as are additional pickups. The Black Beetle
is available up to 40 mm wheelbase and various wheel diameters so is very Southern
Electric friendly. Branchlines of Exeter are the UK main agent for Black Beetle but
these bogies are available from other suppliers such as DC Kits.
Kit built bogies:
There are several types of etched brass or nickel silver "fold up"
bogie mechanisms which use a double shaft can motor driving two axles. These intrude
into the body but are more powerful than the options above. Known bogie kits are the
Branchlines of Exeter MB35 and the Southern Pride P300. Northwest Short Line produce
their Flea ll motor bogie which might be adaptable for certain British-type installations.
Central drive mechanisms:
At the cost of taking up most of the interior of the body a powerful drive can be obtained
by a double shafted central can motor fitted with flywheels and driving bogies via drive
shafts and universal joints. Suitable motors, flywheels, drive shafts and gears are
available from certain suppliers like Branchlines of Exeter, Roxey Mouldings, Mainly
Trains and Northwest Short Line. Bogies may have to be scratch-built or adapted from
other mechanisms such as MB35 or RTR. Alternatively certain centrally driven RTR
locomotives are prime sources of parts - including bogies with gear towers- which can be
used. Although compromises with the bogie wheelbase might need to be taken, look for
secondhand bargains or special offers on new stock of locomotives like the Bachmann Class
24/5. One such new locomotive can cost about the same as a single Black Beetle bogie
but the mechanism is several times more powerful.
RTR (ready-to-run) bogies:
Although intruding well into the body at one end, and may require compromises with the
bogie wheelbase and wheel diameter, ready to run "pancake" motor bogies from
Hornby or Lima can be used. These can be bought as spare parts or stripped from
second-hand locomotives. Whilst "pancake" motors may not be the most
refined or responsive runners they are cheap, readily available, spares prolific, robust,
powerful and will last for years and years. Increasing the cost, they can be
improved or adapted with replacement nearer to scale wheels from Ultrascale (or certain
other suppliers) and Lima pancake bogies can be made better runners by use of a
Modeltorque replacement armature. The currently produced Hornby five pole, 34mm
wheelbase, 12mm wheel diameter, pancake bogie is an improved runner of the
"pancake" type. |
