Has anyone fitted bearings to these wagons? I have found that they are so light that when I push them into a siding they ride up on the next wagon's coupling and derail. I have put a plastic slate load in to increase the weight slightly. I think brass bearings would make them run better and may solve the problem but I do not think the axle boxes are substantial enough to be able to do this.
I have the same problem so if someone has an answer that would be great.
John W
I have cut and shaped lead sheet (from Eileens Emporium) and glued it to fit below the floor and around the wheels, chamfered at the edges so it can't be seen very easily.
Alas because I don't currently have a layout (building baseboards as we speak) I haven't been able to test run this solution except on my test track - the additional weight helps keep them on the track, they are flighty creatures otherwise!!
Hope this helps
Tony
Hi Tony / Hello John,
Yes !
I have a rake of 5 Rodney Stenning Talyllyn slate trucks (same as PD)
and to solve the "poor" running I have also applied small lead weights under them.
I used some from a Fish shop (not the battered variety but the aquarium type)
It was the perfect width and just needed cut to length.
I'll try to get a picture when I get home.
Update: it's called Supa Plant weight and comes in a box of 10 strips;
http://www.supa-aquatics.co.uk/products/aquatic/aquarium-aids-accessories/plant-weights/ (http://www.supa-aquatics.co.uk/products/aquatic/aquarium-aids-accessories/plant-weights/)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003NEXO6C/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003ZG353K&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1CT4HK771RS547MK1PQT (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003NEXO6C/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003ZG353K&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1CT4HK771RS547MK1PQT)
Oh, and it was quite cheep,
Hi
sounds ideal, I might give that a try. I've also got some Talyllyn wagons which I've used a wire link within the rake but they don't shunt any better so maybe the combination might make a difference.
I'll let you know.
Cheers
John
The Aquatic lead supply from Amazon must be a top tip.
I recently bought 1m of self adhesive lead strip (from a supplier that will remain nameless) and it cost the same amount (roughly) for 1m. I think it was intended for making imitation leaded pane windows, which meant it had a slight curve to the outside - which meant you couldn't layer it up very easily. This stuff seems to be both flat and cheap.
Excellent advice.
Best regards
Tony
This sounds like good stuff and as is common it is even cheaper on e-bay! (Including postage.)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180596226678
Brian Meldon
Here's some snaps (I hope)
the first is the packet & the strips;
(http://://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NUdFTAd35_ML-1zJdfUsUaaEWAeP7vpr7Dl7GNoHDUU?feat=embedwebsite"><img%20src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-twJmmbTXpjs/T48wd36wyvI/AAAAAAAAACk/SMukIrc1KWc/s144/DSCN0561.JPG"%20height="108"%20width="144"%20/></a></td></tr><tr><td%20style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;%20font-size:11px;%20text-align:right">From%20<a%20href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107186483136605841243/NikonS2500?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJCPz_yq2c_UqgE&feat=embedwebsite">Nikon%20S2500</a></td></tr></table>)
The use;
the top row are the originals I bought from Andrew Wright,
below are my "copies" with the strips in use;
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6c60b0moqJ5jnpIaGfh7DqaEWAeP7vpr7Dl7GNoHDUU?feat=directlink (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6c60b0moqJ5jnpIaGfh7DqaEWAeP7vpr7Dl7GNoHDUU?feat=directlink)
having troubles posting pictures, any ideas? please
Stuart
Good stuff chaps, just ordered some from ebay. I'll let you know how I get on.
John W
Thank you for your replies. My original question was whether anyone has successfully fitted bearings. I think the axle boxes are too small to fit brass top hats.
Tony Clarke
I don't have any PD slate wagons,but have fitted Andrew's 2mm bearings in many different types of his chassis.You will need 2 small drills:-
1) the diameter of the shoulder of the bearing and 2) one smaller the diameter of the cup.
Very gently drill into the axle guard with the small drill first and then even less with the larger drill .Insert the bearing and grip this and the axle guard with a small pair of pliers so the bearing disappears in the guard and insert your axles.
