Parkside wagon wheels

[Lissadell]

In the past, when Parkside Dundas was a separate entity, If memory serves, wagon axles were flat ended and matched with the equivalent bearings.

 

Since Peco took over the range I wondered whether this setup had been changed in favour of the pin point axles/bearings used in the Peco wagon kits.

 

So, my question is, could anyone who has purchased a new Peco Parkside kit recently, please comment on their findings re. this feature.
 

Peco offer their own wheels/bearings as an accessory, which led me to wonder ..................

 

Thanks for any guidance

 

Adrian

 

PS it would be very handy to know what the O.D. of a Peco bearing is, as well please.

[Marshall5]

I've not bought any since Peco took Parkside over but I must have built a dozen or more kits previously and ISTR that they all had pin-point axles like Slaters.

Ray.

[pwr]

I am building an SR banana van which dates from the independent days and this is fitted with pinpoint. That said the pin is not very pointy!

 

I have replaced these (spoked) wheels with 3 hole disc which are flat ended. I had to drill out the axleboxes slightly to get the different bearings in but it all seems OK and the van rolls sweetly enough.

 

I am not sure of the manufacture of the wheels I replaced them with - I had a stock in a bag and just hoiked two out!

 

Paul R

[Wheatley]

Edit - Ignore me, I'm talking 4mm nonsense ! I did wonder how I'd missed the SR banana van....

Edited May 26, 2020 by Wheatley

[Lissadell]

Thank you to everybody for sorting that for me.

 

The flat ended axles that Paul R mentions must be where I got my confused idea from
 

Might I ask - how do the Peco compare with Slaters?

 

regards

 

Adrian

[brossard]

I always assumed that Parkside wheels were Slaters.  Now that Peco has the kits perhaps they plan to use their own wheels.  TBH, I can't see any difference, both Peco and Slaters appear to be made to the same spec.  I am fine with Peco, building an ex Parkside wagon with Peco spoked wheels as we speak.  I would keep Peco bearings for Peco wheels (until I lose one).

 

John

[hmrspaul]

Some strange replies on here. Parkside kits for many years had Slaters standard products.

 

Assuming Peco wheels continue to be as their earlier offer then they are a very fine product - it was Adrian Swain that put me onto them and there wasn't much that Adrian didn't know about the 7mm market. The problem being they only do a 3 hole disc and plain spoke and split spoke are needed for many models of prototypes that were built up to the early 1950s and could still be seen, occasionally, on wagons in the 1970s.

 

Paul

[brossard]

The choice with Slaters wheels can be a curse.  Some time ago, I wanted spoked wheels and ordered some from the site.  I ended up with 5 spoke Australian wagon wheels.  I do wish Slaters would put more pictures of the small stuff on the site.

 

John

[Hal Nail]

 

1 hour ago, hmrspaul said:

Some strange replies on here. Parkside kits for many years had Slaters standard products.

I did wonder if there was some 4mm 7mm confusion as replies above didnt all make sense!

Edited May 26, 2020 by Hal Nail

[markjj]

Parkside wheels have always been Slaters wheels at least for the last 10 years or so. I used to live a few streets away from their factory in Scotland before it got sold to Peco and have been on a factory tour before it finally closed. I'm sure when Parkside got sold to Peco the agreement was to keep on using Slaters wheels. I have only brought a couple of wagons since Peco started making the kits and they still are Slaters as far as I can tell. Peco wheels are a totally different to Slaters.

The 4mm range wheels were I believe either Maygib or Gibson depending on what was available when. 

[brossard]

How are Peco different from Slaters Mark?  I'm working with both at the moment and I can't tell.

 

Now Dapol RTR are totally different with 4mm style pinpoints and are not interchangeable with Slaters/Peco.

 

John

Edited May 26, 2020 by brossard

[markjj]

 

8 minutes ago, brossard said:

How are Peco different from Slaters Mark?  I'm working with both at the moment and I can't tell.

 

Now Dapol RTR are totally different with 4mm style pinpoints and are not interchangeable with Slaters/Peco.

 

John

 

Peco are usually highly chrome finish plus they are not bonded onto the tyre. They are also a hard plastic where as Slaters are a black glass filled nylon. If you look at a Slaters wheel it has a point on the rim where the glass filled nylon keys into the wheel. 

Peco wheels dont like extreme temperatures try leaving them in a loft for a year or two attached to a wagon and the tyres often come off. It also happens if you wash a wagon in very hot water with the wheels attached. 

I believe Peartree do wheels to replace the 3 hole disc wheels on Dapol wagons. They dont do spoked ones though. 

[markjj]

This is what happens to Peco wheels if you wash them in hot water Slaters dont but they rust instead lol....

 

[brossard]

OK, not immediately noticeable then, I thought you meant there was a standards difference.  Yes, Slaters do rust if you're not careful, don't get them wet.  If the Peco tyre comes off, then a bit of CA will fix it back I should think.  I don't think these are deal breakers for me.

 

Something I've noticed with FS 7mm, is that wheels are to a consistent standard wrt B2B and profile.  00 RTR maufacturers all seem to have their own ideas forcing modellers to continually chase consistent standards.  The likes of Gibson and Markits etc. are all very good.

 

John

Edited May 26, 2020 by brossard

[pwr]

I always treat mine with metal black to get rid of the shiny wheel tyres 

 

Paul R

[markjj]

6 minutes ago, brossard said:

OK, not immediately noticeable then, I thought you meant there was a standards difference.  Yes, Slaters do rust if you're not careful, don't get them wet.  If the Peco tyre comes off, then a bit of CA will fix it back I should think.  I don't think these are deal breakers for me.

