Peco O Gauge Chassis Kit

Hi,One of the challenges fitting Winterley couplings to Locomotives is the coupling hook end, which is quite a large unit to fit. The loop end is straight forward, requiring just two small holes drilled in the buffer beam, but on some locomotives, ie the class 02 diesel and the Hudswell Clarkes, fitting the hook end would involve a fair amount of surgery to the locomotive bodywork. So I've decided to use a wagon permanently attached to what would be the hook end of the locomtives using the three link coupling and then attaching the Winterley hook to the other end of the wagon.
I've already built one GWR shunter's wagon, a white metal kit, but will need a few more wagons, so I've bought 4x Peco BR chassis Kits to try and see if I can produce a small 9ft wagon. So heres today's "little" project.

Very straight forward instructions.


4 main parts go together in seconds, they clip into slots very easily.

The wheels have full suspension when fitted as the springs are made from a flexible material which adds just enough tension to hold the wheels down on uneven track-work.




Small brass inserts go into the buffer housings. Why Slaters and Parkside don't do this is a shame as this is a very nice easy push fit.


The spring mechanism again is a great method of spring the coupling hook at the same time as the buffers requiring just a small drop of super glue on the end of the buffer to secure the brass "screw" head, then when set using tweezers to lift the spring wire into the groove



To me this is easily the nicest and simplest way to build up the buffer beam and also the buffers are set at the correct distance with no adjusting small nuts at the rear to get them the same working distance then having to secure the small nuts from coming off during use with a dab of locktight


Now to try and turn it into a type of 1 Plank shunter's wagon. The sides where built up from three strips of plasticard glued together to give the required thickness, then glued to the wagon.


Once glue had set a piece of Lead Flashing was cut to size.



This adds enough weight to drop the wagon slightly on its suspension

Next out with the ruler and Olfa scribing knife to try and turn the lead into planked flooring. Two passes with the knife on each line gives a good effect.


Still requires cleaning up, but I think you can see the idea. The Winterley coupling is still to be fitted as Ive run out of stock. They should be on thre way from the UK

 

Hi Pete, which model did you build? Reason I ask is that I'm thinking about buying the box van kit
Kim

 

Hi Gary,
I got my chassis kits from Hattons, but they don't seem to stock the other wagons. Osbourns models uk and gauge master are showing the whole range in stock and they deduct the VAT.
Kim

 

Tower models also do specials on Parkside and Slaters kits when you buy several and again they deduct the VAT

 

Hi Pete, nice looking wagon. If your not going to put a load in it then a piece of lead flashing as I've used should do the trick. I think I'm going to order two box van as I'm impressed with the running of the chassis kits. These can then replace two Parkside ones I purchased second hand which need a bit of talc.
Kim

 

Hi Paul,
Having done a bit of research on the net it seems that there is no definitive weight for all wagons.
The GOG manual does not have a recommend weight, it suggests that the weight should be in line with the total length of the wagon, ie 1 gram per mm of length, but does state a minimum weight of 125 grams. The other thing to consider is if you had heavy white metal kits on the end of a long train, with Parkside or Slaters plastic wagons in front of them, with no weight or very little then the chances of a derailment on tight curves, of the lighter wagons is increased. It seems the more important issue is to keep the weight of all wagons the same or as close to as possible.I think that with a small shunting plank that the weight is not so much an issue as long as the wagons run well on the track work. A case of less weight if the track work is perfect and more weight if it is not.The single sheet of roofing lead that I use in my open wagons is approx 75 grams and this gives smooth running over a couple of "not so good" track sections.The other thing to consider is if the wagons have any type of "suspension" built in to the design. The Peco chassis above runs extremely well with no weight added . I have a van fitted with Bill Bedford's spring axle sets, and that runs well with 150 grams.........I'm sure others will have their own ideas on this subject
Kim