BR Dia. 1/227 'VIX' Ferry Van

[russ p]

1 hour ago, LNERGE said:

I’m very impressed. My two have completed a tour of the main running lines on my layout including the two radius two reverse loops. The lower loop has gradient changes too. No derailments. 
 

I seem to recall seeing a picture of a test train made entirely of these vans with a 37. I’ve searched the net but not found it. 

 

I've seen that picture before Richard,  I think it was something to do with air braking as when those vans very introduced very few locos had air braking capability 

[tractionman]

40 minutes ago, russ p said:

 

I've seen that picture before Richard,  I think it was something to do with air braking as when those vans very introduced very few locos had air braking capability 

 

is it here:

 

http://www.traintesting.com/freight_wagon_testing.htm

 

a nice shot here--http://www.traintesting.com/images/Ferry van test train2 1968.jpg

Edited February 18, 2023 by tractionman

[andythenorth]

4 hours ago, LNERGE said:

I’m very impressed. My two have completed a tour of the main running lines on my layout including the two radius two reverse loops. The lower loop has gradient changes too. No derailments. 
 

I seem to recall seeing a picture of a test train made entirely of these vans with a 37. I’ve searched the net but not found it. 

Probably ‘traintesting’ site, air brake propagation tests(?), Midland main line(?).

 

I know the photo you’re referring to, but on slow internet right now, so not going looking for it 🙂

[LNERGE]

3 hours ago, russ p said:

 

I've seen that picture before Richard,  I think it was something to do with air braking as when those vans very introduced very few locos had air braking capability 

Phew. I was beginning to think I’d imagined it. 

[LNERGE]

So how about a VIX owners get together to recreate the test train lol 

[Fat Controller]

55 minutes ago, andythenorth said:

Probably ‘traintesting’ site, air brake propagation tests(?), Midland main line(?).

 

I know the photo you’re referring to, but on slow internet right now, so not going looking for it 🙂

The photo was used in an advertisement for Westinghouse in Modern Railways in the mid-1960s.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

4 hours ago, tractionman said:

 

is it here:

 

http://www.traintesting.com/freight_wagon_testing.htm

 

a nice shot here--http://www.traintesting.com/images/Ferry van test train2 1968.jpg

 

Already mentioned on page 3.

Keep up at the back!

 

Mike.

['CHARD]

On 15/02/2023 at 17:01, Dagworth said:

Sorry if I’ve missed it but how late did the flying crate logo last? 
 

Andi

 

Not sure either if this has been tackled elsewhere but, it's my belief that the flying crate was superseded by the all-conquering Double Arrow that was unveiled in 1964 with the XP64 trial, and rolled-out from late 1966 under the Corporate Image project (?). 

 

With the usual alacrity applied to wagon repaints, even these international ambassadors of style and taste, I reckon the crate would still be airborne into the subsequent decade one way or another; I'm extremely comfortable with it for a 1968 setting.

[aureol40012]

On 10/02/2023 at 20:15, Michael Hodgson said:

They look nicely modelled but I'm afraid I draw the line at nearly forty quid for a 4-wheel box van.

I find statements like this intriguing.  Is that figure set in stone, or will it change to “I draw the line at nearly fifty quid” in ten years time?  Also, if you won the lottery, would the same rule apply, and if not doesn’t that mean that it’s just a simple case of not being able to afford a particular thing at the moment?

[Mark Saunders]

1 minute ago, aureol40012 said:

I find statements like this intriguing.  Is that figure set in stone, or will it change to “I draw the line at nearly fifty quid” in ten years time?  Also, if you won the lottery, would the same rule apply, and if not doesn’t that mean that it’s just a simple case of not being able to afford a particular thing at the moment?

and I was going to give up drinking when it got above £1 a pint…

[CUCKOO LINE]

It actually looks as if it is around what Bachmann would charge for something similar looking at recent releases.

[Phil Bullock]

3 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

 

Already mentioned on page 3.

Keep up at the back!

 

Mike.

