Conversion of DJH D20 from OO to P4

[LesGros]

I asked DJH what was involved in converting their D20 to build it in P4; I got this response from Stephen Widdows

In some 30 years of Kit selling , I have probably encountered less than 5 enquiries for P4 so no real idea what's involved. Sorry.
We designed our range for OO scale 16.5mm. There will certainly be ample clearance within the footplate splasher's
for the extra width of P4 , but beyond that ?
Stephen
DJH

Has anyone out there built a DJH D20 in P4; and if so what are the pitfalls?

regards

[John Bateson]

A few years ago, the lady downstairs insisted that I get a proper engine, so she bought for me the DJH Britannia.
"Big mistake. Huge" - quote

So many things had to be done to the chassis for P4 that it was almost a scratch build.

With the D20 I would suggest also looking at the area around the splashers. I would suspect that wheels to P4 would not fit inside the splashers and that on the DJH kit the boiler would have been cut out to allow the wheels to sit at '00' gauge.

The frames are highly visible as well and will be acutely wrong which also means the foot plate will need carving up.

The front bogie will need serious work as well.

Really up to you, Les, but may I suggest you approach this one slowly.

John

[MarkS]

Also check the width of the tender frames, being made for OO they could be quite tight...
I had that problem converting a McGowan 4-4-2 tender.

[LesGros]

John and Mark,
Thankyou both for response, I had a feeling it would not be simple.
I wonder if there is another kitmaker who has a D20 on currently available.?

regards

[timlewis]

Without wishing to be too negative (and I don't know the precise details), but I'm aware that there are some fairly large dimensional errors in the DJH D20. If I were you I'd sell it on e-bay and hope that Roger Chivers does another batch of his kit, which has been unavailable for some time (I've got one in the drawer, which I will get around to at some point), or hope that Arthur Kimber does an etched one, though I don't think he has any plans at the moment.

[LesGros]

... but I'm aware that there are some fairly large dimensional errors in the DJH D20. If I were you I'd sell it on e-bay and hope that Roger Chivers does another batch of his kit...

Hi Tim,
You misunderstood my post, I do not have D20 kit. I found the DJH20 online, and followed up with some enquiries.
I know that I can get frames, spacers and wheels from AlanGibson. From what I have been able to discover so far, converting the DJH kit would involve a fair amount of butchery, including chucking the frames into recycling. Not an encouraging prospect, although I intend to visit DJH in August, and have a look at one of their kits to assess whether I wish to pursue it further.

There is the option of a scratchbuild, but that would require a lot more dimension information and drawings than I currently have to hand.
The plan is to seek such info during a trip to NRM during August.

You mention Roger Chivers and Arthur Kimber, do you have any contact details please, it might be worth an enquiry.

regards

[jon price]

Hi
Not being any kind of expert but passing on my experience. I have a DJH Claughton on my workbench. It is one of four locos I'm building at the moment, (one scratchbuild, one SE Finecast whitemetal, and one Agenoria etched brass) so I don't know which one I will have be finished first, but apart from a Mainly Trains chassis under a Hornby body this will be my first proper P4 build.

The tender was easy to make up, the frames are at scale distance, and the brakes, attached to the 00 chassis are also at scale distance so no problems there, so I used the 00 chassis with a stack of fibre washers to hold the wheels in position. Unfortunately the nicely etched body, with tabs to fit in slots, so easy to construct, turns out to have one side shorter than the other by a couple of milimeters.

The loco itself has a whitemetal running board with etched valances. Getting the whitematal flat where it needed to be was straitforward as the casting was good. It needed the central space widening a couple of milimeters for P4, but everything else fits nicely; the castings are clean, and the etched bits are good. I decided to make the 00 chassis up, and add panels to the sides. Main reason for this is that the cylinders attach to it and are at scale correct distance, so I can use them without any scratchbuilding.

Since this is the only easily available Claughton I am reasonably happy with things so far (apart from the tender sides issue). I have yet to start on the valve-gear so this might be where things really go wrong. Can't post any images as I havn't worked out how to do it yet.

Jon Price