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iD's 3 Axle GWR Siphon: Now Fully Completed


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Flavio -

 

As is usual with most modellers you are your own worst critic! We all know where the skeletons are buried (usually under a layer of paint!) - but to everyone else the imperfections are un-noticeable from anything like normal viewing distance. Believe me the real thing could look far more 'ropey' than any model!

 

Well done (particularly for a 'Southern' man!)

 

Regs

 

Ian

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Thank you all for your kind comments. Going back to it a week or so after my mad dash to complete it by the October 1st deadline, I view the model slightly differently: once weathered - passable for a first go at scratchbuilding a wagon and it will sit nicely at the back of my layout.

 

Never one for letting sleeping dogs lie, I've found an illustration of a 3 Axle GWR Tool Van that looks like a suitable "next challenge" - although I'll be approaching the underframe differently this time (no cleminson etch for starters!)

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Most six wheelers do not need cleminson chassis. Mount the centre wheels on a 1/8" tube, leaving it flush with the outside of the wheels. Then find a rod that is a good fit but not tight in the tube, this goes between your axle boxes The centre wheel then has more than ample side play, and works in the manner that the prototypes did.

 

It is not my idea but it works very well.

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Right, I've found my D&S Siphon that I've done nothing with in the time that you've built yours from scratch...

 

I got the idea from Bill Bedford, it was either in some instructions for something or other, or he mentioned it on here. The first photo shows a pair of Gibson wheels mounted on a length of 2mm o.d., 1mm i.d. brass tube. The tube is cut so that it does not extend beyond the wheel faces. The real axle is an Exactoscale 1mm steel one, though any 1mm steel rod with pinpoint ends would do:

 

post-6746-0-48367500-1349976139.jpg

 

The second photo shows it mounted under the vehicle. I've used a Bill Bedford spring unit here but it should work with ordinary pin-point bearings in rigid W irons. The axle is at its extreme leftward travel so you can see a little of the steel axle exposed at the right.

 

post-6746-0-58314600-1349976152.jpg

 

This arrangement gives about 1mm side-to-side travel and works fine on a 40" radius curve. I've no idea what minimum radius it will handle, though it could be calculated, as I've no tighter curves at present. Essentially, the side travel is dictated by the width available between the W irons.

 

Nick

 

ps. all much simpler than the Heath-Robinson Cleminson approach :jester:

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May I refer m'learned friend to this thread where the subject of centre axles was discussed at length.

Many thanks for such a useful link, I've merely been contemplating building another 6 wheeler and hadn't yet started to look for info, let alone delve into the archives. So, well done that man!

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