Thanks for your replies Chaps, and your support with all my trials a tribulations I've had along the way.
One reason I chose the Simplex Loco was its size one man with a bit of thought could load it into the back of an estate car, yet it was still large enough to pull a fair few passengers. Completed its a fair weight it beyond me to pick up safely without doing myself an injury, as my old dad use to say:- "that's an Hospital Lift son"
I kept a close eye at how other members at the club handled their loco's and pinched what I thought were the best ideas off them.
First essential bit of equipment is an hydraulic table lift of about 300kg capacity.
I then made a steel carrying frame out of 3/4" box section welded together (this was my first attempt at stick welding)
This is the loco in the frame sitting on the table.
I can move it around my work shop easily and load it on to a length of dummy track on my bench for maintenance.
The loco is kept in place with it front and rear buffers in holes in the front a rear boards.
The rear board is held in the frame with bolts so that it can be removed to roll the Loco out.
The front of the frame has also got a couple of rollers fitted.
To get it into the back of the car a piece of chip board is laid in the back to give a flat service to roll the frame on, the back of this board had a baton screwed across it for the frame to but up against.
To load it into the car just trundle the table up to it lift it so that its slightly higher than the back and with the aid of some round wood roll it forward until it tips, onto the rollers on the frame, you can then roll it forward on these rollers until you come up against the baton.
Another baton is then slotted across the back of the frame to stop it sliding back.
And a couple of bungees across the top helps keep every thing secure.
To unload it at the track, they have an electric lift that was once a Dentist chair of pain, you just back you car up to it adjust to a convenient height and roll the frame out, remove the back board and roll the loco out.
Her she is sitting in all her glory on the track.
I gave here what I think is a fitting name considering all the problems I had getting her on the track.
GREMLIN
Stew
