O-Gauge first loco suggestions

Having been watching the thread about Curlys 'Owl', I wondered if anyone had any opinions about good first small locos to build- probably from bar stock rather than castings- and nothing to complicated (or expensive should the entire thing end up as a supply of scrap for the next project!)

I had thought a post war simple design would have been 'simple', but possibly not from the comments... I don't require anything true scale, but something that looks trainish and runs would be good?

If you want simple you can't beat a Cracker. Plans free on the internet and in it's original form is very simple but can be dressed up as you like.

I'll assume you intend to run on 32mm track. ("Gauge" and "Scale" do not mean the same thing.)

De Winton type locomotives are a popular subject particularly with those wanting to build something from scratch. If you want something that looks more like a regular locomotive (i.e. horizontal boiler and cab at the rear) a Kraftlok is about the simplest design.

If you are looking for something one size up from the Cracker, I have just finished a revised version of the `Homemade Dacre` by Erik-Jan Stroetinger. If you google the names, you should be able to find free plans in AutoCAD format. I revised the drawings and expanded them for the imperial sized stock and fasteners available in Canada and to include all of the bodywork which isn`t shown on the original drawings.

If you`d like to send me a PM I can get a set of plans to you in PDF format.

I have a whole bunch of images and videos in my Photobucket album:

**LINK**

This was designed to be the easiest possible steam loco:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znulXj2c4QY

It is a tram with a meths fired pot boiler and a single acting oscillator. It uses Meccano gears, but a variation with a jack shaft uses fewer gears and looks more interesting. Mine is the maroon one in the video. They are running on gauge 1 track here but are gauge convertible as they have outside cranks. They are lots of fun and mine runs for about 20 minutes on a fill of meths. PM me if you would like the build series.

Be careful with confusing 'small' with easy to build.

A working, coal-fired ,O gauge Bat with full reversing gear, isn't.

A G1' Project' is a good confidence builder for a starter locomotive.

I would have to agree with Cracker as a suggestion. It's small and very simple, and the only thing that stopped mine coming to fruition quickly was the builder. If you start out with even half a clue you'll be fine.

The only part of your requirements that could be a problem is "...something that looks trainish..."

By this I'm inferring you mean "Mainline", which a cracker does not really invoke, however there are planty of examples dressed in different ways - You could fabricate some dummy side-tanks to hide the vertical cylinder and flywheel and get a look a bit like a dockyard shunter (squinting may be helpful).

I also think it could be scaled up to G1/45mm without too much trouble (There is a guy on the US-based MyLargeScale forum who has built a few G1 derivatives) and the short wheelbase means tight curves are not much of a problem (I've been running mine on a test oval of 32mm gauge track with 12 inch radius curves) BUT if you already have track or a running venue in mind, then this would obviously influence your gauge choice.

So long as you measure and drill the axle-holes accurately, there's not much to go wrong.

If you were to build it in 32mm/o-gauge, I would up the crankshaft gear to 12T from the plans 10T, as this enables you to use a 3mm crank-shaft (same as the axles); you can drill/ream a 10T to fit a 3mm shaft, but it's difficult to do accurately and leaves a very weak-looking gear.

I've posted this elsewhere, but this is mine (not quite finished) on a test run. When full of gas and water, it runs for about 12 minutes.

Really useful responses- thanks.

when I said 'trainish' I wasn't meaning replica Gresley 4-6-2, I was meaning something more train like than a polly upright boiler on a plank with 4 wheels and a rubber band between the flywheel and an axle, which these suggestions certainly are.

I will look into the cracker, with a view to then moving onto the loco by Erik-Jan Stroetinger or something similar as an approximation towards a narrow gauge pannier tank or at least something that looks more trainish!

I do like the idea of 90 degree out of phase twin for self starting, and a reversing gear linkage certainly seems a good plan, but maybe that's getting ahead of myself- oscillating single may be a smarter option for a first loco!

I had thought an 1.25" gauge track was fairly standard, with pictures in my head of Victorian living rooms with a setup on the carpet, and assumed the cylinders would be around 3/8" bore, maybe 1/4", and thus it not 'too small' to add complexity but small enough to keep cost and machining time down somewhat?

Any ideas of comparative cost for 1.25" O gauge rather than 45mm ? I would plan to buy a small quantity of track to just run round in circles at home rather than needing to fit into a local clubs track gauge.

Also- I wasn't planning on coal fired- first keeping simple with a small butane tank, or paraffin/meths tank which I think have both been done fairly regularly? And thoughts on these elements? Paraffin seems easier and 'safer' with one less pressure vessel, but I assume following a known good design would be the best idea...?

If you want something like a Victorian steam toy you could always build a Birmingham Dribbler - no need for any track!

Meths (or if you don't mind the smell, Esbit) would be safer than paraffin and simpler than gas.

32mm track is cheaper than 45mm track to buy new though you stand a better chance of finding second-hand LGB track on eBay.

You may like to look at Mamod locomotives for inspiration though, as I said earlier, a Kraftlok would be the easiest to build.