Suspect there’s a caption error….. the loco is one of the Stratford air braked batch … note the extra bracket over the headcode box … not D6999

[Covkid]

15 hours ago, aureol40012 said:

I find statements like this intriguing.  Is that figure set in stone, or will it change to “I draw the line at nearly fifty quid” in ten years time?  Also, if you won the lottery, would the same rule apply, and if not doesn’t that mean that it’s just a simple case of not being able to afford a particular thing at the moment?

 

15 hours ago, Mark Saunders said:

and I was going to give up drinking when it got above £1 a pint…

 

It is what it is - in everyone's lives and in most of what we do.   If I had an awful lot  more money than I do,  I would have a much newer car, and probably one with a battery built in. If I had more money I would have a fleet of diesels fitted with ESU V5s but I dont. I would also have a set of custom Tim Horn baseboards, but I don't.  I would also have a current 3D printer and be producing custom stuff for myself, but I don't.  etc etc  

We each cut our cloth to suit, and each have our priorities.  I have bought a couple of VIXs because I could justify them.  You obviously don't, but do you need to tell us.  

[Pillar]

I've managed to spring mine using the Dave Bradwell springing plates etch. It seems to work well so far and runs freely over P4 pointwork.

 

My steps were as follows:

1. Remove the protruding collars on the rear surface of the W-irons and smooth the surface with fine grit emery paper.
2. Bore out the existing bearing holes to be deeper and wider; first using a 2mm drill, then 2.5mm. Depth is not critical, but care is needed not to bore all the way through to the axlebox detail. This is to give room for the new brass bearings to move up and down.
3. To prevent lateral slop and restrict the bearing carriers to move up and down only, fold four U-shaped sections of 0.45mm wire so that the distance between the inner edges of the vertical members is 5mm (i.e. the width of a Bradwell bearing carrier). Glue these to the backs of the plastic W-irons, making sure they are centered; thin superglue is ideal. Trim off any excess length of the verticals.
4. Glue in plasticard rests for the springs either side of each W-iron. At one end of the wagon there is an extra rib in the underframe which will foul the spring unless an opening is made in it.
5. Make up four Bradwell bearing carriers with brass top hat bearings and spring wire. Then file the bearing back so that the overall thickness of the carrier+bearing is about 1.2mm. This is to minimise the chance of the bearing clashing with the inside of the plastic axlebox. In this process the inner pinpoint of the bearing is lost, but I found that they still work fine with plain-ended 1mm axles of appropriate length.
6. For wheels, I used Exactoscales fitted to 1mm axles. I started with their 25mm plain ended axles, but to get a good fit I ended up filing them back to about 23.9mm.

Hopefully this may be of use.

 

Cheers,

 

Liam

Edited February 19, 2023 by Pillar

[Going2theDogs]

Hi All,

I picked up the Satlink ZJX version yesterday & I have to say I am very impressed.

The packaging, the paintwork, the finish, the sliding doors, the interior, the under frame, the couplings.

All superb.

Speaking to Rapido, they advised that although pre-sales were ‘okay’, these have been flying of the shelves at retailers. A fact confirmed to me by one of my local model shops.

So, if you are interested in these, I would suggest to get these while you can as these won’t be around for long…. 

[Venator]

Apologies if this has already been covered. Where would one find out which particular vans were made at Ashford rather than Pressed Steel? I would like an example that was built at Ashford for my layout.

[Fat Controller]

25 minutes ago, Venator said:

Apologies if this has already been covered. Where would one find out which particular vans were made at Ashford rather than Pressed Steel? I would like an example that was built at Ashford for my layout.

B787098- 787347  were built at Ashford to Lot No 3472

[Venator]

14 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

B787098- 787347  were built at Ashford to Lot No 3472

 

Thank you. Is there a book or guide that supplies this information for different wagons? I was thinking of trying to assemble a wagon rake made up of the various different designs built at Ashford and its not always easy to tell which works made which numbers / batch of a particular wagon. Being an Ashford boy it matters to me that the particular model is of a wagon actually produced at Ashford rather than elsewhere.

