diff --git a/lib/qcd/action/Actions.h b/lib/qcd/action/Actions.h
index ef2edc97..20023455 100644
--- a/lib/qcd/action/Actions.h
+++ b/lib/qcd/action/Actions.h
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@ namespace QCD {
 typedef WilsonGaugeAction<PeriodicGimplR>          WilsonGaugeActionR;
 typedef WilsonGaugeAction<PeriodicGimplF>          WilsonGaugeActionF;
 typedef WilsonGaugeAction<PeriodicGimplD>          WilsonGaugeActionD;
-typedef VariableWilsonGaugeAction<PeriodicGimplR>          VariableWilsonGaugeActionR;
-typedef VariableWilsonGaugeAction<PeriodicGimplF>          VariableWilsonGaugeActionF;
-typedef VariableWilsonGaugeAction<PeriodicGimplD>          VariableWilsonGaugeActionD;
 
 typedef PlaqPlusRectangleAction<PeriodicGimplR>    PlaqPlusRectangleActionR;
 typedef PlaqPlusRectangleAction<PeriodicGimplF>    PlaqPlusRectangleActionF;
diff --git a/lib/qcd/action/gauge/WilsonGaugeAction.h b/lib/qcd/action/gauge/WilsonGaugeAction.h
index 8ac1df74..b9216d78 100644
--- a/lib/qcd/action/gauge/WilsonGaugeAction.h
+++ b/lib/qcd/action/gauge/WilsonGaugeAction.h
@@ -82,193 +82,7 @@ class WilsonGaugeAction : public Action<typename Gimpl::GaugeField> {
   };
 };
 
-template <class Gimpl>
-class VariableWilsonGaugeAction : public Action<typename Gimpl::GaugeField> {
- public:
-  INHERIT_GIMPL_TYPES(Gimpl);
 
