... do Farish sell their coach wheels in packs of 10? Unless you model exclusively 4-wheel coaching stock you are always going to have two axles left over. Packs of 8 or 12 would make more sense.

Is it just me?

Cheers, 

Chris

PS. I've just realised you need 10 for LNER quad-arts, but that's still a bit niche.

Good question Chris


why do farish n gauge wheels come in packs of ten   

                 
Graham Farish / Bachmann Europe replacement wheelsets and axles come in packs of ten primarily to match standard British bogie coach configurations (two bogies with two axles each equals four wheels per coach, meaning a pack of 10 services two and a half coaches or up to 10 individual two-axle wagons) while offering an economical bulk quantity for layout maintenance.


I wonder that British bogie passenger coaches typically use two bogies per carriage, with each bogie holding two wheel axles (4 axles per coach).

A pack of 10 axles conveniently services a small formation of 2 full coaches (8 axles) with 2 spare axles left over for the workbench.



Buying individual wheelsets is inefficient for packaging, shipping, and manufacturing? An argument farish may have

 A set of 10 hits a cost-effective price point for Graham Farish N Gauge

I agree 12 would make sense or 8 as you suggest. Or multiples thereof

Be interested in others' opinions

Packs of 12 would be better. As it is, I tend to get them two packs at a time,so enough for 5 coaches.

Quote from: Papyrus on August 06, 2026, 07:30:56 PM... do Farish sell their coach wheels in packs of 10? Unless you model exclusively 4-wheel coaching stock you are always going to have two axles left over. Packs of 8 or 12 would make more sense.

Is it just me?

Cheers, 

Chris

PS. I've just realised you need 10 for LNER quad-arts, but that's still a bit niche.

Why, why, why Delila?

No, not just you. As ever, I blame metrication. A proper Imperial system would have a dozen axles, or, more likely, a baker's dozen in each packet. Enough for an LMS 12-wheel Dining Car with a spare set in case any were dodgy.

Things just aren't what they used to be.

With all good wishes.

John

Quote from: Train Waiting on August 06, 2026, 08:14:22 PMNo, not just you. As ever, I blame metrication. A proper Imperial system would have a dozen axles, or, more likely, a baker's dozen in each packet. Enough for an LMS 12-wheel Dining Car with a spare set in case any were dodgy

A dozen wheelsets would do two 12-wheeled Diners or Sleepers, or three 8-wheeled coaches, or four 6-wheeled coaches.

That would be a much better pack quantity than tens, which don't really suit any requirements properly - either needing multiple packs or having some wheelsets left over.

Mathieson coach wheels come in sets of 8...

Its marketing... they know that in order to fit them to three coaches you have to by two packs, which is fine if you have extra stock, wasteful if not.  Logic would suggest that they sell them in packs of 4 or 6 to cater for a single coach and you just buy however many packs of 4 or 6 wheel packs you need for however many coaches you need to rewheel.

Or sell bulk packs of 12 or 24 - either way, I agree 10 is a stupid pack quantity

I don't think there is any need to over-analyse this personally, ten is an easy number to work with from the perspective of inventory and it is easy to work out multiples thereof. I don't think the logic or reasoning that most wagons have four wheels and coaches eight, sensible as it would be to us as modellers, had any place in their thought process.

Ah, you've got a couple of spare wheels, eh. They're not going to come in wrong.

Same reason hotdogs come in packets of 10 but the rolls are packets of 6 or 8 - just to wind everyone up!