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Gwr open c

The Fatadder

Entry posted by The Fatadder

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Currently on my work bench is a wagon I have been after for some time, a Ratio kit for a GW Open C.

I think I am right in saying this is a 30 year old kit, but the crispness in some of the mouldings is still rather good, all be it slightly let down in some of the finer components.

 

The solebars come moulded as part of the sides, I think this has the net result of making them significantly over width (while the body looks like it matches the drawings in Ackins et al).

 

I have chosen to model the example photographed within Ackins (which is also repeated on the Ratio packaging). When finished it will be painted in the post war GW livery and loaded with some large diameter pipes for delivery to the reservoir at Cheddar.

 

Construction started with the 2 piece floor, I removed the necessary ribs from the underside to provide clearance for Bill Bedford springing units, before gluing the two halves together. An inch length of Brass U channel was superglued in the centre across the joint to add further strength.

 

Next the body was constructed, ensuring all was square, before carefully cutting off the corners of the headstock to get the required angles. Buffers were replaced with some castings of the later type (again working from the Ackins photo)

 

Moving onto the chassis, it suffers from an unusual problem. The solebars are too wide apart (by approx. half a mm each side) which makes the etched W irons look a bit strange recessed so far in. To solve this I took the plastic W irons Ratio supply, removed a channel for the bearing to move in, and glued in place overlaying the etching. (God knows how you get this kit to work in OO!)

 

Finally break gear was cobbled together with the Ratio shoes, V hangers and leavers along with various scratch built brackets and rods, working from photos. Not 100% accurate, but good enough for the layout.

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GJB

Thanks for the stage by stage explanation of your build. I have the same kit, a GWR Open 'C' Tube Wagon, among my stash of kits waiting to be built. It is certainly an old kit, price tag on my kit is 97p.  Unfortunately I am modelling in OO so may have problems ahead but will use your build as an aid to completion.

 

Regards

 

Gerry  

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  • RMweb Gold
The Fatadder
  • RMweb Gold

A further modification I forgot to describe, which may be of use to you.

Pas it comes the kit only has detail on one side of the break moulding, this means one side of the wagon is left with a very poor representation of the brakes.

The easiest thing to do would be replacing with an etch, but to avoid the extra cost my approach was to take the second set of breaks and carefully cut off the push rod. The brake shoe was then glued in place before adding the push rod in the correction. This enabled me to get the detail facing out on both sides

 

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Bulwell Hall

This kit is rather older than 30 years - I reckon it was released around 1970.  Whilst it was OK for it's time it has been superseeded by a rather nice white metal kit by David Geen which is the route I would follow if I wanted an Open C.

 

Gerry

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Captain Kernow
  • RMweb Gold

This kit is rather older than 30 years - I reckon it was released around 1970.  Whilst it was OK for it's time it has been superseeded by a rather nice white metal kit by David Geen which is the route I would follow if I wanted an Open C.

 

Gerry

If whitemetal, this can only be an advantage if modelling in P4.

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The Fatadder
  • RMweb Gold

Will keep that in mind if I go for any more, though I am not a huge fan of white metal for a kit. Much prefer plastic or brass for the body, white metal is best left for the detailing in my mind

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dave k

I have one of the Ratio models in my  to-build bin but I have one of the 'Morgan Design' underframe kits together with of his solebars kits.

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