[Fat Controller]

9 minutes ago, Venator said:

 

Thank you. Is there a book or guide that supplies this information for different wagons? I was thinking of trying to assemble a wagon rake made up of the various different designs built at Ashford and its not always easy to tell which works made which numbers / batch of a particular wagon. Being an Ashford boy it matters to me that the particular model is of a wagon actually produced at Ashford rather than elsewhere.

My 'Go to' book for things like this is 'British Railways Wagons' by Don Rowland; It's a bit old now, and doesn't cover the air-braked fleet, or pre-BR builds.

[iak]

20 hours ago, Pillar said:

I've managed to spring mine using the Dave Bradwell springing plates etch. It seems to work well so far and runs freely over P4 pointwork.

 

My steps were as follows:

1. Remove the protruding collars on the rear surface of the W-irons and smooth the surface with fine grit emery paper.
2. Bore out the existing bearing holes to be deeper and wider; first using a 2mm drill, then 2.5mm. Depth is not critical, but care is needed not to bore all the way through to the axlebox detail. This is to give room for the new brass bearings to move up and down.
3. To prevent lateral slop and restrict the bearing carriers to move up and down only, fold four U-shaped sections of 0.45mm wire so that the distance between the inner edges of the vertical members is 5mm (i.e. the width of a Bradwell bearing carrier). Glue these to the backs of the plastic W-irons, making sure they are centered; thin superglue is ideal. Trim off any excess length of the verticals.
4. Glue in plasticard rests for the springs either side of each W-iron. At one end of the wagon there is an extra rib in the underframe which will foul the spring unless an opening is made in it.
5. Make up four Bradwell bearing carriers with brass top hat bearings and spring wire. Then file the bearing back so that the overall thickness of the carrier+bearing is about 1.2mm. This is to minimise the chance of the bearing clashing with the inside of the plastic axlebox. In this process the inner pinpoint of the bearing is lost, but I found that they still work fine with plain-ended 1mm axles of appropriate length.
6. For wheels, I used Exactoscales fitted to 1mm axles. I started with their 25mm plain ended axles, but to get a good fit I ended up filing them back to about 23.9mm.

Hopefully this may be of use.

 

Cheers,

 

Liam

 

Exquisite workmanship sir and an excellent illustration of a working solution 👌 

[Pteremy]

6 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

My 'Go to' book for things like this is 'British Railways Wagons' by Don Rowland; It's a bit old now, and doesn't cover the air-braked fleet, or pre-BR builds.

 

Rowland is a good book - but my starting point now is usually the David Larkin series of books on the 'British Railways era' - there is one each for 1948-54, 1955-61 and 1962-68. There are also others for contemporaneous Engineering wagons and Private Owner wagons, and yet others for later periods (my period of interest stops in 1966).

['CHARD]

Ordered a couple last Friday, the oldest liveries; neither was especially easy to find, so I'm guessing that demand has proved healthy and buoyant.  I'm actually a bit bewildered by all this chunnering about 'price' and 'value,' when it's a four-wheeler, granted, but more akin to a railbus than a vent van in terms of scope! 

 

They arrived today, £39.00 apiece, which I think is pretty good, and the quality appears excellent.  My first foray into Rapido's products! 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Free "proto Yorkshireman" conversion to EM by dint of rubbing the front and back of the existing wheels down on a sheet of emery paper and chamfering the inner edge of the brake blocks down.

That coughing and spluttering you can hear is from the direction of the EMGS!

 

Mike.

 

[tractionman]

29 minutes ago, 'CHARD said:

 the oldest liveries; neither was especially easy to find, so I'm guessing that demand has proved healthy and buoyant. 

 

indeed, TMC, Rails and Hattons are all out of stock of the one I went for, I had ordered mine from good old Derails as it comes with free postage and also I had some reward points to cash in -- so all ++++, around £35 all in :-) still some left for anyone else lookin... 

 

https://derails.co.uk/910002-Rapido-VIX-BR-Bauxite-GB787298?limit=15

 

cheers,

 

Keith

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by tractionman

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

For some inexplicable reason I ordered a barrier wagon instead of a flying crate, more shopping required!

 

Mike.