Wooden bodied mineral wagons

[31A]

On the subject of wooden bodied mineral wagons, here's one of my efforts:

 

 

A Bachmann 8-plank with fixed ends, originally in BR grey livery.  I painted most of it apart from the insignia in a creamy / grey colour  hopefully representing unpainted wood, then went over plank by plank in various shades of grey / brown to represent weathered painted and unpainted planks.  Picked out the ironwork in various greys to represent the remains of a livery; then the whole lot weathered and rusted etc.

[Straits Settlements]

A few pics of some of my non-prototype examples - but Rule One applies. One of the seven-planks started as a bright red Hornby Collectors edition, the other an unpainted Dapol. The five-planks started as 'troublesome trucks' from Number Two son's Thomas and Percy set, re-chassied with Parkside.

[petethemole]

Another example with bottom door markings and Morton brake, 1952; https://www.flickr.com/photos/30937/8480286103/in/set-72157633345581651  obviously not such a no-no as we might think.

 

Another mixed rake; the leading mineral looks like a 6 plank, with new top plank and grey ironwork, also 1952: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30937/8500375010/in/set-72157633345581651

 

Pete 

[jwealleans]

There are some storming examples in DaveF's thread full of older photos from a couple of years ago.  One or two showing the wartime practice of painting the former owner's name on when the markings became illegible - at the time, they thought they'd be returning them at the end of the war.

 

Going back a few posts, that colour shot of a coke wagon looks as if it has a recycled plank, painted red oxide, at the left hand end.  Seen on a few photographs, don't think I've ever seen it modelled.

 

Edit - link now works.

Edited May 7, 2015 by jwealleans

[DaveF]

There are some storming examples in DaveF's thread full of older photos from a couple of years ago.  One or two showing the wartime practice of painting the former owner's name on when the markings became illegible - at the time, they thought they'd be returning them at the end of the war.

 

Going back a few posts, that colour shot of a coke wagon looks as if it has a recycled plank, painted red oxide, at the left hand end.  Seen on a few photographs, don't think I've ever seen it modelled.

 

The link doesn't seem to work for me, try: 

 

 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69274-dave-f-more-photos-added-21-june-from-1947-to-1955ish/

 

David

[PatB]

A few pics of some of my non-prototype examples - but Rule One applies. One of the seven-planks started as a bright red Hornby Collectors edition, the other an unpainted Dapol. The five-planks started as 'troublesome trucks' from Number Two son's Thomas and Percy set, re-chassied with Parkside.20150505_215714_scrn.jpg20150505_215654_scrn.jpg20150505_215634_scrn.jpg20150505_215604_scrn.jpg20150505_214738_scrn.jpg

 

Very nice. Considering the tooling on those 5-plank examples must date back 50+ years now (given the early Triang origins of much TTE stock), they've scrubbed up pretty well.

[Worsdell forever]

Spotted this photo - http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/museumcollections/collections/search-results/image.php?keywordsorig=&titleorig=&personorig=&placeorig=&dateorig=&materialorig=&accessionnumberorig=&collectionorig=&museumorig=&keywords=&title=&person=&place=&date=&material=&accessionnumber=&collectionall=all&collection2=Cartlidge+Collection&museumall=all&museum6=Maritime+Museum&location=any&SearchSubmit_x=45&SearchSubmit_y=14&ImagesOnly=yes&Sender=List&Page=18&irn=79724

in the latest NERA magazine, the caption ends - 'Dropping the wagon on the quayside was not a normal part of the unloading process...'

[petethemole]

From the NRM site: http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Horwich&objid=1997-7059_HOR_F_859 demonstrating the purpose of the end door. I assume the shunting motive power is the horse.

 

Meanwhile the crane in the background is doing this http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Horwich&objid=1997-7059_HOR_F_857  The wagon is on a sort of cradle and the end door appears to be swinging open so presumably the whole rig is tipped by the crane to discharge the coal.

 

Now found a close up shot: http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Horwich&objid=1997-7059_HOR_F_229&keywords=coal+wagon

 

Edited to add another link.

Pete

Edited May 7, 2015 by petethemole

[Straits Settlements]

On the subject of wooden bodied mineral wagons, here's one of my efforts:

 

P1010217.jpg

 

A Bachmann 8-plank with fixed ends, originally in BR grey livery.  I painted most of it apart from the insignia in a creamy / grey colour  hopefully representing unpainted wood, then went over plank by plank in various shades of grey / brown to represent weathered painted and unpainted planks.  Picked out the ironwork in various greys to represent the remains of a livery; then the whole lot weathered and rusted etc.

Nice work!

[petethemole]

I thought it was time to revive this thread with a few results of my web delvings.

 

A photo showing the variety of wagon types that existed in one large PO fleet.

 

http://www.methilheritage.org.uk/content/media/Dock%201/LWMHC_P_xxxxmethil%20wellesley%20colliery%20sidings%20methil%20docks%20background.JPG

 

Two shots in this article show the variety within the entire fleet (5) of a local Co-op.

 

http://www.burtonlatimer.info/transport/burton-latimer-railway-station.html

 

A slightly clearer version of one pic

 

http://www.burtonlatimer.info/images/retail/Wagons-at-Station2.jpg

 

PO wagons at Birkenhead:

 

http://www.nrm.org.uk/img/nrm/worksphotos/Horwich/1997-7059_HOR_F_3616.jpg

 

A selection of PO and company wagons during unloading:

 

http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrs271a.htm

 

Pete

[petethemole]

Late 19th century wagon tipping at Polar Docks:

 

http://www.railwaymen-nlr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Plate-050.jpg

 

http://www.nrm.org.uk/img/nrm/worksphotos/Bow/1996-7310_NL_94.jpg

 

Two good shots of earlier types of wagon predating the 1907 RCH specs, both from this website: http://www.railwaymen-nlr.org.uk/general-notes/ which includes the captions.

