Chippenham - The Work Bench

[Bluemonkey presents....]

2 hours ago, AlfaZagato said:

Somehow I missed you were doing a long Mink.   Neat wagons.   Were they the sort of thing that would have gone behind 'Night Owls' on express freight?   Seem rarely photographed.

It just slipped in between builds. Now I have to find some extra time lol.

 

Not sure but very plausible. There is not much in the way if info on the net that I have found. The instructions for the kit suggest 1950s but I am sure they would have been around before that.

Edited April 11 by Bluemonkey presents....

[AlfaZagato]

Yeah, an Iron wagon would have been turn of the century AFAIK.

[Oil-burner]

1904 for the first two (69996/7), 1911 for the second batch of six (69998-67000,79598-600). They lasted to between 1951 and 1954 on night turns from Paddington to Bristol, Cardiff and Fishguard. 2 survived withdrawal as stores vans at Swindon until 1966. The later batch were vac fitted with central DC2 ratchet, square shank oval buffers and instanters (though initially 3-link).

[Bluemonkey presents....]

11 hours ago, Oil-burner said:

1904 for the first two (69996/7), 1911 for the second batch of six (69998-67000,79598-600). They lasted to between 1951 and 1954 on night turns from Paddington to Bristol, Cardiff and Fishguard. 2 survived withdrawal as stores vans at Swindon until 1966. The later batch were vac fitted with central DC2 ratchet, square shank oval buffers and instanters (though initially 3-link).

Thank you Oil-burner. Great information and most certainly a world of help for getting this finished. Cheers.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Getting slowly. I wanted to ensure there was enough of the rivet strapping to do the roof and the gotten edges to the wagon. Some of the off cuts have just been long enough to fit the narrower parts between the end strapping.

 

 

Once completed will have go over the entire shiny wagon with a fibre pen to make sure there is a key for painting.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Decent outcome, before scratching up. Roof needs to be fixed. I want to add a couple of supports midway to stopp any potential sag.

 

 

I may replace the buffers though as the supplied ones are a little weak and I can see meat fist here breaking them after completion.

[AlfaZagato]

How's the weight on that thing so far?  I suppose difficult to judge against a normal wagon.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

2 hours ago, AlfaZagato said:

How's the weight on that thing so far?  I suppose difficult to judge against a normal wagon.

 

It has a real good weighty feel to it. Currently 57grms just body and roof. There are two white metal bogies and the wheels to add.

[Mikkel]

Hi Matt, very pleasing to see an old kit like that coming to life. The aluminimum look is almost arty.

 

I'm sometimes tempted to pick up one of the old wooden wagon/van kits that come up on ebay etc sometimes. Just to see what they're like. I doubt they can match this though!

[Bluemonkey presents....]

2 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Hi Matt, very pleasing to see an old kit like that coming to life. The aluminimum look is almost arty.

 

I'm sometimes tempted to pick up one of the old wooden wagon/van kits that come up on ebay etc sometimes. Just to see what they're like. I doubt they can match this though!

 

Thank you. I know what you mean as sometimes the older seemingly more crude kits are an absolute pleasure to built, if not as finely detailed but this can be added or the kit adapted. This is a really nice build the parts are pre-cut in aluminum and the white metal is fairly well detailed. The only things I would say is the measurements for the gaps in strapping seem a little out or at least they are measuring between the sections and not really allowing the builder just marked of the centre for each to be placed so you have to work it out yourself. No biggie really. Not keen on using glue to construct as I get real messy but that's my personal lack of skills.

[gwr517]

Hi Bluemonkey,

I also get great pleasure in older kit building. I built this one 2 years ago and the photo shows how I tackled the roof attachment.

Regards, Douglas.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

4 hours ago, gwr517 said:

Hi Bluemonkey,

I also get great pleasure in older kit building. I built this one 2 years ago and the photo shows how I tackled the roof attachment.

Regards, Douglas.

 

Thank you. Certainly something to consider. I think I will, if you don't mind my 'borrowing', use a combination of what you have here to secure completely as one. Thank you and what a grand job you have made of the finished wagon.

[gwr517]

By all means use some or all of my idea. That is what these blogs are all about, sharing knowledge. The kit I built came from the estate of a local modeller and maybe like you I had never seen anything like it. I built it because  the dia. and the challenge of working with a different material. My transfers are sadly lacking but that will improve when I can order more.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Well think I managed to get away with my duplication. Couldn't find appropriate coloured transfers so had to use a paint covering.

 

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Having missed out on another F recently. Here's the latest one my F Mink. My attempt to ensure a good solid fix of the roof to body. We'll see. Had thought about magnets but the profile needs a little persuasion.

 

 

The weed killer has taken a back foot as it has beenthe turn of North Wilts Wagon Works this week!

