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A Parkside wagon build: LNER fitted van


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Hi all.

I enjoy building 7mm Parkside kits, even though I am primarily a 4mm modeler (for now...) and I wondered - do most folks just build the kit as is, with the axle boxes that can move up and down a bit in the W irons, or are there better ways to build in some compensation? Springing or something of the such?

Wondering, wondering...

Amanda

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You could fix the axle boxes at one end of the wagon and  leave the other end floating.  Then bend up some brass rod and line it up so it ran along the centre line of the wagon and rested on top of the loose axle and making it  a three point suspension system.

Edited by Happy Hippo
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I've done the 'full-fat' version a few times, drilling a hole in the top of an axle-box, 

that corresponds to one in the bottom of the leaf spring, to suit the piece of brass

wire you have. Then drilling the top of the axle-box to allow clearance for a small

(Kadee knuckle) spring, glue the piece of brass wire into the axle-box making sure

that it slides up and down in line with the hole in the spring, then sliding the spring

onto the wire before you glue the axle-box onto the back of the bearing.

It's a lot of fiddly work (and easier to understand when seeing the process, rather

than trying to describe it), but it does work well if there is some weight in the wagon.

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Hi you can get little coil springs from slaters or Eileens can't remember which, drill holes as above to take them.  Whatever you do add some weight.  Something marvelous seeing an O gauge wagon majestically moving down the track.  They move much differently with some weight, without it they just rattle.

No ifs, once you start building in the senior scale - no turning back.

 

Enjoy.

 

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I’ve not tried springing them, but I’d concur with Hippo, 3-point is better than running them as supplied.

 

the “loose axleboxes” arrangement acts against compensation, which is not what you want.

 

atb

Simon

 

 

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I've tried compensating but the post that the axle bears on has a terrible squeak.  Slaters sprung axleguards are very nice.  Bill Bedford sprung axleguards (Eileens) work well also.  Beware of rusty spring wire.

 

John

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As a matter of interest, I attended the recent Dapol members open day at Chirk and assembled one of their 7 mm salt wagons.

 

The system Dapol have adopted (From Richard Webster's Lionheart range?) is offset in that on one side of the wagon, the axles boxes are fixed whilst on the other the axles fit into an internal bearing beam which gives a limited amount of movement up and down.  Again it would appear to be a derivative of the 3 point suspension system.

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I just let them bounce.  But there is a fair amount of lead to ensure the wagon stays on the track.  But the modification I so make is to insert a filed smooth Peco washer behind the top hat, this obviates slop.

 

Bill

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They certainly work “mostly” if built as PD intended.  The trouble is it is “anticompensation” in that in stead of equally weighting the two ends of the axle so it pivots like a see-saw, the rocking pivot is at one end, not the middle.  In extreme cases this would lead to an unloaded wheel lifting, with the likelihood of a derailment.

 

anyway, I’m currently building one sprung on my Porth Dinllaen thread, linky-thingy below.

 

atb

Simon

 

 

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On 26/10/2019 at 17:17, Hal Nail said:

This has come up before and I posted a photo of a paper clip used to pivot one axle. Simple but effective. If I can remember which thread it was on (possibly Dock Green?) I'll add a link.

 

Weren't me guv. No, all the Parkside wagons that ran on Dock Green (note the past tense - sob) were built with the loose axle boxes as designed. Whilst I concede that it hardly constitutes compensation in practice it seemed to work (better than it should?) and the models were not prone to derail. In fact just about all the rock and roll that might stock exhibited was caused by the compromised standards of Peco crossings (frogs).

 

Chaz

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I love topics like this. A simple question leading to lots of practical and tried and tested solutions which can inspire us to try a different approach.

 

Meanwhile over in the Hattons section they are up to 49 pages of discussion about minute details on some proposed generic coaches in 00!

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Another variation on a part built wagon I bought on eBay - it's Slaters but the principle would work. The springs/w irons/axle box units have been cut from the solebar at one end and fixed to a little plasticard base that pivots. In use, you can't really see the gaps between spring mounts and the solebar (it's at its maximum in the main photo). I dont think I'd choose this approach myself but its been rather cleverly done by someone!

20191028_153429.jpg

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Edited by Hal Nail
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The modded Slater’s van has been done to emulate the compensation provided with the Peco (originally Webster’s) 7mm GW kits.  It works well there, so if well-copied, I guess it’s a good solution.

 

If anyone is interested in a sprung PD van build, please see my Porth Dinllaen thread.  (Link below) My curiosity was tickled here, and has been answered there. :)

 

atb

Simon

Edited by Simond
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi folks.

I went ahead and did a 3-wheel compensation type modification as this seemed simplest and easiest to conceal with a minimum of fuss. The pivoting axle doesnt roll quite as nicely as I believe I'd like, but some more fettling here and there can likely solve that. Now I need to figure out how to do the safety loops under all the brake bits while still permitting disassembly to work on axles and such if required, and do some more weathering. It was preshaded, painted with Vallejo model air acrylics, and then given an oil wash so far. 

Criticisms welcome!

Amanda

vIiKcQt.jpg

 

iV4RII1.jpg

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Thanks guys! It's pivoting on a piece of .8mm nickel silver wire I bent up to provide a pivot. I think maybe the brake shoes are grabbing it a bit? 

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