Railroad Mk1 not very free running

[Ken Shabby]

I've acquired a few Railroad Mk1 coaches over the last few years, and 2 of them including a brown and cream CK I got for Christmas are very poor runners
It took a while to work out the problem, it seems the wheel flanges rub on the underneath of the coach floor.
I think carefully filing down the underneath of the coach will allow a tiny bit more clearance to allow the wheels to turn freely.
It' looks to be a easy fix, but it is annoying.
Has anyone else had this problem with the Railroad MK1 coaches ?
Ken

[Bigmet]

This is a problem that has occurred quite regularly on OO coaches from various manufacturers over the years. If you run them a half hour around the tightest curves on your layout in both directions, that should create some witness marks on the underside to guide positioning the centreline of the arcs that need to be cut away to create arches that clear the flange tops - it isn't very much. A side cutter in a rotary tool makes the job really easy.

I would do them all even if there are no witness marks on some vehicles, or you will be revisiting the job after some bearing wear has occurred.

[Bufferstop]

The Railroad coaches would originally have run with deep flange underscale wheels, if they are fitted with 14.1mm coach wheels you will have problems with ride height and flange clearance. I cheat and fit wagon wheels, better clearance, buffers look the right height and most people never notice.

[Metadyneman]

I have had this problem with some Hornby Railroad coaches. It is only the newer China made "new" tooled versions suffer with it not the earlier ones based on the old Triang Hornby Mk1s. The solution is to either fit them with smaller diameter wheels (similar to those used in B4 bogies) or place a thin plasticard washer over the bogie pivot hole. I don't like the horrible plastic wheels that Hornby use in the Railroad range so all of mine have been replaced with smaller metal ones. May not look as good but it's certainly less frustrating having a loco drag a load of "locked" wheels round the garden.