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Wagons a plenty!!! It has been a hectic couple of weeks. Starting with the Mink F. Things quickly snow balled to a couple of PO opens, followed by plenty more. Then with the receipt of the Aero transfers things got more out of control with another order to the 3-D wizard @chuffinghell some T3s have landed! Cheers Chris some more fantastically detailed wagons.

 

 

I need a holiday 🤪

[Compound2632]

Catching up. Lots of good stuff here. On wagon interiors, should one scribe plank lines? The planks were only chamfered on the outside top edge...  @billbedford has suggested just drawing in lines with a pencil, which seemed to me impractical on a built-up wagon, but if you're painting insides before assembly, could be an option.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Catching up. Lots of good stuff here. On wagon interiors, should one scribe plank lines? The planks were only chamfered on the outside top edge...  @billbedford has suggested just drawing in lines with a pencil, which seemed to me impractical on a built-up wagon, but if you're painting insides before assembly, could be an option.

Thank you.

The wagons at the moment are Cambrian pre-printed ones. These have the interior details of strapping, rivets and faint planking. Just have to get the fine brush and eyesight aligned.

I have noticed though that the molded floors are not a consistent thickness creating an unlevelled base to which the body sits. Making the finished wagon lean to one side if not careful.

[billbedford]

8 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 @billbedford has suggested just drawing in lines with a pencil, which seemed to me impractical on a built-up wagon, 

 

Not if you use a compass or a miniature marking gauge. Set it to the plank depths and run the point rod around the top of the planks. 

 

Actually, I print grooves on the inside of the planks, but at only two-thirds the width of the outer ones. This should be just enough to show when weathering, but not noticalble otherwise. That's the theory anyway.

[Compound2632]

30 minutes ago, billbedford said:

Not if you use a compass or a miniature marking gauge. Set it to the plank depths and run the point rod around the top of the planks. 

 

Cunning, as ever!

 

31 minutes ago, billbedford said:

Actually, I print grooves on the inside of the planks, but at only two-thirds the width of the outer ones. This should be just enough to show when weathering, but not noticalble otherwise. That's the theory anyway.

 

You remind me that I had noticed at the time that this was the case.

[chuffinghell]

4 hours ago, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

…. things got more out of control with another order to the 3-D wizard @chuffinghell some T3s have landed! Cheers Chris some more fantastically detailed wagons.

 

You’re welcome but I’m more an apprentice wizard

 

 

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Well with the receipt of the T3 prints from chuffinghell I could not resist. All PO works put on hold and attention to the base work commenced. 

With Chris's prints there is little if any clear up, the detailing is crisp and accurate and all extra detail parts fit like a glove. This includes the buffer shanks that are hollow to accept steel buffer heads. Not one requires any clearing at all.

 

 

 

 

As you can see the W-irons included a well measured void for brass bearing cups without any adjusts to the bearing or wagon.

 

 

The wagon design is exceptional, as with the previous departmental vans and Aero.

I appreciate there are other similar prints offered and my by a few pounds cheaper but in my personal opinion you can not beat any of Chris's designs or offerings, especially as he incorporates the full wagon structure without the need for additional unit requirements. All possible design features are included as you would expect. If you have watched the development of his layout Warren Branch, then you will appreciate the minute detail Chris endeavours to include on every model he makes. 

Wagons have been primed which only highlights the detailing more. 

Thank you Chris wonderful wagons as always and certainly worth every penny, actually worth a lot more and you really should could charge more.

 

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Primer now added and hardened. In my haste I forgot to add the brake rodding. Again the locating points are already open and ready to accept brass wire. No drilling or filing required allowing for a fined, more realistic thickness of rodding.

 

 

The brake handles are yet to be attached and are justing resting insitu. These are also seperate allowing fir the models to be modelled, brake on, with ease.

 

 

The primer really highlights the extra detailing to the wagon, even rivets under the sole channel. Certainly finer and crisper than anything thing I have seen or built.

 

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Floor painting. Slightly different colours than the PO wagons. Looking for aged/used flooring but not the heavy coal dust.

After prim8ng, base coat of Mig old wood, once dry a wash of Citadel Agrax Earthshade. Inside of wagon also receives the same treatment throughout.

 

 

Next dry brush of Mig Gunnetal.

 

 

Followed with a wash if Citadel Nuln Oil.

 

 

And finally dry brush of Mig New Wood. 

 

 

Now to plonk the floors in.

 

Because the printing is so crisp and without any noticeable layering I'm planning on brush painting the external parts to the wagon as well.

[chuffinghell]

Thanks for the positive feedback (cheque is in the post)

 

I always try and test fit as much as I can and drill out holes where required, I try to clean up/remove the supports as best as I can too but there are usually some I’ve missed (nothing a file or sand paper won’t fix)

 

Fitting the wheel sets is the scary part because of the brittle nature of the resin. I recommend having a finger and thumb either side to stop the W irons moving out too far and breaking

 

 

Also if the wheel sets are tight I find running a file over the points of the axles helps