7mm MOK BR Standard 4MT Tank

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Peter (@P A D),

This post is addressed to Peter, others who have built the kit are welcome to contribute (possibly @farnetti, @Mudhen) .

I am considering how to collect power from the wheels, current liking is the plunger pickup from Slaters. How have you arranged for power pick-up? Which product? If Slater's plungers then where are those parts located?

thank you, Graham
 
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Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen

Western Thunderer
Graham,

I am using wipers on top of the middle and trailing drivers. I have glued some pcb onto the top of the pipe brackets that fold out from the chassis under the side tanks. The wipers will be soldered onto them that with wires to the DCC chip. There may be questions about only picking up on 4 wheels. In answer as the wheels are compensated they should make good contact with the rail and I will also be fitting a decent sized stay alive to compensate for any small break in power.

All the best
Tim
 

Lancastrian

Western Thunderer
I was chatting with Fred Lewis last night about this, as he is at the stage of fitting pick-ups. Peter Reynolds, a good friend, has built the kit in finescale and used Slaters pick-ups without any perceived problems, which I passed on to Fred. There should be holes in the frames for them and they clear the multitude of frame spacers. Hope this helps.

Ian
 

richard carr

Western Thunderer
Tim

I hope you do manage to get away with only 4 wheel pickup, but my experience is the more wheels the better, even with a big stay alive.
I think you would be better with a moderate stay alive that charges quickly but can deliver enough charge to keep the motor turning for half a second.

Richard
 

Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen

Western Thunderer
Richard,
Thanks for the advice, being optimistic I was basing my 4 wheel pick-up on the 4 coupled locos I've seen running well. What size you call a moderate stay alive?
I've just completed the lining and lettering so will post a photo or two soon.

all the best
Tim
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
What make of decoder are you using ?
Richard (@richard carr), I like that question because we are thinking about that very subject at this time... decoder, speaker, and keep-alive. You are aware that we prefer ESU... specifically Loksound XL V4 or higher for diesels and for steam where there is a tender. The 4MT is a different matter in that I am pretty sure that the currrent XL (V5) is not going to fit in the model so we have to choose a new (to us) decoder. We have standardised on the XL V4 / V5 because that product has an on-board keep-alive and sufficient function outputs to have the lights work as per a diesel prototype of the 1980s period.... that we use the LOKprogrammer has an influence on the choice of decoder.
 
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welshwizard

Western Thunderer
I was chatting with Fred Lewis last night about this, as he is at the stage of fitting pick-ups. Peter Reynolds, a good friend, has built the kit in finescale and used Slaters pick-ups without any perceived problems, which I passed on to Fred. There should be holes in the frames for them and they clear the multitude of frame spacers. Hope this helps.

Ian
Ian.
There are no pre lined up holes for the plungers that I can see in the chassis sides .
 

richard carr

Western Thunderer
Tim

That decoder is fine for a 6watt maxon motor, I would try a 10000 micro farad capacitor of at least 15 volts, a 25 volt one would be fine too.
These are quite large physically at 33mm long by 15mm diameter so it may be tight to fit it. But these are cheap and readily available from the electronics suppliers

Richard
 

Lancastrian

Western Thunderer
Ian.
There are no pre lined up holes for the plungers that I can see in the chassis sides .
Hi Fred,

After our chat the other evening, that is interesting. I will have to get the etches out for the kit I have and have a look, as the instructions definitely refer to using Slaters pick-ups, as PeterR used in his build ! Back soon.......

Ian
 

Lancastrian

Western Thunderer
Looking at the etches I have, you can see the following:





The smaller holes align with the wheel diameter, and show them for the leading and trailing driving wheels. Stickers on the plastic bag were covering those for the centre driving wheels. Admittedly, the rear one is only half etched on the main frame etch, and although there is no reference whatsoever to them in the instructions, certainly the version I have, I would expect they are for the Slaters plunger pick-ups.

Dave Sharp is out at the moment, but I'll speak to him this evening about it.

Ian

P.S. Apologies, photos taken quickly on my mobile phone.
 

Lancastrian

Western Thunderer
All,

I've had a chat with Dave, and the holes in the outer etch, and those which may be only half etched were designed for the Lee Marsh style plunger pick-ups, but Dave wasn't 100% happy with how they are fixed in place. The holes in the main were opened up to suit. Slaters plunger pick-ups fit, but Dave suggests that the "rim" is cut off them and again, their half etch holes in the main etches are opened up to allow for a snug fit.

Ian
 

simond

Western Thunderer
I have a Zimo MX645, which You Choose supply with a small stay alive connected. I intend to snip that off for a replacement. That chip seems to have plenty of capacity for an ABC, Maxon motor/Gearbox.

the MX645 is my go-to decoder for just about everything - I think it’s a great bit of kit. I tend to use Premier helical / Canon as my preferred motor-gearbox, and I’ve had no issues in any of the locos I’ve used this combination on. I fitted the larger cap on my Garratt, which has a couple of Steph Dale’s 50:1 ballrace gearboxes and motors I got from Taff Vale, wired in parallel, and no issues with that either.

atb
Simon
 

Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen

Western Thunderer
On the home straight now with the 4MT. Still plenty of detail to be added. I've had a delay on the chip fitting as through carelessness I managed to short it. You Choose have come to the rescue and I'm now ready to start again. The pony truck is not ye attached to the loco, just put in place for a couple of snaps. The lining and numbers are from Fox and crests are Methfix.

Tim

Standard Tank 130321 (002).JPG Standard Tank3 130321 (002).JPG
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Very nice. The Fox lining transfers are very effective when neatly applied. Always less easy on a The BR Std 2-6-4T because of the turn-under tanks and there being no running plate from which to strike a horizontal line. I used the bottom of the driving wheel tyres.
 
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