Commonwealth bogies and the third rail

In one thread I saw a comment that Commonwealth bogies could not be used on third rail lines. I have even seen it now in print in the Bachman Times "they are not really suitable for use on 3rd rail lines". Having riden in many a CEP riding on Commonwealth bogies I feel these statemennts should be queried.

I believe the confusion arrises in that it is not the bogie and the third rail per-se but the problems encountered fitting a shoe beam to the commonwealth bogie. In the CEP the shoe beam is fitted too the motor boogies as the end vehicles are both powered . The motor coach trailing end and the two trailer cars can all have Commonwealth bogies. It was the introduction of the mid set power car, I think the CIG were the first, where a powered non driving brake coach was used. CEP had 2 x 250hp in one bogie per motor coach and CIG 4 x 250hp motors in a single coach. The GIC were Driving Trailer CmpositE Second Open, Motor Brake Second and Driving Trailer C. omposite. The outer vehicle are both driving trailers and hence can't use Commonwealth bogies due to the shoe beam issue. An alternative had therefore to be found for that and later stock

I am happy to be corected if wrong

 

I imagine the show beam difficulties are due to the Commonwealth being a one piece casting - hence their use exclusively as trailer bogies.

As for coach bogies - I'm sure many a charter with commonwealth fitted Mk1's roam the SR frequently?

 

Just to prove my memory is not going a fellow member has kindly posted a pic of the two CEPmotor coaches at Eastleigh (post 847) with the inner bogies both being Commonwealth