Project 56 has been a long drawn out affair…
First glance the Hornby model seems quite nice but the more you do, the more you realise isn’t quite right. It’s little things, like bits not quite line up properly, which make it an increasingly frustrating project. Especially with Cavalex Models’ version on the horizon.
At least Hornby did the wheelsets properly though – standard 2mm axles which makes life much easier.
The bogie with the keeper plate removed – revealing the gear train.
I used Black Beetle wheels which seem to be made if an alloy which is resistant to blackening fluids which is awkward as they’re incredibly bright – possibly one for black etch primer… I knurled the axles with a file using Pete Hill’s method he described in MRJ No.282 for the conversion of the Bachmannn J72. It works beautifully – get a back issue if you don’t have a copy.
P4 vs. Hornby wheel.
The keeper plate needs to be removed and this is a bit involved with the rather stiff clips and trying not to break them as the plastic is quite brittle. The brake gear is part of this too which makes it more awkward.
You’ll need remove the gears from the original wheels which requires a little bit of brute force. The originals can be thrown away.
The basic arrangement for the new wheelsets.
Instead of using washers, as is often used in such conversions to take up the slack between the wheel and the chassis/bogie, I used some 2.0mm ID brass tube cut into lengths of 4.6mm an one 10tho/0.25mm washer which goes on the inside of the bogie by the gear wheel, opposite the tube, on the outer bogie axles to minimise the sideways movement, though I left this off the central axles. You’ll need to check the position of the gear wheel as you assemble the new wheelsets – a little bit of adjustment may be necessary.
Accurately Cutting Tube
Jewellers Tube Cutter
For accurately cutting fine tube, I cannot recommend getting a Jewellers’ Tube Cutter enough! You set the length and then you can easily cut multiple identical tubes.
The new wheels should fit straight in providing the gearwheel is correctly positioned.
The first wheelsets in place – the brass tube bush can be seen.
With the three wheelsets in place you should be able to easily turn the wheels by hand with little resistance.
The new wheels all in place and ready for the keeper plate to be refitted before putting the loco back together again.
You might have noticed that the original pick ups have been bent outwards to meet the new wheels – an advantage of using solid metal wheels for conversions like these. Unfortunately Black Beetle wheels don’t seem to be easy to obtain at the moment, so on a Hornby class 60 I’ve used Gibson coach wheels which require new pick ups, but it does work out very reasonable cost wise with the Gibson wheels. But this is a story for another time.
The keeper plate still with the brake gear intact.
The keeper plate and the brake gear, possibly the most frustrating bit all on this model now. Initially I was going to reposition the brake to match the wheels but if you look at the real thing, the brake blocks are surprisingly hard to see. So I simply removed the brake gear from the keeper plate.
But looking back at the real thing below, the amount if daylight between the wheels is very noticeable.
Class 56 bogie – notice the amount of daylight which is present between the wheels.
Compare it with the model.
56044
The keeper plates hang very low, robbing us of the daylight which should be there. You remember how I said it was little things which make it an increasingly frustrating project? Well this is one if these things.
I will finish it but it has been frustrating! Well as soon as paint became involved – the earlier stages were quite enjoyablebut the latter stages, increasingly less so. What will keep me going is that it should make a decent enough ‘layout loco,’ as Iain Rice described, for West Halton.
West Halton Sidings 