Dummy locos

[CallySleeperKid]

To be more specific, Class 20, Railfreight livery, OO gauge.

I have a DCC fitted Hornby class 20 in Railfreight livery and wondered if anyone knows anyone/anywhere that produces dummy locos, so I can run a pair together without buying and DCC-ing another loco?

I am not interested in buying a loco and modifying it to make it into a non-powered dummy, If that was the only option then I may as well just buy and DCC another loco. I guess picking up a cheap second hand loco or non-runner and replacing the motor bogie with a standard bogie is an option, if the price is right, but after the messing around it may be not far short of buying a new running loco!

I have always wondered why there are not many dummy locos about, especially in case of class 20's which 99% of the time ran in pairs. Would also make an easy (and cheaper) option for running double headed or 'top-and-tail' trains on a layout, much like the Wrexham & Shropshire 67 & DVT train pack.

I did see in my local model shop that class 153 dummys are coming soon, I can only guess its to run a pair together, or form a pair with, say, a 156, as quite often happens.

Any comments or advice......

CSK

 

[rail-britain]

I was in the same position with the Lima Class 26 and 37

I therefore linked them together as a permanent pair
For the Class 20 and 26 this vastly improved the performance over points

 

[CallySleeperKid]

I just keep my eye out for a cheap-ish second hand DCC ready class 20 and run them as a pair, I just wondered if anyone did dummys or anyone had converted any?

I had a quick look on e-bay and found a couple that had been converted, a 47 and a 37.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I think you'd have to look out for a cheap 20 and remove the motor, maybe adjust the weight too. I don't see why you'd have to replace the bogies as the 20 uses a central motor.

For this you wouldn't need it to be the Hornby version either, you could easily use the older (but largely similar) Lima version, as the Hornby model basically is the Lima version with a DCC socket/decoder fitted. The Lima one is almost certain to be cheaper and available in a wider range of numbers/liveries.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

I think you'd have to look out for a cheap 20 and remove the motor, maybe adjust the weight too. I don't see why you'd have to replace the bogies as the 20 uses a central motor.

For this you wouldn't need it to be the Hornby version either, you could easily use the older (but largely similar) Lima version, as the Hornby model basically is the Lima version with a DCC socket/decoder fitted. The Lima one is almost certain to be cheaper and available in a wider range of numbers/liveries.

Superb info, Thanks for that. I have been looking at a few Lima examples on ood old e-bay, so if its just a case of disconnecting the motor then I may well go that route.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The hornby service sheet for your reference...

http://static.hornby.com/files/hss-335-class-20-437.pdf

 

[CallySleeperKid]

The hornby service sheet for your reference...

http://static.hornby.com/files/hss-335-class-20-437.pdf

So, If I was to disconnect or remove the motor, would wheels on the bogie with the drive unit move freely? Otherwise I could just order a second dummy bogie assembly. But obviously the costs start to run up and it may be cheaper to just DCC a loco, my local model shop will fit DCC chips if the model is not DCC ready (or easy enough for me to hard wire myself!)

I keep looking around and will hopefully pick up a decent enough second hand DCC ready Railfreight liveried class 20 soon enough.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Removing the shaft between the bogie and the motor should allow the wheels to move freely. At worst you'd have to remove the 'Universal Joints' marked as part 12 on the service sheet.

 

[Vulcan]

Apparently the Bachmann trade stand (that goes to model shows) sells refurbished models that have been returned as faulty pretty cheaply (according to Model Rail), so you could try and catch up with that and see.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

Apparently the Bachmann trade stand (that goes to model shows) sells refurbished models that have been returned as faulty pretty cheaply (according to Model Rail), so you could try and catch up with that and see.

Ill be popping along to Model Rail Live at Barrow Hill in September, If I have not picked anything up by then ill see what they have there.