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black 5 and U class wheel spacings

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by andysleigh, Jun 7, 2010.

  1. andysleigh

    andysleigh Member

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    Does anybody know if by chance the driver wheel spacings on a black 5 happen to be the same as on a southern U class?
    Just looking into a 7 1/4" gauge project for a u class, but no castings available, but have found that black 5 castings would be suitable.

    cheers

    Andy
     
  2. Eightpot

    Eightpot Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Driving and coupled wheel spacings or diameters?
     
  3. andysleigh

    andysleigh Member

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  4. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    According to the drawings I have:

    SR U Class
    8ft 10in (pony to leading driver)
    7ft 3in (leading to middle driver)
    7ft 9in (middle to training driver)

    LMS Class 5MT
    6ft 6in (bogie wheels)
    5ft 8in (rear bodgie to leading driver)
    7ft 0in (leading to middle driver)
    8ft 0in (middle to trailing driver)

    David

    Edit: I should have mentioned that there are two different variants of the Black 5 chassis design to match the short and long firebox boilers.
    The long firebox version had an 8ft 3in rather than 8ft 0in spacing between middle and trailing drivers.
     
  5. andysleigh

    andysleigh Member

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    thanks for that David!

    Just a little bit out, which is a shame.
    i might be able to get away with it tho.
     
  6. andysleigh

    andysleigh Member

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    Just had a though.
    On the drawings you have, are you able to tell what the dimension from the cylinders to the driving wheel is?
     
  7. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Different batches of Black 5s had different wheel spacings if I remember correctly, the AW built ones were diifferent to the LMS built ones.
     
  8. LMS2968

    LMS2968 Part of the furniture

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    The difference was an additional four inches between the intermediate and trailing coupled axles. This was because there wasn't room for the Cannon boxes with the original spacing when roller bearings were first fitted. All Fives had the modified spacing from then on, irrespective of having roller or plain bearings.
     
  9. southern4life

    southern4life Member

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    If you try maxi track , they have greenly drawings for a mogul although its a western they are very similar , dont think anyone does castings though
     
  10. chopshopjohn

    chopshopjohn New Member

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    I may be missing something here but I cannot see the connection between the availability of Black 5 castings and whether or not the driving wheel spacings are the same as a U. Surely the main frames and connecting rods are machined from solid so the spacings could be adjusted to suit if thought absolutely necessary. I would have thought the GWR 43XX chassis, as mentioned by southern4life, would be closer in overall size and spacing; 7' 0" + 7' 9".
    I would not consider many Black 5 castings suitable for a U class. Although the driving wheels have the same outside diameter 6' 0" the Black 5 has a very characteristic deep V rim whereas in comparison the U class driving wheel looks very spindly. Also the Black 5 slidebar and crosshead design is completely different to the single slidebar of the U class.

    More suitable wheels would be those for either a GWR Hall class or LNER B1 class if either is available. I believe Jim Vass lists an unspecified SR 4-6-0 in 7 1/4. It would be worth contacting him to ascertain exactly which class it is as many components may be very similar
     
  11. andysleigh

    andysleigh Member

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    ahh i duno what i was thinking.

    i'm jsut odd when it coems to some things! dont think before i act.

    let us forget all about this!
     

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