Fitting a snow plough to a Bachmann K27

[KeithT]

I was quite sure that I had seen a description of how to fit a plough to the K27 but I can't seem to trace it.

Whilst I am aware that I will need to remove tthe buffer beam and probably enlarge the hole in the front of the plough to fit a coupling the Bachmann plough does not come with any instructions.
Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

 

[Richie]

Hi Keith
Fitted one to my K-27 some time ago will have a look and let you know how i did it :thinking:

 

[KeithT]

Hi Keith
Fitted one to my K-27 some time ago will have a look and let you know how i did it :thinking:

Thanks Richie. I look forward to it.

 

[Richie]

Hi Keith
I think this is how i done it , first choose the coupler that you want to use short ,long or dropdown then fit this to the plow ,second gentle pull out the two braces from the side of the smoke box that go from the pilot to the smoke box you could also undo the small screws holding the brace onto the pilot . Third use loco box and turn loco up side down (NOT A EASY JOB) and rest the loco in the box, You should see two screws holding the pilot in place ,remove these two screws then gentle push down on the pilot then the pilot should slide out forwards and off it comes to fit the plow just do the same but in reverse . The only problems i remember having was that you had to get the pilot just right to slide out and with the plow fitted i found that i could only add the extra brace to the smoke box on the left side as the wire that runs up to the light was in the way . Hope this is some help Keith just remember to be gentle with her as it's so easy to brake the fragile detailed parts

 

[KeithT]

Hi Keith
I think this is how i done it , first choose the coupler that you want to use short ,long or dropdown then fit this to the plow ,second gentle pull out the two braces from the side of the smoke box that go from the pilot to the smoke box you could also undo the small screws holding the brace onto the pilot . Third use loco box and turn loco up side down (NOT A EASY JOB) and rest the loco in the box, You should see two screws holding the pilot in place ,remove these two screws then gentle push down on the pilot then the pilot should slide out forwards and off it comes to fit the plow just do the same but in reverse . The only problems i remember having was that you had to get the pilot just right to slide out and with the plow fitted i found that i could only add the extra brace to the smoke box on the left side as the wire that runs up to the light was in the way . Hope this is some help Keith just remember to be gentle with her as it's so easy to brake the fragile detailed parts

Thanks Richie that is very informative, I shall have go.
I agree the most worrying part is not damaging the intricate detail. On arrival the front uncoupling bar had broken off at all 4 swivel posts and the 'pedestal' on one corner of the buffer beam was broken. All the result of over-tight polystyrene packing pieces. Fortunately, all of these will come off or be covered up to fit the plough.

 

[KeithT]

Richie
Just one other query.
The accessory pack includes two bars which appear to slot into the top of the plough but where do the top ends fit?
They don't replace the metal bars which come already fitted to the plough.
EDIT: I re-read your earlier post. Are these the extra braces that you referred to?

 

[KeithT]

I will have to admit defeat for the moment at least. There is no way that I can get the locating lugs on the underside of the plough into the sockets on the loco without shaving a strip off the back edge of the plough. It will have to wait for daylight for me to have another try.
In the process of doing this I realised that it has lost both cylinder fronts!!! One I have found but i shall have to hunt for the other in daylight.:-

 

[Richie]

Richie
Just one other query.
The accessory pack includes two bars which appear to slot into the top of the plough but where do the top ends fit?
They don't replace the metal bars which come already fitted to the plough.
EDIT: I re-read your earlier post. Are these the extra braces that you referred to?

Hi Keith
Those are the extra braces that you fit one end slots into the top of the plow and the other end into the two holes on the side of the smoke box above the other brace thats already fitted to the plow but you may find that the one on the right when looking at the loco from the front won't fit as the wire that goes to the front light is in the way .

 

[Richie]

I will have to admit defeat for the moment at least. There is no way that I can get the locating lugs on the underside of the plough into the sockets on the loco without shaving a strip off the back edge of the plough. It will have to wait for daylight for me to have another try.
In the process of doing this I realised that it has lost both cylinder fronts!!! One I have found but i shall have to hunt for the other in daylight.:-

You should find that the locating lugs on the plow will fit just takes abit of time getting it in line ido remember now having several attemps at getting it in line should then snap into place and replace screws ( i didn't have to shave any thing off). I've also lost one of my cylinder caps got a relacement from Bachmann but they still full out around my line found the cylinder cocks on one of my points the other day when cleaning the track .

 

[KeithT]

Richie
Just one other query.
The accessory pack includes two bars which appear to slot into the top of the plough but where do the top ends fit?
They don't replace the metal bars which come already fitted to the plough.
EDIT: I re-read your earlier post. Are these the extra braces that you referred to?

Hi Keith
Those are the extra braces that you fit one end slots into the top of the plow and the other end into the two holes on the side of the smoke box above the other brace thats already fitted to the plow but you may find that the one on the right when looking at the loco from the front won't fit as the wire that goes to the front light is in the way .

Ah therein lies the problem. The smokebox on 463 does not have the extra holes.
It is amazing how many detail variations there are on the various K27s.
463 has an extra grab rail towards the top right of the boiler front extending from the headlight mounting platform down to the triangular gusset at the edge of the boiler front. This is not on 455 which is the split smokebox door version.
Mine does not have the problem wire that you mention.
With all this variation it is a wonder that they weren't more expensive.

