Slater's 12T standard Van Kit

[SteelShadow104]

Just an update. Think I got a little carried away ordering more wagons to build haha. Can't wait to get started on them, but I'm not too eager to do more van's again. However Slater's got a little confused on my order and sent me a 7 plank with a sheet rail when I ordered a 5 plank open. What's weird is that both have the same product number so don't know what happened there. Gonna be a bit more of a hassel for me to sort this out though since they're on the other side of the Atlantic 

[brossard]

Whoa! Dude, that's a lot of kits.  You're gonna be busy.  As for the 7 plank, just build it, that will save a lot of hassle and postage.

 

One thing you need to think about is when your railway is going to be set.  That will guide your choice of wagons.

 

Any thoughts about a layout?  I suggest you keep it small and simple if you're doing it single handed.

 

Just finishing  a Parkside WR O33 5 plank fitted open.  I left off the sheet rail.

 

John

[SteelShadow104]

As much as I would love to build a layout, sadly I'm not at the state to where I can. I don't my own house/property yet, so I don't really have any space for anything. Not even much to build these kits. I plan on just building up my inventory, as kits don't take much space, and it's what I'll enjoy doing to practice my skills and creativeness as a modeller. As for region ideas, interest may change over time. Before I was thinking about going with a GWR, but I might go with LMS instead. Who knows! I love both railways and it makes it hard to choose.

 

So far the only big project I'm wanting to try to work toward right now, is to build either a connoisseur Jinty or a J71 to go with my arsenal of wagons

[SteelShadow104]

Also, you bet I went and opened one of those van's to check this. Sadly same issue with the excess brass in the buffers. Brand new spruce yet I still have to go through the torture of cleaning these out 

 

Definitely making sure I do these later

[brossard]

As to buffers, I don't know but I have never really had a major issue with these.  It does take a few minutes per batch to clear and fettle them.   It is why I mentioned Invertrain earlier.  If you get really fed up you could get replacement buffers from there.

 

I would dearly like to build what is known as a boxfile layout.  A really small one with one turnout or so and a couple of lengths of track.  It would permit getting to grips with layout building in a small space. 

 

Scalescenes have produced two of these:

 

https://scalescenes.com/product/ly01-industrial-boxfile-layout/

 

https://scalescenes.com/product/ly02-canal-wharf-boxfile-layout/

 

Scale is 00 or 4mm but I have been building Scalescenes kits by blowing the PDF up by 175% and getting quite good results.

 

You already built a BR Standard van so that dates you to at least 1951.  These lasted well into the next couple of decades.

 

GWR and LMS wagons were used by BR for a very long time.  They were rebranded by BR.  The only thing is that by 1955 (or so) BR had embarked on modernization which meant a ruthless culling of 9'WB unfitted vehicles in favour of 10'WB and vacuum fitted.  So by the early to mid 60s, unfitted vehicles were rare and most trains were vacuum fitted.

 

Dapol do a really excellent Jinty.  I have one with sound.

 

 

I weathered it, made up a crew and installed the sound decoder.

 

I could go on.

 

John

[SteelShadow104]

That is a very nice Jinty. You make me envious, but I'd rather build kits, very eager to get further on my soldering. I feel much more satisfied knowing I spent the money to build a loco and get a good looking loco that I built rather than just buying one. Especially since they're roughly the same price and or cheaper than factory made. Only my modelling skills will decide that!

 

As I said, I'm young and anything can change when I am able to settle down and start the process of a layout. The wagons aren't really dictating my layout limits, like I said I'm just building my stock. Whatever I go with (which will mostly likely be ex-GWR or ex-LMS) I just won't use the incrorrect wagons.

 

Only thing I'm worried about is if I really wanna stick with O. I can get much more scenery and landscape if I go with OO, and I already have a decent stock of locos and wagons, but I'm really enjoying the size of O as it's much easier to work with and has a satisfying feel. Whatever I decide, I'm enjoying doing these kits, and I can always use them to make a shelf shunting layout if I get bored.

 

 

[brossard]

I kind of expected you to say you wanted to make your own loco kits.  I have a second hand (or maybe third hand) Slater's 1F kit that is part built.  However I want to advance my layout and get things running before tackling it.  I have built several etched brass vans and wagons, I recommend you do a few more plastic kits and then advance to some Connoisseur wagons.

 

I did 00 for 30 years or so but I am totally hooked on 0 now.  I sold off my 00 stock and have nothing left.  I love the detail, more or less correct gauge and proto couplings.

 

John

 

[SteelShadow104]

That's why I bought so many haha. I was planning on building the 4 wheel coaches next that connoisseur offers, that way I can get used to the build and get solder practice before tackling a loco. I already played around a bit with a Wizards Mk1 kit.

 

Plus another good thing about O is that you can work features in much more easily for extra detail

[brossard]

Those 4 wheel coaches look good but you should know they are way out of era being used at around the beginning of the last century in the "pre grouping" period.  Rule 1 always applies so if you want to do them don't let anyone tell you you can't.

 

As you get to a certain age you realize that time gets more and more precious.  I'll buy what I need if it exists RTR and build it if it doesn't.

 

I bought 3 Ian Kirk Gresley coach kits when I started.  These are more like parts packs because you have to buy in the details.  Two are part done but I did manage to build the full brake:

 

 

 

Very time consuming.

 

John

 

 

[SteelShadow104]

Man your rolling stock is making me jealous. I know that they are way out of era, but I think the coaches look great and can always be used for a branchline scene since they tend to use older stock. Plus they are no where close to being as expensive as the MK1 kits I've seen. I just with they offered a brake variant instead of the bird cage.

[brossard]

Like I said, you can build what you like, it's your railway.  I bought the Kirk kits because they aren't expensive.  However, after you buy in all the other bits, you're probably double the cost.

 

John

[mike hughes]

For cleaning the Slaters buffers out I use a 1.3mm drill to remove the powder and a 1.8mm to remove the burr inside (could both be 0.1mm smaller). Think it’s a 7/64” for the Oleo ones. Just have to be careful not to drill all way through but after a few tries you get used to how far to drill. I do these whilst still on the sprue 

Michael

[SM42]

1 hour ago, mike hughes said:

For cleaning the Slaters buffers out I use a 1.3mm drill to remove the powder and a 1.8mm to remove the burr inside (could both be 0.1mm smaller). Think it’s a 7/64” for the Oleo ones. Just have to be careful not to drill all way through but after a few tries you get used to how far to drill. I do these whilst still on the sprue 

Michael

 

Once you've done one, some tape wrapped round the drill bit to mark the depth at which you shall not pass makes it easier next time.  Buy a second bit for other work.

 

I've obviously been lucky so far with the kits I've bought, but thanks for posting your method. Should I encounter the burr I will try it

 

Andy

Edited June 8, 2020 by SM42