RT Models are re-releasing the Clarke Kits range of steelworks wagons. I picked up a couple at Warley, a slag ladle and a mill roll wagon.

Slag ladle wagons were used for transporting hot slag (the 'scum' formed when producing steel) from the steelworks to a tipping bank where the slag is dumped and allowed to cool. The wagons are very heavily built and are tipped either by a chain attached to the loco drawhook or by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. For more info see Arthur's gallery.

This wagon is a model of the type used at Stanton Ironworks and can be seen here.

The kit comprises of whitemetal castings and a piece of printed plasticard, used for ribs and top plates, brass pulley wheels and axle bearings and fine chain. Wheels are included, 8mm dia. 6 hole discs, and a couple of lengths of 1.5mm dia. rod for axles. The axles are cut to length for 16.5mm gauge, as I work to EM I had to wander over to Eileen's for a length of steel rod. Also required but not included is some .040" plasticard for a chassis spacer plate. The axle bearing holes are pre-drilled. Instructions are 14 sides(!) of A4 including references, photos of the prototype and drawing.

The first thing I did was to join together the two sides of the ladle. Both halves were cleaned by being rubbed on wet and dry laid on a glass mirror. Not much work was needed for a good join. The two halves were held together by a rubber band whilst the glue (Araldite) set. I then cut out and drilled the frame spacer and glued it to one chassis side, being carefull to get it square. Blu-tack helps. A pic;

The ladle pivots were filed to width to match the frame spacer. Then the axles and bearings were temporarily located in the frames and the frames assembled on a couple of blocks resting on a mirror. Again epoxy was used.

The ladle needs two pivots attaching to it. Then it can be detailed with ribs (four long ribs on the sides and two shaped ribs above the pivots) cut from the plastic sheet. The pivot ribs are laminated onto .010" before shaping and ftting.

The axle holes on my model were drilled slightly out of position. I got the axles square in the chassis but the chassis ends were out of true, one side being longer. I fixed this by adding a piece of plastic to the shorter side to square things up;

Here is the chassis with the ladle placed in position;