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Bachmann FFA/FGA early container flats


Andy Y
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

I have searched a bit can find no mention of problems with these wagons.

 

One of my return loops is made using radius 2 curves. I have encountered two problems with my wagons negotiating this return loop.  I found the drag increased dramatically as the train entered the loop and occasionally a short circuit occurred. I cured the first problem shaving a very small amount from the areas where the back of the flange touched part of the underframe. The short circuit was more of a problem. I was eventually able to narrow it down to one wagon and upon further investigation one end of one wagon. Because the bogie is at the absolute extreme of its travel on a radius 2 curve the oposite wheels on a bogie were just about touching the metal underframe.

 

I find it strange that only one end of one of the ten wagons i have has this fault. Has anyone encountered anything similar?

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  • 5 months later...
On 13/11/2020 at 16:22, LNERGE said:

I have searched a bit can find no mention of problems with these wagons.

 

One of my return loops is made using radius 2 curves. I have encountered two problems with my wagons negotiating this return loop.  I found the drag increased dramatically as the train entered the loop and occasionally a short circuit occurred. I cured the first problem shaving a very small amount from the areas where the back of the flange touched part of the underframe. The short circuit was more of a problem. I was eventually able to narrow it down to one wagon and upon further investigation one end of one wagon. Because the bogie is at the absolute extreme of its travel on a radius 2 curve the oposite wheels on a bogie were just about touching the metal underframe.

 

I find it strange that only one end of one of the ten wagons i have has this fault. Has anyone encountered anything similar?

I have had the same problems with these wagons. Increased drag in a section of track and short circuiting. I narrowed the short circuiting down to one bogie on one wagon ( I have 6 in total, un-prototypical, but as much as my layout will allow without looking ridiculous), swapped wheels for plastic ones (!) from a Hornby con flat that I had laying around, problem solved. I have ordered a back to back wheel gauge to see if the drag issue is to do with incorrect wheel spacing? 

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  • 6 months later...

This may well have already been answered in this thread but I don’t fancy wading through all 26 pages, so…

These are really good wagons but it seems to me they have a design flaw in that the moulded discs (brake discs?) on the axles make contact with the central spine of the wagon on curves, which causes a significant amount of drag, as mentioned above. Anyone found a solution? Does cutting the discs off cure it, or can anyone recommend replacement axles?

Edited by scouse889
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  • 2 weeks later...

I would really like to see Bachmann release another round of these. The inner sets for the early freightliner models are sold out virtually everywhere. I think it'd be great to see them release some new inner & outer sets with some different container types - Particularly the open containers, and the Guards caboose box for the outer set. 

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3 hours ago, thohurst said:

I would really like to see Bachmann release another round of these. The inner sets for the early freightliner models are sold out virtually everywhere. I think it'd be great to see them release some new inner & outer sets with some different container types - Particularly the open containers, and the Guards caboose box for the outer set. 

That would be a great idea. Also some identical ones with alternate running number please Bachmann.

I particularly like the sound of the Caboose!

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8 hours ago, thohurst said:

I would really like to see Bachmann release another round of these. The inner sets for the early freightliner models are sold out virtually everywhere. I think it'd be great to see them release some new inner & outer sets with some different container types - Particularly the open containers, and the Guards caboose box for the outer set. 

 

I'm really surprised there haven't been multiple releases of these with different containers since the initial releases. I know specific containers are available elsewhere, but I would have thought Bachmann would have found some mileage in getting more sales with reliveried containers

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1 hour ago, thohurst said:

I'd even settle for some container expansion packs with these extra variety of containers if they feel releasing new wagons isn't a viable option (though I don't see how it isn't)

Have you looked at CRail’s container range? Wonderful range of different container types (tanktainers, 20ft, 40ft, reefers, 30ft bulktainers, and more) covering all eras. No connection other than they have successfully extracted a lot of money from me over the years and in return I have a colourful pile of containers!

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47 minutes ago, Matt said:

Have you looked at CRail’s container range? Wonderful range of different container types (tanktainers, 20ft, 40ft, reefers, 30ft bulktainers, and more) covering all eras. No connection other than they have successfully extracted a lot of money from me over the years and in return I have a colourful pile of containers!

They do some nice containers, for sure! Unfortunately as far as I'm aware, they don't produce any late 60's containers suitable for the early freightliner services. 

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On 22/11/2021 at 03:41, thohurst said:

Particularly the open containers, and the Guards caboose box for the outer set. 

There is very little evidence these were used in revenue traffic. The guards, justifiably objected very quickly and there weren't many of them. This contrasts with the conversion of coaching stock to be used as brake vehicles - there is a considerable list of these in the Longworth book on Mk1 and 2 coaches (60 coaches), their conversion dates start june 1966 and go through to the end of 1967. 

