brian777999

ejstubbs : until I started to put together the draft boxes I was not aware that they are a clip fit. I am aware of that fact now but they are already glued together...oh well, no real problem as this is all an experiment. I do know that the Triang bogies are not correct as are 12mm wheels but as you have pointed out, the coaches themselves do not represent any prototype so these ''mistakes'' do not worry me too much. I was more concerned about getting the buffer height correct as I initially intended to use 3 link couplers. I am hoping that the draft boxes for the 146 couplers will solve the problems I was having with the #20's being screwed directly into the bogie. I agree that the Kadees were not designed to operate this way. If I was doing all this again I would probably use the Bachmann bogies but I have put too much time and energy into converting the original Triang bogies so I am not giving up now I had to make four brass bushes for each coach on my lathe so that the bogies could be fitted at the correct height. Then I had to turn the axle tips of each Bachmann set of wheels so that it would run smoothly in the Triang bogies. I did not find out until later that the Hornby wheels would have been a perfect fit ! Do you drill and tap when using machine screws in plastic ? I do have metric taps but I did not think them necessary when drilling/screwing into 1.5mm thick plastic.

There is nothing like actually getting in there and doing it is there ? So I went to Jaycar and their smallest self tapper was far too big so I had to make do with what I had at home. I have a very large selection of M2 socket caps of various lengths. Using a tap drill of 1.6mm I found that the M2X4mm screws will go into the plastic quite nicely and hold firmly. The advantage of using sockets caps is that you can rest the socket cap on the hex head driver while apply pressure to cut a thread into the plastic ; this is much easier than doing the same thing with slotted or Phillips head screws. After a bit of experimenting I thought I had the correct place for the #20's. I made up two coaches which looked really good (photo 1). But after pushing them around the test track I found I had buffer lock so I had to redrill the holes in the bogies so that the knuckle was further out. This did run well without buffer lock but the coaches look too far apart for my liking (photos 2 and 3). I am going to experiment tomorrow with the 141 and 146 Kadees. The bogies have had a suitable section cut away to enable the draft boxes to fit neatly on the end. I have glued the draft boxes together tonight to make them easier to handle tomorrow. Do most people glue them together ? I did try just holding them together with the M2X6mm screw which passes right through the hole into the bogie but after it is tightened up then the coupler will not move from side to side.

I have tried using poly cement before on these old Triang bogies and it does not work at all. I do not know what the bogies are made of but the Revell Contacta glue I usually use for plastic models just sits on top of the Triang plastic and forms a skin...totally useless. I have used Selleys super glue with these bogies and that works very well. I think at this stage it is better to try using self tapping screws in case some small adjustments have to be made later. Once I get one coach fitted out then I may use super glue on the others.

ejstubbs : I was going to use the Bachmann bogies but they come with 14mm wheels and I wanted to get the buffers as low as possible. I am using 12mm wheels on the Triang bogies and after my modifications to the bogies the buffers are at the correct height. But I guess it does not matter now that I am not going to use the 3 link couplers ! kevinlms : Thank you, I did not think of Jaycar. Their smallest self tapper I can find listed is no.4 X 6mm which is 2.77mm diameter. I may need something smaller : I will call them tomorrow. Otherwise it will be a long wait for the slow boat from China !

I was going to fit 3 link couplers to all my Triang Clerestory roof coaches now that I have modified the buffer height by altering the bogies and fitting metal wheels. But that still leaves the problem of buffer lock so today I have been experimenting with Kadees : I can get the #20 coupler to sit at the correct height and the correct distance (rear of the knuckle space in line with the ends of the buffers). Now I just have to work out a way to fix the couplers to the bogies. There is not enough room under the axle for an NEM box so that leaves super glue or a self tapping screw...I am not sure of the size yet. Can anybody see any problems with what I am doing here ? Some suitable self tappers in this lot I would think....I cannot find any small self tappers here in Cairns ! http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/322064216986?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Do Bachmann and Hornby make their own motors or do they buy from an outside supplier ?

Seriously, they have a members only area ? What happens if you try to get in...do you get roughed up ?

Do the lamps work ?

Well, I thought I had Bachmann wheels but it turns out they were not ! The one set of wheels I already had measured 25.6mm from axle tip to axle tip and these are a perfect fit for the old Triang bogies. But I ordered five packets of Bachmann wheels and these are 26mm ; they do not run well at all. Which brand of wheels are 25.6mm from tip to tip...Hornby, Romford, Dapol ?

I am thinking of buying a Prusa i3 3D printer. They sell for $280 here in Australia. Has anybody bought one of these machines and NOT been happy with it ?

1. 81E Can we see your 3D printed bogies ? What sort of equipment did you use to make them ? 2. I am going to fit some 12mm Bachmann disc wheels to the original bogies. They are a good fit and run quite well in the plastic ''bearings''. The buffer height is correct after the step has been removed from the top of the bogie. Is it worth reaming out the inside axle holes on the Triang bogies and fitting some Alan Gibson brass bearings ?

Do you have any of these tools in stock now ? I have sent an email enquiring about postage to Cairns, Australia ?

Do they still use shunter's trucks or something similar ?

So what type of rolling stock would have been fitted with screw link couplers on the GWR : GWR brown stock, passenger coaches...anything else ?

How do they calculate the required size of the parts to allow for this shrinkage and expansion ? Does one cancel out the other ?

It must be a complicated business making the moulds for a white metal kit. How is it done ?

Dunsignalling : Why is the Hornby version better, in your opinion ?

Is the Dean Goods finished yet ?

Assuming I can get hold of one : are they worth working on ? With patience and care, can you end up with a decent working model or is it best described as a sow's ear ?

Were the ''Milestones of Transport'' kits produced in lesser numbers than the standard Keyser kits ? They do not seem to come up for sale as often ; in fact, I have never seen any of them for sale.

What can be done to scare away both feral and domestic cats from bird feeders and the back yard in general ? NOTE : Let us leave the 12 gauge in the cupboard for now !

Brunel broad gauge train set complete with loco, coaches and track. I doubt that they would get any competition from Bachmann or Hornby on that one !

1. GWR pre-grouping loco with Indian red frames such as the Armstrong class. 2. MR Kirtley 0-6-0 tank loco. http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot.aspx?LotId=430237&Section=5945

Did anybody find out what happened to the ''Milestones of Transport'' range ? Somebody must have them.

With respect to the photo of the milk van above : were they really lined out like that ? I have never seen that before.