The Home Machinist!

For a British-style boxcab switcher project I am working on, I would like some buffers to mount on the front and rear pilot. I would prefer machined but will take castings in a pinch. It is for a smaller sized engine so I don't need the huge oval ones that are on modern diesels. Also, no need for them to be sprung. Even plans for buffers so that I could turn them from wood would be acceptable.

Email me if you have something that might help! Thanks. Ben

BENLMAGGI - AT - hot mail - DOT - com.

I've been looking for some as well for my german BR52, but have yet to find any buffers or drawhooks.

I have some drawings if you're interested, I'll scan and upload for you.



Harry

Suggest you look in Reeves 2000 on-line catalog.

I shuttle back / forth to the UK regularly - and our office is quite close to Reeves.

I will be happy to bring back what you want - is small stuff, and mail to you when I get home.

hwboivin3 wrote:I've been looking for some as well for my german BR52, but have yet to find any buffers or drawhooks.
I have some drawings if you're interested, I'll scan and upload for you.
Harry

Hello Harry,

buffers in halfround and flat (over here, on one side of the car/engine the buffer is flat, the other is halfround) in scale 1:8 are available from Westwälder Dampfeisenbah-Freunde. They are not listed on the website (only the 1" version for 5" gauge), but in the price-list they are listed:

7-05-001 Buffer round 2-parts weight ~ 1lbs finished 60,19 €
7-05-002 Buffer flat 2-parts weight ~ 1 lbs finished 60,19 €
7-05-003 fitting spring 1,93 €

They also have the hook-couplers for german style engines/cars.

Check them out under http://www.wdef.de

Bill,
A kind offer and one which I may well take you up on. Looking at the Reeves website, I found this:
24/038 - HERCULES BUFFER HEADS & STOCKS - £59.86. With our club owning a Hercules I know how big they are and they would work great.

Also interesting is this link provided by another forum member, for buffers molded in plastic resin:
http://www.pnp-railways.co.uk/products/ ... -gear.html
I would pick these up but they cost more then the metal ones!

Benjamin Maggi wrote:Looking at the Reeves website, I found this: 24/038 - HERCULES BUFFER HEADS & STOCKS - £59.86.

Ben,
I can't imagine paying this much money for Reeves' castings if, as you've said, almost anything will do. If you can machine castings then you could make a perfectly decent set of buffers from bar stock (in your choice of material.) In addition to this price you will pay 20% VAT on the castings, which is recoverable, but only if a list of criteria are met including that the vendor participates in the recovery program and sometimes the process isn't worth the trouble.

Fake it with round headed Drawer pulls. Your Home store cabinet department. About a buck apiece, until you get the 'real' thing.

A gentleman kindly sent me the plans for Hercules' buffers, so I have the rough numbers now. Our club engine is missing one of the four buffers itself (not the housing) so the plans will also aid us in restoring it. As for the doorknobs... using wood, metal, and whatnot I bet I can come up with something!

Thanks to all for your help.