kirley Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Allen Doherty of Worsley Works is going to do an etch for me of a NIR Parcel Van. These van were ex MED Trailers 508, 511 -513 and were re numbered in 1975 to 631-634. I can only find two images of these vans. Allen has asked if I can confirm the window positions on the opposite side and I can only assume they would be the mirror image. Can anyone confirm or otherwise please? Any other pictures in circulation? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Jackson Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 You have certainly opened a can of worms here, Kirley. I have just been studying drawings of the MED trailers, and there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason as to which windows have been blanked out. The nearest vehicle in your first picture is, in fact the opposite side to that in your second picture, which is number 634. The only picture I have is of the same side of number 633, and as you can see, the blanked out windows are different. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 My recollections of these things was that close up they looked somewhat rough and ready conversions. It is possible window spacing varied, might have been almost ad hoc, but I wouldn't be sure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 NIR Parcel Van. I finally got around to starting on my Worsley Works Parcel Van brass etchings. I have to confess right away that I had help in the form of a master class on how to soldier brass and it was my tutor who did all the hard bits leaving me to run the soldering iron over the pieces. I used an old Airfix coach as a donor and a good bit of it had to be cut away to allow the 3 doorways on either side. A first coat of primer which showed any gaps to be filled. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Wow, that looks fantastic, well done. I can't wait to see it finished and painted up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunslet 102 Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Kieran-looking good,saw it on Worsley Works site,one for the future for me I would think.Anyway,good work,she will look god once painted Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WrennEire Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 K Great stuff, looking forward to the finished coach I remember hearing that they were not all converted at the same time and that there were some minor differences in which windows were blanked out Some were broken at the time of conversion and then this dictated that they would be boarded up. Not gospel I know but it might give you some "licence! ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted December 26, 2013 Author Share Posted December 26, 2013 A little bit of colour helps a lot. Waiting on decals from Railtec before finishing it off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden-agenda Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Looks good K it takes a different shape when its painted. Re G. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9-70 Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Looks good, if a little too clean, lol. From memory, the MED parcel vans had the corridor connections removed when converted, and a plate welded over the opening. The board covering the corridor connection is incorrect for the 70's period, that style with the white diamond came into use in the mid to late 80's. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Superb, what colour did you use? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted December 27, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2013 Model Irish Railways did an NIR Maroon. Ian might still have some left. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 what colour did you use? I had some MIR NIR Maroon left from previous projects. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 Looks good, if a little too clean, lol. From memory, the MED parcel vans had the corridor connections removed when converted, and a plate welded over the opening. The board covering the corridor connection is incorrect for the 70's period, that style with the white diamond came into use in the mid to late 80's. I'm waiting on decals before weathering the finished model. Thank you for the information on the corridor connections, back to the workshop. As regard to the board style I based my quess on Maroon Driving Trailers. Can't find the photograph at the moment but a not dissimilar one in use in 1974. I always amazes me that when you make a request for information you don't get a great response but once you put up pictures of something that is not right then the information coming flowing in. Not that I'm complaining, it's good to get things right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted December 27, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2013 See picture on post #2 for details of the end after removal of the gangway. It also shows roof detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmflanagan Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 When you start to research any project - let alone an arcane one like the railways of NI,- you have to start somewhere and build something. I have found out things wrong in many of my own models, usually shortly after completing models. My first "jeep" had many things incorrect (apart from the obvious ones of wheel sizes and gauge!) so later ones incorporated this new knowledge. But if we were all to wait until we knew we could get every detail, then i suspect most of us would never bother building anything. I find that when using Alan's etches you needn't keep much of the original sides, just enough at ends and under the roof, to allow them to be stuck - occasionally I have stiffened the etches with a 8mm strip of 030 plasticard along the lower edges and under the windows. The excellent model kirley has made -is a first, and will make life much easier for any other modellers of the NIR scene who want a van to stick on the end of a class 70 or even MPD set (though i haven;t yet seen a pic of one attached to anything other than DEs - now wait for the photos to emerge from hiding!) If you're making a second one, Kirley, I think they did indeed have corridor connections removed and plated over, the ventilators were the type used on the original MED units, they were a kind of lozenge shape, similar to some used on some BR EMUs (e.g the class 303 though there were others too) and I have been able to get these from Charlie Petty of DC kits. And as regards the roof, I think most of these vehicles, if not all, were converted from late version MED trains - these had an almost flat roof profile(the photos #1 and #2 on the thread show this type). . Some may have been converted from earlier MEDs which had the standard LMS pattern roof as you have modelled. The "elliptical" pattern was very similar to that of some LNER and GWR coaches as well as those of a number of pregrouping companies = there may be a spares supplier out there who can advise on them and where they could be got. There were also parcels vans made from redundant AEC railcars,and some BUT and MPD cars ended their life being hauled around by Class 70s as excursion coaches.until the early/mid eighties. I'd love to see an exhibition layout specifically themed on the late 70's /early 80's NIR period - Hunslets, GMs, 80s 70s the odd remaining MPD - come on lads, what about it? Colm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 What about a layout based on ballymena during NIR days? (Other stations are available) That would be really good to see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9-70 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Image showing the plated over MED corridor connections. 634 ex 511, 211, was one of two MED driving trailers converted to parcels vans. The other was 631 ex 508. 208 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9-70 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 631 stabled at Lisburn in 1979. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden-agenda Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Excellent pics and its never too late to make changes or improvements to a piece of rolling stock, but if the builder is happy with his work i would,nt worry too much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 Parcel Van completed. Took on board the advice on the gangways and "plated them up" I also took some of the height of the roof vents. Railtec provided the decals and I must mention Steve was very helpful in getting them right. First run out on 'Kirley Junction'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmflanagan Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 What a cunning idea to cut back the vents- i presume you just whacked the tops off the existing ones - they look near enough and change the "look" of the roof quite a but! Colm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden-agenda Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Its turned out first class and worth all the work you put in also nice idea on the roof vents. RE G. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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