There is now a very nice 12 foot wheelbase chassis available from Parkside Dundas, however many of my models were made before this was available and some chassis variants are easier to model with the Peco chassis kit. The results are not perfect but they look acceptable to me at 'normal viewing distance' and add some variety to the stock on the layout.
The older 12 foot wheelbase chassis were typically 21 feet over headstocks, the BR designs were 21 feet 5.5 inches over headstocks. The Peco 15 foot wheelbase chassis is 25 feet over headstocks so shortening it to 12 foot wheelbase makes the chassis about 2mm over long. I split the difference by removing 7mm from the centre.
The simple method shown in the top left for a vacuum fitted chassis was first published in a magazine article in the 1970's (I could not find my copy so I am unable to credit the author). Removing outer triangular suspension brackets improves the look of the thing and reducing the ends by 1mm as shown produces a pretty accurate length.
The remaining sketches show the various methods I have used to produce a range of fitted and unfitted chassis, all based on Peco kits. Using the swinging link suspension brackets as V hangers is not perfect, but it is quick and easy to do. Under normal operating conditions these look okay to me but for a very small shunting layout, where you will be paying closer attention to individual wagons making up V hangers from car would probably be worth the effort.
The information is presented as a set of pictures, these will take a while to download, to save any one of these right click on the required picture and select 'save picture as'. The pictures can then easily be printed for reference.
Modelling a 12 foot wheelbase chassis using a Peco 15 foot wheelbase chassis kit (quick and simple version)  The sample shown below has the outer swinging link arms removed and a tie-bar of 10x20 thou strip added between the axle boxes.  |
Modelling an unfitted 12 foot wheelbase chassis using the Peco 15 foot wheelbase chassis.  |
Modelling a BR 'fitted' 12 foot wheelbase chassis using the Peco 15 foot wheelbase chassis kit.  |
Modelling a 12 foot wheelbase chassis with GWR 'DC pattern' brake using the Peco 15 foot wheelbase brake van chassis.  |
Modelling the 12 foot wheelbase vacuum braked chassis used by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.  |
|