 

Something I've noticed with FS 7mm, is that wheels are to a consistent standard wrt B2B and profile.  00 maufacturers all seem to have their own ideas forcing modellers to continually chase consistent standards.

 

John

 

It's often Peco wheels that cause problems with running though as the tyre moves slightly causing a wobble. Unless the tyre drops off it often goes unnoticed.

7mm wheels are usually fitted to a stepped axle which self gauges if pushed on properly. 4mm wheels are on a plain bar axle and the gauge is set for either standard 00 or EM gauge or they put a different tyres wheel on for P4 suitably gauged. There is nothing fixing them or stopping them moving. It's the same with most 4mm loco wheels apart from Romford as they have a nut contraption securing them.

Slaters are doing some new wheels that have correct profiles backs and proper shaped axles I don't think they are out yet but MMP did have them to try a while ago.

This is a photo of them and one of a Slaters wheel with a key. 

My photos do not do them proper justice the axle looks much better in real life.

Note the Slaters obligatory rust lol...

[Steamport Southport]

Parkside were always Slaters. No idea about recent versions as I haven't bought any O gauge models in the last twenty years or so. 

 

Peco are very good. I always used them for the Coopercraft GWR wagons as they were available from my local model shop at the time whereas I had to send off for Slaters. Same applies to the buffers and couplings.

 

 

 

Jason

[brossard]

I did 00 for about 30 years Mark, so I am very aware of the wheel issues.  I had some Exactoscale wagon wheels that were very good indeed.  The axles of these were inwardly tapered and the only correct axles I've ever seen.  They were made for EM and P4 as I recall.

 

It is about time such things became available for 7mm so kudos to Slaters for continuing development.

 

I always liked Markits loco wheels because the square boss and nut felt comfortable.  The Gibson and Ultrascale method of friction/Loctite made me uneasy.  The Engineering director where I worked threatened to fire any designer who specified glue.

 

John

Edited May 26, 2020 by brossard

[markjj]

12 minutes ago, brossard said:

I did 00 for about 30 years Mark, so I am very aware of the wheel issues.  I had some Exactoscale wagon wheels that were very good indeed.  The axles of these were inwardly tapered and the only correct axles I've ever seen.  They were made for EM and P4 as I recall.

 

It is about time such things became available for 7mm so kudos to Slaters for continuing development.

 

I always liked Markits loco wheels because the square boss and nut felt comfortable.  The Gibson and Ultrascale method of friction/Loctite made me uneasy.  The Engineering director where I worked threatened to fire any designer who specified glue.

 

John

 

I have been there to John and in and out and back again many times. 

I dont think I ever used Exactoscale wheels though just Maygib and Gibson plus a few Romford ones. I believe the Markits are the Romford range I know they were the only ones that came with the square boss. There was one other that had a flat on that slid up and down the axle at will...

Those Slaters wheels are in the price list at £12 for 2 axles and 4 wheels but not on the website yet. They also do coach wheels in plain disc or 4 hole (BR Mark 1) style with correct profile steel wheels if you like building coaches. 

I worked in a company where just about everything got glued together with DP490 (like black araldite) most things were made in carbon fibre though. It didn't stop them sticking everything else down with it though lol..... 

[brossard]

Ha yes Mark.  I am so happy to be doing 7mm.  Wheels are right, gauge is close enough (4' 6" ish), I can use proto couplings and indulge my detail fetish.

 

I think you are right.  Markits are essentially Romfords although I think Romfords were to a coarser profile.  Scalelink do similar wheels with plastic centers, but I never tried these.

 

I imagine the new Slaters wheels will be available as an option for kits for a price, unless the plan is to replace the old design.

 

Yes, well where I worked we made jet engines so mechanical fastenings please.

 

John

[markjj]

21 hours ago, brossard said:

Ha yes Mark.  I am so happy to be doing 7mm.  Wheels are right, gauge is close enough (4' 6" ish), I can use proto couplings and indulge my detail fetish.

 

I think you are right.  Markits are essentially Romfords although I think Romfords were to a coarser profile.  Scalelink do similar wheels with plastic centers, but I never tried these.

 

I imagine the new Slaters wheels will be available as an option for kits for a price, unless the plan is to replace the old design.

 

Yes, well where I worked we made jet engines so mechanical fastenings please.

 

John

 

I like 0-gauge because I can do it without my glasses in most cases lol.

I love the real look couplings I did try it in 4mm but they look so overescale by comparison.

The new wheels are not properly released yet I believe but hopefully will be soon.

I got 3 sets when I brought 3 wagon kits from MMP last year so I'm hoping for more eventually so fingers crossed they might come out soon. They add a nice bit of extra weight to a wagon to being all metal. 

[brossard]

Well, yes, the main stuff is much easier to see in 0 gauge.  However, I seem to get involved with really quite small stuff when I'm detailing.

 

I also tried 3 link in 4mm but never got it.  Part of the issue with 00 is the end swing of wagons which exascerbates buffer locking.  They probably work better in EM or P4.  Then there is the scale thing.  I've seen some who seem to do well with these.  I just cheated and went for Kadee.

 

I'll keep an eye out for the new wheels.  Problem is, they will put all our old stuff to shame.

 

John

[Poggy1165]

I actually prefer wagon kits not to have wheels so I can use Gibson's. These come pre-blackened, which saves a job. Consequently, there is no question of their going rusty.