Southwold Cleminson Open Wagon

[ge_rik]

Some of you may recall that I have recently been drawing and printing Southwold Railway wagons and also a Southwold 6-wheel coach.

Finally, I have got around to printing and assembling one of the Southwold's 6-wheel open wagons. It's taken a while as I was experimenting with a different way of getting the chassis to articulate and my first couple of attempts were less than satisfactory. Touch wood, this one seems to reliably negotiate the ups and downs and tight curves of the PLR so I am in the process of tweaking the original drawings to take account of the changes of design.

I'll probably construct only one more (to check the new design works) as I'm rapidly running out of storage space on the PLR .....



Rik

 

[Northsider]

I do like that! Suitably filthy...
How have you made the trucks heavy enough to track properly?

 

[ge_rik]

I do like that! Suitably filthy...
How have you made the trucks heavy enough to track properly?

On the coach, I rely on some strips of lead flashing on the centre truck. One of the outer trucks has a standard pivot while the other has very simple compensation in the form of a longitudinal bar on which it pivots.

On this wagon, I've done the same except I've added a couple of 'springs' to the centre truck - basically a couple of pieces of phosphor bronze wire going across either side of the truck - see below



I'd noticed that the centre truck leaned forwards when under way, so the springs keep it horizontal as well as helping it stay on the track.

I hope that makes sense.

Rik

 

[Northsider]

On the coach, I rely on some strips of lead flashing on the centre truck. One of the outer trucks has a standard pivot while the other has very simple compensation in the form of a longitudinal bar on which it pivots.

On this wagon, I've done the same except I've added a couple of 'springs' to the centre truck - basically a couple of pieces of phosphor bronze wire going across either side of the truck - see below

View attachment 285211

I'd noticed that the centre truck leaned forwards when under way, so the springs keep it horizontal as well as helping it stay on the track.

I hope that makes sense.

Rik

It does! Interesting to see the knuckle coupling (if that is what it is) between the centre and outer trucks. It looks like there is a horizontal pin running in a slot -is that right? That (and maybe the position of the pivots on the outer trucks) seem to be the two key things to get right.

 

[ge_rik]

Yy

It does! Interesting to see the knuckle coupling (if that is what it is) between the centre and outer trucks. It looks like there is a horizontal pin running in a slot -is that right? That (and maybe the position of the pivots on the outer trucks) seem to be the two key things to get right.

Hi
That's about right. The wagon is more or less a very long wheelbase four wheeler. The end trucks swivel like LGB wagons. The middle truck slides from side to side as it follows the curves. The knuckle type couplings make sure the outer trucks are swivelled by the right amount.

Rik