Axleboxes

I've just come back from a trip to Spain where steam locos were a feature! Chatting to a friend about different practices he was amazed when I informed him of the lack of wedges used on loco axleboxes (well certainly for the Swindon products which I am the most familiar with.)

So my question - did other railways regularly make use of axlebox wedges or did the others also go without?

Can't repeat what he said when I mentioned the general lack of compensated suspension!

 

The GA's of the SR Schools class and LNER A3 in Phillipsons shows them to be fitted with wedges and I think that the S15's have them (I should know, really!). I'm fairly certain that 61994 has them, too, as there was some problem with the locknuts working loose the other day but I didn't go under to take a look!

 

The K1 has axlebox wedges. What sometimes appear to be the lock nuts are only the means of moving the wedge up. They are locked in place by bolts throught the wedge and through the horn.

The adjusters only push the wedges up and great care has to be taken to not get them too high and jammed thus stopping a box moving.