Metal Wheels

[Ensign Elliott]

A few years ago I seem to recall somewhere selling bags of new N gauge metal wheels for rolling stock. It was something like bags of 50 wheels for about £25 - I forget the exact amount.

I know you can get the little Farish bags of 10 wheels for £16 etc

Does anyone else know or did I dream it? 

[crewearpley40]

Try https://www.petersspares.com/graham-farish-379-412-coach-wheels-disc-pk10-axles-n-gauge.irhttps://www.petersspares.com/graham-farish-379-411-wagon-wheels-spoked-pk10-axles-n-gauge.ir  or 379410    and depends if they are for coaches or wagons

[njee20]

I've never seen any decent wheels for that sort of price. I've bought several hundred wheelsets for 3D printed models, the only places that do 'bulk' packs tend to be the US brands - Exact Rail are my favourite, but you can also get Micro Trains, Fox Valley Models and Intermountain among others.

For UK-based, N-Train certainly used to do them, and I think Osbornes do as well, but again, typically >£1 per axle IIRC.

[ijmsmith]

Mathieson Models do spoked wagon wheels (6mm metal rims) and 7mm disc wheels for coaches. Available on eBay and Amazon... try emailing them (address on their website) if you want to buy one in bulk.

[tunneroner61]

I've been rewheeling some of my rolling stock this last summer.  The comparative prices I found are:
7mm coach:

Osborns 4 disc axles on 15mm axles      5.15
Mathiesons 8 disc axles at Amazon      11.95
Mathiesons 8 disc axles at ebay              11.95 no P&P

6mm wagon:
Osborns 8 spoked axles on 15mm axles   9.65
Mathiesons 10 spoked axles at Amazon   11.95
Mathiesons 10 spoked axles at ebay      11.95 no P&P
NGS 4 disc axles                                6.00
N Trains disc 10 axles WH001              14.00

I have mainly bought Mathiesons from ebay as it's free P&P and speedy service. All the others charge P&P which you need to factor in.

HTH Norman

[chrism]

I have mainly bought Mathiesons from ebay as it's free P&P and speedy service. All the others charge P&P which you need to factor in.

When I want several of something, I always do a full cost comparison between the free posting listings and the postage extra ones.
Very often the postage extra ones are free or only a few pence extra for additional items, whereas the free postage ones are all loaded with the postage for every item which soon adds up. It's frequently cheaper overall to pay for the postage if you want more than one or two of an item.

I have occasionally had no choice but to order free postage ones (if there's only one listing at the time) and, sometimes, the seller has refunded some of the postage.

[martyn]

I first used Parkside Dundas wheels from the Society shop, but now use Farish. I haven't tried wheels from other sources, so can't comment on them.

Two reasons; after time, I've found that the Parkside rims can become loose on the plastic hub, especially if exposed to large temperature ranges in use (easily fixed with superglue and back-to-back gauge) but more to the point, literally; I find the Farish wheels with the sharper angle on the pinpoints roll better. This has been non-scientifically tested using an inclined piece of track before and after changing the wheelsets.

They are used as replacements on Peco wagons, and in coaching stock kit builds.

Martyn

[Southerngooner]

I'd certainly back Martyn's comments on the Farish wheelsets. I've used them in Peco, Parkside, and Chivers kits all with very good results, plus in 3D prints like Atsocads Pigeon Van. The fine point on the axles really aids with the rolling, as opposed to the shallower angle on the Parkside ones which seems to drag a bit more. The Mathieson axles seem to be closer to Parkside than Farish in terms of pinpoints so I would personally stick to Farish, even at £15 for ten axles.

Dave

[Firstone18]

If you are, or know someone who is, a member of the N Gauge Society one of their 'kits' is a pack of wheels - sorry can't find the number. I purchased some at TINGS for an ancient Peco brake van, they were a bit tight to start with but after very careful use of a 0.7mm drill and a tiny touch of very thin silicone grease in each axlebox,  the van runs fine. The old plastic axles had slightly bent making the van 'bounce' as it ran and causing uncoupling when running down my helix.
HTH.
Cheers!

[martyn]

If you think the axles are a little tight in the frames, then the Society reamer can be used to ease them a little;

https://www.ngsjoin.com/ngs-axle-box-reamer--ngsb0400-8573-p.asp

This may be available from other sources, I don't know.

I have also used the drill method, prior to the reamer set being made available, but I, personally, have never needed to use grease or oils in stock axleboxes.

I find that if the metal axle is tight when first swapping to them, then a GENTLE pinching of the axleboxes for that wheelset (finger pressure only) is generally enough to loosen them off sufficiently for free rolling. Too much pressure (eg a small vice) can produce slop in the play.

Martyn

[icairns]

A few years ago I seem to recall somewhere selling bags of new N gauge metal wheels for rolling stock. It was something like bags of 50 wheels for about £25 - I forget the exact amount.
Does anyone else know or did I dream it? 

At one time Bob Davies of N-Train sold bags of 50 wheels for £42.00 (see link below).  His brand was called 'N-Wheelz' but I don't think these are still available.

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=29617.msg343397#msg343397

Ian

[Ensign Elliott]

N-Train, that's who I was thinking of. Shame they no longer seem to do packs of 50 wheels.

Many thanks all, I'll try Mathiesons from ebay.

[ijmsmith]

Mathieson Models are offering five-packs of their wagon and coach wheels on eBay now. Five packs for less than the price of four...

[Steven B]

Mathieson Models are offering five-packs of their wagon and coach wheels on eBay now. Five packs for less than the price of four...

eBay link to the spoked 6mm wheelsets:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144710213167?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=pZZmzBpKSlm&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Steven B