Dapol or Hornby (old type) Terrier re-gauging

[Gerald GrudgingsParticipant]

Any tips out there for EM conversion of Dapol or original Hornby Terrier?  Seen problems raised over the new type from Hornby.  Would prefer to use existing wheels if not too coarse flange or over-wide on tread.

[John CutlerParticipant]

My advice is not to start!

For the effort involved in converting, you are not going to end up with a good representation of a Terrier.

I tried this many years ago. A major issue is that the old Dapol/Hornby chassis makes the whole body sit too high and the loco does not look nearly as diminuitive as it should be. I resorted to a Branchlines chassis and (much to my amazement) managed to make it work with split axles and frame plus sprung front axles. Having invested in a decent chassis and wheels, I then discovered the hard way (much carving and cussing!) that the old Terrier body needs a helluva lot of work to bring it up to the same sort of standard. For starters the body is a sort of hodgepodge betwixt an A1 and an A1X….. I gave up after filling the smokebox with lead and a month later the whole boiler became visibly distorted….

After a long period (years!) of indecision and procrastination, along comes the new Hornby Terrier which I have converted; it looks good  but it is not a roaring success chassis-wise; low-speed performance is not good. I might fit the old Branchlines chassis but that raises the issue of how to fill the small thing with enough weight to improve the road-holding; this will also be an issue if you persist with the old body and build a new chassis for it. My solution might be to buy the old Albion brass kit, now available from Roxey, and put a Branchlines chassis under it; at least the metal body adds much-needed weight. However, the Terrier is at the bottom of the Round Tuit drawer…..I resorted to a B4 and a Midland 1F as alternative small shunters.

Good Luck! You might need it!

[Gerald GrudgingsParticipant]

Many thanks for the cautionary tales about this.  Fortunately have have not bought anything so will leave well alone.

[Stuart FirthParticipant]

I reckon the existing wheels would be far too coarse all round to work on EM track.

[Gerald GrudgingsParticipant]

Many thanks your note.  Looks like a minefield, fortunately have not bought anything so will leave well alone.

[Nigel BurbidgeParticipant]

Stuart

I suspect you are right.

best wishes

Nigel

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