Blacksmith autocoach

[David B]

Can someone please explain to me how these queen posts go together? I am making a GWR A7 Autocoach - a matchboard conversion from a SRM.

The instructions just say, 'Fit two piece queen posts. Fold in tab fits inside sole bar.' The truss rod is round bar.

Has anyone experience of these bits from Blacksmith? I may be dim, but I just don't see how they go together and take the truss rod. I have it in my head that the rod goes between the forks, but that seems to put the posts at 90o to the way they should be. There are no marks to help locate them on the sole bars.

The photo shows parts for all 4 posts.

David

queenposts_4868.jpg

[Russ Elliott]

Your pic has parts for the four queen posts, each of which is a pair of parts. The slots in each pair of parts fit into each other, forming a 4-finned shape. (The parts look a bit crude, btw, and could do with better shaping.)

I assume the tab folds down (??) to fit behind the solebar. The orientation of the fins should be longitudinal and lateral. The truss rod does not go between the forks.

Usually, queenposts are mounted on I-beams across the solebars, with truss rodding of rectangular section. Not having any pics of an A7 or its like to hand, they may have been different.

Here's part of an official drawing, but don't take it as representative:

queenposts.png

[David B]

Many thanks, Russ. I had no idea the posts were in a cross formation. The long arm goes down the back of the sole bar and the folded tab forms a 'foot' flat against the floor of the coach (or rather the part of the sloe bar etch that is soldered flat to the floor).

Once I had the shape idea, everything slotted in to place (apologies for the pun), so again, thank you. The instructions are woeful and I have not been able to find a clear enough picture of a post.

David