Production Stops - Shortage of Materials
Entry posted by Dad-1
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I have ceased wagon production at the moment due to the severe shortage of Bachmann short narrow tension-lock couplings.
I have temporarily pinched from 4 wagons to complete builds in progress, but that is not sustainable.
In the meantime a nice to look at, but deceptively inaccurate very old Ratio GWR Open 'C' is reaching the end, short of weathering.
This was inherited from a friend who passed away.
An incomplete Ratio Open 'C' in a plastic bag. The fact it was incomplete was not found until I opened the bag. No instructions,
buffers missing, brake 'V' hangers missing. Not a brilliant start
Perhaps some spacers were there to overcome the excessive width, but I didn't identify as such. I'm used to Ratio kits needing spacers
between the axle boxes and current (more of less) standard axle lengths. I add plastic washers.
Missing brake 'V' hangers were made up, relying on the lower strengthening being hidden behind the solebars.
In my spares I had a set of yellow buffers from an old Airfix Presflo. I decided these looked rather like GWR self contained buffers.
when painted they would pass O.K in a moving train !
Rather over sized, but needed to add strength to my 'V' hangers some 1.0 mm rod was glued between them.
I'd already decided that i was making a O19 version, because of the buffers. Now I looked at the brakes realising that they were
wrong and had Morton type brake levers, regardless of the fact that the wagon body had DC III lever mountings !
Again the spares box came up with the goods, a pair of DC III levers.
The brake arrangement as supplied was cut up re-built to something near enough photographs I have. I then added my end
DC III frame, shortened to accept my coupling arrangement.
When looking at photographs the underneath looks quite empty, but a brake rod is visible, so I added a wire that only can be seen
in low angel photographs. Note some fine wires in the photo are fence wires !!
Then disaster struck. I'd never bothered to check the wheel base measurement. While adding decals the end sections seemed short
against what I thought were reasonably accurate decals. The kit gives me a 13 ft 9 inch wheelbase, rather than the 15 feet it should be.
Will I add the Tare weight ? If so it'll have to be on the corner ironwork.
Regardless of all that, in a moving train it'll look rather like an Open 'C'
Kit manufacturers, many of these wagons were produced in 5 different series, giving options of buffer and brakes. An ideal subject for
a new accurate kit !!
I did enjoy making it, rather a damper on finding it's so short, but then Bachmann have marketed a cattle wagon 4 mm too long.
If ever there was a reason to loose the Ratio moulds, I think I've found it !!
What with sitting too low
Too short
Inaccurate brake parts
Wrong axle boxes
Don't make the mistake of pointing out the end strapping - Some had straight as the kit and in the O19 version I've sort of made, others
did have hockey stick strapping, just one of the variables.
I quite enjoyed making it and will run with any pre 1939 freight i decide to run.
O19 made between 1917 & 1927. Two number series 94747 - 94930, & 99825 - 100000
Geoff T.
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