POWERPLANT FOR A REVAMPED ‘J72’?

George Dent said in MR285 that he intended to “stop putting off all those modelling projects I’ve been planning and seize the day.” I decided to do the same. Transatlantic transactions followed and, there on my table, sat the box containing Iain Rice’s ‘J72’ Chassis & Body Improvement Kit, designed to give the Bachmann model a makeover. But with what to power the venerable old girl? WWGDD (What Would George Dent Do?).

Any suggestions for a motor and gearbox combination?

Andrew Boyd, Pennsylvania, USA

George says: I also fitted the Iain Rice etched chassis and body upgrade kit to a Bachmann LNER ‘J72’, albeit quite a few years ago, with certain elements of the project featuring in MR190 (exactly 100 issues ago!). For the power unit, I used a Mashima 1224 motor, coupled to a Comet GB5 two-stage reduction gearbox, plus a Comet FL1 brass flywheel. This combination produced excellent slow-speed performance, which is just the thing for a little 0-6-0T like the ‘J72’. Indeed, your email prompted me to dig the model out from my collection for a run on my test track and I’m pleased to say that it still performs smoothly.

Like the Iain Rice upgrade kit for the ‘J72’, the full Comet Models range is also now available from Wizard Models (www.wizardmodels.ltd) although, at the time of writing, the GB5 gearbox was listed as out of stock. Mashima motors are no longer in production and are getting harder to source, but various stockists still have limited stocks, so it’s worth shopping around. As I write, DC Kits (www.dckits-devideos.co. uk) had the 1224D motor listed on its website.

One thing to note is that the Comet GB5 is available for 1.5mm or a 2mm diameter motor output shafts. The Mashima 1224D has a 1.5mm shaft, but if you choose a different motor, be sure to check the diameter of the shaft and select the appropriate version of gearbox. The FL1 flywheel is also designed for a 1.5mm shaft but, again, a 2mm version is also available.