G'Day Gents
I have a problem, my son sent me a Bachmann 4MT (4-6-0) for my birthday about 10 years ago as I did'n't have a layout at the time, it was stored, I'm now in the process of building a layout of'Edgware' in LNER/BR days and have discovered that the plastic driving wheel inserts have warpped to the extent that the wheels wo'n't turn as they rub against the valve gear!!
Anyone have any ideas?? Thanks manna.
Even if Bachmann won't supply you with the parts you need (either a new chassis complete or at least the three sets of coupled wheels), or if they "can't" because of their policy of having everything only periodically batch-manufactured in China with as far as I know no comprehensive range of spares held in stock, then all is not necessarily lost. If you like the loco enough and if you can supply the time and skill to do the job, then you can replace the wheels with Markits, Gibson or W&T wheels, but the job involves turning some special adaptor bushes which not only have to make up for the size difference between after-market axles (usually 1/8th inch dia) and the holes in the old-type Bachmann chassis (around 5 or 6mm dia) but the bushes also have to insulate the axles from the split chasis block.
If you are really interested I can direct you to a description of how I did this re-wheeling "repair" on a similar Bachmann B1 chassis.
As another option, I believe you might find that if you remove the wheelsets from the chassis (by removing the chassis-bottom keeper plate and taking out all the crankpins to release the rods and valve gear from the wheels) then you may be able to pull each wheel in turn carefully off its plastic axle. With suitable protective / supporting packing pieces you may then be able to simply clamp the bulging plastic spoke-insert back into place, flat against the metal rear part of the wheel, and carefully introduce some super-glue to bond it in place. Go carefully when pushing the wheels back onto the axles too, as the old plastic middles of these axles are prone to splitting. Make sure you quarter the wheels on the axles as they originally were also. If you do split an axle, or if you find they've already split, even that fault can be repaired, but that's another story.......
Good luck!
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G'Day Gents
I've had a responce from Bachmann,8.50bp per wheelset (x3) + 12.50 service charge +postage to and from Australia say 10bp each way= Grand total 58 pounds or app $120 aus.
Thats more than half the price of a new one, so I think I'll get the wire cutters out, snip the inserts out a live with whats left, just had a thought, Airfix use to make a 4MT, I've got plenty of their wheels hanging around,might be able to cut and shut the spokes.
manna
