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Can I offer this to anyone building articulated sets? Not my idea, I got it from an article by Steve Banks years ago.

 

The example is a Kirk QuadArt built using ABS bogies when they were available, but it could be applied to any combination of manufacturers parts.

 

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The bogie has a captive nut underneath and a hollow pillar which sets the basic ride height and through which a 10BA bolt can pass.

 

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Each of the carriage ends has a flat brass tongue with a slot cut into it which is held in place by another 10BA bolt engaging with a captive nut inside the vehicle. One of the tongues is double thickness for part of its length, the other has a washer on the end so the two carriages sit at the same height. This allows the gap between vehicles to be adjusted to the minimum for whatever railway they're used on.

Edited by jwealleans
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When I started my D210, I was still modelling in P4 so it was built compensated. This meant that each of the two carriages had to work independently on the 3 point principle. The articulation method therefore had to be a little more sophisticated than hooking both carriages into the heavy duty articulating bogie. So this is what I came up with (see photo).  When I converted it to EM some years ago, I kept the original P4 inspired compensation and articulation method. Each of the 3 bogies is fixed to the carriages - two on the CL and one on the BT. Each carriage can follow the contours of my slightly dodgy (in places) track, but it's the wheels that follow the track, rather than the bogies tilting into and depression. Even though I say it myself, it does ride very well. On the third photo the 2 compensation beams can be seen just inside the wheels. 

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Talking about articulated carriages,

 

why did the LNER use them so much? The simple answer is that Gresely became CME of the LNER and he had already used them successfully on the GNR. It was found that a simple and cheap solution of dealing with that companies ageing fleet of six wheelers was to convert them into articulated sets. This vastly improved the riding of these carriages and extended their service life.

 

My contribution to the articleated 'show and tell' discussion. This is my depiction of exactly the sort of parsimonious recycling Andrew refers to. The five vehicles in this rake started out life as 6-wheeled and 8-wheeled (rigid!) vehicles. A photo of a set like this in Grantham's Platform 5 with a large-boilered Atlantic at the business end, forming a local service to Nottingham, was the inspiration, some 10 years ago (and - yes - the photo shows the set in immaculate condition. Back from its last ever visit to Doncaster carriage works, perhaps?). Components came from four separate sources (Danny Pinnock, Bill Bedford, Frank Davies and Graeme King (resin bogies)). Full details of the build (which actually started two years ago) on the Grantham thread.

 

Not yet finished (underframes and interiors still to do), I nevertheless got it to this reasonably presentable state to be running at Wakefield over the weekend. Better pictures to follow - this was just a quick camfone snap immediately prior to packing the vehicles into the box for the show.

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My contribution to the articleated 'show and tell' discussion. This is my depiction of exactly the sort of parsimonious recycling Andrew refers to. The five vehicles in this rake started out life as 6-wheeled and 8-wheeled (rigid!) vehicles. A photo of a set like this in Grantham's Platform 5 with a large-boilered Atlantic at the business end, forming a local service to Nottingham, was the inspiration, some 10 years ago (and - yes - the photo shows the set in immaculate condition. Back from its last ever visit to Doncaster carriage works, perhaps?). Components came from four separate sources (Danny Pinnock, Bill Bedford, Frank Davies and Graeme King (resin bogies)). Full details of the build (which actually started two years ago) on the Grantham thread.

 

Not yet finished (underframes and interiors still to do), I nevertheless got it to this reasonably presentable state to be running at Wakefield over the weekend. Better pictures to follow - this was just a quick camfone snap immediately prior to packing the vehicles into the box for the show.

 

So built in true railway tradition - many GER bogie coaches were built using rigid chassis bodies as a starting point (some also having been previously widened in a "cut and shut" style.

