Caledonian 10 ton hopper wagon

[Londontram]

It's not well known but during an age of wooden sometimes even still dumb buffered mineral wagons the Caledonian produced an ore hopper wagon of surprisingly modern appearances.

 40 were built in 1916 lasting into LMS days though beyond that information on them is quite scant.

 

 I thought a small rake of five or six with a brake van pulled by a Caley Jumbo would make a nice little freight train.

 The hopper its self had a 10 ton capacity on a 10 foot wheel base hand braked on both axles chassis. There's not a lot of information on this hopper apart from one good (ish) photo and a sketch with dimensions from the diagram book.

 The intention was to build a loose scale version to make a good layout wagon and looking around the Mainline/Bachmann 20 ton hopper had many simular features one of which being a same sized chassis, an added advantage is there quite cheap on the well known auction site and it's easy to get one for a sub £10 figure including P&P. 

 So one was purchased and when with me was taken apart to check against the few known dimensions of the Caledonian hopper.

 

 Next post will be starting to make the changes.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Londontram
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[Londontram]

A measure up showed that the underframes was pretty good to go the only real difference being the Mainline hopper had three hole disk wheels where as the Caley one has spoke wheels split spoke at that too, a second Mainline hopper that came had spoke wheels but seeing as both are plastic I've changed them for Hornby metal spoke wagon wheels and already they run a lot smoother.

 I decided as most of the wheel is hidden behind a heavy duty W iron on both the Caley and Mainline hoppers to not use split spoke wheels to help keep the cost down.

 

 So with the underframes put aside I had a good look at the body and worked out that by taking the ends off the Mainline hopper and dropping the sides down it would bring it down to the dimensions and shape of the Caley hopper.

  First job was to cut away all the detail and old mounting for the old hopper then using a compass the new side hight was marked out.

Then with a steel rule held in place with a set of vice grips a nice straight cutting line was created with which to run a razor saw along.

 Once the sides had been cut down and the ends removed a start was made on the new ends using plasticard seen hear with a bit of filler ready to be smoothed off.

Edited July 7, 2021 by Londontram
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[Gibbo675]

Hi Londontram,

 

If you haven't bought your wheelsets yet Hornby do split spoke wheels and they are pretty much the same price as all the others that they produce. The code is R8100 and are from about £13.00 for a pack of ten, enough for five wagons.

I used them for some chaldron wagons that I built, the pin point ends were filed off to suit the style of the wagon though:

 

 

Gibbo.

[Londontram]

Thanks Gibbo I'll check it out as I've got some early Caley pre diagram wagons and vans that will need split spoke as well.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Londontram

[Londontram]

Having done all the cutting needed it was time to start building it back up as a Caledonian hopper and the first photo shows the now cut down hopper along side an original Mainline hopper.

You can easily see the difference in size in these next two photos as well also along side an original hopper a start has been made fitting some of the details though a lot more work will be needed to make it look exceptable. When the beading at the top of the hopper was on and dry the whole wagon was upturned and sanded on a sheet of wet and dry on a pain of glass to get the top level and even.

The final shot shows the two end on with an idea how much smaller the hopper is but also the massive changes to the hopper mounting compaird with the original.

[Londontram]

When all the rubbing down was done the hopper section was painted a red oxide.

 

 

The hopper in the next picture shows it with the C and R added it still will needs new buffer heads and three link couplings fitted.

 Really the only reason they haven't been done is I've just found my super glue has become a solid lump so will get some more next time I'm out.

 

As can be seen its had a load of iron ore added on a false base of plasticard this is from one of the well known scenic material suppliers and the wheel rims are painted white as was the Caledonian style.

  The red oxide paint is one of those pound shop red primers, so that it its just about done.

  I hope you've enjoyed this little build and hopefully the end result has captured the spirit of the Caledonian hopper as can be deen here in this reminder

and using the Mainline wagon as a base has made an exceptable layout wagon at a reasonable cost.

 Just got another five to do now.

 Thanks for following 

             Steve

Edited July 5, 2021 by Londontram
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[Matti8]

Exceptional Steve.

 

Matti

[Londontram]

To add to the above the buffets and 3 link couplings have now been added now i have some super glue.

 The buffers are Caledonian 4 bolt self contained buffers from the Wizard range of white metal fittings.

 These will just need painting when the glues dried to finnish the hopper of. 

Now painted

Hmmm just just give those buffer heads a quick file to get rid of those casting marks

Edited July 7, 2021 by Londontram
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[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

Like it, but I don't think they ever got to Edgware........shame!

 

manna

[Londontram]

Cheers mate, I think your right but joking aside the only Caley truck that might have made it was the CCT vans I believe some got to London over the LNWR from time to time.