Bill Bedford Sprung Axle Guards....

Marc Dobson

Western Thunderer
I've just bought some Bill Bedford sprung axle guards of a well known disposal site what is the collectives thoughts in them?

Marc
 

NewportRod

Western Thunderer
They work well in 7mm too - but might need a few minutes' fiddling to suit your choice of bearing - they don't take Slater's by default.
 

ullypug

Western Thunderer
Can't speak for 7mm but I use them as standard on all my P4 stuff. I've found it's better to solder the waisted bearings into the carrier and to replace the spring wire with guitar wire.
The pedestal variety means you can use them and retain all the kit plastic axle boxes and springs.
They can be fitted individually and pinned to sole bars removing the cross piece for fitting to open frames wagons. I've a dogfish and mermaid sprung this way.
 

Marc Dobson

Western Thunderer
Hi Bill,
Do you recommend packing them out to match the difference in sole bar thicknesses? or does the different types match the different sole bar thickness.
Marc
 

Bill Bedford

Western Thunderer
The width of the etching matches the standard 26mm axles + bearings. If the solebars are in the right place the w-iron should slide easily into place between them. Some early plastic kits have thick solebars that will need thinning inside before the w-iron will fit. I'm not sure that I've come across a situation where the solebars are too far apart.

Of course, if you are modelling Irish models in P4 you will need the Irish w-irons...
 

Marc Dobson

Western Thunderer
I was thinking of height rather than distance apart but I have come across varying distances between the sole bars in the past another one of the interesting things about pre grouping railway especially pre 1880 wagons.

Marc
 

PaxtonP4

Western Thunderer
As this is the S7 section I assume you have bought the 7mm W irons. These of course come as individual W irons. The spacing therefore is down to you.

I space them as per the Prototype. I reduce the length of the standard S7 axle by 1.25 mm each side. This enables wheel sets to be easily removed after installation by a slight bending of the W iron. If you don't reduce the length then your wheels are locked in place. To save you cutting the axle you can buy reduced length axles from the S7 stores. They are meant for Heljan/Dapol conversions but work equally well in this application.

This reduction in length requires the use of 10BA packing washers to prevent excessive side play of the axle.

The only issue with them is the spring wire. First off do NOT solder the wire - only crimp it.

You also need to straighten the wire as much as you can.
 
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