These instructions for the corridor connections apply to both Bachmann and Hornby Southern carriages.
Remove the corridor connection from the carriage.
To fill the four slots at the ends of the Bachmann carriages stick some cellotape on the outside of the carriage and fill the slots from the inside of the carriage with some resin car filler. When the filler is set remove the cellotape. Carefully smooth down the filler on the outside of the carriage.
Remove any flash and file away any imperfections from the top of the resin corridor connection.
Paint the resin corridor connection with a black permanent marker. If paint is used DO NOT get any paint inside the aperture as this is a close fit for the end plate and will jam it up.
Glue the resin corridor connection to the carriage ends.
Place the fixing plate into the corridor connection with the hole upwards. With a 2mm drill bit mark the end of the carriage through the hole in the fixing plate. Remove the fixing plate and drill a 4mm hole in the marked position.
Place the End plate into the corridor connection with the spigot through the 4mm hole. From the inside of the carriage place the fixing plate over the spigot. Glue the fixing plate to the inside of the carriage with a little liquid poly. Move the end plate around within the corridor connection to ensure the spigot is free to move within the hole of the fixing plate.
Remove the end plate. Place the spring over the spigot, insert the end plate, then fit the fixing washer to the spigot. Make a spacing jig in the shape of a two pronged fork from 20 thou/0.6mm plasticard. place this between the fixing plate and the fixing washer and press the washer onto the jig. Remove the jig and test the movement of the end plate. The end plate should move freely and sit vertically. The attitude of the end plate can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the fixing washer.
SOUTHERN and PULLMAN carriages are 15 inches apart measured between the roof ends or 6mm on the model carriages.
Buffer height of the model carriage should be 14mm from the top of the rail to the centre of the buffer.
The Base Plate
View from bellow.
View from above.
A hole is cut into the floor and the base plate becomes part of the floor. The base plate is set so the top of the base plate is in line with the top of the floor.
If needed a false floor of 20 th plasticard can be set on top of the carriage floor and the base plate is attached to it from below.
Pieces of 10th plastic strip to reduce the end play when the draw bar is at left or right of centre.
The existing coupling has been removed from the bogie to allow the draw bar to pass through.
Close coupling for the Bachmann Bullied Carriages
Ease the locating holes of the female coupling plate and countersink the top of the hole to make coupling the male plate easier.