Pilgrim Locomotive Works was established in December 2000 by Barry Reeves with the intention of building diesel

The Pilgrim Tradesman

The Pilgrim Tradesman is a compact fully functional diesel electric locomotive suitable for 16mm and G Scale outdoor railways.

The heart of this machine is an OS 4 stroke single cylinder glow plug engine driving a generator and started by a pull start mechanism. A glow plug engine is as close to a true diesel engine in this size as one can realistically get. The pull start mechanism makes starting easy without any risk of damaging the engine.

Noise levels measured on Barry's line using Tradesman No. 1 indicate that in an open garden with the engine running on idle 67 Db of sound are measured at a distance of 1 metre and 60 Db at 5 metres. When the engine is running fast enough to generate full volts the respective levels are 72 Db and 67 Db. When Barry's piano is played in the house the measurements at one metre are 67 Db when played softly and 72 Db when played vigorously. From this it is clear that the Tradesman is a very civilized machine and would not annoy a reasonable neighbour when used at a reasonable hour.

The locomotive is about 12" long, 4" wide and about 6.125" high. Weight is about 9.5 lbs.

Construction is steel throughout with the exception of some internal brass angle.

Tradesman No. 1 is the Pilgrim Locomotive Works demonstration model and is finished with black frames, LMS maroon body and signal red buffer beams.

Tradesman No. 2 was sold on 17th July 2002 and has a UK Southern Railway post 1945 malachite green painted body with frames etc as No. 1.

Tradesman No. 3 was sold on 10th August 2002 and is all over black with signal red buffer beams.

Tradesman No. 4 was sold on 24th July 2002 and has a black body with signal red frames and buffer beams.

Tradesman No. 5 is an experimental diesel-mechanical locomotive which is still being perfected. This option would be dearer and have 3 Channel Radio control with Channel 1 for the clutch, Channel 2 for engine and Channel 3 for the forward/reverse selection.

Tradesman No.6 is the last fully hand built machine and has been sold to a gentleman in Barrow-Ian-Furness.

Tradesman No. 7 has laser cut parts and has been sold to a gentleman in the Nottingham area.

Tradesman No. 8 has been sold to a gentleman in Norway.

Tradesman No. 9 has been sold to a gentleman in the English Midlands.

The base plate of the locomotive has two distinct purposes. At the front it protects the gears in the traction motor gearbox while at the rear it is the location of the radio control receiver and Mac 5 controller. Because of this removing the plate to adjust track gauge is awkward and unless great care is taken damage to the radio control components is possible.

Therefore, while the Tradesman is essentially a dual gauge machine, frequent alterations of gauge are not recommended. The locomotive will be set to whichever gauge is required and back to back gauges will not be supplied.
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