Miniature Locos (diesel) for under £1k?

[SwindonManor]

I haven't found anywhere selling a miniature (7 ¼ and or 5" - either will do) loco for £1000 (under or in that area)
I get that miniature is way more complex than model - but still - any help would be appreciated.
(PS: preferably diesel as it's cheaper but steam is ok)

 

[Milo's Trains]

Dear, SwindonManor

I am part of a 5" club and diesel is expensive and rare, most 5" gauge locomotives will use a battery with diesel sounds. Planets are a good starting point, Maxitrak is a good seller for those (and 2nd hand locomotives)
I have posted the link below to Maxitrak
Maxitrack Miniature Locos

Yours, Milo

P.S. I hope this helps

 

[SwindonManor]

Dear, SwindonManor

I am part of a 5" club and diesel is expensive and rare, most 5" gauge locomotives will use a battery with diesel sounds. Planets are a good starting point, Maxitrak is a good seller for those (and 2nd hand locomotives)
I have posted the link below to Maxitrak
Maxitrack Miniature Locos

Yours, Milo

P.S. I hope this helps

Cheers!

 

[Trainlog]

I would also recommend Maxitrak, I've been down to see that shop a couple of times, I have found the staff helpful and friendly when I have been there.

In terms of a second-hand loco within close (ish) proximity of your suggested budget, there are a couple of 5-inch gauge Neptune diesel shunters for £1800 for sale on the site Anything Narrow gauge. Garden railway specialists is also a good shout for Inch gauge locos aswell.

I think it also depends on what you wish to get out of a larger scale tbh. Most scales from Gauge 1 upwards offers an interesting experience in terms of live steam offerings. Gauge 1 (standard gauge 1:32) and 16mm (narrow gauge 1:19) offer the fun of live steam with off the shelf locos and are simple to maintain and especially in the case of 16mm, a layout can fit in with most gardens. Gauge 1 is more a club gauge owing to the wide track radiuses required, but has many ready to run gas/meths fired models of most UK standard gauge steam locos.

Inch gauge locos are close to exact replicas to a real loco you can get, but for the steam locos just like the real things there is just as much maintenance. An electric loco does offer the most affordable and easiest way into the inch gauges but you will have to sound chip them if you wish to make them more interesting as they are fairly quiet.

 

[SwindonManor]

I would also recommend Maxitrak, I've been down to see that shop a couple of times, I have found the staff helpful and friendly when I have been there.

In terms of a second-hand loco within close (ish) proximity of your suggested budget, there are a couple of 5-inch gauge Neptune diesel shunters for £1800 for sale on the site Anything Narrow gauge. Garden railway specialists is also a good shout for Inch gauge locos aswell.

I think it also depends on what you wish to get out of a larger scale tbh. Most scales from Gauge 1 upwards offers an interesting experience in terms of live steam offerings. Gauge 1 (standard gauge 1:32) and 16mm (narrow gauge 1:19) offer the fun of live steam with off the shelf locos and are simple to maintain and especially in the case of 16mm, a layout can fit in with most gardens. Gauge 1 is more a club gauge owing to the wide track radiuses required, but has many ready to run gas/meths fired models of most UK standard gauge steam locos.

Inch gauge locos are close to exact replicas to a real loco you can get, but for the steam locos just like the real things there is just as much maintenance. An electric loco does offer the most affordable and easiest way into the inch gauges but you will have to sound chip them if you wish to make them more interesting as they are fairly quiet.

Yes indeed - Maxitrak is good. Whilst I found them for around £2k - the Planet model is £2.15k and is 5/7 ¼ ". It also runs on battery/diesel. It's a small shunter and can carry a lot of people at a relatively decent speed.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

How about an Imp kit? CMD Imp

 

[SwindonManor]

Surprising!

How about an Imp kit? CMD Imp

Useful to know if I happen to come into some money sometime - enough to build a small railway with MRW track

 

[Narrowgauge725]

The other option is to go completely self build that way even with no major tools you can do everything and just buy wheels. If you go narrow gauge you don’t have rivets counters pestering you. This has an example of an all wood loco. Facebook

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Aug 2025 ==

Is there a local model engineering club to you? It is always useful because a) someone may be selling a cheap project and b) there will be someone to give you advice.

Good Facebook groups worth a good look through past posts. MRW track is good but if you are on a tight budget 20x10 black steel bar is cheaper, welded on flat bar chairs or pnp chairs although I think you might have to go up to 12mm bar stack.

Minimal Railways

Scamp locos.
PNP

 

[SwindonManor]

The other option is to go completely self build that way even with no major tools you can do everything and just buy wheels. If you go narrow gauge you don’t have rivets counters pestering you. This has an example of an all wood loco. Facebook

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Aug 2025 ==

Is there a local model engineering club to you? It is always useful because a) someone may be selling a cheap project and b) there will be someone to give you advice.

Good Facebook groups worth a good look through past posts. MRW track is good but if you are on a tight budget 20x10 black steel bar is cheaper, welded on flat bar chairs or pnp chairs although I think you might have to go up to 12mm bar stack.

Minimal Railways

Scamp locos.
PNP

Useful. Cheers.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

This should be a cheap build Karen's Little Railway Minx

 

[SwindonManor]

Appreciate the help