Products > Sprung Diesel Bogie Kits

Bachmann Classes 37 & 55

Kits PK007 and PK008. Prices and Availability here

Our Class 37 and 55 sprung bogie kits, like the prototypes, share a common set of parts.

We fitted one of our sprung bogie kits to 37 693 for Bernie Baker. Now re-bodied in green, it can be seen running on Bernie's exhibition layout, Allt-y-Graban Road.

Our own Deltic build still has some way to go, with no brakes or drive units fitted as yet. It gets used at shows as a 'push along' toy to demonstrate the feeling of mass and the smooth motion of a sprung diesel chassis.

Kit Features

Etched brass fold-up construction.
Steel ‘guitar wire’ springing.
Primary springing by two independent spring beams on each side of each bogie to mimic the sprung equalization beams of the prototype.
Secondary springing by transverse spring beams acting coincidentally with the longitudinal locations of the prototype springs.
Simple fit to locomotive chassis block, allowing any misalignment in the block to be accommodated.
Uses original four- or six-wheel drive units. The six-wheel unit can either be articulated by straightforward modification using the etched parts supplied, or simply cut down to a four-wheel drive.
Undertrays and end plates to shield gears of drive unit.
Reduced overall bogie width.
Adjustable ride height to allow builder to set optimum desired distance between top of bogie frame and lower body side.
Enhanced etched brake gear and guard iron details replace and augment the plastic moulded representations.
Profiled subframe to provide prototypical amount of ‘daylight’ under parts of bogie.
The original cosmetic bogie sideframes are re-used, suitable fixing surfaces being provided.
Secondary spring details are included on the bogie bolsters. The original cosmetic moulded secondary springs are fixed to the bolsters for added depth of detail.

Articulated 6-wheel drive unit, from Class 55, test-fitted into bogie subframe.

4-wheel drive unit, from earlier Class 37, modified for use with sprung bogie kit.

Wheelsets and primary springs fitted to bogie subframe, also showing brake detail components. Centre pull rods, hidden once sideframes are fitted, have been omitted to allow sideplay.

Bolster mounted on secondary springs onto bogie subframe. To aid setting up, the two assemblies share a common lower reference datum (guard irons notwithstanding!).

View from underneath, showing the transverse secondary springs which simply clip into place in the 'legs' of the bolster and are retained between the bolster safety loop details.

Complete bogie assembly, with articulated 6-wheel drive unit and cosmetic sideframes fitted. The plastic card spacer on the top face of the bolster allows adjustment of ride height.

Bearing plate for bolster top, fitted into the chassis block and correctly aligned on a bed of epoxy resin. The top face of the bolster is lightly pretensioned against the plate, using the pivot screw, preventing any unwanted rocking movement.

A closer view of Bernie's 37 693. This loco has 4-wheel drive units, and runs on a modified Ultrascale Conversion Pack, with the inner bosses of the wheels cut away and our 2mm bearings on the unpowered axles opened out to 3mm. If buying new wheels, it's better to choose from Ultrascale Diesel Discs, Alan Gibson Conversion Packs (all axles 2mm), or Branchlines (Black Beetle) wheels.