5 inch gauge 0-6-0 battery-electric shunter

A 5 inch gauge chain-driven battery electric shunter of freelance design, arrived recently as part of a large collection of locomotives and rolling stock from a private railway in Cornwall.

Built with functionality rather than aesthetics in mind, the locomotive is powered by a single Sinclair C5 12v motor with a basic non-commercial hand controller governing speed; direction and independently configurable running lights are determined by switches on the chassis.

We've tested the locomotive here on one of our 12v batteries, it runs in both directions without complaint. There's a speaker fitted and a spare button on the hand controller, suggesting plans to fit a sound card or horn, though this scheme never reached fruition under the previous ownership.