- Information About Wheels - |
I design all my kits to use Slater’s wheels although other alternative wheels can be used. In common with the majority of 0 gauge kit producers I do not include wheels in my kits. |
There are two main reasons for this. Some modellers have their own preferences as to which manufacturers wheels they find best suited to their needs. |
- Course Scale Wheels - |
The more traditional garden railway runners often prefer a cast iron wheel with quite a wide tyre and deep flange. Reckoning that they stand a better chance of steamrollering over the odd garden snail or other garden railway obstacle without the train derailing. These wheel standards are often referred to as coarse scale. |
- Scale 7 Wheels - |
Other modellers wish to spend a year or so building and detailing a model to a standard that would grace a museum showcase and therefore they will use a steel wheel that is an exact copy of the prototype and a thing of beauty in its own right. |
These may cost up to three times more than some wheels but if you are spending a year on a loco then the cost is probably justified. These wheel standards are often referred to as scale 7. |
- 0 Gauge Fine Scale |
Most modellers want something in between and this is 0 gauge fine scale. By providing the kits without wheels modellers are able to choose the wheels they wish. |
The other reason for not including wheels is because the wheel manufacturers are also small businesses and so are not able to provide us kit producers with much of a discount. |
So tying up large amounts of money by including wheels with my stock of loco kits with only a small potential for profit is not really practical. |
- Slater's Wheels - |
The wheels that I use and recommend for all of my kits are produced by Slater’s. These are probably the least expensive option and are relatively easy to use. |
They are to a standard that is often referred to as 0 gauge fine scale and is the standard that about 80% of 0 gauge modellers use. These wheels will give you the maximum compatibility when running your locos on friend’s layouts and running tracks at 0 gauge group meetings. |
These wheels are normally available off the shelf direct from Slater’s and the range is comprehensive enough that you should be able to meet all your future requirements from the one manufacturer. |
I include full details of the Slater’s wheels required in my instruction sheets and this information can also be used with the other wheel manufactures to select an equivalent wheel from their ranges. |
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Slater’s wheels consist of a turned steel tyre and the spokes are injection moulded glass reinforced oil resistant nylon. The moulded spokes are keyed into the tyre so that there is no risk of the tyre working lose in use. |
Moulded and keyed into the centre of the wheel is a brass insert that has a square machined hole for most of its thickness and a round countersunk hole on its outside face. |
With nylon spokes the locomotive chassis and body will remain electrically insulated (dead) with relation to the live wheel tyres. |
- Fitting Slater's Wheels - |
The axles have machined shoulders set 29mm apart and then the axle end is a machined square. The axle ends are bored out with a taped thread. The wheels fit firmly onto the squared axle ends hard against the shoulders and these set the wheels at the correct gauge (back to back measurement). |
The squared axle ends accurately quarter the wheels (set the crankpins on one side of the loco to lead the other side by 90º) The wheels are secured to the axle by countersunk machine screws (Allen or hexagonal key type screw) seating in the countersunk hole in the centre brass insert. |
The great advantage of this fixing method is that the wheels can be fitted and removed from the chassis as many times as you want during construction and painting and remain removable if required for servicing the loco during its running life. |
- Crankpins - |
Included with the Slater’s wheel pack are the crankpins. These consist of a threaded screw that fits through the wheel from the back. A shouldered turned brass coupling rod bearing bush is then fitted and a washer and nut then retain this. |
Again this has the advantage that the coupling rods can be removed and replaced as many times as required. Each wheel pack contains all the parts required for each axle of the loco. |
-Tools Required - |
The only additional thing required is a 0.050” across flats hexagonal Allen key. Slater’s can supply one of these in a fancy packet but for the same price you can buy about half a dozen from a good tool merchant (Squires list it separately in their catalogue). |
- Purchasing Slater's Wheels - |
I would recommend purchasing the wheels direct from Slater’s. They provide an excellent mail order service and will take orders with a credit card over the phone. If you quote the reference numbers that I give for each kit and say that you want them for one of “Big Jim's Kits” then they will be delighted to hear from you. |
Slater’s Plastikard, Old Road, Darley Dale, Matlock, Derbyshire,
DE4 2ER, Telephone 01629 734053, Fax 01629 732235, |
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- Alternative Wheels - |
For modellers who want a wheel to match a specific profile, they may have a collection of modern Bassett Lowke locomotives produced by Corgi or the modern continental tinplate produced by ETS, which have a course scale type wheel profile. |
Then the range of cast iron wheels produced by Walsall Model Industries may be an alternative. They provide a bespoke wheel turning and finishing service so if you told them that you wanted to match up with some Bassett Lowke locomotives they would provide finished wheels to the appropriate profile. |
They also provide wheels finished to fine scale 0 gauge standards or just blank castings to be finished by the modeller. These wheels may be an attractive alternative to customers who are experienced model engineers and would find a cast iron wheel something they are more familiar with. |
Walsall Model Industries, Unit 7, North Street Industrial Estate,
Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 8AU, Telephone 01922 633718
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- Slater's Wheels Help Sheet - |
Like most components you will get the best from Slater’s wheels if you do a little extra preparation work and I would recommend that you make use of my downloadable hints and tips sheet. |
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