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RT Models Chaldron wagons - part 1.


halfwit

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Chaldrons (or Chauldron if you prefer) were a very basic and ancient design of wooden coal waggon predominantly used in the North East. They feature bottom doors to be used over coal drops or staithes.

The particular style of chaldron that the RT Models kit is based on is of the type used at Londonderry Colliery and at Seaham Harbour. These 4 ton capacity waggons were built in the 1860's and some lasted in use into the 1970's, famously used with Seaham's Lewin and Head Wrightson locos for picking up spilled coal from below the staithes. A number are preserved at Beamish.

Chilton Iron Works once produced kits for four different chaldron waggons. An unbuilt example came up on ebay last year and sold for over sixteen pounds!

 

References;

 

Seaham waggons;

IRS archive: http://www.irsociety...gons_seaham.htm

Industrial Railways Of Seaham by Adrain Booth published by the Industrial Railway Society

Industrial Wagons, An Introduction by David Monk Steel again published by the IRS

Industrial Railways in Colour - The North East by Paul Anderson (good colour photo), Irwell Press

Industrial Steam published by Ian Allen (another usefull colour photo)

British Railway Goods Wagons in Colour by Robert Hendry, Midland Publishing Limited (a colour study in weathering)

Plenty of images of preserved wagons can be found on the 'net, such as these: http://www.flickr.co...N08/2340031789/http://www.flickr.co...57612092918905/

DVD - Industrial Railways in Britain County Durham (good colour footage of Chaldrons being shunted, and some close up shots)

 

Chaldrons in general

Private Owner Wagons of the North East volume one The Chaldrons by John A Elliot published by Chilton Iron Works (the definative history of the type with many drawings)

Backworth An Illustrated History of the Mines and Railways by John Elliot and Derek Charlton again published by Chilton Iron Works

The Private Railways of County Durham by Colin Mountford, IRS

The Industrial Railways & Locomotives Of County Durham part 2 by Colin Mountford and Dave Holroyde, IRS

Modelling Aspects of the Coal Industry by Rob Johnson, Book Law Publications

 

Modelling Articles

Model Railway Journal 149 - Chaldron Wagons for Garrigill by Bob Hetherington - building the Chilton Iron Works kits.

 

Modelling

I've bought a rake of RT Models Chaldron wagons. These are whitemetal kits and can be bought either with wheels (Gibson, which I use) or without, which means that you're not going to be stuck with someone elses choice of wheelset if you want to use something different. Wheels are split (open) spoke.

The kit contains 19 castings (chassis, body sides and ends, bearings, batter plates and scale couplings) and a nickel silver etch, for the brakes and small details. The castings are nice and clean with only minimal flash and the etching contains axle washers and horse hooks. Instructions cover four sides of A4 and include diagrams.

 

The chassis is a solid casting. The instructions ask you to drill holes for the brakes and couplings first, I didn't for reasons that I'll come to later. Wheels run in whitemetal bearing blocks, my first job was to clean these up and glue them in place (5 minute epoxy, used throughout the build). The axles are a slightly sloppy fit in the bearings. A pic;

 

blogentry-6749-0-37234400-1326292864_thumb.jpg

 

I'm using the axles to make sure everything lines up nicely. I haven't worried about getting the bearings level at this stage, once the wheels are fitted they can be checked on a level surface (a mirror in this case) and any wobble can be cured by taking a small amount out of the top of one of the bearing blocks with a 2mm ream.

 

The main body, which I have to say is rather a complex shape, is made up of four castings. I glued one side and end together whilst blu-tacked to the cutting mat;

 

blogentry-6749-0-64464100-1326292877_thumb.jpg

 

Glueing the assemblies together;

 

blogentry-6749-0-49598100-1326367713_thumb.jpg

 

And body resting on chassis, next to a Standard Unit Of Measure;

 

blogentry-6749-0-49073300-1326367727_thumb.jpg

 

The bodies won't be attached to the chassis' until I sort out couplings.

 

Paul.

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Thanks for the comments.

 

It is great to see these interesting and unusual wagons appear in kit form - lets hope that lots of others agree!

 

Paul.

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