'O' gosh!

Apologies for the delay in posting - busy times!  First up today is an image of the forgotten loco - Moel Tryfan.  The loco needs some tlc to sort out intermittent shorting problems on the chassis and also requires slidebars (I have them) and connecting rods (I don't have them), other than that, it's complete and looking good. I have the nameplates ready.

But the real subject of this post is............bogies and O rings!  Below are some nine lines bogies (from Lynton and Barnstaple prototypes).  These are terrible and avoid them at all costs.  The sides spring apart way too easily and wheelsets drop out.  I am phasing these out completely.

Alternatives?  Worsley works makes bogies in brass - here are some FR style bogies - just add bearings.  However, apart from the fact you have to paint them (!), the mounting of couplings to them is difficult.  Also included in this bag are some 'artistry in brass' (I think this is Parkside Dundas now) NWNGR bogies with white metal axleboxes - these suffer from the same issue.

Here are the worsley works bogies for the WHR saloons, very nice etchings, but again how do I add my couplings?
Here are the Parkside Dundas bogies for FR stock (that really means carrs 15 to 20 plus 23 and Vans 1/2), but I will use them for a few other similar vehicles too.  Much better for BEMO couplings and easy to put together.

Also from Parkside come these more modern style bogies.  Easy to add BEMOs and pretty close to prototypical too.

A manufacturer I have recently come across is greenmax, their N gauge bogies come in two wheelbases 13 and 16mm and run beautifully.  These are the excellent 13mm ones, if you can make do with the incorrect scale on the side detailing (oh come on who's going to see it!).

and these are the 16mm ones underneath FR buffet carriage 114.  The significance of this is related to the title of this post - 'O'.  

For lo, I have discovered what I think is an excellent way of mounting these bogies onto the etched brass floor of the worsley carriage.  The answer was a purchase from Porthmadog market a few months ago - O rings - the type used for plumbing.  You can get ones that are 2mm thick and about 5-7mm diameter.  Any of these fit perfectly around a 10BA bolt and sit between the bogie and the floor.  The benefit over a bit of plasticard or some other method? - they're springy! So you get a kind of suspension effect too - cool eh??

 

In other news...

• Construction started on my Baldwin (590), but has stalled due to a requirement for replacement crankpins from GEM.  The farish chassis doesn't have room for the connecting rod behind the coupling rod, so you have to send off to GEM for new crankpins.
• The footplate of Vale of Ffestiniog has been constructed and parts for the body prepared.  Nameplates have been sourced.  Chassis choice remains up in the air.
• An FR coal waggon was completed in white metal, with an etched chassis.
• On the other layout, the area at the back of the top level has been formed using my preferred method of newspaper balls, masking tape and plaster bandage.  Also the levers for the points have been sourced - this layout will have an AC supply for peco point motors separate to the DCC system, unlike Rhyd Ddu.
• and finally, digg the digger??? [the joints in the jib actually work, so you can position it as you like]
  
  

all jolly good fun!

Colin