[Art Dent]

Hello folks,

Don't know if this is quite the right place to post this - but here goes.

Back Story:

My son purchased a Hornby Class 43 / HST at the recent Derby show. We've managed to sort out the lumpy running by replacing
the bogies in the two end power cars with a couple of Tenshodo/Hanazono motor-bogies, however we either butcher the crude
Hornby moulded plastic bogie frames to fit as side frames to the Tenshodo's OR we find an etched brass (or fine moulded ABS
plastic) bogie or side frame to fit as quite honestly, the Hornby effort is absolute pants. Would like both ends of the power cars
to have matching bogies and wheels.

I have a couple of questions.

(1) Where could we get some etched brass or some more finely-detailed bogies or side frames from? I have come across
numerous sites that do such things, but haven't been able to find a Class 43 / HST version.

(2) Probably easier to answer. I'm lookin for some 14mm disc wheels that would match (or closely match) those on the Tenshodo
bogie. Ideally, it would have a metal axle and insulated metal wheels at both ends. Again, I haven't managed to track any of
these down either (no pun intended).

Any help gratefully received.

I know that these questions anren't strictly 'finescale' but they seemed to fit best in this section of the forum. Mods please move
to more appropriate place if necessary - thanks.

Art

 

[jim s-w]

No one does after market hst power car bogies. If it's the original Hornby model you might want to see if you can find some Lima ones but TBH given that the rest of the model is pretty crude I wouldn't think it worth the effort.

Black beetle do a similar wheel but 14mm isn't actually the right size for a HST you really need 13mm

Not much help I know

Jim

 

[34C]

I would suggest butchery of the Hornby bogie frames to fit, as they will look of a piece with the body shell.

 

[Art Dent]

QUOTE (jim s-w @ 20 May 2017, 08:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>No one does after market hst power car bogies. If it's the original Hornby model you might want to see if you can find some Lima ones but TBH given that the rest of the model is pretty crude I wouldn't think it worth the effort.
Thanks Jim

That would explain why I haven't found any! The power cars are indeed the original (as far as I can tell) Hornby models - dating from around 1990. I know that they aren't the most detailed of models (I agree that 'crude' or kid's train set comes to mind) but my son has a soft spot for them (why, I don't know as he's never really seen them in the flesh nor used them as far as I know, especially in his favoured 'Swallow' livery). Anyway, it is his money so who am I to argue?

QUOTE Black beetle do a similar wheel but 14mm isn't actually the right size for a HST you really need 13mm
Hmm..

Most UK stockists of the Black Beetle don't tend to have any in stock and one supplier has told me that the Australian firm that make them are no longer supplying traders (that's UK traders I'm guessing). I couldn't find any UK stockists of Bullant motor bogies either. DC KIts in leeds used to do Black Beetle, Bullant and Tenshodo but only have limited stock of the Tenshodo and no Black Beetles or Bullant. They only have limited stocks of Tenshodo SPUD motor bogies (and not in the wheelbase/wheel diameter combination I wanted)

Regarding the 13mm wheel, the only UK-sourced motor bogies I could find had an incorrect wheelbase - 35mm as opposed to 34mm - and 14mm diameter wheels rather than the 13mm of the Hornby model.

QUOTE Not much help I know

Jim
Quite the contrary, any help gratefully received. The fact that you tell me that there are no after-market HST frames means I don't have to spend fruitless hours trawling the net to try to find some!

Is there a source that you are aware of of plain bogies - in etched brass, nickel silver or a plastic like ABS - that I could use to fabricate a non-powered bogie from?

I also need a source if anyone has one for those 14mm wheelsets.

QUOTE (34C @ 20 May 2017, 08:31)I would suggest butchery of the Hornby bogie frames to fit, as they will look of a piece with the body shell.
Looks to be about the only solution

Thanks once again for your input chaps,

Art