Hornby Dublo engine shed fixing bolts

[45568]

I am restoring my old H/D 5005 loco shed, but I am short some of the roof fixing bolts. I had assumed that they were the standard Meccano bolt, but having received some from the UK, they do not fit. 

Can anyone tell me what size these bolts were, and where I may find them?

Thanks in advance,

Peter C.

[Il Grifone]

That's what I thought about the girder bridge. Inspecting my bridge the other day (built up from bits about fifteen years ago) I saw I'd used some brass nuts and bolts to hold it together. Ha! Meccano I thought, I'll replace them with the correct parts. However they are 3mm metric, certainly not a Binns Road fitting and not Meccano which are 5/32" Whitworth.

I would assume the originals would be 6 B.A. Substitutes would be easy enough to obtain, but I don't know where to get (or even if available) them.

Edited November 17, 2021 by Il Grifone

[cypherman]

4 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

That's what I thought about the girder bridge. Inspecting my bridge the other day (built up from bits about fifteen years ago) I saw I'd used some brass nuts and bolts to hold it together. Ha! Meccano I thought, I'll replace them with the correct parts. However they are 3mm metric, certainly not a Binns Road fitting and not Meccano which are 5/32" Whitworth.

I would assume the originals would be 6 B.A. Substitutes would be easy enough to obtain, but I don't know where to get (or even if available) them.

Hi,

You could try here.

https://www.ba-bolts.co.uk/steelcsk.html

[Il Grifone]

Unclear as usual, I intended ignorance of a source of original screws (there is probably a shortage of these as they will have been lost and were never available as a spare AFAIK). Even in this day and age, there is no problem obtaining B.A. screws. Not that the difference between 6 B.A. and M3 is all that great anyway - just enough that the wrong nut won't fit.

 

The same problem occurs with Kadee couplings. They are intended for 2-56 American thread (not the easiest thing to find this side of the pond), so I use metric screws. Conveniently the 'just too large' size (M3 IIRC or maybe 2.5?*) will tap its own thread into the coupling box.  

 

*Old age creeping up - I can't remember, despite it only being a couple of weeks ago I was having a session of fitting the wretched things.  (Dare I say, "Springs"?)

[sagaguy]

They are 6 ba,however if they are not available,get a M3 tap set and retap,don`t try and force a M3 screw in the bush,you may break the bush out of the roof moulding as they are the self locking kind.

 

                        Ray.

Edited November 18, 2021 by sagaguy

[locomad2]

On 18/11/2021 at 10:00, sagaguy said:

They are 6 ba,however if they are not available,get a M3 tap set and retap,don`t try and force a M3 screw in the bush,you may break the bush out of the roof moulding as they are the self locking kind.

 

                        Ray.

 

 

If I remember righty BA are actually metric threads and very close to Metric, common is M5 which fits 3BA. Lucus contact breaker screws in old cars mostly use 3 BA but an M5 will fit loosely, cause the 3 BA often gets lost either down the dizzy or somewhere in the engine trying to replace points, its common to find a M5 as a replacement and associated faults with engine

 

An great uncle who served in the 8th Army told us if the vehicles might get captured they often replaced the 3BA points screw with an M5, result the Germans on capturing such vehicles often broke down later in the desert and blamed poor British quality manufacturing. Often such vehicles got recaptured and mechanics replaced the screws and hence no problems

[locomad2]

On subject of shed bolts don't over tighten them and oil the brass inners.

 

Quite common too find those which have been on a layout over long periods to suddenly crack, I suspect plastic starts to bend, you will just find the wall just collapses 

 

Easy fix glue in situ but you need to slighty loosen the screws first.

 

The roof is quite weak, often taken off a layout and stored without disassemble, big mistake they get easy broke, again fit in situ, note the roof vents glued in place often lost

 

 

These one been on several layouts for over 60 years, roofs get very mucky I just leave it on, adds to the realism 

[45568]

Thanks to all those who have posted helpful replies. I have sourced 6BA screws here in Oz and a pack of 25 are on their way as we speak!

https://ejwinter.com.au/

for anyone else wishing BA or other items, they have a very comprehensive range.

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

[Il Grifone]

B.A. is indeed a metric thread, but sufficiently different from the standard 'M' series to not fit! We are 'blessed' with four common(ish) non-compatible series of threads. (Others are available....)