Easy RTR steam loco to convert to P4

[Bob Essex]

I going to ask a silly question now. Why are P4 and EM wheels not self quartering?

Basically because it's more complicated and expensive to manufacture them and as the scales get smaller the tolerances required get tighter. When they appeared Maygib wheels had brass insert centres like Slaters wheels but these weren't self quartering and just used a shouldered axle. I still have a tin of P4 ones, the last of them given to me by Alan Gibson. Self quartering works in OO because of the width of the wheels while the narrower width of EM and especially P4 ones mean there isn't the leeway without having a large hub on their rears. TBH quartering is easy compared to trying to get true running wheelsets in my experience! Of course with diesels except shunters these issues don't arise....

Bob

 

[James]

Of course with diesels except shunters these issues don't arise....

It does depend on the wheels themselves.

When I use Gibson wheels for diesel conversions, I use a GW Models wheel press to fit the wheels onto the axles to make sure they're properly mounted.