I have tried a different approach for my final Coopercraft diagram O4.

Working from an article by Roy Miller dating from the kits introduction, I have successfully built my first kit with the floor in the correct place.

This is working from the kit with the sheet rail (which unlike the 7 plank O2 is a moulded part and not remotely as effective)

First I reduced the hight of the solebars, carefully cutting along the length so that the solebar stops at the bottom of the sides. On one solebar I also attempted to file back the w-irons leaving the axleboxes and springs insitue when filing to clear space for the Bill Bedford units (Roy recommended the use of a jig to do this which I may attempt on the next batch)

Assembly for the rest of the wagon was streight forward, fitting the floor (in the correct place) to the end, adding ths sides followed by the other end. Once the main box was constructed, the solebars and etched w irons were glued into position (the latter helping to solidify the weak plastic at the thinnest parts).

Breakgear is for a late Dean Churchward fitted wagon, I have not got any decent photos to work from so have based it fully on the diagrams from the article. As per the solebars the breaks needed cutting down to sit correctly on the floor.

As usual it still requires sprung buffers (as with the rest of my fleet!), and will need some 3 link couplings. Along with my other DC fitted wagons it also needs the break linkage (not included within the kit.) I have a drawing (again from the R Miller article), which I suspect will be included on the corner of my 2251 etch once I get round to etching it later in the year.

I've yet to decide just how far to take wagon detailing, in particular the break gear, the wagons with highly detailed separate components and linkages shown in the "4mm Coal Wagon" Wild Swan text look fantastic, but the level of cost/time required is significant. Deciding on a wheel standard is also on my mind, for the time being the majority are sitting on 3 hole disk wheels (with Exactoscale, Gibson and Maygib in use), While I much prefer the look of the Exactoscale, the maygibs always used to run so much better. Hopefully the springing will be sufficient to enable their use!

Heres a photo of the GW stock, there is still a 4 plank that will need a scratch built chassis to repair some damage...

The next focus for wagon attention is a Bachmann tank, working from a photo in one of Geoff Kent's books of a National Benzol tank in pre war livery with the post war red solebar (which still needs to be painted) So far it has just had an older body fitted to a new chassis. Though the debate now is how to proceed in opening out the holes...

I also have a handful of older RTR coal wagons awaiting detailing and new chassis using Craig Welsh's etch. I suspect this is probably going to end up the datum to which wagons will be built....