Loco Buffer Sizes

[sulzer71]

Afternoon all

 

I'm looking to replace all my loco buffers with sprung brass ones but i have no clue which size heads suit which class of loco and was wondering if anyone here had any idea? , i know there will be variations in each class between oval and round but i'm more interested in finding out which size relates to the real loco's. I have the following loco's to do:

 

Bachmann 08

Bachmann 20

Bachmann 24

Bachmann 25

Bachmann 37

Heljan 26

Heljan 27

 

Any advice is appreciated

 

Regards

 

Dave  

[Wickham Green]

Simplest thing would be to copy what Bachmann or Heljan provide ..... unless that doesn't look right on a particular loco !!?!

[sulzer71]

14 minutes ago, Wickham Green said:

Simplest thing would be to copy what Bachmann or Heljan provide ..... unless that doesn't look right on a particular loco !!?!

I'm not convinced they are to scale if i'm honest

[Wickham Green]

Lanarkshire suggest that most of your locos would have started with 20'' buffers - and the 350HP shunter 16'' ..... possibly replaced with 22'' later : http://www.lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_138.htm ........................................ shame they don't offer them all drilled for springing !

[w124bob]

I've replaced Bachmann Oleo buffers with those mentioned above from Lanarkshire on several class 20's, you'll need to carefully  chisel/file off the square base plate from the buffer beam on the 20's . I don't recall the base plate is even present on the 25's. I left the cl37 buffers as is but for Oleo examples keep the buffer heads from cl20's and do a simple swap, can't comment on class 08's. I always touch in silver paint for buffer shank, paint the buffer head a mix of Humbrol black33 and tan62 and whilst still slightly tacky a little dot of lead from a soft pencil once dry polish gently for geasey appearence. Rubber the pencil on scrap of sandpaper then dab the graphite powered onto the buffer head with a paint brush, Humbrol metalcote works just aswell but the pencil method adds a touch of texture.

Buffers on on Heljan 26/27 locos are good enough for me, On the pictures below you can see the part of the buffer shank painted silver and the "grease" effect done the pencil way.

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by w124bob
Added info

[w124bob]

Class 08 buffers were almost indentical to many LMS/BR standard steamers so Lanarkshire LB01 will do

http://www.lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_125.htm

Some 08's got Oleo conversions in later in life. 

[Wickham Green]

Don't forget it's only the Oleo buffers that have a nice shiny silvery shank - they'd be black/rusty on the old 'spring' type buffers on 350s etc.