Churchward brake levers on open wagons

[rprodgers]

Please can anyone advise.

 

I built a Coopercraft GWR 7 plank open many years ago.

 

I realise now that ( having bought another kit) I built the brake levers incorrectly adding a “ratchet” mechanism on both sides which I will rectify. (I also need to add the  missing Shaft linking  the two brake levers.)

 

A) The instructions for this  kit indicate the brake levers should both be located at one end i.e. side 1  right side  (with ratchet mechanism),  side 2 left hand side (when looking at them side on).

 

B) Looking at some rtr run GWR opens, vent vans I can see that the Churchward levers are located on opposite corners i.e. both are   on the right hand side (when looking at them side on).

 

When did this changeover  happen  from A) to B)?

Would 7 plank wagons still have A) in the early to mid 1920s?

 

[57xx]

A good resource to start with is here:

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/nowagonbrakes.html

 

Scroll down to the Dean-Churchward section.

[Steamport Southport]

Probably one of the most complicated subjects I can think of. 

 

Most of the basics are covered here.

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/nowagonbrakes.html

 

There's also some builds in the modelling section.

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/project.html

 

 

Funnily enough I've been doing the same. Going through loads of wagons that were built donkeys years ago that are probably all wrong. Most need replacement wheels as well as they still have the plastic ones supplied. A change in interests meant they were put away in a box and forgotten.

 

Funnily enough ISTR they got the brakes right on the 7mm versions.

 

 

Jason

[Compound2632]

But the kits lack the all-important swan-neck lever connecting the brake hand-lever to the actual brakes! Prominent here on a wagon with the brake on:

 

 

In 4 mm scale, there was an etched brass component available at one time though I have heard it wasn't the right length. Being a bodger, I've bodged:

 

 

 

[rprodgers]

Thank you all, I will read up on this,  until I looked at this more closely I naively thought the Churchward levers were all located at the one end A) as I described at the outset.

 

 

[brossard]

Some good discussion and great pics here:

 

John

 

[Steamport Southport]

On 08/12/2021 at 15:59, Compound2632 said:

But the kits lack the all-important swan-neck lever connecting the brake hand-lever to the actual brakes! Prominent here on a wagon with the brake on:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Included in the 7mm versions.

 

 

Jason

[Compound2632]

13 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Included in the 7mm versions.

 

Interesting. I wonder why they were omitted from the 4 mm ones? It's not as if there's any shortage of space between the rear of the axleguard and front of the wheel, in 00 at least. Any explanation will have been well and truly lost in the lists of time. These kits must have originated in the 70s, since I built some as a teenager, innocent of the lack of swan neck lever.

Edited December 9, 2021 by Compound2632

[Steamport Southport]

The 7mm kits were from sometime after the 4mm versions.

 

They came out after the Webster (Ratio/PECO) Toads and it was recommended you use the Websters wheels and buffers. The Slaters versions now have wheels, couplings and a decent set of sprung buffers.

 

As for missing bits ISTR in an article in RM about MR Cattle Wagons, Bob Essery mentioned something about providing the drawings for the partitions but Slaters forgot about them!

 

No idea whether the 4mm MR Cattle Wagons have them as I've not got any, but the 7mm version hasn't. 

 

 

Jason

[brossard]

I recall reading an article by Barry Norman (MRJ 174) in which he describes building a Coopercraft 7mm GWR 04 wagon kit.  My main takeaway is that he says the brake rods supplied are back to front and needed rebuilding.

 

This is my interpretation of the DC01 brake rigging:

 

 

The kit in question is ABS 5 plank.  I was quite impressed with the quality of castings.  Not something I would buy for myself since I'm not keen on WM.  However, a kind soul gave me the kit so I felt I had to build it.

 

 

John

[Scorpio7uk]

Looks good but isn't that DC03?  I thought DC01 was the one with the swan neck and the handles one end of the wagon?

 

Jeff

[brossard]

3 hours ago, Scorpio7uk said:

Looks good but isn't that DC03?  I thought DC01 was the one with the swan neck and the handles one end of the wagon?

 

Jeff

 

Yep, just checked a source I have.  Looks like I did the unfitted DC03.  Busted!

 

My source shows two versions of DC01 though.  One with the lever at one corner and the other with a cross cornered lever.  Possibly to comply with BoT regs.

 

John