Bachman coal Tank

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Precursor

Bachman coal Tank

Postby Precursor » Fri Jun 03, 2022 6:57 pm

Hi, has anyone on here converted a Bachman Coal Tank to P4

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Venturer
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:40 pm

Re: Bachman coal Tank

Postby Venturer » Sat Jun 04, 2022 1:10 pm

Hi, Precursor

I did a simple wheel change conversion some time ago.

Cat_01-3.jpg

Cat_01-2.jpg

Cat_04.jpg


Lots of small niggles led to a prolonged process of repeatedly taking it apart and trying again. It was not bad but "not quite right"
As seen in the photos, 4 of the pickups were replaced. The strips in the foreground of the second picture are my now preferred 2FS copperclad sleeper strip.
The coupling rods were replaced.
If it wasn't for the digital control (with some extreme P and I settings) I may have given up, but having now done many of these conversions, I persisted with it.
It was almost right but... At the last show I went to before the great shutdown (Leamington 2020), I purchased a London Road chassis kit. I thought the original had beaten me, but when "threatened" with the replacement chassis being waved about near it - It behaved well enough to ensure its survival!
It continues to perform well. The replacement remains unbuilt.
The conversion highlights the gap between the wheels and the frames. Cosmetic overlays in black plastic have been planned for some time, but seem to be hiding with the tuit (The round one)
If and when the London Road chassis is built, the coal tank's conversion status will be invalidated and my conversion total will be decremented.

Hope this helps, or at least brings someone forward with a better version.
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Nihil sine labore - school motto
The more I practice, the luckier I get - Gary Player et al

Precursor

Re: Bachman coal Tank

Postby Precursor » Sat Jun 04, 2022 3:21 pm

Hi, Thank you for that. I only ask as I have Just done one, luckily it runs quite nicely (I must have been lucky)
John

triumph3
Posts: 115
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:52 pm

Re: Bachman coal Tank

Postby triumph3 » Mon Jun 06, 2022 1:14 pm

I can add a little to the conversion using the original chassis. I started a conversion and it was then finished by my good friend Tony Sheffield.
The loco as standard comes with some nice axle boxes which I reamed out to 1/8th, but be careful and ream them out when they are in situe, if you try and grip in a pair of pliers then the axle box can shatter! (as me how I know this). Some washers took up the side play and the original pick ups were used. The model fully converted is 1054 as I did some work on its restoration at Dinting (needle gunning the paint off the side tanks).
I have started a second conversion (this will be #110) and attach some photos of progress to date. Be careful when reaming out the driven axle so as not to get brass swarf in the gears, I packed the space with tissue.
The one issue Tony mentioned was that the coupling rods did not match the hole centres! I will make up a set of new rods from London Rd Models.
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IMG_4571.JPG
IMG_4013 (2).JPG
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triumph3
Posts: 115
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:52 pm

Re: Bachman coal Tank

Postby triumph3 » Tue Jun 07, 2022 1:50 pm

Further progress on my second Coal Tank conversion. The Gibson wheels come without any balance weights so these have to be made up. Be aware the the balance weights are not the same for each axle.
My technique is to place some masking tape over the front face of the wheel and fill with filler from the back and then a coat of Satin black to the wheels.
IMG_4580.JPG
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the reason for reaming out the axle boxes was that I had a set of 1/8"axles and wheels to hand, if you buy the conversion set from Alan Gibson then no reaming necessary.

David
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Penrhos1920
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Re: Bachman coal Tank

Postby Penrhos1920 » Fri Jun 10, 2022 11:14 am

David,

how is the gear attached to the new axle? Looks like you've used epoxy.

Thanks

Norton961

Re: Bachman coal Tank

Postby Norton961 » Fri Jun 10, 2022 4:47 pm

What looks like epoxy is actually excess grease as from Bachmann. I attach the gear by knurling the axle by running the centre over a course file. Because I used 1/8” axles the gear is reamed out to take the axle.

David

GrahamLedger

Re: Bachman coal Tank

Postby GrahamLedger » Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:33 pm

A couple of points I hope you will take as constructive, which is how they are intended.

Looking at photos (I'm not that old..) some Coal Tanks in L.N.W.R. days (even those on passenger work) seemsto have had no between-spokes balance weights.

'Coal engines' had only one weight on the coupled wheels and this included the early 0-8-0s (which were also known as 'Coal Engines' originally.) There was a lot of wheel swapping at Crewe, of course, and later on two-weight wheels seemed universal. The Coal Tanks seemed to graduate initially to single balance weight wheels (opposite the crankpin on the coupled wheels, obviously). The driving wheel is more complicated !

And (I'm sure you know) talking of quartering the L.N.W. was left-leading.

Regards, Graham Ledger


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