Jump to content
 
  • entries
    33
  • comments
    177
  • views
    58,164

Great Central Dia.6 3-plank dropside (1).

Buckjumper

Entry posted by Buckjumper

1,538 views

 Share

Abridged History

 

Several thousand 16 feet long (over headstocks), 3-plank dropside wagons with 9' 6" wheelbase were designed and built by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway through the 1890s. Over the years detail differences emerged such as axleboxes, lubrication, journal size, and this in turn affected the load capacity which ranged from 8 to 10 tons. Wagons to essentially the same design but with further detail differences were built for the Cheshire Lines Committee, but only those built for the MS&LR were originally fitted with either-side brakes. The Great Central Railway passed more than three thousand of these on to the LNER, but in the years immediately prior to WW2 there were only 600 or so 10T and 5 8T wagons left. Just before Nationalisation numbers had again reduced with only 70 10T wagons and a solitary 8T wagon left in service.

 

The commission

 

To build a pair of these wagons as seen in GCR service c1910-12 using the S&T Wagon Works resin bodied kits. These come with whitemetal axleguard/axleboxes, buffer housings, vee hangers, brass buffer heads, etched brass coupling hooks, and steel links.

 

I'll be adding to this 3' 1" split spoke wheels from Slaters, replacement brass cast coupling hooks from the same source, WEP compensation units (resin can be a bit flexible, so I never build such wagons solid), replacement sprung buffers from Haywood, GC goods wagon paint from Precision, and GC transfers from POWsides.

 

blogentry-6672-0-72234500-1341505375_thumb.jpg

 

The body

 

Very little flash exists on the resin casting, just a little under the curb rail which is easily removed. I'm still (weeks later) waiting for the buffers from Haywoods so I'll not open out the buffer holes in the headstocks quite yet and I'll leave the slot for the hooks for now too. To remove any grease and release agent from the mouldings I gave the bodies a quick scrub with Barkeepers Friend and a vibrating toothbrush. These are often half price in the local supermarkets, and last for ages. Why use a second hand toothbrush to clean your models if they're not in a good enough condition to clean your teeth?

 

blogentry-6672-0-79402100-1341505398_thumb.jpg

 

Axleguards

 

Or w-irons in modeller's parlance. Only a little flash was present which was quickly removed with a blade and old file kept specifically for whitemetal. The pattern maker really had his brain plugged in for this as he's marked not only the centre line on the underside of the body, but also the position of the axles. Pattern makers take note! This speeds things up no end and leaves no margin for error.

 

Some Araldite Rapid was mixed up and the axleguards fitted and set aside for 24 hours to cure fully.

 

blogentry-6672-0-08083200-1341505420_thumb.jpg

 

Next...compensation units.

  • Like 8
 Share

2 Comments

Recommended Comments

BlackRat

How do you hold the axle guards at 90 degrees whilst the epoxy dries?

 

I have 'tack glued' before using a tiny drop of cyano dabbed on with a cocktail stick.

 

Seems to work ok.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Buckjumper

Yes, exactly the same way you've described - a drop of quick setting Zap let under the spring shackles on a piece of wire is sufficient to hold them square while the Araldite sets.

 

Sometimes you do things automatically so that when you come to write the procedure up you overlook an important point completely :)

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...