Bodging a Bachmann Lyn

[adeshers]

I need your collective help (please ..).


The 'Yet to be Named Railway' has recently taken delivery from the Cattewater & Southern Railway (darn sarf - thanks Giles!! http://www.gscalecentral.net/fb.ashx?m=98460 ) of a Baldwin 2-4-2 (Bachmann Lyn) in need of some renovation.


Amongst other things I need to add hook & loop couplings and add replacement domes (all three) and chimbley.


I've a chimbley on order from GRS


Has anyone fitted hook and loop couplings to these beasties (bearing in mind I'm running round R1's)? I'm thinking of trying to attach the couplings to the pony trucks. Is this feasible?


Has anyone a foolproof method of making domes?


Any advice from the more experienced amongst you would be most welcome.:love:

 

[C&S]

Ade,

If you can't get suitable domes in this country, try taking a look at the Ozark Miniatures website. They list several types of steam and sand domes, plus many other detail parts. I got some brake wheels from them a while ago, and they provided a good service.

Failing that, I think there may have been one dome sent with the loco. This month's Railway Modeller has an article on making rubber moulds, and casting small parts using resin; I haven't read it yet, but it might be useful - and you could make a second dome from the one I think you may have. Another source of useful shapes to make into boiler fittings are the plastic caps on some cosmetic sprays or tanning products.

 

[dunnyrail]

Take a look at the Brandbright site:-

http://www.brandbright.co.uk/ ...n is less that that they should be OK. JonD

 

[steven large]

hi u post this words Amongst other things I need to add hook & loop couplings

i will have a look at my spare tool box and then pm u ok? u have for free..

 

[ntpntpntp]

Hmmm... if the Lyn is basically the same as black Baldwin 2-4-2T I have, then it'll be an interesting challenge to fit hook and loop. There isn't a "standard" mounting to fit the shank of an LGB coupling. You might be able to cobble up a loop that can be mounted to the screw holes just behind the buffer beam? Will be more difficult to get a sprung hook on as well.

There's not much on the pony trucks to mount a coupling to those directly. Perhaps a very long shaft that runs from the pony truck pivot out through the buffer beam (similar to the way the couplings are mounted on the Baachmann 2-6-6-2T Mallet?)

Must admit I found the twin-pivoted buckeyes on my loco to be too flexible especially when reversing and pushing stock, so I ended up pinning through the middle pivot.

 

[adeshers]

Giles - Thanks for the Ozark Miniatures idea, I'd forgotten about them. I'll send them an e-mail to get the sizes of their domes. I did wonder if Bachmann still produce spares 8|
I've tided up the dome you sent with the Lyn and it may be suitable for the central steam dome if I can find two suitable replacements for the sand domes. I have been looking at general merchandise container caps but so far haven't found anything useful or suitable.



JonD - I had seen the Brandbright 'solution' but discounted it as I prefer the look of an ordinary central buffer . (see below).

Steven L - thanks for the offer but I still have some couplings that you gave me last time . I'll never say no to more but I'm okay for now.

Nick - whilst you were taking the trouble to sort through the problem I think I may have come up with a solution/bodge myself but I had to overcome the difficulties you already perceived. It seems to work so far but I haven't had the chance to do extensive playing testing yet but it will go round R1's and stay coupled . (see below)

 

[adeshers]

See attached photos to show (hopefully) how I sorted the coupling problem. I had to make one or two compromises though. I had to shave 4mm off the bottom of each buffer beam to get the loop up to the height my other rolling stock is set at. There was no way I could fit a sprung hook to the front loop so it's loop only if running tender first but it is attached to the bogie so makes going round R1's easier. Time will tell if both couplings are strong enough to stay the course but so far it's been a no-cost solution


Rear bogie (top view)

Rear bogie (bottom view)

Rear bogie fitted

Front bogie with loop fitted

Front - relative coupling height

Rear - relative coupling height

 

[C&S]

At least your loops are slightly below the rest of the stock, so you shouldn't suffer from slip-coach syndrome. I think the original couplers were on the end of a long, floppy cranked bar (like the Bachmann 2-4-2 tender locos) and may have been only for knuckles. Your solution seems fine. Good luck with the testing.