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Bachmann 03 rewheeling to EM.


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without building a new brass chassis, id like to have my Bachmann 03 rewheeled to EM.

 

id like to hear from anyone who has used the Utrascale wheels, are they drop in or do they have to be quartered?

I dont want to pull the Bachmann wheels out.

 

id also like thinner etched coupling rods if any are available?

 

thanks for any advice.

 

Mike

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My apologies old bean. I really had not spotted those (not that I'd looked very hard this year - too much else to do!!

Now I too would like to hear from anyone that has used these before I blow the wallet apart and how easy is the job? Elsewhere it suggests that these wheels are designed for the HL Chassis; is that the case?

"I would give serious consideration to the High Level chassis kit which is designed specifically for use under the Bachmann 03/04. Ultrascale do list the correct wheels for use with the High level kit. Your only other alternative would presumably be Alan Gibson - I don't have access to their catalogue at present but it can be downloaded from their website as a PDF. " (from another post on this section).

I would be getting this I suppose https://www.ultrasca...s/view/CAT006/6 ?

Thanks, P @ 36E

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if I just had a body I would build a high level chassis but seems a waste to throw away the Bachmann chassis especially when it runs so good.

 

I wonder if you provided them with the bearings and drive cog would they assemble them for you?

 

 

and coupling rods? does no one do any? I can only think of high level and branchlines in full chassis kits

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This whole 03 to EM thing seems to be some sort of state secret as I've never been able to get a response on the Forum (most unusual). Happy to eat those words if we get some response on here over the weekend.

P

 

I agree, although its probably no one has done any yet or go for the brass chassis option.

 

brassmasters do a nice coupling rod for the 08 so I wonder why none for the 03/ even if it is to be kept 00. some Bachmann coupling rods look a bit overscale imo.

 

I would have to check the Bachmann wheels against gibson and ultrascale, if they are the same or very close, why not get extended axles made and have them knurled just like the Bachmann axle and keep the Bachmann wheels?

I dont like pulling them out as they are only held on by a fraction of the axle.

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I agree, although its probably no one has done any yet or go for the brass chassis .....

 

 

Had one done at Expo North on my demo stand.......its the recent re chassied version, not the old split frame thing.

Sits on Gibsons......which also come with a jackshaft crank to match the wheels regarding crank throw.....

Rods could quite easily be thinned down, must admit I didnt bother though.

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how well does it run Pete?

 

on another point, ive just found a nickel etch of class 03/04 walkway overlays and cant think who they are from?

 

nothing against the branchlines and high level chassis, I have a body for an 04 which I will build a high level chassis for in the future if it does cater for the 04 not just the 03, but for the new rtr 03 i have id just like to rewheel it.

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how well does it run Pete?

 

on another point, ive just found a nickel etch of class 03/04 walkway overlays and cant think who they are from?

 

As good as the original......

 

Are those etched bits from an old Vulcan which became Alan Gibson 04 kit? Seem to recall they had all sorts of add on etches...including tramway skirts and cowcatchers.

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To answer the above couple of queries.....

 

I'm saying Gibson wheels and axles, they are 3mm diameter.

If you try re using the Bachmann axles, they will be too short for EM, and anyway, are knurled at the ends so would damage the Gibson wheel, and by the way, if I may add, I dont use glue or pin the Gibson wheels to the axles to answer your other thread on here Micheal. I simply make sure there is a chamfer on the axle end (a fine needle file is perfectly adequate) before pressing home in a GW Models press...

Yes, I use spacing washers, Gibson do lovely turned brass ones in 1mm, 0.5mm and 0.25mm thicknesses.....off hand, I cannot remember what I used, but will check if anyone wants to know.

The jackshaft isnt a shaft as such, its a boss cast either side of the chassis...the Gibson flycrank sits on these with no spacing washers needed, and is retained by a brass screw which needs to be between 6 and 7mm long to bottom in the Bachmann tapped hole, so allowing the crank to turn freely without slop......if that makes sense! Again, offhand, I cannot recall what BA size, but can take mine apart and find out if you dont have a selection of such things to play with and find out!

