Aston On Clun. A forgotten Great Western outpost.

[Barclay]

I'm not an expert but it looks like one of a number of diagrams built up to about 1927, when the doors became flush planked and length increased to 17'6". Depending on requirements you can have spindly buffers or self-contained; DC3 brakes or Morton, unfitted or 4 shoe fitted, with tiebars. There are several photo's in 'The 4mm Wagon, vol.2' so I might be able to find a number, depending on the ultimate specification !

[MrWolf]

16 minutes ago, Barclay said:

I'm not an expert but it looks like one of a number of diagrams built up to about 1927, when the doors became flush planked and length increased to 17'6". Depending on requirements you can have spindly buffers or self-contained; DC3 brakes or Morton, unfitted or 4 shoe fitted, with tiebars. There are several photo's in 'The 4mm Wagon, vol.2' so I might be able to find a number, depending on the ultimate specification !

 

It has the DC type brakes fitted, somewhere in the spares box are a set or two of the earlier sprung buffers so the specification will be pretty basic! 

Thanks for the offer to look into this, I expect that everyone has a model gathering dust for lack of information.

[Barclay]

Details, details - the only one of the 9 depicted in the book that has DC brakes and spindly buffers is W89713. It is fitted though so has a delicate tie-rod between the axleboxes, instanter couplings, and a visible vac. cylinder of course....  This number rings a bell, I think it's the one I modelled !

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, MrWolf said:

These two came out of the Box of Doom also, they're old Kirk kits, number 4M6, GWR 10 ton box vans. The assembled one has a plasticard floor, because the supplied item was a little narrow. I remember that these came to a halt because I couldn't find out what diagram they were, so I had no idea what the numbering sequence was or the type of buffers required.

 

Anyone out there have any ideas? I'd like to get them finished.

 

They're (relatively) modern as they have proper moulded roofs. The original Kirk kits just had a rectangle of styrene that you had to bend to shape.

Edited July 30, 2021 by St Enodoc

[MrWolf]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

They're (relatively) modern as they have proper moulded roofs. The original Kirk kits just had a rectangle of styrene that you had to bend to shape.

 

Thanks for that, I think that they were another exhibition junk box find. Somewhere in the junk pile is a Mink D or Fruit D with the styrene roof.

PS, thanks for reminding me to drill fume vents in the floor of vans, I nearly forgot!

[Limpley Stoker]

Just had a rummage in the Too Difficult box and found this of some 20 yrs ago and am rather surprised by the relatively delicate wheels. I’ve no idea who made them, I wonder if anyone still supplies them.  

 

I’m now enthused to paint it as a gunpowder van to deliver gelegnite to the stone quarries at Limpley Stoke, perhaps unloaded by the 1 ton yard crane I’m still fiddling with

Edited July 30, 2021 by Limpley Stoker
Forgot to mention it’s a Ratio kit

[MrWolf]

Those wheels look identical to the ones that came with a pair of iron Minks from the "yellow box era" of Ratio kits.

[Limpley Stoker]

They are solid metal wheels insulated from a slightly underscale axle..

[MrWolf]

These are the wheels that were included in two of the kits along with brass bearings. 

 

 

 

I have now fitted three link couplings and added the buffers. I sanded down to moulding lines of the front face and found that the best way I could hold them to clean up the shanks was to glue them into the buffer beam. @KNP was right about cruel close ups, the roof corners need tidying!

 

I sauntered into Boots at lunchtime and bought four packs of their Emery boards. They last longer than pound shop items and importantly, still only cost a pound.

 

Pro tip:

 

Bulk buy Emery boards and give a pack or two to SWMBO. It saves her pinching your stash on the grounds that you pinch all of hers....

 

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by MrWolf
Replaced picture

[MrWolf]

It's very tempting to build another Iron Mink with the vertical planked door conversion.....

[Graham T]

I can resist everything except temptation.

[MrWolf]

We artists are so often slaves to our urges.

Such is the price and all that....

[MrWolf]

This is another reason that I didn't finish these two kits. The floor is a little bit (2mm) short. The white plastic is the replacement. 

That said, the sides and ends are so crisply moulded, it would be a shame to consign them to the Can't Be Ar**d Pile.

 

 

 

They can be finished, painted, lettered and weathered. I'll put numbers on them when I find out what they should be.

Edited August 21, 2022 by MrWolf
Replaced picture

[Regularity]

12 hours ago, Graham T said:

I can resist everything except temptation.

Everything except temptation and the opportunity to quote Oscar Wilde.

[MrWolf]

As long as he doesn't complain about the curtains.

[Graham T]

3 hours ago, MrWolf said:

As long as he doesn't complain about the curtains.

 

That would be a bad sign.

[Compound2632]

On 30/07/2021 at 09:01, MrWolf said:

These two came out of the Box of Doom also, they're old Kirk kits, number 4M6, GWR 10 ton box vans. The assembled one has a plasticard floor, because the supplied item was a little narrow. I remember that these came to a halt because I couldn't find out what diagram they were, so I had no idea what the numbering sequence was or the type of buffers required.

 

Anyone out there have any ideas? I'd like to get them finished.

 

According to this listing, they can represent diagram V12, V14, or V16, the same as Parkside kit PC84. Without the aid of Atkins et al., I have no idea what the differences between those diagrams might be.

 

I see I'm too late to mention that the Ratio Iron Mink can be made more like the real thing by cutting about 1 mm off the top of the sides and ends, closing up the gap between the top of the door frame and the roof.

[MrWolf]

3 hours ago, Graham T said:

 

That would be a bad sign.

 

It's believed that Wilde's last words before dying were: "Either that wallpaper goes or I do." 

 

We don't have wallpaper, but the curtains are thought to have come from the film set for George and Mildred...

[57xx]

I think you have a few options for the Mink A. V12,14, or 16. Depending which Diag you want to represent, will determine whatever to use spindly buffers or the self contained ones and also vac fitted options. That's probably not helped has it...

Edited July 31, 2021 by 57xx

[MrWolf]

I have just received the sad news about Mick Bonwick.

His work and advice was inspirational. 

 

All I can do here is to echo Rob, @NHY 581) and post the only piece of model making I have done for someone else.

 

 

 

RIP Mick.

Edited August 21, 2022 by MrWolf

[MrWolf]

On to the painting stage, something that oddly fills me with trepidation until it's done.

It may be the fear that it will turn into one of Jackson Pollock's "masterpieces" aka "Jack The Dripper".

 

image lost.

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by MrWolf

[MrWolf]

I prefer to apply several thin, almost translucent coats of paint, starting with the underframe. Then I pay more attention to the sides and ends.

[Regularity]

2 hours ago, MrWolf said:

Jackson Pollock's "masterpieces" aka "Jack The Dripper".

Also known for his uniquely American contribution to Cockney rhyming slang.

[Regularity]

And for unfortunate confusion in model railway circles when users of AJ automatic couplings complain about their Jacksons being in need of adjustment.

[Compound2632]

Please, no more innuendo about couplings...