 

Also at Poplar, from the NRM. Note that side tipping required human assistance to get the coal/coke through the doors.

 

Pete

[Wellyboots]

A few photos of wooden minerals in the 50's and 60's;

 

1961 shot of a couple of scruffy ones painted BR grey.

 

1960 shot of a PO mineral with a lot of it's original livery still intact.

 

1959 shot, painted BR grey with a few new and unpainted planks.

 

A shot of an ex LMS mineral in the 60's, appears to be painted BR grey.

 

1956 shot of a selection of minerals along with a 5 plank that seems to be loaded with coal.

 

1962 shot showing several replacement planks.

 

Another selection in this 1954 shot.

 

 

[Poggy1165]

The photo attached is a Private Owner Wagon. Although it is in GCR livery it is actually a hired wagon (you can tell from the number) and carries a private owner registration plate. Several main line companies hired mineral wagons as well as (or instead of) having them in their own capital stock.

 

Some of these hired wagons remained in GC livery well into LNER days. In one case, at least, late enough to have the end door white band applied.

 

The distinction between mineral and merchandise wagons was not always clear cut. I've seen photos of 3 plankers loaded with coal and the GC had some identical ex-LDEC five plankers, some of which were marked for coal traffic and some for goods traffic. Indeed the GC very often marked wagons in this way, for example 'coal wagon' even when you might think that the vehicle was obviously a coal wagon.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Poggy1165

[jwealleans]

I know the thread is for wooden minerals, but isn't the nearest wagon in this picture an ex-LNER/LMS steel bodied example?

Edited November 12, 2015 by jwealleans

[petethemole]

Yes, it has an E number (as it were). The smaller wagon is a PO 4 plank rather than five and was probably always a coal wagon.

 

Pete

[darren01]

Hi 

Here is one i did, brought a lot of PO wagons and all of them ended up looking like this.

[petethemole]

An interesting collection here http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/lnwrcll3219a.htm

 

I'm not sure about them awaiting scrapping as there are two steel bodied wagons in there, a slope-sided one about half way along and a BR type closer to the camera.

 

Another unloading system in use with a rake of (mostly?) Jackson Colliery wagons, 1936 http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/misc/misc_indust1478a.htm

 

A mixed rake in 1935 http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/lnwrkj203.htm (I posted this a while back in the "real thing looks like a model" thread).

 

Pete

[edubs]

 

Some Farish wooden minerals in the process of being weathered into early BR condition. No that isn't fiNetrax track!

[t.s.meese]

On 06/05/2015 at 21:26, 31A said:

On the subject of wooden bodied mineral wagons, here's one of my efforts:

 

 

A Bachmann 8-plank with fixed ends, originally in BR grey livery.  I painted most of it apart from the insignia in a creamy / grey colour  hopefully representing unpainted wood, then went over plank by plank in various shades of grey / brown to represent weathered painted and unpainted planks.  Picked out the ironwork in various greys to represent the remains of a livery; then the whole lot weathered and rusted etc.

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by t.s.meese
I'm just trying to delete it since I didn't make a comment. The intended response is below...

[t.s.meese]

How do you prepare for what I assume are the slide on transfers? In the past, when doing mods like this, I have glossed (either varnish or black gloss, depending on the wagon), slid, then matted. But it's quite a drawn out faff - converting a run of grouping wagons into post-war versions (usually on one side only). I wonder whether the initial gloss and final matt cover is important...

[31A]

24 minutes ago, t.s.meese said:

How do you prepare for what I assume are the slide on transfers? In the past, when doing mods like this, I have glossed (either varnish or black gloss, depending on the wagon), slid, then matted. But it's quite a drawn out faff - converting a run of grouping wagons into post-war versions (usually on one side only). I wonder whether the initial gloss and final matt cover is important...

 

The wagon in the picture didn't need transfers applying!  As it was originally in BR grey livery, I carefully painted the weathered wood  around the original printed black number patches.

 

But I do usually use waterslide transfers, and do much as you say.  The initial gloss is necessary so that the transfers sit down properly onto the surface, with no air trapped behind them, which would lead to the carrier film being visible.  I then seal them with another gloss coat, and when that is dry spray the whole wagon with a matt varnish - Testor's Dullcote is my preferred matt varnish at the moment.  Yes, it can be a bit of a faff!

 

 

[Ben Alder]

Microsol is a godsend in getting transfers to sit into the body of the wagon. All the other stages are a necessary part of the process - railway modelling isn't easy!

 

[brossard]

I always give my wagons a cost of gloss varnish (Glosscote) after painting.  I use Microset before applying transfers and Microsol afterwards.  TBH, I've never understood what Microset does but I use it as it does no harm.

 

Once transfers are dry, I finish with Dullcote.  These varnish coats really give the model a professional looking finish IMO.

 

Applying transfers is probably way down on my list of favorite things to do on model, especially when I have to do a number one digit at a time.

 

Here's wagon I did some time ago:

 

 

Lionheart PO wagon.  I tried to make it look like it was at end of life in 1962 or so.  I only have 3 wooden minerals since by this time they would have been getting rare.

 

John

Edited December 12, 2019 by brossard