Jidenco LMS 12t van kit

[ianLMS]

I decided to start working my way through my wagon kits making a change from building loco's for a while. In my drawer i came across a Jidenco kit for an LMS 12T vented van i got cheap off ebay, so i thought i'd give it ago.

I had built a Jidenco kit before so i knew it was going to be a challenge. There were no instructions and no roof, but everything else seemed present including axle boxes.

 

I made a best guess at how to assemble it, making up the doors and runners first, using scrap brass sprue to bulk up the thickness and add the reveal. The detail brackets were included in the kit. I then folded up the sides and ends and tack soldered to ensure it was square, then soldered the joints fully. I solderex on the door assembly and the corner plates. I had a sprue of wagon detailing parts which included straps, riveted detail strips and various other parts. I added these as necessary based on drawings in the LMS Wagon Vol 1 book i had. 

The kit did not match any single picture in the book. The corner plates are of the style used for horizontal planked vans, whereas this kit had vertical. Small detail and nothing i am concerned about.

 

I folded up the solebars, soldering into position under the body, then the buffer beams. I seperated the brakes from the underframe assembly and soldered them into position, lining up using the wheels and a square.  Using .8mm rod, i then added in the brakes.

 

I added in buffers and roof vents from Lankarkshire Models, Alan Gibson wheels, and Slaters couplings. I fitted 30g of wheel balancing lead inside then fabricated a roof from sheet brass. 

 

An interesting build and i am happy with how it is turning out. 

 

Primed and ready for LMS freight grey paint and decals.

 

 

[jwealleans]

That's a lovely job - real silk purse territory.

 

Does it ride at the right height?   In the brief period you could get these kits via the Dart Castings stand I had one or two of the LNER vehicles and they came with MJT W-iron assemblies to replace the Jidenco ones.

[ianLMS]

I checked the height against a couple of my locos with the wheels fitted before i painted and the buffers lined up perfectly. For once, my guess work while building a kit without instructions turned out right!!! More luck than judgement and a lesson for the next one though!!  Must double check the ride height before going mad with the soldering iron!!

 

Question - would the metal corner plates, corner strengtheners, and other metal work such as strappings etc be painted black or grey? I will add rust weathering later, but basic colour is needed first. 

 

Next up is a Falcon Models kit of a Fish van!

[65179]

For LMS pre-1936 livery then everything from and including the solebars and headstocks upwards is grey apart from coupling hook, buffer heads and vac pipe (where fitted). Not sure off the top of my head about the roof vents.

 

Regards,

 

Simon

[jwealleans]

8 minutes ago, 65179 said:

everything from and including the solebars and headstocks upwards is grey

 

Weren't solebars and headstocks black on steel underframed vehicles?

[ianLMS]

I am modelling 1939ish but will paint this one in the grey weathered livery.

[65179]

17 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

 

Weren't solebars and headstocks black on steel underframed vehicles?

 

Hi Jonathan. That's more of an LNER distinction. The LMS largely stuck to painting solebars body colour. The picture gets a bit more complicated with the later LMS bauxite where, particular during wartime, and even more so in the post-nationalisation but pre-BR livery period then it is both hard to tell in photos which colour was used and some wagons definitely had black solebars etc.

 

For LMS vans it doesn't help that many of us just think of the BR grey livery where again the solebar would be black.

 

Simon

[65179]

3 minutes ago, ianLMS said:

I am modelling 1939ish but will paint this one in the grey weathered livery.

 

In one of Geoff Kent's wagon books there is a great photo of a still fairly smart LMS van in LMS grey with large numbers etc in 1949. Dave F on here has photos of his dad's on his thread with fitted grey vans still with the big X on the door in early BR days too.

So your weathering can be light!

 

Simon

[Asterix2012]

8 hours ago, ianLMS said:

I checked the height against a couple of my locos with the wheels fitted before i painted and the buffers lined up perfectly. For once, my guess work while building a kit without instructions turned out right!!! More luck than judgement and a lesson for the next one though!!  Must double check the ride height before going mad with the soldering iron!!

 

Question - would the metal corner plates, corner strengtheners, and other metal work such as strappings etc be painted black or grey? I will add rust weathering later, but basic colour is needed first. 

 

Next up is a Falcon Models kit of a Fish van!

One kit manufacturer where not having the instructions might be an advantage 

[57xx]

I opened this thread expecting to see a tale of woe, however was pleasantly surprised to see the end result of your build, you've made a cracking job of it.

 

Re the paint job, if you want to start with a pristine roof and weather down from there, then it would be a silvery grey, as in, the LMS paint recipe for roofs contained aluminium powder.

[ianLMS]

Thanks Ric. I too had low expectations for this kit but with plenty of patience and a large hammer, i managed it!! Knowing how most peoples experience with Jidenco is not a pleasant one prompted me to to start this topic. Normally i wouldnt post a seperate thread just for a little ole 12T van, but mentioning Jidenco stirs up good conversation!! It took around 4 evenings and a full weekend to get it this far. Lots of fettling and fiddling but actually quite enjoyable in the end. 

[Barclay]

That looks great. I built what I think is the same kit some years ago. It was marketed as suitable for either an LMS or LNER van, although it required 'some attention' to represent either. I did mine as LNER. These kits do represent a challenge but it is very satisfying to complete one.

 

[ianLMS]

Very nice model Stuart!! The weathering looks great!!