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thanks Pete,

 

while I still want to use the Bachmann chassis for this one, heres a very nice build of the high level chassis by Kier Hardy,

 

http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/project_class03.html

 

I realise now the etched overlays ive got that I mentioned earlier are from this kit, a friend who built one didnt use them and gave me them a while back.

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Just to update my post above, I used 2x1mm spacing washers each side on all 3 axles, still leaves a bit of sideplay.

The Gibson jackshaft cranks were retained usinf a 12BA countersunk head screw, between 6 and 7mm long.

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  • 6 months later...
  • 1 month later...

And one 03, complete with wheels....

 

post-6712-0-39504200-1371202316_thumb.jpg

 

post-6712-0-45305700-1371202369_thumb.jpg

 

Underside view, showing the spacers cut from plastic tube - 2mm in length.

 

post-6712-0-02361500-1371202326_thumb.jpg

 

I decided to make the driveshaft solid, rather than bolting the cranks back on.  I drilled through both sides of the original boss, building up to 2mm, before reaming out the remainder to allow a 2mm axle to spin freely.  It won't require any spacers as the wheels take care of that.

 

post-6712-0-30832500-1371202347_thumb.jpg

 

post-6712-0-92535000-1371202357_thumb.jpg

 

Final view of the other side, after adding a coat of Klear.  I've since painted the wheels black and added a second coat of Klear on the body.

 

post-6712-0-63986700-1371202380_thumb.jpg

 

Looking forward to seeing this one finished, especially as I'll be running this one at Expo North on Crown Street :)

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Gorgeous Tim, thank you so much. more than I was expecting, and renumbered as a Liverpool Edge hill and Crown street goods yard regular :)

 

because I wont see Tim until expo North where we are exhibiting Liverpool Crown street, he has worked hard getting it ready to pass it to me at Wigan show this weekend, it will then be passed to Gareth Rowlands who is demoing weathering at Wigan and who will give it a little bit of dirt. so it maybe with either of them at the show if anyone would like to see it, that is if I havent took it home to play with it :)

 

for the coupling rods,we dont like the Bachmann ones and couldnt get anyone to sell any etched ones separately.

I have recently bought a Branchlines 03/04 etched chassis to build as intended for an 04 I am building, the coupling rods are 2 laminates and what I plan to do is not to stick them together, but make the second rear laminate from either brass or nickel, then filed to match the rod. that way I get 2 sets of coupling rods, one for the Branchlines 04 and the other for this. we've measured them and it should be fine.

 

post-27-0-63101000-1371213661.jpg

 

 

 

 

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coupling rods on and it runs :)

 

only one thickness of rod at the moment, the distance between the 1st and 2nd axle seems to be a very slighty bit shorter than between 2nd and 3rd, its tight if its got bushes the first axle so ive left the bushes off the first axle and that seems to be a lot better and is running now. jackshaft rod next.

also had a light weathering on the body from Gareth..

 

post-27-0-88851300-1371336691_thumb.jpg

 

 

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it wasnt perfect so what I have done is to oval the outer coupling rod holes inward. then I got a Brassmasters class 08 coupling rod etch which I had spare and opened the holes out on that to the correct size and then soldered it to the back of the branchlines 03 rods at the correct inner distance, with the result that its brought the holes inward slightly to the correct distance

 

done a quick video on my phone so apologise for picture quality, its just to show it running...

 

 

 

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I have now done the jackshaft, getting the screw in the back wasnt as tricky as I thought, the connecting rod from the branchlines kit is a very near fit, just the one thickness of etched rod (ill keep the others for the 04) with holes opened up to 1.6mm, the jackshaft axle needed some plastic spacers on them as it would move over and touch the rear steps. I made those from a cotton wool bud stem, cut into a c shape then popped on the axle. I need to get some Gibson crankpin nuts as i didnt have enough but have used ordinary nuts for now.

Ive gave it a bit more weathering, black around the chimney bonnet top and roof and a few other areas, also painted the cab side handrail knobs green. I did paint the rods red at first but didnt like it so went for black. just needs couplings now.

 

post-27-0-76014100-1371500124_thumb.jpg

 

post-27-0-17519400-1371500142_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

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