 

Paul

Edited by hmrspaul
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2 hours ago, thohurst said:

They do some nice containers, for sure! Unfortunately as far as I'm aware, they don't produce any late 60's containers suitable for the early freightliner services. 

Indeed, accurate models of early containers are hard to come by. I’m working in 7mm scale and just preparing to scratch-build a few. 

Even for the normal boxes, there was much more variety of construction methods and appearance, and most were only 8’ high initially.

Also there was more variety of container types which have now vanished, such as half-height opens and soft-tops, open-sided slatted ‘fruit racks’, unusually shaped tank containers etc. 

Here’s my current project: a train of Spanish oranges:

Frame_containers.jpg.09098f0e317bbc97c01e3ab5ffddf031.jpg

I have a couple of early copies of ‘Jane’s Freight Containers’ (1968 and 1971 editions) which are a very useful contemporary reference and available fairly cheaply on ebay. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
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On 23/11/2021 at 08:39, thohurst said:

They do some nice containers, for sure! Unfortunately as far as I'm aware, they don't produce any late 60's containers suitable for the early freightliner services. 

I remember Hornby did some early open containers to go with their Freightliner flats. I've seen these at several shows. If they're not very accurate, maybe with some research a satisfactory model could be scratchbuilt using these as a basis.

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  • 2 years later...

I wonder if we will ever see a rerun of these?

 

The "inners" seemed to sell out very quickly, I am looking for a couple of sets of 5 of the later maritime variant but not really seeing many protoype rakes of just 2 outers, I'm not even sure that configuration was possible? 

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53 minutes ago, Ravel said:

I wonder if we will ever see a rerun of these?

 

The "inners" seemed to sell out very quickly, I am looking for a couple of sets of 5 of the later maritime variant but not really seeing many protoype rakes of just 2 outers, I'm not even sure that configuration was possible? 

I hope so, I still need another 40+ wagons!

 

Andi

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It would be nice if they did a rerun of the inner and outers, with no containers. And the containers of all variants as separate items.

 

Al Taylor

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I'd be up for a re-run of inner FFAs, whilst probably not the container load @Dagworth needs I could probably be in the market for about 10.

I do wonder if Bachmann underestimated the demand for FFAs assuming people wouldn't have the space, or cash for full five car sets?  Thing is, people who would be willing to buy the Bachmann product were those wanting a decent model and probably more likely to shell out for a full set, having probably spent a fortune trying to get the Triang model, new when I was about to start primary school in the late 60s, into something slightly less toy-like.  Buying a full rake at Bachmann prices but which only need a good weathering probably worked out the same financially.

So yes Bachmann, pull your digits out and do a rerun of FFAs on a 3-1 basis.

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20 hours ago, Ravel said:

I wonder if we will ever see a rerun of these?

 

The "inners" seemed to sell out very quickly, I am looking for a couple of sets of 5 of the later maritime variant but not really seeing many protoype rakes of just 2 outers, I'm not even sure that configuration was possible? 

According to a number of sources some 5 car sets were reduced in the 1980s with 2,3 and 4 car rakes being made up whilst the spare inner FFAs were given buffers at each end to make single wagons.  I've seen video on YouTube of three car sets which look to be reduced original build, although as the 80s and 90s progressed other twin and thee section types came into service, so it can be difficult to tell.

I'm planning to create two three sets (FGA-FFA-FGA) for 1988 and 1994 to run with four Hornby KFAs to make a 10 set based on a rake I saw in a video working out of Mossend.  For the 1975 and 1980 eras I'm planning to fill my two "Freightliner" FGA twins with lightly detailed and ride-height adjusted Hornby FFAs (ride height, transfers and handbrake wheel, and new wheelsets) with permanently affixed containers hiding the solid underframe trussing.  They'll be placeholders until Bachmann realise there is demand for more inners!

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5 hours ago, adb968008 said:

Fyi C-Rail were selling the shorter length Freightliner Limited (1960’s grey with red band) containers at Warley

 

https://shop.c-rail-intermodal.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=291


Cheers! Is anyone doing the open containers I wonder? 

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Bearing in mind how long it is since we saw the initial releases of FFA/FGA I'm surprised we haven't seen another run of either bare wagons or with different container liveries. I remember they seemed expensive wagons at the time, but they generally disappeared from shops fairly quickly too!

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I suspect people have been put off container wagons to some extent because of the Dapol mazak rot issue, though I don't think any of the other models have suffered.

 

9 hours ago, adb968008 said:

Fyi C-Rail were selling the shorter length Freightliner Limited (1960’s grey with red band) containers at Warley

 

https://shop.c-rail-intermodal.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=291

I shall have to have a good number of those.  A lot less crude than the Triang ones.   The early freightliners didn't have the variety of size and colour we see today, the whole train would be freightliner-liveried containers

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