Bachmann class108

[PeterH]

Hello

I was browsing the various proprietry manufacurer's websites and am struck by how much some models have improved over the years since I have been away from the hobby. I saw a Bachman 108 on Hatton's website in a livery which fits in with my early 80's period and made an impulse purchase.

Having examined it I am very happy with the glazing and under frame detail, as compared with a Lima Bubble car which I made up from two cars about 30 years ago.

The power car appears to be all wheel pick, both bogies, up but in fact only the outside wheels on the drive bogie appear to be collecting current, and under the seating is a complex looking PBC as it is DCC ready. The verticle prongs on the bogies don't look a very positive contact; maybe they should be replaced with wires.

I looked on Branchlines " website " and see that they offered a conversion wheelset kit (2008). If it is still available is this the best way to go about converting the unit. Does anyone known whether anything has been published on this subject.

Thanks in anticipation.

Peter H

[grovenor-2685]

I bought one of those Branchlines sets at Scaleforum, just a few minutes to swap out all the wheels and it runs very well, highly recommended.
Keith

[shipbadger]

Bought my Branchlines wheels second hand from ebay (always amazed at some of the things that end up there) and like Keith it was but a few moments work and a satisfactory result.

Tony Comber

[Terry Bendall]

We use a class 108 on Ravenscroft Sidings, pending the arrival of somethong more appropriate. I cannot remember now whose's wheels we used for the conversion but it may have been Branchlines. No problems at all with the running or the transfer of current from the wheels via the "prongs".

Terry Bendall

[Andrew Ullyott]

Must be me. My 108 gives me nothing but grief!
Converted with a Branchlines wheel set. Easy conversion but falls off far too often for my liking.

[Tim V]

Better bring it along to the EM skills day, there might be an answer there....

[ginger61]

Must be me. My 108 gives me nothing but grief!
Converted with a Branchlines wheel set. Easy conversion but falls off far too often for my liking.

No you're not the only one!!! One thing I found out is that if you use a small "phillips" screwdriver before you put the wheels in, and press the " bearing cups" a bit the wheels will rotate more freely and slacken off the centre crosshead screw that holds the bogie to the body, it should help it stay on!!!!! I have converted 4 108 and 2 105s like this.
Hth,
Cheers, Nick.

[Andrew Ullyott]

Must be me. My 108 gives me nothing but grief!
Converted with a Branchlines wheel set. Easy conversion but falls off far too often for my liking.

No you're not the only one!!! One thing I found out is that if you use a small "phillips" screwdriver before you put the wheels in, and press the " bearing cups" a bit the wheels will rotate more freely and slacken off the centre crosshead screw that holds the bogie to the body, it should help it stay on!!!!! I have converted 4 108 and 2 105s like this.
Hth,
Cheers, Nick.

Thanks for the tip. Will give it a try. If not then yes Tim, I'll be seeking your advice!

[PeterH]

Thanks for your replies; I'll try e bay first.

[Jonathan Hughes]

It can't be a difficult conversion because I managed my 105 with the Branchlines wheels. For me the tricky bit was getting the Bachmann wheels off the plastic axles... once that was sorted, with a little advice from Jim SW (thanks again Jim)... it all went together quite nicely. Runs ok on a test track and one day I'll have a small layout to try it on too

[Mark Tatlow]

I can't say I have done any of the DMU's (although I have the pack from Branchlines and a class 105 in the bag at the moment).

However, I can alert Andrew to an issue that I found with the Bachmann Mk1's; which may be part of his problem - I beleive they are conceived in the same many.

When the chassis is secured back into the body and also when the weights within the chassis are put back in do not over tighten the screws. This leads the chassis to take up a slight banana shape which in turn has the effect of tilting the bearing plate for the bogies. Once I had resolved this, running did improve with my stuff even though the banana twist is close to imperceptable to the eye (try putting a straight edge on it though).

[grovenor-2685]

You don't need to separate body and chassis to install the Branchlines conversion although you will to add DCC decoders. I have yet to open up the trailer but will have to eventually as the lights are permanently on with the DCC track volts. Bachmann expect you to fit a second decoder in there but once I get it apart I will cable it to the motor car thus making better use of the pickups and saving the extra decoder. Better intercar couplers and gangways are also needed.
Keith

[ginger61]

Kieth,
On my dmu's I have used "kadee" #17, using the original coupling pockets between carriages but screw link on the outer ends. Good luck on taking the bodies off as I found that I needed to be an octopus with quite a few slivers of plastic card offcuts to help I also cut the metal bar off the couplers with no detrimental effect.
Hth,
Nick.

[grovenor-2685]

I did take the body off the motor car to fit the decoder so have got the plastic sliver business mastered.
I intend to body mount the couplers, I dislike bogie mount, I still have to decide what to do about the 4 wires needed between cars, last time I used couplers made from plug and sockets but I am thinking to try something else this time. The thinking will probably go on for some time yet
Keith

[PeterH]

Thanks for all the comments. No luck on e bay so obtained a set from Branchlines.

The proprietor said that current production is in stainless steel because nickel siver has become too expensive.
I wonder how stainless steel will be for current collection, and can it be chemically blackened.

Peter H

[grovenor-2685]

Stainless steel should not be any problem electrically, chemical blackening I don't know, probably mentioned somewhere in the Carr's data sheets.
Keith.

[Philip Hall]

I have used a etching marker pen for many years now and one of its great advantages is that it will blacken solder and stainless steel. THe price is rising, and they can cost a small fortune (i have seen them at £45 plus) depending upon where you buy them from, but I always use MSC Industrial Supply - at the moment they are £29 odd + VAT. Yes this is expensive but they are very easy to use.

http://www.mscdirect.co.uk and type in 'etching marker pen' in the search box.

A word of warning though. If you use the pen on mild steel, such as wheel tyres, there is a tendency to promote rust, so it is essential to clean off any residue carefully. I found this out once when a customer commented how effective the rust effect I had achieved on a chassis, but when I saw it I realised it was real rust!

Philip