Help required dismantling a wooden carriage kit (Araldite?)

[Skinnylinny]

Many moons ago, I managed to acquire from eBay a set of 4mm scale SE&CR birdcage carriages. Not the Bachmann 60-footers, but approximately 50-foot in length instead. I bought them as a "fix-it-up"  project, as there were quite a few missing bits, and they were painted a ghastly green colour with "Southern" written on them! When they arrived, I had a look a them to determine what would need to be done. 



The cast bogies are a bit crude, but they'll suffice for now; the wheels are fairly fine, and the bogies themselves are compensated! The material used for the glazing has shrunk over time, meaning that there are gaps where there should be windows. A few spots where paint had worn off suggested wooden construction, with metal ends.

After much cursing and very careful persuasion with a knife, I've managed to get one cast end off one carriage. The bodysides appear to be made of thin ply, with a slot cut in from the top along the length, to allow glazing material to be slotted in. The roof is a wooden moulding, and brass  commode handles have been very neatly fitted.



However, I can't get the thing apart! It looks to have been assembled with either Araldite or some form of wood glue, although extremely neatly so it's hard to tell. I believe the carriages (two 50' brake thirds and a 51' saloon composite) were built from the CCW kits of those prototypes.



I'd really like to get inside, to repair the loose interior fittings and replace the glazing strip, but so far nothing I've tried has managed to remove the glue, or even soften it. Acetone has done nothing, and I'm loathe to try anything much stronger for fear of melting the plastic glazing. I tried scoring along the cantrail but haven't made much progress, and the slotted side worries me, as I don't want to split it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[33C]

Have you tried Ronsonol lighter petrol on the glue? It usually turns glue to jelly and then evaporates clear. Failing that, I would try a fine circular saw in a dremel along the roof line.

[Nearholmer]

I think it is one of the "ancient" glues, very probably Cascamite, made from animal derivatives, which I am pretty sure don't respond to lighter fluid. Cascamite was definitely the recommended glue for building kits of that kind, the predeccesor to PVA, and it is still used by specialist joiners and cabinet makers, because it is mega-durable and well-understood.

 

The current data sheet for cascamite says: "WARNING: The fully cured adhesive can only be removed by mechanical means (sawing, sanding etc).". Which might not be the answer you want!

 

The kit looks like early Ratio, or CCW, or similar, of 1950s vintage, and the glazing might well be celluloid (film stock), which is an absolute bngger for curling and shrinking. If you can get it out by pulling it along the slot, and then pushing modern glazing in, I think that would be a lot kinder than risking extensive damage to what are a lovely 'period' set of coaches.

 

Try the "vintage/collectible" section of RMWeb. There is bound to be someone who can be more sure of the kit supplier than I am, and they might even know how to dissolve cascamite!

Edited December 7, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Skinnylinny]

Thanks for the thoughts! Cascamite it might be... Unfortunately, the glazing appears to have been glued in (or at least to be a very tight fit!), as it won't slide out. I've managed to, by scoring along the join repeatedly, get the roof off one carriage, but it's done some damage, and I'm loathe to do it to the other two carriages. Unfortunately, it seems like I have little choice but to try again very carefully. I only hope that I can manage the necessary repairs as neatly as the original builder made these!

[Il Grifone]

 IIRC (it was a long time ago) these are CCW kits. Their bogies were compensated. The ones I have (I think they are CCW 8 foot Fox) have the side frames secured to the bogies by a screw allowing them to rock. The wheels look like ERG (Bakelite) and would benefit from replacement with metal ones. Considering their age, the windows are probably acetate and liable to shrinkage/distortion, though these seem OK.

It would probably be better to leave the sides and roofs alone and try to access any loose interior fittings by cutting through the floor where any damage can be easily made good and in any case will be hidden from view.