No.99 The train arriving – BachmannPorthole Coaches

My first Bachmann Portholes have been unpacked and are installed on the layout, topped and tailed with a pair of Hornby Stanier brakes.


Bachmann Portholes topped and tailed with Hornby Stanier brake coaches

My first impressions were very positive, good looking light weight and free running coaches. However I had issues with the couplers and the ride height.

Bachmann Portholes straight out of the box

Straight out of the box I was disappointed with the large gap between coupled coaches. I tried my usual trick of swapping to Hornby R8220 couplers as used on my BR Mk1s but the gap in my opinion was still unacceptably large.

Undersides – Bachmann Porthole left, Bachmann Mk1 sleeper right

Comparing the underside of the Bachmann Porthole with the underside of their Mk1 sleeper provides the answer. Bachmann appear to have used the same coupling extension crank for both the Porthole and the Mk1 coaches with the result that the coupling pocket for the Porthole coach protrudes about 2mm further out from the coach than for the Mk1. A simple solution is to cut away some of the pocket and to glue the couplers in place. However a lot of my coaching stock both Hornby and Bachmann is close coupled using Hornby R8220 couplers. In the past I have attempted to shorten these couplers but faced with the need to source upwards of ten such couplers I have instead purchased the Roco 40270 close coupler.
Roco 40270 left, Hornby R8220 right

The Hornby R8220 is based on and couples perfectly with the shorter Roco 40270 coupler. At first I thought the Roco coupler to be rather expensive. However after a search on the Internet I came across a source equivalent to 60p each –I think a price comparable with the longer Hornby product.

Bachmann Porholes fitted with Roco 40270 close couplers

The view above shows the Bachmann Portholes close coupled with the Roco 40270 couplers. Coupled in this manner the coaches will still traverse Peco Medium Radius points.

Bachmann Porthole with Roco 40270 left, Hornby Stanier with Hornby R8220 right NB prior to fettling the footboard

What about some brake coaches? Bachmann still have to release their Porthole Brakes. In the meantime I would use a couple of Hornby Brakes. As the view above shows, either the Hornby coach is riding too high or the Bachmann Porthole is sinking too low. 

This issue is discussed further on RMweb by ‘Coachman’ and others. Sufficient to say that Bachmann have constructed the new bogie around two pieces of bent copper which both carry the side frames and have cups pressed in to accept the pinpoint axles. Unfortunately the tolerances achieved are such that the pinpoint axles on my coaches can slop up and down some 2mm – resulting in the reduced ride height (and differences in ride height between coaches).

With reference to the picture above comparing the undersides of the Porthole and the Mk1 Sleeper I did think it might be possible to unscrew the copper side pieces and pack them out by 1 mm or more. However the side frames and brake shoes are pinned / glued to the copper supporting members and I couldn’t guarantee getting all the bits back together in the right place. The solution put forward by ‘Coachman’ is to pack the bogie pivot points.

Bachmann Porthole – adjusting ride height

I guess everybody will have their own solution to adjusting the ride height. I had some black plastic file dividers which when doubled up have a thickness of about 1mm. I cut a strip 10mm wide and then folded them ‘concertina fashion’ so that I could drill all the pieces in one go to make a hole the same diameter as the bogie support boss on the Bachmann coach.

Plastic packing – 2x0.5mm (approx)

The original 10mm x 10mm plastic squares were pared down to something more like 6mm square. Rather than taking a knife to Bachmann pivot, I cut a slot in the packing piece to match the Bachmann pivot with its ‘stop’ to control the rotation of the bogie. This had the advantage that the packing piece was a push fit over the Bachmann pivot, no adhesive being used and hence totally reversible.

Bachmann Porthole, lowered ride height with Roco 40270 left, Hornby Stanier with Hornby R8220 right

Pretty good, maybe still a touch low with my Hornby Staniers, but I think acceptable. Adding more packing to the bogie pivot will have the adverse effect of creating a gap between the coach and the bogie – so perhaps there has to be a compromise?

Bachmann Porthole, lowered ride height with Roco 402770 left, Bachmann Mk1 with Hornby R8220 right

For completeness two more pictures. Above a view showing the Bachmann Porthole close coupled to a Bachmann Mk1 while below is a pair of Bachmann Mk1 coaches close coupled with Hornby R8220 couplers.

Bachmann Mk1s close coupled using Hornby R8220 coupers

I have also loaded a short video onto YouTube showing my rake of Bachmann Portholes topped and tailed by Hornby Stanier brake coaches, hauled by an old favourite, ex Mainline Amethyst fitted with a Bachmann chassis. I would say nearly very good!  I had two or three attempts at loading the video which to my mind is too jerky (nothing to do with the engine) - hopefully this version is the best!

The final piece in the jigsaw

 May 2015 - ex LMS 3rd Class Brake finally arrived

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