Weinert 6028 HOm DR Gepackwagen build (HSB)

[A4CML]

As I'm in the mood for posting a few things on RMWeb at the moment I thought I'd share this with you good folks. 

 

I'm not sure what started this but I ended up with a Weinert DR gepackwagen kit. I enjoy building brass kits and was between projects so as I perused ebay one evening I spotted this kit. It's a bit of a leap into the dark subject wise - I've always had an admiring eye for the big tank engines on the HSB but have little real knowledge. So a bit of a learning curve especially with german instructions.

 

All the parts are cleanly etched. The main body is ready folded so saved some time. The ends were added, the inset side doors and a few outside details which soldered well after a bit of a clean up followed by a coat of Halfords primer.

 

 

 

The instructions (good old google translate!) recommended gluing the whitemetal underframe to the floor but I decided to solder it. It is quite flimsy and needed quite a lot of gentle straightening before I was happy. There are some lovely brass castings for the end steps and brake detail which were also soldered on with some guesstimated pull rods. What google didn't tell me was I'd put the floor on upside down. In my ignorance I thought the etched-on wooden planking should upwards. I only realised this  when I came to attach the body when some screw holes didn't line up. The planking can't be seen unless you turn the model upside down - oh well, needless to say I decided not to unsolder it all. The underframe was then primed and painted black.

 

 

 

[A4CML]

Pt 2

 

Some more lovely brass castings for the bogies.  They are screwed together - you can just see the screw heads on the middle bearer, and also from underneath on the end bearers. There is also just enough room to solder on the brake blocks.

They were painted assembled then carefully reassembled with the wheels put in.

 

Test fit of the bogies.

 

The end platforms are a separate set of etches and brass castings, a bit of  a fiddle to get together with the lifting foot step over the coupling. This would probably been a bit clearer with photos before painting but can't go back now. Very delicate when exposed without the roof on!

Edited July 7, 2019 by A4CML

[A4CML]

Here's  a photo of the van test assembled. The end platforms were spot soldered on using a series of tabs, again a fiddle and the paint touched in afterwards,

The roof comes ready rolled so the supplied vents were soldered in. I also added a lip on the underside of the roof end, which can just be seen in the photo, to stop the delicate handrail top section being pushed in when assembled. 

 

 

The brass window etchings were pre-painted leaving the opening window vents in their natural nickel-silver finish albeit polished with a glass-fibre brush.

 

 

 

The frames were then cut into their seperate parts. It took me a while to work out the best way to attach the window vents. They are a snug fit in the frames so in the end I glazed the rear first then used a tiny amount of super glue added with a cocktail stick. A steady hand required for this bit!

 

 

I had a problem with the interior. In theory the interior is available as a separate kit from Weinert. Despite initially being listed on their website it was subsequently found to be unavailable. I like to fit an interior - it doesn't seem quite right without one! A little internet research revealed the interior seating to be a modernish 'bus' type.

 

Tillig do a HOm RTR model of the 3 window version of these vans so in the end I determined to buy one. I think they also do a single windowed version too. After all, with a few wagons and a tank loco too I could have a small DR based layout couldn't I !? In the end I didn't end up going completely down that wormhole...… this was side project after all....

 

This was useful as I could use it to match the DR red I intended to use, as opposed to the cream and red they also carried. I could also match the roof colour and use as a basis for a cast resin interior with an extra row of seats. These were painted and built up onto a base of styrene sheet and handrails added along the top. I'm quite happy with the result although probably not quite as crisp as the kit version. Who knows one may turn up on ebay one day!

 

[A4CML]

I managed to find a few pictures online of various types of HSB Gepackwagens. These gave me an idea of how they looked in service albeit with HSB branding. They certainly look attractive in their red livery.

 

Photo - Klaus-Dieter Tröger

 

This is the version made by Tillig as a RTR HOm model of which I bought the DR example.

 

Photo  - Wikimedia Commons

 

 

The type which Weinert chose for their kit, the red bodysides are certainly set off by the contrasting black window frames and aluminium openers.

 

Photo - C Ozdoba

[A4CML]

So the finished model, all re-assembled after a trip to the paint shop. 

 

I used Humrol 220 Italian Red for the main body colour which I thought was an almost perfect match to the Tillig model. I airbrushed it with a drop of white just to take it down a bit. The roof was a custom mix of various Humbrol greys although is not far off Precision BR (maroon) coach roof grey I think.

 

 

 

The photo of the main passenger end with the seating just visible through the windows. Just need a few passengers!

 

 

Maybe also need to paint the walkways to better reflect the wood surface better. 

 

 

 

And just for comparison a photo lined up net to the Tillig model. In hindsight, maybe I could have left the white out of the paint mix as the satin varnish I used after applying the transfers has let the red down a bit. Could be just my  eyes though !

 

 

All in all I'm very happy with the model as built with the reservation that the transfers didn't quite sit down on the surface perfectly leaving a few visible edges. It seems not uncommon on other builds of this kit I've seen though.

 

So, I'm a bit undecided about what to do with the model now. I built it because I enjoy making brass kits and am in the lucky position I have no particular project it's aimed at so can make what I fancy. Realistically I don't think I will be making a layout for it to feature on now despite having one or two other items of DR narrow gauge rolling stock I bought in anticipation. I think it would be one side project too many at the moment. For now it goes back in it's box.