Converting a Class 21

[David Knight]

I’d like to remove the bogie sideframes on my Dapol class 21 to better see what the prospects are for converting it to P4 gauge but am baffled as to how to remove the sideframes without resorting to brute force. I can see lugs at either end on the bogie that look like they *should* be the answer to the problem but they won’t budge and there’s no obvious place to insert the traditional thin bladed screwdriver to pry things open. I’ve successfully done Bachmann and Heljan diesels with no problem but this one has me flummoxed for the moment. All ideas and suggestions gratefully appreciated.

TIA

David

[Jeremy Good]

David,

Have a look at the Class 22 thread as I suspect that they are similar. You can use the thin bladed screwdriver but it needs a bit more force than, for example, Bachmann bogies.

Jeremy

[Daddyman]

It is a struggle, and it is possible to snap the lugs on the bogie body. Focus on the lugs at the inboard end of the bogies. You need to aim to push lugs in slightly (so in this photo, I'm first pushing the screwdriver away from the camera), until the lugs yield, and then wedge the screwdriver in between the bogie frame and the lugs once the latter have yielded. A finer screwdriver than the one I'm using here would help.

20230523_172755.jpg

[David Knight]

Thank you both for your help. I think I’ll start by paring the lugs back a little so as not to have to distort the body too much as I suspect the plastic will be the kind that is reluctant to be glued. Then I’ll have a go with the traditional tool. Between this and Dapol’s reluctance to issue an exploded drawing of the model you’d think they didn’t want anyone to take them apart. Thanks again.

Cheers,

David

[David Knight]

A bit of gentle paring in the centre of the lugs to give the point of a scriber some purchase and off they came! now for the fun bit, turning down the flanges to suit but I have a P4 wheel form tool and the tread is only 1.7mm to the root of the flange so if the wheels are of a decent alloy I may get away with it.

IMG_0243.jpeg

Cheers,

David

[waveydavey]

To convert my two class 29s, prior to the form tool being made available, I turned down the wheels to accept Gibson 14mm tyres.

Cheers

David

[David Knight]

Hi David,

That’s my “Plan B” should things go wrong.

Cheers,

David

[David Thorpe]

It appears that Alan Gibson now does a spoked conversion set for class 21 locos.

[David Knight]

It appears that Alan Gibson now does a spoked conversion set for class 21 locos.

Good, now I have a plan “C”…. Thanks for the update David, is it on the website or is there a fresh catalogue?

Cheers,

David

[alan@york]

It appears that Alan Gibson now does a spoked conversion set for class 21 locos.

Firstly, they used to sell one for the old Hornby 21/29, which had the wrong number of spokes (11) Although once fitted, it is hard to tell the difference between 11 and 12.
If they do do a Dapol conversion with 11 spokes, I'm a happy bunny.
a@y

[David Thorpe]

Page 29 of the Gibson catalgue - 3' 8", 10 spokes, 2mm axle. Prototype was 3' 7", and "is thought to have had" 11 spokes (http://www.clag.org.uk/wheelbase.html). I don't think it's possible to count the number of spokes once the wheels are fitted to a class 21. Certainly these ones will do for me and there is now no excuse for me not to get a 21 although most suppliers appear to be waiting for a new edition to arrive from Dapol. I'll also have to get advice from my diesel guru as to which example is suitable for my layout.

[alan@york]

I don't think those shown in the catalogue are suitable for the Dapol 21/9: IIRC I have a pack for the old Hornby 21 (not Bachmann)
Sorry.
Missed a chance to see them at York.
a@y

[David Thorpe]

I don't think those shown in the catalogue are suitable for the Dapol 21/9

Why not? They'll have to be modified for Dapol's split axle system, or alternatively have wipers fitted to the bogies, but is there something else that makes them unsutable?

David