Thursday 4 December 2014

A Pannier with CSB's

To replace the chassis of this Bachmann Pannier I have again used a High Level chassis kit. However this time instead of building the chassis with the beam compensation system provided I decided to have a go at 'continuous springy beam' (CSB) suspension after reading the article in Scalefour News 182. For more information about CSB's go to "the theory of CSB's".

To allow for the fitting of the CSB's a number of amendments have to be made to the kit. The CSB fulcrum points were drilled using the High Level CSB Jig. The front three frame spacers were modified to allow for the CSB wires to move and CSB carriers were fitted to the bearings.

A kit of parts before fitting the hornblocks. The high level hornblocks with the
CSB carriers are in the top left. To allow for the bearings/wheels to be removable
 the dummy springs have been pinned to the chassis sides.

The hornblocks and frame spacers are fitted using a 'Chassis2'. After fitting the hornblocks/bearings and the frame spacers I made a major departure from the kit's instructions by making up the gearbox, fitting and quartering the wheels. I find that it is easier to setup the loco at this stage rather than when all the valve gear and other bits have been fitted in case it is necessary to adjust the position of any on the hornblocks.

The chassis after setting up.

Close up of chassis showing the CSB and CSB fulcrums. The front axel
hornblock has a High Level 'spacesaver variant' which being thinner than
the standard (which is on the middle axel) thus making the provision of the
dummy inside motion easier.

The Bachmann temporary placed on the chassis.

For more information about building a CSB chassis for the Bachmann Pannier go to "Pannier CSB".