Any Suggestions ?

[Murph]

Hi lads, been busy and apologies fer me absence lately, quick question , does anyone know a way of converting OO gauge rolling stock to run on OO9 gauge track ? Is it just the wheel / axel spacing that has to be altered or the whole chassis ?  Answers on a postcard please or e-mail confusedasf**k@cobh.ie.  

[commerlad]

Right then,

To start with if the wheels will move on the axles then yes, just move both wheels in by 3,75mm to give a narrower back to back. If they are plastic wheels moulded as part of the axle your a Turkey at Christmas to start with.

 A convenient check gauge is the long side of the Earth pin from a UK 3 pin plug, but you have to get it central. (So as not to unbalance the wagon).

Then again a standard UK mainline wagon will look quite large for OO9 (00 scale  on 9mm track} for UK use, some Continental, South African, Australian stuff ran larger loading gauges, on 2 foot gauge but size wise you are nearer to OOn3 

(00 on 12mm track) for 3 foot gauge prototypes (eg. Irish Narrow gauge and the  Isle of Man, ) than anything that originally ran in the UK

But as the main reason for UK narrow gauge was limited clearances and tight curves, a large piece of rolling stock is a major drawback.

 

To get more of an idea about 009 and other narrow gauge I suggest joining

(Just click on the above)

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by commerlad

[Murph]

Ahh , Thanks commerlad , It's all a lot clear now after that Info.   The reason fer the question was I ordered some pre-owned bits n pieces from Hattons in London on Friday last, they came yesterday, have to say very quick delivery via DHL , superb packaging and grand customer service, some of the stuff was just missing the original boxes and were like brand new, 3 X 4 wheel GWR composites, GWR autocoach with installed lighting just missing 1 buffer and a handrail, (easy fix)  A crimson and cream coach , 2 X Trams , and packs of figures X 6 that were £2 each !!   I toyed with the idea of replacing my OO track for OO9 or N gauge to accommodate my tight curves and then thought that all my rolling stock would have to be altered , Don't think I'll go down that route now though coz of the cost and hassle.  Had to chip off a couple of bits of rock face on the cutting to run the longer coaches but all went fine , making a few extra market stalls today fer my town centre outa cocktail sticks and spare coloured canopy's from a metcalfe kit , If Riley the cat would stay off the Kitchen table I'd finish a lot quicker.

Laters

Murph

[jhb171achill]

Re-gauging stuff like that would be a fiddly and time-consuming job, hardly worth it - and the stock would look pretty weird. If you WERE to re-gauge stuff, make it 12mm track, not N / 009, as the latter would be too unstable for such a wide and high model in comparison to the track; thus a high centre of gravity.

Better to start from scratch and build a 009 or N gauge layout, and sell the 00 gauge stuff (I know, you've just bought it!). I had a huge collection of 009 for years - it's amazing what crops up from time to time on fleabay.

[Murph]

All gluing left to set overnight, now like concrete, today has turned into a "fixing things I've been putting off fer too long" scenario, broken signal (my fault) boat in harbour needed re-gluing, ballast in trucks needed diluted PVA to stop it spilling as did coal in staithes. Riley the cat is secured to the scratch post in chains bless him