Cleminson underframes

[DeadHorse]

Having been absent from railway modelling for a gazillion years I find I am completely out of touch as to what is available.
Does anybody produce a Cleminson 6 wheel underframe I can use on an already scratch built NWNGR coach?
Or is there a simple system that will improve on my first awful attempt at "cobbling something together" which proved a complete failure.
I am reluctant to abandon the coach to the rubbish bin, or to stick a couple of bogies under it.
Thanks.
Ken.

[david788]

Does anybody produce a Cleminson 6 wheel underframe I can use on an already scratch built NWNGR coach?
Or is there a simple system that will improve on my first awful attempt at "cobbling something together" which proved a complete failure.
I

I don't know of any separate Cleminson underframe that is commercially available, but Chris Meacham used quite a neat and simple system on his Golden Arrow Southwold coach kits.
The end wheelsets/axleguards were pivotted and the centre set restrained to allow just sideways movement as in the Cleminson system. They were linked together and the centre wheels held in position by a wire of about 0.4 mm diameter.
I found this worked fairly well, this was in 12mm gauge. If it is of interest I will post a couple of pictures.

One caution though. You may have problems with the Cleminson system if you want to use tight radius curves. The Southwold coaches are narrow and have a very long wheelbase and on tight curves I found that the centre wheels needed to move so far sideways that the axlebox/ spring protuded outside the coach side which looked a bit ridiculous. This may or may not be a problem with 9mm gauge and perhaps shorter wheelbase coaches ?

The Cleminson principle was not really designed to get coaches round tight curves but rather to produce a cheap coach with a high carrying capacity relative to tare weight. It proved to be a disaster on the very sharp curves and gradients on the Darjeeling line but worked well on the much gentler curves of the Manx northern and Southwold.

[B.Meldon]

Hi ken
As mentioned in the above replies it may be best for you to make the chassis yourself but although not an actual Cleminson underframe Bemo do make six wheel wagons and coaches in HOe where the centre wheel set moves from side to side, in the same way the FR six wheel coal wagon works. A full Cleminson has bogies that rotate slightly but the system does have problems with reverse curves and the track layout has to be constructed to eliminate these by having a straight section the length of wheel base of the longest six wheel vehicle between apposing curves. This can be particularly restrictive where sidings, loops and crossovers are concerned.
The six wheel Bemo vehicles are not very free running and the cost may also be prohibitive.
Brian Meldon

Brian Meldon

[DeadHorse]

Aah. Thanks for pointing out the reverse curve problem. Tight radii is all "off stage" but if I cant run the 6 wheeler with my other stock then its back to the drawing board. Still, it will look nice in a siding :-\
Pity, as it would have made a nice addition to NWNGR stock.
Thanks again guys.

[Alan Feldon]

Lima did make a 6w underframe consisting of a central pr of wheels with sideplay.and pivoted from this 2 further chassis with a
set of wheels at each end.mine runs very nicely.What this ran under I do not know but others might.
Alan Feldon

[JulienW]

Just to add that Allen Doherty does (or did) a 6 wheeled Clemenson system for 009 to go with the NWNGR kits he does.  It is based on the 12 mm gauge / 3 mm scale one done by the West Mids Group of the 3 mm Society.  Whilst I have not built Allen's verison, the 12 mm gauge original went together very well.

Julien Webb