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S&DJR passenger brake


Barry Ten

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A year or two ago I acquired four kits for S&DJR six-wheeled vehicles from the Connoisseur Models range of 4mm "Pocket Money" models. These kits were reduced from the 7mm vehicles in the main Connoisseur range and judging by the packing on mine, date from the 90s.

 

An evening's work saw the main body put together without too much difficulty. Although I have a rolling bar, I'd misplaced it, so all curves were formed by gentle finger pressure. Once completed,

I then found the offending rolling bar! The remaining folds were done with a Hold'n'Fold tool.

 

sdjr1.jpg.44867dce3f1cb9d70dde0dd4e80b4d5d.jpg

 

The six-wheeled chassis threatened to be a challenge, but it turned out to go together without much difficulty - and more importantly, it ran!

 

 

It's probably worth mentioning my non-technical approach for 6 axle stock. Rather than faffing around with compensation, Cleminson underframes and so on, I take a very simplistic approach and just make sure the centre wheelset can go along for the ride, doing no work of supporting the vehicle. Perhaps because I work in 00, and favour RTR coach wheels (Bachmann or Hornby equally good) I find that these vehicles run with no trouble once set up. With this particular one, I didn't fit bearings for the centre axle, just allowing it to slop around in the white metal axlebox castings. The result is a free-running axle which can float around enough to absorb dips and rises in the track, while also allowing ample side-play. Since the axle is doing no mechanical work, and this vehicle will only accumulate very modest mileage on my layout, I don't envisage difficulties with wear - but if that proves to be the case, there are a few options available.

 

A little more work saw the major elements finished:

 

sdjr3.jpg.c98ce33f3474e437e845e21575afdd0e.jpg

 

 I don't like the idea of not being able to get back into my coaches once finished, so in this case, I've made a friction-fit arrangement for the roof, so it can be clipped on and off when needed. In his coach-making book David Jenkinson makes use of push-fit roofs, I believe, so I've merely adapted the great man's approach, albeit with more of a bodger's approach!

 

As an idea of how this model ought to look, when properly finished, I can do no better than show this beautiful 7mm example, purchased at the Bristol O Gauge Show:

 

sdjr2.jpg.467b138fcdc747ecda58a0dc911f5e1e.jpg

 

Being based on the same Connoisseur design, it's been a useful reference when building the 4mm version - although we differ as to which end the steps should be at! In all respects, the design and

construction appears to be identical, so I imagine if these kits go together well in 4mm, they must be a joy to build in O!

 

In time these four six-wheeled coaches will be joined by a four-coach rake of S&D bogie stock, from the Mallard range.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Barry Ten

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Most impressive Barry.  I will be interested to see how you do the lining.  One day I too will have S&DJR 6 wheeled full brake, in N/2mm.

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Thanks! The lining will be a real test. I dusted off the bow-pen last week in readiness. 

 

Will you bother with lining in 2mm? 

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Guest Jack Benson

Posted

Hi,

 

Beautiful work, very nice.

 

Any idea the livery of these vehicles at nationalisation in the late '40s? did they survive into BR?

 

Thank you

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1 hour ago, Jack Benson said:

Hi,

 

Beautiful work, very nice.

 

Any idea the livery of these vehicles at nationalisation in the late '40s? did they survive into BR?

 

Thank you

 

Thank you. I'm afraid there's little or no historical information with the kit, nor do my S&D books have much to say about coaching stock - even the Atthill history only briefly touches

on the topic. I'm sure more knowledgeable types may be able to shed some light. 

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12 minutes ago, Dave John said:

Very nicely made and lined. 

 

I can take no credit for the finished one, though! Unfortunately I don't know the builder/painter but they did a superb job.

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13 hours ago, Jack Benson said:

Any idea the livery of these vehicles at nationalisation in the late '40s? did they survive into BR?

 

According to R. Garner, The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway Locomotive and Rolling Stock Registers 1886 – 1930 (The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust, 2000), half of these 22 vehicles were withdrawn in 1934 with the remainder going in dribs and drabs, the last survivor going in November 1946. I would very much doubt that the early withdrawals got either Southern green or LMS red but who can say for the longer lingerers? I doubt they saw much service by then, apart from the three converted to SR service stock, two of which became mess and tool vans. I suppose they are likely to have been repainted into whatever livery the Southern was using for such vehicles in the mid 30s.

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Guest Jack Benson

Posted

Although the Southern did have an official departmental livery, for many downgraded vehicles the only change was departmental lettering or merely benign neglect. 
For example, an exLSWR 4w luggage van was in use as a storage at Tisbury until 1971 still with Southern Railway lettering (now at Quainton) and another rescued from Newton Abbot in full SR green by the Bluebell. 
There was a 6w full brake that once stood at Bournemouth West, its barely discernible salmon and brown protected from the elements by a high wall. Long gone and barely remembered.

 

StaySafe


 

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Guest Jack Benson

Posted

Barry,

 

This was one of the luggage vans, still carrying Southern Railway and other lettering in 1971, I need to recreate that livery but as it was in 1949.

 

Tisbury1.JPG.JPG.78dc08fe15ecc80e54d6f983fb0f58e5.JPG

 

This year, Hattons are threatening to offer something similar to your van, that will be the basis for my reworking. :-)

 

 

 

 

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Oh I do like that enticingly brief video clip! And that's with the vehicle still unpainted. You really highlight the attractions of the SDJR, Al!

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