Axle box lubrication

Greetings Forumites!

I am new to this forum (and model engineering) and currently building a 5" gauge Jubilee class 'Galatea'.

I decided to start the build with the bogie to provide useful learning for the chassis components (axles, axle box, horns, wheels etc.) that could be used for scaling up for building the driving wheels later.

I have mostly finished the bogie now but I am currently unsure how to proceed with the oilways for the axles.

The drawings indicate that oiling of the axles is via an oil bath machined into the top of the axle boxes, witth an oil hole leading to the leading edge of the axle. There are also 2 x options of oil ways inside the axle centre. One is an 'open' hole from the axle centre to the axle box, the other option is more of a plugged reservoir inside the axle.

This raises a number of questions before I can move on:

1) How is the oil fed to the bearing area - is it via the oil bath in the axle box, or via the axle centre?

2) The oil bath in the axle box does not have any cover/lid over it. Is this good practice and how would you access this for refilling with oil?

3) What is the purpose of the oil ways in the axle centre. Is oil injected into these to feed the bearing surface, and if so how is it retained?

Many thanks in advance for your assistance.

Whatever method of oiling you choose , go to any length to prevent ash/grit ,etc making its way into the axlebox. then down to the axle.

Don't feed it vertically downwards on the axle centre line. This is the area of highest bearing load. Someone did an experiment many moons ago with an oil pad under the axle and a hole in the top, oil was pumped out of the hole

That hole will have a cover on it as I think that’s where the springs sits. I have built a black 5 bogie which looks identical and I had the same concerns as you. Having talked to the oldies at the club they think it will be fine as they have locos that have run like this for 40+ years. How much running do you think you will do? I can only try to answer two questions so here goes 1. Gravity and on my loco the holes are just a mark from original machining and aren’t used for oiling. 2. The cover is the spring if it’s the same as black 5 and you reach it with your specially modified oil can that all owners seem to need.

I am putting an oil pad underneath on my main wheel axle boxes as they are split and they will be fed from the top. They are also iron on steel axles so should be a good bearing anyway.

hope this might help.

I didn’t remember until I went outside but I have also put a hole through from the top of the spring to oil the axleblocks.

Edited By Buffer on 04/07/2021 10:07:46

Thanks for the reply Buffer.

It looks like your bogie is very similar design to Galatea, with the equaliser beams instead of individually sprung axleboxes. Nice looking job you've made of it so far by the way.

I haven't used split axle boxes otherwise the oil bath below the axle would be a good idea (it keeps the dirt out).

The oil reservoir on mine is behind the equaliser beam so nothing to prevent dirt getting in unless I fit some kind of cover.

It looks like you don't have oilways through the axle centre on yours so still not convinced this is required if lubricating from above the axle box, as it were - although drawings indicate this requirement?

Those axles look the same shape as the tender axles. My bogie axle is straight in the middle. There’s no chance that refers to the tender is there.  There’s no doubt it is hard to oil the tender as there is a plate on top of the box, again assuming it’s the same as a black5.  I don’t think you’ll have any problems building your loco looking at that bogie. 
Could you not put some felt into the hole to act as a filter the oil would probably go through.

Edited By Buffer on 04/07/2021 10:55:01

Edited By Buffer on 04/07/2021 10:57:40

Edited By Buffer on 04/07/2021 11:01:09