7mm scale Anhydrite hopper wagon

[macgeordie]

After I finished doing this wagon in 4mm scale one of the lads at the club asked me if I would do one in 7mm scale for him. I looked at it and thought 'o.k. that shouldn't be too difficult, all the research is done' 6 months down the line I wish I hadn't started it, but it's come out fairly well. I thought I would just be able to scale up the 4mm drawings ( here's the 4mm one http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/51683-sc-anhydrite-wagon-in-4mm/ ) but it isn't that easy. You need a lot more detail in 7mm scale I found especially around the brake gear and the axle boxes. The first one I built used white metal castings for the springs and axle boxes but I wasn't happy with the detail so I decided to add them to the etch. It takes a bit of work to assemble them but they look much better than the cast ones. The other area, the brake gear needed significant beefing up but I think it looks pretty decent now.

 

 

 

 

This is the axle boxes

 

The components for the springs

 

The springs assembled

 

Brake shoes

 

The brake gear assembled

 

The purple stuff on the wheels is Humbrol maskol to try to make the painting easier. The body comes off the chassis so it isn't too difficult. All I need is a bit of warmer weather to get it done.

 

 

[Rob Pulham]

That is superb Ian!

[3 link]

Hi Ian,

 

Hope your enjoying the 7mm, I moved up to 7mm from EM about 20 years ago and I must admit I couldn't go back now.

 

Those leaf springs and axle boxes have really brought out the detail, they remind me of the MMP kits they are similar but use phosphor bronze strips for the springs and do actually work although I think you have to put a fair bit of weight in the wagons.

 

They certainly look good and it will be nice to see one all painted up, but I don't think we will be having any warmer weather for a while.

 

All the best,

 

Martyn.

[macgeordie]

_{Thanks for the kind comments gents. I havn't moved up to the senior scale yet, but you never know, the eysight isn't what it used to be.}

 

_{With regards to the springs, I have actually put independent suspension on the wheels, hence the slot in the back of the axle box. The weight of the wagon compresses the spring ( Nickel silver wire) so when it goes over uneven track it allows the wheel to stay in contact with the rail. I'll look out a couple of pics later to show what I mean.}

 

_Ian

[Kenton]

 

Those leaf springs and axle boxes have really brought out the detail, they remind me of the MMP kits they are similar but use phosphor bronze strips for the springs and do actually work although I think you have to put a fair bit of weight in the wagons.

 

separate leafs (leaves?) are used on several of the WEP kits all to good effect - those look a little easier to assemble. As for actual working springs - too much like unnecessary work.

[3 link]

Hi Kenton,

 

I did not realise that some of Bill's kits had leaf ( leaves ? ) suspension, I have built one of his Fruit D's which has like one axle rocking and although quite a complex kit compared to some,  I did enjoy the build.

 

 

 As for actual working springs - too much like unnecessary work.

 

Ummm, each to their own, I think in 7mm it is worth the extra effort which usually goes with the extra detail some folk add.

 

I remember building the Peco 00 wonderful wagons where the springs and axleboxes were one item, and those plastic/rubber ? springs worked if you was to put about 4ozs of lead in the wagons .

 

 

_{Thanks for the kind comments gents. I havn't moved up to the senior scale yet, but you never know, the eysight isn't what it used to be.}

 

 

_Ian

 

Hi Ian,

 

It is much easier on the eyes and the parts are not as fiddly which is a bonus as my fingers are like sausages, which does not help much .

 

 

All the best,

 

Martyn.

[macgeordie]

Hi Gents

 

The springs are surprisingly easy to assemble, you can put a complete unit together in five minutes with no problem. The secret is 'don't use too much solder' otherwise you flood the detail and defeat the object.

 

Here are a couple of pics of the suspension as promised. As you can see each wheel has a separate plate to carry the bearing which can move by about 2 mm. The nickel silver wire is under just enough tension to force the wheel down under little or no load but all the wheels are at the top of the suspension position when the wagon is sitting on level track.

 

 

 

 

[Western Star]

Might this be a wagon which was shown to me when I visited the Huddersfield MRC on Maundy Thursday with Ian Allcroft? I thought that the appearance then was rather neat and tidy. I like the design for the axlebox and the suspension cradles / spring.

 

regards, graham

[macgeordie]

Hi Graham

 

Yes this is the finished version, the ones you saw at the club were the two earlier test builds.

 

Cheers

Ian

[dibateg]

Impressive stuff Ian - where were these wagons used? Were they built for a particular traffic?

 

Thanks

 

Tony

[jamie92208]

Yes there were only 150 of them and they were used exclusively for anhydrite traffic fromtaffic from Long Meg to Widness over the Settle and Carlisle usually with about 16 wagons hauled  by a 9F.

 

 

Jamie

[macgeordie]

Impressive stuff Ian - where were these wagons used? Were they built for a particular traffic?

 

Thanks

 

Tony

Hi Tony

As Jamie says above, the wagons were used initially on the S&C but the traffic ceased in the early 1970's so many of them were moved to the Nottingham area and used as Ironstone/iron ore hoppers. Most were scrapped at the end of the 1970's, early 80's and as far as I know none were preserved.

 

Ian

[jamie92208]

They were absolutely iconic on the S & C there are some fabulous photos of the 9F's on them.  I've even got some colour slides of the with Green Class 40's on them in later years.

 

Jamie

[dmsmith]

I had completely missed your earlier thread on the 4 mm version of these hoppers, so am grateful that you provided a link. Both versions look superb! Did you end up making the etches fir the 4 mm versions available? I'd certainly be very interested if you did.

 

David

[macgeordie]

I had completely missed your earlier thread on the 4 mm version of these hoppers, so am grateful that you provided a link. Both versions look superb! Did you end up making the etches fir the 4 mm versions available? I'd certainly be very interested if you did.

 

David

Hi David, yes they are available, p.m. me for details.

Cheers

Ian