A well-made scratchbuilt (unless anyone can identify a kit) wooden model. It's fitted with 30mm diameter, uninsulated steel wheels. Currently set to 32mm gauge, there is plenty of space to move these out to 45mm, which is what I plan to do.
Mind you, they don't seem very keen on moving on their axles. I'm wondering if I dare try a bit of heat to break any glue joints. Trouble is, it's such a lovely model, I don't want to risk damaging it. The axleboxes are metal, I'm suspecting whitemetal which rather precludes warming things up. Suggestions welcomed.
Length, over buffers: 160mm. Width, over axleboxes, 82mm.
The hole in the floor is a mystery. Was this a tender for a steam loco, and the holes is to allow a pipe through to the loco? Maybe a battery cart for an electric model. We'll never know, but it's fun to speculate.
3 comments:
Re-Gauging to 45mm: If the wheels are fixed on the axles with glue you might have a chance; if it’s one of the stronger Loctite compounds you may have to resort to careful application of heat. I wonder if the axle boxes might more readily be persuaded to part company from the wagon and so release the whole axle assembly. On resetting the gauge - a thought, if you have them, would be to use two very small toolmakers clamps. With one either side of the axle and the respective ‘fingers’ in contact with the back of the wheels the clamps could be gently opened up, rather than closed, to see if the wheels can be released from their bond.
Chris TGG
Some good idea there - thanks.
If those axleboxes are WM they could be the IP Engineering quarry ones, so replaceable
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