Alan Gibson 4mm wagon wheels

[niteshadex]

I’m having issues with a large percentage of the Alan Gibson 4mm wagon wheels, I’m talking about the black ones, as well as the ones that come included in the parkside wagon kits.

 

Some of my wagons are wobbling significantly. I know it’s the wheels because I tested the wagons out with wheels that don’t appear to be wobbly and the wagon doesn’t wobble. When I gave the wheels a test spin it appears the axles are straight but the wheels are either moulded crooked or sitting on the axle crooked. I tried everything to fix this, I even used a back-to-back wheel gauger. Nothing seems to work.

 

does anyone know how I could fix this? In the future I am sticking with Romford wheels.

[97xx]

I've had similar issues with loco wheels - I tried to rewheel a 40-year old scratch built chassis (which had a dodgy mazak-centred Romford) with AG ones. The dodgy Romford(s) was/were very obvious as it is a longish-overhang 2-4-2T and it nodded/yawed royally!

 

But try as I might - using a milling vice to push the AG wheels on slowly with a support to ensure the axle was square at the start - it did not work. Made sure the axle ends were burr-free and all of that.

 

The vice would put them on the axle and it was all, obviously dead square/parallel, but as soon as I undid the vice and took the wheelset out and rolled it along a flat it was very evident it was 'wobbly'.

 

If i then pulled one wheel off, set the 1/8" axle with remaining wheel in the mill and tested it, it was wobbly. There was/is something about these wheels achieving their 'own set' on the axle which I couldn't get to stay square.

 

Tried all manner of teasing them straight:

(a) not pushing them fully on, resting them, then easing up to the B2B

(b) pushing them on a tad further then jigged up the wheelset and tried to tease them out to B2B

(c) using super slippery grease on the axle end in the hope that this would stop any 'grab' of the plastic

 

No good. Nodding donkey chassis!

 

I wonder if (c) might have worked straight off, as doing it last may be pointless if I've already 'damaged' the plastic centre. I figured if it had worked, I could let them 'rest' and could probably tease the grease out with brake cleaner afterward, but I doubt that whole process is ideal.

 

Went to a new set of Romfords and loco is completely satisfactory. The run out is tiny.

 

Clearly many use AG but they don't work for me. Pity as they were of more prototypical design, but the trueness is more important to me.

 

As an aside, I found the steel tyres sparked quite a lot with brass pickups.

 

EDIT: I am rebuilding a Q1, and have gone for Romfords all round. I've got however a set of AG tender wheels spare so I will give them a try and report back how they compare with the Romford ones.

Edited November 22, 2020 by 97xx
Added Q1 tender wheel comment

[31A]

8 hours ago, niteshadex said:

I’m having issues with a large percentage of the Alan Gibson 4mm wagon wheels, I’m talking about the black ones, as well as the ones that come included in the parkside wagon kits.

 

Some of my wagons are wobbling significantly. I know it’s the wheels because I tested the wagons out with wheels that don’t appear to be wobbly and the wagon doesn’t wobble. When I gave the wheels a test spin it appears the axles are straight but the wheels are either moulded crooked or sitting on the axle crooked. I tried everything to fix this, I even used a back-to-back wheel gauger. Nothing seems to work.

 

does anyone know how I could fix this? In the future I am sticking with Romford wheels.

 

I had something similar recently, I built a batch of 3 Parkside LNER fish van kits.  I'd had them in stock for a maybe 4 or 5 years but they weren't that old in the big scheme of things.  The wheels (I assume they are Gibson?) didn't seem to run very truly.  I've left them in for now as they don't actually derail, but for wagons and coaches that don't include wheels I now always use Hornby ones.  They always in my experience run true, although the treads might be slightly wider.  Although not as cheap as they once were, I think they're still cheaper and easier to source than Romfords.  I'm assuming you work in OO but if EM, I'm sure the Hornby wheels could be pushed out to 18mm gauge.

 

 

[jwealleans]

The Hornby ones are much less reliable than they used to be; I reckon on one off centre one per packet these days.

 

I haven't had an issue with AG, but I haven't bought many recently Parkside kits with them in.   The older ones used (I think) Maygibs and they can go off centre after a few years use.

[Steamport Southport]

3 hours ago, 31A said:

 

I had something similar recently, I built a batch of 3 Parkside LNER fish van kits.  I'd had them in stock for a maybe 4 or 5 years but they weren't that old in the big scheme of things.  The wheels (I assume they are Gibson?) didn't seem to run very truly.  I've left them in for now as they don't actually derail, but for wagons and coaches that don't include wheels I now always use Hornby ones.  They always in my experience run true, although the treads might be slightly wider.  Although not as cheap as they once were, I think they're still cheaper and easier to source than Romfords.  I'm assuming you work in OO but if EM, I'm sure the Hornby wheels could be pushed out to 18mm gauge.

 

 

 

Five years or so they would be Romfords. Supplying with AGW is a quite recent thing. It was the standard of recent Romford wheels and supply issues which was the reason for changing ISTR.

 

Originally the wheels were plastic, then Kean/Maygib. Romford from about 1990ish. Then Gibson from just before they became part of Peco.

