A dirty Baldwin

Some time ago I picked up a Bachmann Baldwin, in plain black as WHR 590. I wanted a generic, well-used workhorse, so I removed the number from the side with T-Cut, although this left the tank sides looking polished. I'd also fitted a Bachmann EZ-mate buckeye coupling in the hope it would work with the Microtrains couplings, it did in that it would couple, but automatic uncoupling didn't work so they are no use for shunting. 

It struck me that although I couldn't make space for the Microtrains draft box, the pocket for the Bachmann coupling was similar to the draft box. Indeed, the coupling does fit over the centre post, and with the spring fitted and a Microtrains draft box lid filed down to fit, the Bachmann screw fitted on. It doesn't quite work as the coupling has pips that fit into slots inside the draft box, the Bachmann pocket doesn't have these slots, so the coupling swings to the right. I added a sliver of plastic into the pocket to stop the coupling swinging too far, a fudge but surprisingly it works well enough for the coupling to both couple and uncouple - albeit delayed action uncoupling doesn't seem to work. Better than the EZ-Mate anyway (there's still an EZ-mate on the back). 

Rather than dismantle the loco (which looks complicated), and have to mask details I didn't want painted, I decided to brush paint. This may have been a mistake, especially given Humbrol don't seem to be able to make matt black enamel paint anymore. It comes out patchy, part matt and part gloss. In the end I mixed more and more dark grey into the mix and applied many thin coats, resulting in a pleasing faded black - although not my smoothest paint job. I dry-brushed some details, such as gunmetal on handles and rust on some exposed edges, and then masked the wheels and motion and cab windows and gave it a quick spray of Dullcote. 

I've been painting a lot of figures recently, including some loco crews. The back row are ModelU figures for the two quarry Hunslets and (far right) the Double Fairlie. The three smaller figures on the front row are Preiser HO scale, which are useful for fitting into cramped loco cabs. 

After a little more weathering with powders the loco is looking old, faded, and neglected, but hopefully not too decrepit. Close-up the paint finish doesn't look too good, but to the eye it isn't so bad. You can see I had to use the HO figures. A little real coal (dust) in the bunker and the supplied works plates fitted finish it off. It certainly looks at home trundling up and down Loctern Quay. 

I've also spent some time checking all the locos and wagons over Loctern Quay ready for its showing at the Farnham and District 009 group open day tomorrow, at Wrecclesham Community Centre, Greenfield Road, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8TJ. Do say hello if you are there!

Buckeye couplings for the Bachmann Baldwin

I recently picked up a Bachmann WD Baldwin which should be a useful loco, but I need to fit couplings to match the Microtrains "buckeye" type I use on most of my 009 fleet. Unfortunately Microtrains don't make a version to fit the NEM coupler pockets fitted to this loco. I had hoped to remove the couplings and fit standard Microtrains into the recess, but I found the recess was about 1 mm too narrow for the Microtrains draft box, and the shaft in the centre too large to pass through the coupling. As this part of the loco is cast metal and close to the chassis I couldn't see how to open it up without risking damage.

I did some searching. Dapol "Easi-shunt" buckeye couplings fit NEM sockets, however they are quite pricey, and from what I have read online they are not compatible with Microtrains. Bachmann make their own "EZ-mate" N-gauge buckeye coupling for the US market, and although there is no NEM version, from pictures it looked like the mounting was very similar to that used for the NEM bracket in the Baldwin loco. As they were reasonably priced I ordered some to try (type 78503).

Comparing the "EZ-Mate" buckeye above to the coupling removed from the Baldwin the pivot with "whisker" springs appears very similar. So on to fitting to the loco...

The guard-rail is removed from the front and rear with the tiny screw, which also frees the coupling. One of the guard rails appeared to have stuck in place (paint?), a little work with a knife and gentle leverage freed it. The EZ-mate coupling then just replaces the coupling and the guard rail and screw replaced.

However, the trip pin fouls the track, and the coupling droops - it is too free to move vertically.

So to restrict vertical movement a piece of plasticard was cut to fit the coupling recess with a 2 mm hole to clear the pivot shaft, and acts as a spacer or washer to support the coupling. The photo shows the rear coupling, and you can see graphite powder (Kadee lubricant) to help free movement. Once assembled the height of the trip pin was checked - is should just clear a piece of 10-thou plastic placed on the track. It was still a little low so the trip pin was pushed up through the coupling by about 1 mm. 

As you can see the result is couplings that match the height I set the Microtrains at (which I think is about 1 mm lower than they should be for US N-gauge), and despite a slightly different design, couples up with them and look similar. Coupling seems quite reliable, uncoupling is a little less so as the Bachmann coupling seems more reluctant to swing over a magnet than the Microtrains. I've tried to ensure they are free to swing, and if the spring is any more slack they wouldn't centre, so I'm not sure why. However testing suggests they work reasonably well. The delayed action is rather hit and miss as even if they uncouple, the Bachmann EZ-mate often doesn't swing far enough to not re-couple.

So maybe this won't work for reliable delayed action shunting, but the conversion to couplings that are compatible with the Microtrains was relatively easy and didn't involve any non-reversible changes to the loco. Assuming other Bachmann 009 stock uses the same coupling mounting, I should be able to use the same EZ-mate couplings for easy conversion of those too.

Bachmann Baldwin

This is an excellent time for 009, with several ready-to-run models now available, including locos from Heljan and Bachmann as well as several suitable Minitrains locos. I got a Heljan Manning Wardle because of my early narrow gauge inspiration - the Craig and Mertonford, and because they are elegant locos. The WD Baldwin is, on the other hand, not a pretty loco, and maybe I'm shallow when it comes to choosing my NG locos, but it is a versatile choice for a model - hundreds of these locos were built and they ended up on many railways around Britain, and indeed the rest of the world too. So actually on a freelance narrow gauge line a Baldwin will look at home, but the Manning Wardle will forever be associated with the Lynton and Barnstaple.

So when I spotted Rails of Sheffield were selling the Bachmann model at a bargain price I thought it would be rude not to get one. This is the Welsh Highland Railway version, in plain black. It looks very finely detailed, cleverly designed with daylight visible under the boiler, and blackened valve gear (hurrah!). It runs well too, though not as smoothly as the Heljan - I suspect the coreless motor doesn't like my controllers - but it does stay on the track which is more than can be said for the Heljan loco out of the box!

Since I'm not modelling the WHR I'll loose the "590" on the side (any suggestions how to get it off?), finishing as a generic black loco - perhaps with a nameplate - will mean it will look at home on any model set from the 1920's onward. I'll probably dull down the black a little, it looks a bit plasticky to me, but  only lightly weathered to serve as a preserved loco on Hexworthy, while still passing for an industrial loco if I need it to. At least that's the plan. It won't be easy to paint though with all that detail, and no apparent way to separate the chassis, so might need some thought first.