LNWR Diagram 14 timber wagon - chains

[corneliuslundie]

I am building a model of an early version of an LNWR Diagram 14 timber wagon based on the drawing on pages 160 and 161 of "LNWR wagons volume 1".

These wagons had chains fitted to rings attached to left hand end of the solebars. My question is: how long were the chains and did they have hooks at the end?

Also, although academic, the later wagons had recesses in the floor to store the chains in  (see photo on page 164. Am I right in thinking that the early wagons to this Diagram did not have these pockets, as they are not shown on the drawing? I hope not as I only noticed the photo when the model was nearly complete!

Jonathan

[billbedford]

Both GAs in LNWR Wagon vol1 show the chain pockets in the plan and section views. 

 

As for the length of the chain, you would probably need to find photos of loaded wagons to see how many times the chain were passed over the loads. 

[Jol Wilkinson]

When I designed the etched components for the London Road Models 4mm D14 kit, the information I had to hand showed only wagons with chain pockets.

 

The solebars had chain anchor rings at four locations along each solebar AFAIK. I haven't seen a photo of a loaded D14 but I expect that had some sort of adjustable hook at the free end to tension them. Wagon loads. etc. is one area of knowledge that is rather poorly covered.

[corneliuslundie]

Many thanks both.

Now you have told me they are there I can recognise them . As I wasn't looking for them when I did the floor I didn't recognise the quadrilateral shapes as representing pockets. As they are not shown on the side elevations I assume that they were less deep than the solebars. I can probably cut out the appropriate shapes and fit sides and a floor (with drain holes!).

Yes, there are four rings each side each with a hook. The left hand one on each side has the chain attached.

In the absence of any accurate information I am making the chains a scale 10 ft long with hooks at the end which should be long enough to go over a timber load and attach on the opposite side. An interesting thought about something adjustable, but I would have expected there to be a mention on the GAs.

Currently I am making the chain from soft iron wire as I could not quickly find a suitable size on the net. A good game played slowly. I am glad the model is not my usual 4 mm/ft.

Jonathan

[Coal Tank]

Have you looked at Mike Osbornes thread

[corneliuslundie]

I thought as I had several helpful comments from RMWebbers it would be a good idea to show that the help was appreciated. Here is the wagon. I am not particularly pleased about the brake levers. I tried using metal but could not make them look right so I made them from plastic sheet with the kink around the axlebox made of two layers laminated and then filed. I may have another go when I have cleared my workbench of the many unfinished projects which currently litter it.

I carved out the boxes for the chains once they had been pointed out to me, and the chains themselves were in the end made from soft iron wire. The hooks on the rings are filed from brass sheet but those on the ends of the chains are bent wire, which in retrospect I think looks better.

The axleboxes and buffers came from the ever helpful Invertren. The axleboxes were modified to have round bottoms and the circular “panels”. The wheels are Slaters.

 

Jonathan

PS I am not very pleased with the diamonds either, but those on my 4 mm transfer sheet were far too small and I didn't feel like buying a 7 mm sheet just for them, as I am unlikely to make many more 7 mm LNWR wagons.