 

 

Never had a problem with Gibsons in about forty years of using them. If using loco wheels, get a GW wheel press. Does everything for you including quartering. About £25 from an advert in MRJ. Well worth the investment if you are building a lot of locomotives.

 

 

People are using bearings I assume? Those little brass things make a huge difference, but you would be surprised by the amount of people who don't use them. Then wonder why their wagons don't run properly.

 

 

 

Jason

[31A]

58 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Five years or so they would be Romfords. Supplying with AGW is a quite recent thing. It was the standard of recent Romford wheels and supply issues which was the reason for changing ISTR.

 

Originally the wheels were plastic, then Kean/Maygib. Romford from about 1990ish. Then Gibson from just before they became part of Peco.

 

 

Never had a problem with Gibsons in about forty years of using them. If using loco wheels, get a GW wheel press. Does everything for you including quartering. About £25 from an advert in MRJ. Well worth the investment if you are building a lot of locomotives.

 

 

People are using bearings I assume? Those little brass things make a huge difference, but you would be surprised by the amount of people who don't use them. Then wonder why their wagons don't run properly.

 

 

 

Jason

 

The ones in the fish vans that I built were not Romfords - they have metal tyres on plastic centres (rather than just an insulating bush at the hub) which I take to indicate Alan Gibson wheels.  I think it's been more than 5 years since I've bought Parkside kits which included Romford wheels (for example I built a Medfit in 2014 which has plastic centred wheels), although of course if you buy them from a retailer you don't know how long they've had them in stock.

 

[Barry O]

I have fitted upwards of 600 sets of Gibson wagon wheels - albeit EM ones.. never had a problem with them. The ones I have used on my own stock are fine as well.

 

 

I must be lucky as I can fit Gibson loco drivers and quarter them without using a vice.. Just take it steady.. I also make sure that I chamfer the ends of the axles so that they are not sharp before using them.. works for me...

 

Baz

[D1047]

I have bought 20 3 hole EM gauge AG wheels recently and they have all been pressed onto the axle off center during manufacturer rendering them useless. Very disappointed 

[jimwal]

49 minutes ago, D1047 said:

I have bought 20 3 hole EM gauge AG wheels recently and they have all been pressed onto the axle off center during manufacturer rendering them useless. Very disappointed 

 

If all are defective I would look to return them.

[Gordon A]

Before Alan G sold the business on the MMRG returned a bag of P4 wagon wheels to AG as the pinpoints on the end of the axles were off centre. Since Collin took over I have not had any problems with his P4 wheels.

 

Gordon A

[TRAILRAGE]

Been Building a Parkside BR Banana Van which came with Gibson wheels.  There next to useless in a 4 wheel wagon as it looks like a bucking bronco rolling along the track. May not be to bad in a bogie  but I have a feeling there gonna end up in the bin.

 

Cheers Trailrage

[PenrithBeacon]

Interesting thread. I've had issues with AGW C&W wheels but only when I've stored them badly. They don't take kindly to pressure even at room temperatures. My fault. 

Also, I did have a problem with a Parkside kit that was badly warped because of poor storage before I bought it. The wheels were horrendous too!

Generally speaking AGW C&W wheels are fine, no problem at all. 

[Barry O]

34 minutes ago, TRAILRAGE said:

Been Building a Parkside BR Banana Van which came with Gibson wheels.  There next to useless in a 4 wheel wagon as it looks like a bucking bronco rolling along the track. May not be to bad in a bogie  but I have a feeling there gonna end up in the bin.

 

Cheers Trailrage

How old was the kit? Most of the recent Parkside kits come with Jackson wheels. 

 

If the wheels are as bad as you say..send them back ..

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Hang on 

 

Parkside never did a BR Banana Van... do you mean the Ratio kit?  These didn't come with Gibson wheels originally. Were they in a Gibson bubble pack? If they were then these are old wheels.

 

Baz

[TRAILRAGE]

2 minutes ago, Barry O said:

How old was the kit? Most of the recent Parkside kits come with Jackson wheels. 

 

If the wheels are as bad as you say..send them back ..

 

Baz

Hello Barry O.

 

Had the kit a wile I'm guessing maybe 5 years. It was in a stash of Kits in a box I  forgot I had and have a feeling it came from the Model Shop in Burnham on Sea when it first opened. All my previous Parkside kits came with Romford so I was surprised they were something different but as the box was still factory sealed. Maybe they are AJ wheels then and not Gibson as they are Black Metal Tyres with Plastic inner. 

 

Regards Trailrage

 

[TRAILRAGE]

5 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Hang on 

 

Parkside never did a BR Banana Van... do you mean the Ratio kit?  These didn't come with Gibson wheels originally. Were they in a Gibson bubble pack? If they were then these are old wheels.

 

Baz

I'M A DUMB A** !!! of course I meant to say Ratio and have no idea why I typed Parkside Oh Dear! yes they were in a small clear bag with the bearings stapled up, just like the old Romfords used to be which came with every other Ratio Kit I have built both Banana Vans and China Clays. LOL 

 

Cheers a slightly embarrassed Trailrage