Assuming you have used metal axle wheel sets,if the wheels do not revolve freely,then place the chassis on its side with the guard on a piece of metal and gently tap the top axle guard with a light hammer a couple of times(what you are doing is seating the bearing in the axle guard).It should then revolve freely-if not a couple of more taps.
One point i forgot to mention/ask Tony is how free running are your wagons anyway?
Before you go to the trouble of buying brass bearings just lightly push the wagons along a length of track-if they freewheel o.k. leave them alone.If not try my trick with the hammer.You will sometimes find with plastic moulding that there is a surplus bit left on somewhere which may produce wheel drag.
Alan,
They are not very free running so I will try your suggestion to see whether it frees them up. I assumed that the poor running was a result of a metal axle in a plastic hole although I have several Parkside coaches and they run reasonably freely. Thank you
Tony
The comments on this thread are all very useful. I've quite often had wheelsets not revolving freely in a number of different kits of various makes - my solution was merely to ease the axlebox with an appropriate drill by hand. A bit of ballast will indeed keep the lightest vehicles down on the rails where they belong anthough I've not found it necessary because my rakes of slate wagons are never shunted - they only ever get pulled round the railway! The other thing to remember is that there is far more side-play in any of these these short wagons (whoever the manufacturer is) that the prototypes ever had and this doesn't help with shunting, especially with side-buffered models.
You sometimes find with plastic moulding that perhaps one of the holes in the axle box is not quite so deep,or there is small piece of un-neccasary plastic (which can easily be taken off).
Despite what i have said about fitting brass bearings ,with the best will in the world,it is impossible to drill the holes horizontally.Therefore if you can get away with it the hammer trick is probably best.
Some of the early kits had peco wheels in a plastic chassis,and again if they dont run very freely ,take out the peco axle and insert a metal axled wheel set and do the hammer trick,after reinserting the peco axles it should run more freely.
Good point, Alan.
Was looking at my enpty slate 'match wagons' last night - the ones I use for coupling to locos not normally used for the slate traffic. At present they're ballasted with the Langley folded tarpaulins but having read this thread I think I'll try filling the underside of the wagons with scrap whitemetal instead. Thanks folks!
I tend to use sheet lead ( for roofing) where this can be concealed under the chassis.This can be used on Ashby wagons between the brake gear for instance.Where this would be visible from a side view then obviously the aquarium lead (being much thinner)would be better,although obviously not providing so much weight.horses for courses!
I use the same sheet lead for weighting in locos ,so far my sheet has gone a long way!
So that's where the church roof went, shame on you. ;D
Regards,
BrianT.
And the statue therein is weeping when it rains-shades of Del boy!
Unfortunately no lead on the roofs of Greek churches so had to buy mine.
I've a roll of flashing lead which I've used for weighting the Buccabury WD D wagons - it might be a bit thick but it's excellent stuff.
I cut my lead sheet into little fat crosses with chamfered edges to avoid the wheels and to limit visibilty from the side. Glued underneath primed and painted matt black they cannot easily be seen.
If I could work out how to post a photo I would!!
Must try harder...
Tony
It's fairly easy - click the 'additional options' feature, use 'choose file' by the emboldened 'Attach:' and that allows you to brows your own pc for photos. With the'(more attachments)' option you can upload up to four photos. Don't forget that there's a limit to the total upload size.
Well here goes then.
The photo I am hoping to attach is of the underframe of a 5 and 3 ton slate wagon showing the cruciform lead weight attached to the chassis. Alas, the paint intended to conceal the weights does just that!
Tony
Gosh it worked!
Buoyed up by that first, here is a photo of the wagons the right way up!!
The texture on the rail, I am proud of - but it took 20 years of storage in the loft to build it up!!
Best regards
Tony
Thank you to all those who replied. I have cleaned out the bearings and generally improved the running characteristics and the wagons now shunt reasonably well. I had already weighted them.
Tony Clarke