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Regardless of whether or not it is the way that Gresley and the LNER actually did it, I prefer and I use the fundamentals of the articulation method that Jesse has shown above. I see no need to get involved with the construction of a prototypical single bearing point for the ends of the two coaches, even if that "saves" the builder from the awful chore of having to drill two new holes in the top of the bogie and make sure that the top face is flat. If your layout allows the coach ends to be anything like close enough together to look realistic you'll hardly be able to see what sort of articulation arrangement lies between them anyway - if they have gangways you can't see it at all. I've certainly seen examples of models built with the single pivot with highly evident problems as a result. In some cases by the time the single pivot pin is installed in the central hole in the bogie (perhaps without prior thought and measurement) and the two tongues carrying the inner coach ends are placed over the pin, the inner ends of both coaches ride high, sometimes one higher than the other, and the builder fails to do anything to address the problem. In other cases (sometimes the same cases) the narrow tongues carrying the inner coach ends simply don't do enough to hold the two inner ends of the coaches in matched, upright postures. With two separate pins in two new holes, and the bogie top properly prepared either by adding material or filing off excess material to produce a broad flat deck, a wide portion of each coach headstock can sit directly on the bogie, keeping the two coach ends level, upright and steady. I've never encountered any problem with this causing too much restriction of the ability of the bogie and wheels to follow the track in finescale OO.

Edited by gr.king
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Hi Andrew,

 

That's a great job you've done there!

 

I wonder whether I could ask a couple of questions, as I've got a pair of Hornby Thirds set aside with a similar conversion in mind?  Did you use the MJT queen posts as well as the truss rods; if so were they easy to fit to the Hornby moulding, or was a lot of modification needed?  How easy was it to relocate the Hornby battery boxes and brake parts from their original locations - did they come off easily?

 

Cheers,

Steve

Steve

 

It was all pretty straightforward. I did use the MJT Queen posts and cross brackets. The 60ft truss rods are not exactly the correct length but near enough in my view.  The Hornby fittings just popped off. The battery boxes can be levered off by putting a small screw driver blade under the rear after you have removed the metal strap that supports the boxes. I found most of the bits went back on in different locations without much trouble.

 

More surgery would be required if you wanted to replace the brake cylinders with a more correct diameter version although this could be simply made from a piece of round plastic of the right diameter rather than using MJT cylinders which would require more surgery if I remember correctly.

 

I reckon I spent more time thinking about it than actually doing the job! Also the most difficult part is to dismantle the coaches without breaking the clear plastic lugs that are part of the glazing and hold everything together.

 

Andrew

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Thanks Andrew, that's very useful, and reassuring!  I've got all the bits I need, I just need to find the time to do it!  I've got some Plastruct tube that's the right diameter for brake cylinders so I might make new ones from that, although I did intend to reuse the Hornby ones.  I'll see how I feel when I get around to it, I suppose!

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I have a saying... If it works and looks good, then it is good... and that'll look fine... as long as you don't leave the connectors white :-)

Hi Clem

 

Cheers. I have loads still to do to these coaches, I started on them about two years ago. A house move and building a layout took over, plus I easily get distracted and pick up other projects. So when/if they get finished the coupling/bearing will be weathered black. 

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Many thanks again for all the articulated contributions. Indeed, you're all very articulate! 

 

I've run all my artics today on LB, in the company of Gilbert Barnatt - he of Peterborough North. 

 

Everything was going really well with just me driving (Gilbert doesn't operate) until, as usual, I blathered on and forgot to concentrate. The result? Setting the wrong road and causing a short circuit! 

 

This was compounded by the derailment of a single van while it was being propelled into a siding. The shame!!!!!!!! Since I didn't build the van, the shame was limited.

 

Thanks for a day's good company, Gilbert.

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A little bit more with regard to LNER artics.............

 

 

 

 

 

This is a Marc Models' Silver Jubilee set, built and painted by Geoff Haynes. It rides very uniformly. It belonged to John Brown, but I sold it on on behalf of his family after his death. A pity the A4 (repainted Hornby) has the wrong tender.

 

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This is the catering triplet from the set, running on 10' bogies between the cars. 

 

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And the Marc Models' SJ catering triplet in BR carmine/cream; built by John Houlden for his (now burned) Gamston Bank. I sold this when John upgraded to 7mm.

 

Keep those artics coming, please. 

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Edited by Tony Wright
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Many thanks again for all the articulated contributions. Indeed, you're all very articulate! 

 

I've run all my artics today on LB, in the company of Gilbert Barnatt - he of Peterborough North. 

 

Everything was going really well with just me driving (Gilbert doesn't operate) until, as usual, I blathered on and forgot to concentrate. The result? Setting the wrong road and causing a short circuit! 

 

This was compounded by the derailment of a single van while it was being propelled into a siding. The shame!!!!!!!! Since I didn't build the van, the shame was limited.

 

Thanks for a day's good company, Gilbert. 

