Class 50 detail information and conversion advice.

[Terry]

Hi,

Can anyone point me to detailed pictures/drawings of class 50 bogie and underframe details. I am detailing an old lima model and although I have a lot of photographic data found largely on the net and in some books, and although I do have some craftsman detail sets for the bodywork etc, I can't get any decent pictures of the middle underframe area for which I plan to scratch build/rebuild my own detail.

Also, anyone with any general advice or learning from detailing or converting a 50, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks

Terry

[grovenor-2685]

Check the bogies, IIRC the Lima 50 used the H0 bogies common with the Detic rather than those from the Cl 37, although I could be wrong. Mine is a Hornby so not much in common but a bit of info here http://www.norgrove.me.uk/class50.htm
Regards
Keith

[jim s-w]

Hi Terry

I have some pics but can't get to them ATM. Give me a week or 2 and I'll try to get them.

Cheers

Jim

[Terry]

Keith and Jim,

Many thanks, these help!

Terry

[John Fitton]

I have converted a couple of hornby class 50 engines and although the running is super the road holding is really bad, the reason being that the wheelsets are held rigidly by a pressed metal bearing carrier. Has anyone attempted to loosen up the bearings in the vertical plane to allow a bit of slop? These are the only engines to suffer like this. I have a heljan falcon and it never comes off the track.

John Fitton.

[grovenor-2685]

I did loosen up the bearings on the centre axles of mine to get rid of that problem, I used a needle file and tried as far as possible to loosen it vertically upwards and not fore and aft, if you can get 0.25mm it should be enough.
Regards
Keith

[jim s-w]

Hi

One crude but effective fix is to solder the center bearing in place and then open it into a slot using a cutting disk in a minidrill. It does work!



For more on the hornby 50 and it's to do list see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/showcase/?p=2284



Hope this helps

Jim

[John Fitton]

Jim and Keith,

Yes, that is what I had in mind! I will actually open up all the bearings I think to allow more vertical movement in the down direction.

Jim, the link didnt work for me, is it broken?

John F

[grovenor-2685]

The link is fine, RMweb is having trouble today.
I would be very careful opening up all bearings, there is no particular need for downwards movement, just the centre axle needs upwards movement so it doesn't lift the end axle off. The gears have fairly small teeth so much slop fore and aft could result in poor meshing.
Regards
Keith

[John Fitton]

Thanks Keith, I will tread carefully!

John F.