brian777999

That is the main problem : how to get them out without damaging the bogie. Being a metal bogie, there is no flex there at all. I wonder how they got them in ? I did try to replace the plastic wheels on the tender with no luck either. Even though the tender frames are plastic there is very little flex and I was worried about breaking something. I know others have replaced the tender wheels but I am not sure about the front bogie wheels. I will just leave all the wheels if I have to ; the Kadees are the important thing.

No keeper plate on this bogie.

Thanks, that is what I thought but I wanted confirmation before ripping in. What about those plastic wheels ? Once I got them out, how would I get metal wheels in ? I know others have done it but I am not sure how.

I am going to fit Kadee couplers front and rear to a Hornby Lord of the Isles loco - modern version. The tender will be no problem as I will just remove some plastic and fit a Kadee 146 with a 242 gearbox. But the the TLC on the loco bogie appears to be ''rivetted'' on. How do I go about removing this with the least amount of damage ? NOTE : it would be nice to replace the plastic wheels too.....suggestions ?

I read somewhere that Lima make 12mm diameter/24.5mm axle length wheels for their wagons but who sells them ? I need them for some second hand wagons I have purchased. Whoever built them from kits did not leave enough room for the standard 25.6mm axle length (Bachmann, Hornby etc.). I am hoping the Lima wheels will solve the problem. A truck tuner will not solve this ! I don't think Lima made spoked wheels so disc wheels will suffice.

Yes, there are decent kits but the problem (as with building model locomotives from kits) is giving them a good paint job. My apologies, closer inspection has revealed that the yellow panels are painted, but on my (probably older) models the paint must have been applied in multiple layers. You can actually feel the panels raised above the surrounding surface which is why I thought they were moulded. It is much better done the photos in the examples above.

No these are Hornby coaches. I have had many of them over the years. Run your finger along the sides and you can feel the raised panels ; they are not painted. These are not the shorter Triang coaches. I am a bit confused myself now !

My coaches and brake van came from a Flying Dutchman set. I have just double checked : definitely moulded panels.

I have two of the coaches and one of the brake vans : the panelling and lining is real/moulded...it is not painted. I have been told previously that they are accurate but I will leave that to others to confirm or deny. I can get the bogies off (I am trying to fit Kadees) but I am not sure how the roof would come off. What is it you intend to do when you say ''upgrade'' ?

A few years ago Woolworths opened their Masters hardware chain to compete with Bunnings in Australia. After a while Masters threw in the towel ( they didn't seem to try too hard) and wrote off billions of dollars leaving Bunnings with no competition as before. I guess the smug thought they could do anything, anywhere after that !

I do use a nut and bolt : M2 X 12 mm socket head as I always have plenty of this type on hand. But I am trying to avoid drilling through the steel weight as fitted by Hornby. That is why I asked about the glue. Anyway, I will try drilling through the steel plate and see how it goes. When drilling through metal I usually punch a mark before drilling but that is not an option here.

I have previously fitted a number of Kadee 146 couplers (and the 242 box) to some wagon kits I built and all went well. But now I have purchased a number of Hornby open wagons and getting some of them apart to remove the weight strip is a problem. The weight strip has to be removed in order to drill a hole for the screw as I don't fancy drilling down through steel. The hole would never be in the right place ! Most of the wagons come apart easily once the TLCs are removed but others will not. What is the best glue to use to fasten the 242 box to the underside of the chassis ? I was thinking of using 5 minute Araldite.

Thank you for reminding me : I actually bought one of those a few years ago. I never used it and forgot I had it. Time to give it a go and see if it works !

How would you fit brass top hats when the axle boxes are already in place on the wagon ie. how do you drill a hole at 90 degrees to the axle box from the inside ? Perhaps you drill from the outside and fill it later ?

Does anybody know what the Dapol axle length is ? Hattons have it listed as 25mm point to point but I have my doubts.

Although I understand your frustration, I think it is a bit early to put this business in the same category as Coopercraft.

I also use the Kadee 146. Pity you can't buy them in a bulk pack though.

For better or for worse ?

No, the new wheels/axles are too short. There is far too much slop. The truck tuner is used when the axles are too long.

I recently purchased some Hornby wagons from the UK thinking that they would all have metal spoked wheels. That was an incorrect assumption so now I am replacing the plastic wheels with Hornby spoked metal wheels (axle length is 25.6mm). All is going well except for one wagon which has a wheel axle length of 26.3mm. Which brand of metal spoked wheels can I use on this wagon ?

I am thinking of using these 18mm thick laminated hardwood panels for base boards.How stable are they? Are they likely to warp and bend ? https://www.bunnings.com.au/specrite-1200-x-300-x-18mm-brown-acacia-oiled-panel_p8330174

I received 20 packets (forty pairs of #146) and the postage to Cairns, Australia was $US26. I did check first. I was well pleased with the total cost per packet which was about half what I would pay buying from anywhere in Australia or the UK. NOTE : in Australia we do not pay any VAT or other taxes when buying online from overseas but that could change soon.

In case anybody is interested,I have found this ebay seller in the US to be the cheapest source of Kaydees #146. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Kadee-146-Metal-Whisker-Coupler-Long-25-64-Centerset-Shank-HO-Scale/123111082706?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Yes....sorry, my mistake. Late at night error and still groggy from anesthetic !

I am interested in the GWR 650 and 833. He does have others but I am not sure which. I just want some pregrouping GWR tank locos. Bachmann and Hornby are unlikely to ever make such a thing.