Plans for a sit on train

[Paul Barrett]

I have spent several hours trawling the web looking for some plans for a wooden sit on train suitable for a toddler who is besotted with anything to do with trains. I'm looking for a simple 'steam' engine. But most of what I can find is either too small, diesel (like this ) or too American.

Has anyone trod this ground before please?

I am looking for something that is not too simplistic

 

[JFC]

Id have a look at Thomas the tank engine sites and make your own up .

 

[Majorlarf]

My 4 year old daughter has a wooden steam train she rides around the garden on I am out tomorrow but will try to take a photo in the next couple of days plus will also look through my toy plans

 

[Paul Barrett]

My 4 year old daughter has a wooden steam train she rides around the garden on I am out tomorrow but will try to take a photo in the next couple of days plus will also look through my toy plans

Ooh - thanks

 

[Shultzy]

Try here

http://www.woodworking-heaven.flowerpot ... lans.shtml

 

[Paul Barrett]

Try here

http://www.woodworking-heaven.flowerpot ... lans.shtml

Thanks Shultzy - I had seen that one but it's a bit too young. This is for a 2 year old who can already tell you the difference between pistons and push rods. I think I might have to go to a rail salvage yard!

 

[Shultzy]

Have a look at this site and see if you can scale up some of the features on these trains. I know they are detailed but it might give you ideas.

http://www.toysandjoys.com/

 

[Paul Barrett]

Have a look at this site and see if you can scale up some of the features on these trains. I know they are detailed but it might give you ideas.

http://www.toysandjoys.com/

I have eMailed them for advice - thanks for the link Shultzy

 

[engineer one]

ok paul, railway type questions, what railway is he interested in,
steam or diesel??? does he want to sit on or in the loco. do you want to build a tank loco, tender one, or ????

what size is he, and how long do you want him to be able to play??
what growing room do you want to leave???

presumably you will not make rails, can you cut wheels. how much valve gear do you want to do if a steam loco?? can you turn a boiler or chimney parts?? what are you going to make it of, and how heavy are y ou thinking cause if you take it out bet your bottom dollar you will have to carry it home, so a locator for a pull handle would be a good idea too.

i design and make etched loco kits so may be able to help a little.

paul :wink:

 

[Paul Barrett]

ok paul, railway type questions, what railway is he interested in,
steam or diesel??? does he want to sit on or in the loco. do you want to build a tank loco, tender one, or ????

what size is he, and how long do you want him to be able to play??
what growing room do you want to leave???

presumably you will not make rails, can you cut wheels. how much valve gear do you want to do if a steam loco?? can you turn a boiler or chimney parts?? what are you going to make it of, and how heavy are y ou thinking cause if you take it out bet your bottom dollar you will have to carry it home, so a locator for a pull handle would be a good idea too.

i design and make etched loco kits so may be able to help a little.

paul :wink:

Ah - an expert. Excellent.

To get this in perspective, he's just only two years old! But (and I am allowed to say this because I am his doting grandfather) he is a genius. I mean we were looking at a Thomas the Tank Engine and he pointed at the push road and said 'and that's the piston'. I was pretty impressed that hois vocabulary extend to piston, but out of fun I said 'actually that's the push road and that's the piston.' A few days later his mum or dad was talking about the pistons and he corrected them!

He is clearly besotted with things mechanical - your absolutely classic gadget boy. So I want to build him a sit on (or preferably in) 6 wheel 'steam' engine in wood, with a detachable 4 wheel tender. It doesn't need to be 100% authentic but needs a good deal of 'veracity' and some attention to detail.

No tracks - it can just be propelled by foot power on the pavement

And I guess it needs to last a few years

 

[Paul Barrett]

Have a look at this site and see if you can scale up some of the features on these trains. I know they are detailed but it might give you ideas.

http://www.toysandjoys.com/

I have eMailed them for advice - thanks for the link Shultzy

No joy - they either do very simplistic sit ons or complex models but not a hybrid

 

[engineer one]

ok so we are looking at a steam locomotive with an engine and separate tender. seems sensible to think about outside cylinders and a piston and connecting rod then.

years ago, there was a company called percival marshall. they produced a number of magazines and books, and were the owners of the magazine
model engineer. they post second world war produced a number of books about making model steam engines in 1,2, and 3inch gauge scales.
these scales are related to the width of the track, so 2 inch scale loco is scaled off the relationship between 2inch track width and 4ft 8.5 the grown up size. actually about mid november there was a woodworking plans
book for sale in the newsagents, not sure whether it is practical woodworking or the other one. they may still have drawings they certainly used to.

since you are where you are, there is almost certainly a model engineering club around, there is a very big one in leeds. you might well be able to get some data that you could modify from them.

i think if i could go back that far i would want to sit inside the cab of the loco and or on the coal space of the tender. so looking at what happens in say 5 or 7 inch steam locos would be the way to go, just simplify.

will check around and see what else i can find, but first check out a local model engineering/steam club.

hope that helps more
paul :wink:

 

[Paul Barrett]

That's great - gives me something to work on - thanks

 

[engineer one]

oh, yes one of the books is written under the name of LBSC
and includes a loco which can be built with and with out a tender.

i would suggest that you think of mdf for the construction, even though it will be heavy, it might stop it toppling over.

good luck
paul :wink:

 

[engineer one]

couple of other thoughts

you need to figure a way for him to steer it, and also send it along.

two thoughts, one is to try and find an old pedal car, or adapt an old tricycle for the mechanism, and a kind of bogie for steering.

paul :wink:

ah the joys of second childhood

 

[engineer one]

paul, how about building him a toy box based on a tender.

you are not too far from darlington are you there are a couple of decent old NER locos at North Street Station, and with some photos you could make a decent box about 3feet long which might invite him to tidy up :lol: :lol: :lol:

paul :wink:

 

[Paul Barrett]

Nice idea!

 

[PowerTool]

paul, how about building him a toy box based on a tender.

you are not too far from darlington are you there are a couple of decent old NER locos at North Street Station, and with some photos you could make a decent box about 3feet long which might invite him to tidy up :lol: :lol: :lol:

paul :wink:

North Road
There is also the A1 steam locomotive trust on Hopetown Lane,almost next to the museum.
Or the old wagon works at Shildon

Andrew

 

[engineer one]

i always got that one wrong even when i visited, and worked at haverton hill!

still i think a Peppercorn A1 tender would be great for a bed :lol: :lol:

any glad to help increase the interest in old railways with the young.
maybe you could also think of taking him to beamish :twisted: :twisted:

paul :wink:

 

[PowerTool]

and worked at haverton hill!

My dad worked at Haverton Hill for a good number of years - Furness Shipbuilding (who also built a few railway bridges,including the one at Bank Top Station in Darlington)

Small world,isn't it :wink:

Andrew