A minor distraction between working on my class 37s, while looking for something else in a parts box at the weekend I stumbled across an S Kits set of sides / ends for a Network Rail JNA ballast box (along with a bunch of plasticard sides/ends/floors cut to match).  A little research later to confirm it was of use for 1998 and I have cracked on with the build.   From memory my original plan was to scratch build a set of 6 in plastic (and not worry about the resin one).

First of all for a set of resin parts that have sat in a scrap box for the past 12 years or so it has held up pretty well.  The sides are still straight and true (which was always a bit of a concern when it came to resin models).  Initially the model was missing the floor, castings and bogies, however the floor at least was an easy fix given there was a complete plasticard example (fitted with what I assume are the S Kits castings) in the box. 

After drilling out the holes for the buffers, couplings and side steps, the basic structure was assembled with superglue before fitting the S Kits buffers and the steps from 0.45mm NS wire.

The kit did not appear to include any way of representing the large panels on the sides which displayed the Railtrack branding (assuming I haven’t lost a part).  Looking at photos this was flush with the top of the bodyside ribs, so my initial thought was to recess a rectangle of 10thou brass into the side.  However the resin is a little brittle so in the end I just added it as an overlay. 

I have been struggling to find a good match for the Railtrack green, looking at the two 1998 photos that I have found along with Bachmann PNA I think the green should be a little more blue.  It wouldn’t be an issue if they could be weathered, but seeing as the wagon is going to be practically brand new it a little trickier to hide (though maybe a light dusting of aggregate  dust might be enough to tone it down)

Now it just needs bogies and handbrake wheels to get the build finished, the latter are likely in a bits box somewhere, while after searching ages for the bogies I remembered that they were pinched to go under my TDA clay tank…  I will get an order in with Stenson Models for a new set once it is has been lettered and ready to go.  

The real question is what to do with it, I have only managed to find 2 prototype photos from 1998, both of which showing a long set of 15 or so wagons.  I have no interest in scratch building another 14 wagons, so I will need to find an alternative.  Unless I come across a photo of a short set, the most likely option will be tagging an empty single wagon into an Enterprise working which for whatever reason has been separated from the rest of its set.  The transfers include enough for 4 wagons, so there will always be a temptation to add a few more.  But I think justifying one is probably a lot easier than justifying 4…

Speaking of transfers, if anyone has a surplus wagons worth of the Railtec transfers please drop me a PM.