High Level 64XX

[High Level Kits]

Finally, the lost wax sandbox castings done, so I'm hoping to have the 54/64/74 Chassis ready for sale early next week. The kit, which is designed to fit under the Bachmann body, follows the usual High Level spec, with the boiler-mounted can motor, and is suitable for all three loco types. A small amount of 'plastic surgery' allows the larger 54xx wheels to sit inside the splashers with enough clearance for compensation

Details are on the website http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk

[Re6/6]

Excellent Chris!

[steamraiser]

Magic Chris!

Gordon A

[Horsetan]

An expensive spring season beckons

[Noel]

A small amount of 'plastic surgery' allows the larger 54xx wheels to sit inside the splashers with enough clearance for compensation

Which troubles me. This is not intended as a comment on High Level's chassis kit, but on the Bachmann body. Not only did 54XX and 64XX/74XX have different size wheels, they had different size splashers. The Bachmann version looks to me far nearer the 54XX than the 64XX/74XX. Also that chimney looks more weird every time I look at it. Despite being interested in south Wales in BR days, I am now more inclined to use the 4575, some of which were autofitted in 1953.

[dal-t]

Yes, my 7mm 54xx has (significantly) larger splashers than the alternatives provided in the kit for those that wanted to build it as a 64xx/74XX - and I still had to remove some substantial chunks of the footplate, which was obviously intended for the smaller wheels. I presumed this was one of the benefits of proprietary OO gauge - once those pizza-cutter flanges are done away with, it's easy to step up a size or two in diameter. But are the splashers then in the right place, or too far inboard? I've never seen the little Bachmann beastie, but I think we should be told ...

[Horsetan]

....But are the splashers then in the right place, or too far inboard? I've never seen the little Bachmann beastie, but I think we should be told ...

Shall I drag out the body and take a photo or two?

[High Level Kits]

I can save you the bother and confirm that the splashers are in the correct place and are also slightly oversized, which is how Bachmann accommodate the larger flanges, even though in OO they actually sit in-board of the splashers! This is also the case with the 5700. Some manufacturers address this by jacking the body up and dropping the buffers whilst others fit undersized wheels.

I trialled some etched splashers and they came out pretty good, but I couldn't think of a way to allow them to be integrated with the plastic body assembly without severely compromising the strength, or sticking out like a sore thumb. The footplate does not detach, so all cutting would be very awkward, and the front splashers are bang up to the firebox, so that would also need to be rebuilt. Once the splashers are removed there is actually very little of the thin plastic footplate left. The holes left by the oversized splashers would obviously need to be filled around the new splashers, and accurate positioning of the new splashers in the oversized void would be very tricky.

The only real solution I could think of would be to offer a complete new footplate overlay, but then you’d be getting on towards rebuilding the whole engine. So, I suppose, if the splashers really bother you then you’ll need to consider scratchbuilding, or find a decent kit (make sure you measure the splashers first though and check their position) or find an excuse to run a 54xx, or just swerve this particular one altogether.

[dal-t]

That sounds fair enough, and thanks for the info. It resolves what seemed to be a puzzle - but I wonder how many people are happily running the OO offering without knowing just how 'off' it is?