Victor Smith said:Hmmm, Victor, sorry to hear that. I thought hard about this and I think there are some options out there, the simple ones are: sell your house, sell your car or sell the wife. More complex one is: scratchbuild the loco and the rolling stock. Plans for the B-tank are available, I got them from DHR Society http://www.dhrs.org/ (they are in the plans, maps & track section of the Society shop http://www.dhrs.org/sales2/index1.html ) and some plans are also available for the rolling stock (for example, in the Darjeeling Wagons booklet listed in Books 1 section if you follow the same Society Shop link). Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi
I am poor. Nice at it is I cannot afford this engine now or ever, telling someone cash strapped as me they should buy something like this might as well tell me how great a Maserati drives and that I should really get one regardless that I cannot make the payments...Buying it would impart not just fiscal chaos, but marital strife as well...so for me until I work up the moxie to scratchbuild one, an affordable Darj is and likely will always be a dream. :(
Thanks Zubi I was aware of that site but not the plans section, I’ll look into that.
Short Line & Narrow Gauge Gazette also had a nice side view plan and pics in a recent issue.
The only major hurtle for me is the outside frame drivetrain, until I can either figure a way to build that from common parts or find a suitible and affordable commercial drivetrain , I’m kinda stuck.
Victor, I am glad I could help a little. Oh, I forgot about NG&SLG plans - I had the issue somewhere here - but as you say they show only the side view. There is an excellent book with some plans (side views) of various versions of the B-Class - you must remember they all differ! (Rounhouse Eng. model is just a generic one, but very very pretty) But, in the book you will find very nice plans of other classes C and D of the Darjeeling locomotives. The only problem is that the book is highly collectible (only 2000) copies were printed so it tends to be very expensive (like four times the price…) and very difficult to come by. Still, if you manage to find one of these books for a reasonable price it is really worth the effort and the (nominal = 40 quid) cost+?.. I have one of these books together with the separately printed unfolded four page long coloured plans of all the four classes which were also issued at the time of printing in some 200 copies or so. Together, I think this is the most beautiful NG railroading book ever issued. The title is Halfway to Heaven author Terry Martin. You can read a review on http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/oldbook1.htm Although I do not agree with the reviewer that the colour photos are weak - I think they are very nice especially since many were taken in 70s - my favourite period of DHR. Another review is here http://www.indiansteamrailwaysociety.in/isrs4.html
If you are looking for a chassis, a nice regaugeable 32/45mm chassis is available from Garden Railway Specialists
http://www.grsuk.com/ I do not know how the wheel diameter and wheel base compares with that of B-tanks in 1:19 . I can check these dimensions on my Roundhouse B-tank if you like. It seems to me that you could also look into LGB 0-4-0 diesel motor blocks. I think they have some outside frame designs. Good luck with your Darjeeling project! Please let me know if I can help, best wishes, Zubi
Thanks IP Engineering also sells one thats looks a tad more affordable
http://www.ipengineering.co.uk/page121.html
We’ll see what Santa brings this Xmas 