RMweb Gold Fen End Pit Posted October 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 20, 2021 Hi folks I'm thinking about modeling an end tippler in 4mm and wondered about making some 16 ton minerals or RCH type coal wagons to work with it. Has anyone had any success in making these wagons with a working end door that looks reasonable scale? I guess than in addition to a hinge (which is probably the easier part) I'd like some kind of latch to stop the door from opening when moving. Any ideas gratefully received. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 Many years ago, Hornby made a working wagon tipper, which came with a wagon with an operating end door. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185118254222?hash=item2b19e8648e:g:8x8AAOSwu8xhcBBh 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted October 21, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 21, 2021 13 hours ago, RJS1977 said: Many years ago, Hornby made a working wagon tipper, which came with a wagon with an operating end door. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185118254222?hash=item2b19e8648e:g:8x8AAOSwu8xhcBBh Available in several PO liveries over the years, with and without the huge metal operating lever on the side. The wagon body is a cupboard door type but the underframe is the inappropriate NER 8 shoe clasp brake type complete with floor/curb rail, so the wagon appears to have two floors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted October 21, 2021 Share Posted October 21, 2021 Though I would imagine replacing the underframe would be easier than trying to build a new hinge mechanism (unless of course the catch is built into the underframe). My point is though, that it is possible, and has been done, and whether the OP uses the Hornby wagon or not, it is probably a useful starting point for reverse-engineering. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 21, 2021 Share Posted October 21, 2021 14 hours ago, Fen End Pit said: Hi folks I'm thinking about modeling an end tippler in 4mm and wondered about making some 16 ton minerals or RCH type coal wagons to work with it. Has anyone had any success in making these wagons with a working end door that looks reasonable scale? I guess than in addition to a hinge (which is probably the easier part) I'd like some kind of latch to stop the door from opening when moving. Any ideas gratefully received. David Rather than using a latch, would it be feasible to ballast the bottom of the door to keep it vertical? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted October 21, 2021 Share Posted October 21, 2021 I made the other bit a few years back... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ikcdab Posted October 21, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2021 I would think small electro magnets would serve the purpose. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted October 22, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 22, 2021 I built one from a white metal kit years ago, as you say the hinge was the easy bit. The latch was a long metal strip pivoted under the wagon and hooking under the door. the idea was that it would be pulled down by a magnet to release the door, the problem turned out to be getting it to reliably shut again. Despite the door being fairly heavy it wouldn't do this reliably and it also tended to open a bit travelling round the layout spilling some of its load as it went. I don't use real coal for this, I've seen this done once in 4mm and the coal slowly turns to dust and jams any mechanism - I use Woodlands Scenics cinder ballast. The wagon is still in use but it has long since had its door welded shut so I can't show any photos, I think the operating mechanism might still be in it but it's all packed up with the other coal wagons to go to Leeds exhibition today with Herculaneum Dock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted October 22, 2021 Share Posted October 22, 2021 My efforts centred around modified airfix mineral wagons but I never successfully got the end door to hinge. I was going to find a brass kit but I could find one. I'm sure in brass it could be made robust enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted October 22, 2021 Share Posted October 22, 2021 Video of the Hornby wagon in operation. As far as I can tell, there is no latch, although the door may be sufficiently weighted to ensure it always hangs vertically and does not open when it shouldn't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Fen End Pit Posted October 22, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2021 Thanks for all the thoughts so far. I'm wondering how the Hornby wagon kept its load in while running round the track, presumably coal on the carpet was an occupational hazard. I guess now I need to find a wagon to play with... David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted October 22, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 22, 2021 7 hours ago, RJS1977 said: As far as I can tell, there is no latch The latch appears to be the metal T shape at the near corner of the wagon which hooks round the outside of the door until released when the wagon is pushed firmly against the end of the tipping table. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
locomad2 Posted October 22, 2021 Share Posted October 22, 2021 Someone else made one as I have one somewhere, can't remember if it was a kit or RTR as purchased 2nd hand years ago, perhaps Playcraft? Its not Hornby as have a few of those Airfix kits have side doors nearly all mine work just pushes and fits in without glue, it's a good model and one of the few which has correct wheelbase Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNERGE Posted October 24, 2021 Share Posted October 24, 2021 Is there someone who makes a OO scale 16 ton mineral in brass? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM42 Posted October 24, 2021 Share Posted October 24, 2021 Could the latch not be made like a sort of reversed tension lock coupling under the wagon Normal position (raised) is holding doors closed and held down by a magnet on the tipper bed It would only need to be close enough to stop the door opening rather than be a tight fit. We're talking fractions of millimetres here. Of course choice of load material would be critical. I think the hardest bit would be the hinging as mentioned above. Friction is a fickle beast, An interesting challenge to get something that works and looks right in operation. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted October 24, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 24, 2021 I've found the wagon I built but it's currently full of coal on the layout, it does still have the latch underneath. I'll take a photo when I get it home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted October 27, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 27, 2021 This is the experimental wagon. It's an RCH 13T mineral without bottom doors so I pivoted the latch on the brake cross shaft. The latch is a nickel silver strip with a strip of phosphor bronze acting as a return spring on the underside of the wagon floor. My memory was a bit faulty, it wasn't magnetically operated but mechanically by a ramp on the tipping floor. The door hinge was the easy bit, it's done exactly like the full size one with a wire across the top of the sides and straps looped over it on the top of the door. The latch is fairly unobtrusive. The main difficulty was getting it to close after emptying the wagon, if the latch was loose enough to reliably close the fit was too slack and allowed the coal to escape a bit when it was filled again. If the latch was tight enough to effectively seal, it wouldn't close, even with a heavy white metal door. In the end it was abandoned, the door welded up and the coal wagons on Herculaneum run on an empties/fulls circuit in and out of the fiddle yard. 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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