- private:
-  std::vector<RealD> b_bulk;  // bulk couplings
-  std::vector<RealD> b_xdim;  // extra dimension couplings
-  GridBase *grid;
-  LatticeComplex beta_xdim;
-  LatticeComplex beta_xdim_shifted;
-  LatticeComplex beta_bulk;
-
-  int bulk_volume;
-
- public:
-  VariableWilsonGaugeAction(std::vector<RealD> bulk, std::vector<RealD> xdim,
-                            GridBase *_grid)
-      : b_bulk(bulk),
-        b_xdim(xdim),
-        grid(_grid),
-        beta_xdim(grid),
-        beta_xdim_shifted(grid),
-        beta_bulk(grid) {
-    // check that the grid is ok
-    // todo
-    int Ndim = Nd;  // change later
-
-    std::vector<int> FullDim = grid->GlobalDimensions();
-    bulk_volume = 1;
-    for (int s = 0; s < Ndim - 1; s++) bulk_volume *= FullDim[s];
-
-    LatticeComplex temp(grid);
-
-    Lattice<iScalar<vInteger> > coor(grid);
-
-    LatticeCoordinate(coor, Ndim - 1);
-
-    int Nex = FullDim[Ndim - 1];
-    assert(b_bulk.size() == Nex);
-    assert(b_xdim.size() == Nex);
-
-    beta_xdim = zero;
-    for (int tau = 0; tau < Nex - 1; tau++) {
-      temp = b_xdim[tau];
-      beta_xdim = where(coor == tau, temp, beta_xdim);
-    }
-
-    beta_xdim_shifted = Cshift(beta_xdim, Ndim - 1, -1);
-
-    beta_bulk = zero;
-    for (int tau = 0; tau < Nex; tau++) {
-      temp = b_bulk[tau];
-      beta_bulk = where(coor == tau, temp, beta_bulk);
-    }
-
-
-  };
-
-  virtual void refresh(const GaugeField &U,
-                       GridParallelRNG &pRNG){};  // noop as no pseudoferms
-
-  virtual RealD S(const GaugeField &Umu) {
-    int Ndim = Nd;  // change later for generality
-    conformable(grid, Umu._grid);
-
-    std::vector<GaugeLinkField> U(Ndim, grid);
-
-    for (int mu = 0; mu < Ndim; mu++) {
-      U[mu] = PeekIndex<LorentzIndex>(Umu, mu);
-    }
-
-    LatticeComplex dirPlaq(grid);
-    LatticeComplex Plaq(grid);
-
-    LatticeComplex SumdirPlaq(grid);
-
-    RealD OneOnNc = 1.0 / Real(Nc);
-
-    /////////////
-    // Lower dim plaquettes
-    /////////////
-    Plaq = zero;
-    SumdirPlaq = zero;
-    for (int mu = 1; mu < Ndim - 1; mu++) {
-      for (int nu = 0; nu < mu; nu++) {
-        WilsonLoops<Gimpl>::traceDirPlaquette(dirPlaq, U, mu, nu);
-        SumdirPlaq += dirPlaq;
-        Plaq = Plaq + (1.0 - dirPlaq * OneOnNc) * beta_bulk;
-      }
-    }
-
-    
-    double faces = (1.0 * (Nd - 1) * (Nd - 2)) / 2.0;
-    SumdirPlaq *= OneOnNc / (RealD(bulk_volume) * faces);
-
-    // print slices in the extra dimension
-    int Nex = grid->_fdimensions[Ndim - 1];
-    std::vector<TComplex> plaq_ex(Nex);
-    sliceSum(SumdirPlaq, plaq_ex, Ndim - 1);
-    for (int ex = 0; ex < Nex; ex++)
-      std::cout << GridLogMessage << "Bulk plaq[" << ex
-                << "] = " << TensorRemove(plaq_ex[ex]).real() << std::endl;
-
-    /////////////
-    // Extra dimension
-    /////////////
-    {
-      int mu = Ndim - 1;
-      for (int nu = 0; nu < mu; nu++) {
-        WilsonLoops<Gimpl>::traceDirPlaquette(dirPlaq, U, mu, nu);
-        Plaq = Plaq + (1.0 - dirPlaq * OneOnNc) * beta_xdim;
-      }
-    }
-
-    TComplex Tp = sum(Plaq);
-    Complex p = TensorRemove(Tp);
-    RealD action = p.real();
-    return action;
-  };
-
-  virtual void deriv(const GaugeField &U, GaugeField &dSdU) {
-    // not optimal implementation FIXME
-    // extend Ta to include Lorentz indexes
-
-    // for the higher dimension plaquettes take the upper plaq of the
-    // 4d slice and multiply by beta[s] and the lower and multiply by beta[s-1]
-    // derivative of links mu = 0, ... Nd-1 inside plaq (mu,5)
-    // for these I need upper and lower staples separated
-    // each multiplied with their own beta
-    // derivative of links mu = 5
-    // living on the same slice, share the same beta
-
-    conformable(grid, U._grid);
-    int Ndim = Nd;  // change later
-    RealD factor = 0.5 / RealD(Nc);
-
-    GaugeLinkField Umu(grid);
-    GaugeLinkField dSdU_mu(grid);
-    GaugeLinkField staple(grid);
-
-    for (int mu = 0; mu < Ndim; mu++) {
-      Umu = PeekIndex<LorentzIndex>(U, mu);
-      dSdU_mu = zero;
-
-      for (int nu = 0; nu < Ndim; nu++) {
-        if (nu != mu) {
-          if ((mu < (Ndim - 1)) && (nu < (Ndim - 1))) {
-            // Spacelike case apply beta space
-            WilsonLoops<Gimpl>::Staple(staple, U, mu, nu);
-            staple = staple * beta_bulk;
-            dSdU_mu += staple;
-
-          } else if (mu == (Ndim - 1)) {
-            // nu space; mu time link
-            assert(nu < (Ndim - 1));
-            assert(mu == (Ndim - 1));
-
-            // mu==tau dir link deriv, nu spatial
-            WilsonLoops<Gimpl>::Staple(staple, U, mu, nu);
-            staple = staple * beta_xdim;
-            dSdU_mu += staple;
-
-          } else {
-            assert(mu < (Ndim - 1));
-            assert(nu == (Ndim - 1));
-
-            // nu time; mu space link
-
-            // staple forwards in tau
-            WilsonLoops<Gimpl>::StapleUpper(staple, U, mu, nu);
-            staple = staple * beta_xdim;
-            dSdU_mu += staple;
-
-            // staple backwards in tau
-            WilsonLoops<Gimpl>::StapleLower(staple, U, mu, nu);
-            staple = staple * beta_xdim_shifted;
-            dSdU_mu += staple;
-          }
-        }
-      }
-
-      dSdU_mu = Ta(Umu * dSdU_mu) * factor;
-      PokeIndex<LorentzIndex>(dSdU, dSdU_mu, mu);
-    }
-  };
-};
 }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/hmc/Test_hmc_WilsonGauge_Binary.cc b/tests/hmc/Test_hmc_WilsonGauge_Binary.cc
index a3bdbe4f..977ca1c8 100644
--- a/tests/hmc/Test_hmc_WilsonGauge_Binary.cc
+++ b/tests/hmc/Test_hmc_WilsonGauge_Binary.cc
@@ -62,27 +62,15 @@ class HmcRunner : public BinaryHmcRunner {
   void BuildTheAction(int argc, char **argv)
 
   {
-    int Ndim=5;
     typedef WilsonImplR ImplPolicy;
     typedef WilsonFermionR FermionAction;
     typedef typename FermionAction::FermionField FermionField;
 
-    std::vector<int> simd = GridDefaultSimd(Ndim-1,vComplex::Nsimd());
-    simd.push_back(1);
-
-
-    //UGrid = SpaceTimeGrid::makeFourDimGrid(GridDefaultLatt(), simd, GridDefaultMpi());
-    UGrid   =  new GridCartesian(GridDefaultLatt(),simd,GridDefaultMpi());
+    UGrid = SpaceTimeGrid::makeFourDimGrid(GridDefaultLatt(), GridDefaultSimd(Nd, vComplex::Nsimd()), GridDefaultMpi());
+    
 
     // Gauge action
-    int Ls = UGrid->_fdimensions[Nd - 1];
-    std::vector<RealD> betat(Ls,6.0);
-    std::vector<RealD> betas(Ls,5.6);
-    betat[Ls-1]= 0.0;
-    betas={5.2,5.5,5.8,6,6,5.8,5.5,5.2};
-    std:cout << GridLogMessage << "Betas: " << betas << std::endl;
-    VariableWilsonGaugeActionR Waction(betas, betat, UGrid);
-    //WilsonGaugeActionR Waction(5.6);
+    WilsonGaugeActionR Waction(5.6);
 
     // Collect actions
     ActionLevel<Field> Level1(1);