Conversion of 2022 Bachmann Bulleids

[Russell DaviesParticipant]

Hi Folks,

Santa kindly delivered a couple of the new Bulleids yesterday. I haven’t taken anything to bits yet but it looks like they have split axles with power pick ups from the axle pin-point bearings. I’m guessing I’ll have to abandon any future lighting or disconnect one pickup on each bogie, unless anyone know about split axle coach wheels in EM?

Rgds

Russell

[Paul WillisParticipant]

Hi Russell,

You don’t describe the wheelsets, but I assume that the wheel and the axle are a single casting?

So you can’t slide the wheelsets out, or more importantly, use conventional wheels and short them out to the axle?

There will be plenty of ways to skin the cat here, it’s just a matter of finding the starting point…

Best wishes,

Paul

[Russell DaviesParticipant]

Well I’ve made a start. Wheels and the stub axles are a single piece. Sliding the wheels out is not therefore possible without the axles being way too long. As a trial I have just turned down the length of the pinpoint ends of the stub axles in the lathe and will refit the the plastic sleeves to see whether the wheels will run true or not. I’ll let you know later!

[John CutlerParticipant]

Have you tried fitting the Kean Maygib all-metal wheels available from Stores (plain disc 14.5mm dia, SKU 3TOB)? These come with the option of insulated one side only. This means you will have pick-ups from 4 wheels rather than 8 but for carriage lighting does it matter too much? (If this causes a problem, then if your coaches are in fixed rakes they can be wired together).

I am curious as this may affect my future purchases of similar Bachmann coaches; I do not have a lathe to replicate your method.

Thanks

[Trade OfficerKeymaster]

Hi

Just a quick note about the KM wheels.

At the moment they are out of stock and I don’t know if I will be able to restock at a reasonable prices. KMEngineering  are now a general engineering company and making the wheels is just another job for them. Judging by other items that have been commissioned with other engineering companies, the cost of restocking may easily double or triple. In addition they won’t come mounted

I do now stock DCC Concepts wheels which include 14mm coach wheels. They are insulated one side and include a spring pickup on the axle for coach lighting. The main difference is that the profile does not include the 3 small holes.

Hope the info is helpful in your decision making

 

John

[Russell DaviesParticipant]

Hi John,

I didn’t know there were such things. You could use those for sure. What you would have to do though is cut the top of one of the conductors on each bogie, as you say, opposite sides to keep the power. If you’re not interested in lighting then take exactly the same approach but use standard wheel sets. The Bachmann axles are the correct length.

[Paul WillisParticipant]

Kean Maygib wheels would also be much better looking!

Seeing those two axles from underneath the bogie, it’s almost like looking at Hornby Dublo wheels.  They look well over-scale width, and the flange profile looks horribly domed.  I’m amazed that with the quality of modern RTR bodies, the wheels aren’t produced to similar high standards.

Glad that you’ve got the conversion working though, and in a straightforward way.

 

Best wishes,

Paul

[Russell DaviesParticipant]

Paul,

I can’t argue with anything you’ve said. Saved a few quid though!

Russell

[John CutlerParticipant]

Alan Gibson also supply a 14mm conducting wheel on an axle insulated one side (code 4E19). They also supply steel wheels (no axles) in a bulk pack of 10 (code 4E20) for those who want to use split axles (Good Luck in making those; all my 2mm split axles seem to end up wobbly -but my 1/8″ axles are mostly OK).

 

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