Lucky there isn't any MACROS on LB! 

 

How long were we looking through the MACRO page until I realised that it was only a point that needed changing?

 

I think you are both as bad as each other when it comes to operating.... :sungum:  :P  :sarcastic:

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Lucky there isn't any MACROS on LB! 

 

How long were we looking through the MACRO page until I realised that it was only a point that needed changing?

 

I think you are both as bad as each other when it comes to operating.... :sungum:  :P  :sarcastic:

Steady on Jesse,

 

I operated LB's complete sequence yesterday, single-handed (over 60 train movements!), in a little over two hours, and only made a couple of mistakes (despite blathering on, and on). 

 

I weighed myself this morning and I've lost over two pounds from yesterday - all that walking from the fiddle yard panel to the scenic-side panel, to the cassettes, to the M&GNR bit as well!

 

And, the notion of macros (whatever they might be) on LB never crosses my mind. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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Steady on Jesse,

 

I operated LB's complete sequence yesterday, single-handed (over 60 train movements!), in a little over two hours, and only made a couple of mistakes (despite blathering on, and on). 

 

I weighed myself this morning and I've lost over two pounds from yesterday - all that walking from the fiddle yard panel to the scenic-side panel, to the cassettes, to the M&GNR bit as well!

 

And, the notion of macros (whatever they might be) on LB never crosses my mind. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

 

 

 

I actually find that moving up and down the layout, operating it, moving signals and switches actually makes it feel like you’re in a signal box.

 

Same wth my layout now.

 

 

MACROS, I wouldn’t have a clue, Gilbert would be able to tell me more about it and I have a DCC layout. However, all my points and singles are DC. I think MACROS have to do with he points, Not sure.

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I believe the word Macro comes from the world of Spreadsheets.A macro being a programmed command which carries out mutiple functions at the same time.

 

In model railways, Macros are to do with the points. On some DCC syestems you can call one command and it will change muliple points in a set sequence. Not all systems have this function so whilst I use DCC I couldn't tell you how to do it!

 

I think you can do similar with Analogue point control but would need some complex wireing or electronics to do it.

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Good Afternoon Tony,

 May I respectfully post my articulated effort?

 

post-1937-0-24198600-1542717850_thumb.jpg

 

Scratchbuilt, with Hornby bogies, and MJT roof, vents and door handles. Amazing how a picture shows up the little bashes this has taken since built...

Gaz.

Edited by gazman424
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I actually find that moving up and down the layout, operating it, moving signals and switches actually makes it feel like you’re in a signal box.

 

 

Exactly Jesse. I use NCE PC (on long leads) for the trains and conventional DC for the points (and later, almost certainly the semaphore signals). This is because I do not trust my limited experience of making trickery work correctly and I also enjoy the aerobic exercise that is gained from waltzing (Quick Stepping?) the length of the loft! The loco chips are a bit of extra expense, but you only live once and the Care Home owners are not getting all my dosh if I can help it.

Dan Sing.

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Afternoon Tony

 

Sounds like a great way to loose weight , a good excuse to disappear to the other half if you need one , I’ll start saying I’am off to the gym instead of my den !!

 

A few weeks back you mentioned giving items to young interested modellers ,is this still the case ?

 

as I’ve been given by my window cleaner some 1970s Hornby items for me to enjoy , would these items help your cause?

 

Dennis

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I actually find that moving up and down the layout, operating it, moving signals and switches actually makes it feel like you’re in a signal box.

 

Same wth my layout now.

 

 

MACROS, I wouldn’t have a clue, Gilbert would be able to tell me more about it and I have a DCC layout. However, all my points and singles are DC. I think MACROS have to do with he points, Not sure.

And I thought that they somehow connected hex frog juicers and a macrobiotic diet neither of which I know anything about.

 

Jamie

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And I thought that they somehow connected hex frog juicers and a macrobiotic diet neither of which I know anything about.

 

Jamie

And there was me thinking it was something to do with either a close-up camera lens or a 1970’s kit car... There again they do use words differently down under, so who knows???
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In computing a macro is just series of instructions that can be called from a single statement. It's a bit like a subroutine, only different :)

 

Thus, one number on the Hand Set can set off a number of pre set actions as per DCC Control from a Hand Set such as Power Pro. I learn something every day so thanks for that.

ATB

Phil

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