 

[Richie]

Richie
Just one other query.
The accessory pack includes two bars which appear to slot into the top of the plough but where do the top ends fit?
They don't replace the metal bars which come already fitted to the plough.
EDIT: I re-read your earlier post. Are these the extra braces that you referred to?

Hi Keith
Those are the extra braces that you fit one end slots into the top of the plow and the other end into the two holes on the side of the smoke box above the other brace thats already fitted to the plow but you may find that the one on the right when looking at the loco from the front won't fit as the wire that goes to the front light is in the way .

Ah therein lies the problem. The smokebox on 463 does not have the extra holes.
It is amazing how many detsil variations there are on the various K27s.
463 has an extra grab rail towards the top right of the boiler front extending from the headlight mounting platform down to the triangular gusset at the edge of the boiler front. This is not on 455 which is the split smokebox door version.
Mine does not have the problem wire that you mention.
With all this variation it is a wonder that they weren't more expensive.

463 should have the holes for the braces shows them in the catalog as my loco 453 has them The wire that goes to the light is the one you have writtern about the same on my 453 as your 463 .

 

[Richie]

Your right just checked your loco on your over thread NO HOLES

 

[Zman]

8| Hope it snows to make it all worthwhile

 

[KeithT]

Richie
I was going to post a photo of the smokebox but I have just found that I have left the camera on for 2hrs and flattened the battery!
My 463 is one of the second batch so that may explain the difference in the smokeboxes.

 

[KeithT]

8| Hope it snows to make it all worthwhile

It will by the time I get a round tuit.
BTW you can buy those at a the craft shop in Longnor.

 

[Richie]

Richie
Just one other query.
The accessory pack includes two bars which appear to slot into the top of the plough but where do the top ends fit?
They don't replace the metal bars which come already fitted to the plough.
EDIT: I re-read your earlier post. Are these the extra braces that you referred to?

Hi Keith
As you have no holes in the smoke box to fix the braces you could glue the brace in the plow end and file down the two that go in the smoke box and leave loose as it would be a shame to drill holes in the body work .
I did intend to put the plow on my #453 each winter but as it was not a easy job it's only been on the once .

 

[KeithT]

Richie
Just one other query.
The accessory pack includes two bars which appear to slot into the top of the plough but where do the top ends fit?
They don't replace the metal bars which come already fitted to the plough.
EDIT: I re-read your earlier post. Are these the extra braces that you referred to?

Hi Keith
As you have no holes in the smoke box to fix the braces you could glue the brace in the plow end and file down the two that go in the smoke box and leave loose as it would be a shame to drill holes in the body work .
I did intend to put the plow on my #453 each winter but as it was not a easy job it's only been on the once .

Hi Richie
I will try the glue option but I think that it will be difficult to get them to stick as they are "sprung" away from the wrapper. Perhaps a bit of gentle heat will solve that problem.
Once on I doubt that I will remove the plough so the holes option is likely to be the one I go for.
Thinks, it will need some modification of the packaging if ever I sell it.
Getting the loc on and off the track is a real chore as is the unclipping of the tender plugs. My next most pressing task will be to make a carry box perhaps using the ready made metal inserts I spotted recently. Hopefully that will allow me to run the loco direct onto and off the track which is at GL.

 

[KeithT]

Fitting the plough wasn't quite as straightforward as I had hoped but it could have been much worse.
The entire unit simply would not slot into place because two lugs which needed to locate into sockets on the front of the footplate were prevented by the rear edge of the plough fouling the smokebox door. I tried removing the plough from the flat footplate extension but even then I had to chamfer the pillars, next I trimmed a fraction of a millimetre from the mid section of the rear of the plough and it all slotted into place.
She is now all ready to rumble although I have to drill 4 holes in the sides of the smokebox wrapper to take the steady stays and to re find one of the cylinder fronts.

I notice that there are three wires inside the cylinder connected to a U shaped block through which the piston rod runs. is this part of the chuff mechanism? I can't just lay hands on the wiring diagram having put it somewhere safe!

Another thing I spotted whilst the loco was downside up was that the wheels on the pilot can foul the corners of the coupling block. It may be that it would not interfere with the free travel of the pilot in normal running but just to be safe I trimmed the corners to allow a slightly greater radius of travel.

 

[Neil Robinson]

I notice that there are three wires inside the cylinder connected to a U shaped block through which the piston rod runs. is this part of the chuff mechanism? I can't just lay hands on the wiring diagram having put it somewhere safe!

Yes it is a chuff sensor. I have a copy of the wiring diagram as a pdf file. I can't attach it to a P.M. but if you P.M. me with your email address I'll send you a copy by email.

 

[KeithT]

I notice that there are three wires inside the cylinder connected to a U shaped block through which the piston rod runs. is this part of the chuff mechanism? I can't just lay hands on the wiring diagram having put it somewhere safe!

Yes it is a chuff sensor. I have a copy of the wiring diagram as a pdf file. I can't attach it to a P.M. but if you P.M. me with your email address I'll send you a copy by email.

Thanks Neil
PM sent.