New product announcement - GW Mica 'B' van

[Harlequin]

Summarising from Atkins Hyde Beard & Tourret "A history of GWR goods wagons":

• Diagrams for true Mica Bs were X2, X4, X5, X7 and X8.
• X2/X4: Mansell coach wheels, vacuum brake, clasp shoes, 2ft buffers.
• X4: long lever replaced by a DC quadrant and fixed cylinder arrangement.
• The vacuum fittings of X1/X2 were gradually changed to match X4, some given a DCIII system.
• X5: In 1912, freight wheels and axleguards replaced the Mansell coach wheels.
• Height of all MICA vans was 11ft 9in with rather low buffer height of 3ft 4 1/2in.
• X7 of 1921 as X5 but with 1ft 8in self contained buffers, fixed bars on doors.
• X8 of 1923-6 as X7 but with Morton brake.

 

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Harlequin

[Garethp8873]

11 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Summarising from Atkins Hyde Beard & Tourret "A history of GWR goods wagons":

• Diagrams for true Mica Bs were X2, X4, X5, X7 and X8.
• X2/X4: Mansell coach wheels, vacuum brake, clasp shoes, 2ft buffers.
• X4: long lever replaced by a DC quadrant and fixed cylinder arrangement.
• The vacuum fittings of X1/X2 were gradually changed to match X4, some given a DCIII system.
• X5: In 1912, freight wheels and axleguards replaced the Mansell coach wheels.
• Height of all MICA vans was 11ft 9in with rather low buffer height of 3ft 4 1/2in.
• X7 of 1921 as X5 but with 1ft 8in self contained buffers, fixed bars on doors.
• X8 of 1923-6 as X7 but with Morton brake.

 

 

 

I did write an article on the MICA vans that @Miss Prismhas posted on the GWR Modelling page. I find them a very interesting wagon. And more a reason with the X8 being done, I hope to soon see a TEVAN and and the X7 diagram.

[Pteremy]

Has anyone come across a photo of a Mica B in use for meat traffic in BR days? I have yet to find one in the obvious places to look. 

[Miss Prism]

On 18/03/2023 at 12:08, Garethp8873 said:

Am I right in thinking that the main difference between X7 and X8 @Miss Prismwas the brake system?

 

X7 had DC brakes, X8 had Morton.

[Miss Prism]

The chassis CADS looks a bit 'Coopercraft'. Pushrod spacing should be:

 

[Pendennis]

Does anyone know whether KR Models interact with these fora like Accurascale/Rapido or stand aloof?

[Pteremy]

5 minutes ago, Pendennis said:

Does anyone know whether KR Models interact with these fora like Accurascale/Rapido or stand aloof?

 

They did to begin with but unfortunately their chosen funding mechanism meant that they attracted a lot of criticism along the lines of 'this is a scam they are going to run off with my money'. (This was not long after a number of folk lost money to an unconnected failed operation funded on similar lines.)  Given the at times intense negativity I am not surprised that they withdrew from regular contact, although, as the threads on RMweb evidence, their products would be better if they were more open to help constructively offered.

[Pteremy]

Although Aktkins Beard & Tourret (p434 of the 2013 edition) indicate that '...representatives of all the X-group (except X3/6) passed into nationalisation.' Larkin, in Vol 4 of his 'Acquired Wagons' series only documents X9 & X10 vehicles.

[Pteremy]

Larkin is incomplete. There is a photo of X4 W79771 dated to 1958 on p108 of Geoff Kent's 4mm Wagons (Part 2). This would be evidence of an appropriate post Nationalisation Livery, although the wagon in question appears to have lost its roof vents.

[Pete Haitch]

I understand that some Micas were used for milk traffic for a period. Were the liveries/markings changed in any way or was the standard 'meat' livery retained?

[Wickham Green too]

Maybe branded 'PSEUDOSIPHON' ?? 🙄

[gwrrob]

Now available to order. Six running numbers to choose from.

 

https://krmodels.net/product/gwr-mica-b/

[Wickham Green too]

Would be nice to know what livery each option came in ! 🙄

[26power]

8 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Would be nice to know what livery each option came in ! 🙄

Reading the OTT blurb it sounds like only available in GWR livery.

[Wickham Green too]

Pre or post 1936 ?

[Dungrange]

59 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said:

Pre or post 1936 ?

 

Looking at the options, it looks to me as though it's whatever livery the preserved versions carry.

[Pteremy]

10 hours ago, Dungrange said:

 

Looking at the options, it looks to me as though it's whatever livery the preserved versions carry.

That is the way I interpreted it - although the prototype photographs are all of the Severn Valley example.

[Wickham Green too]

Well, I hope the Didcot-derived ones aren't finished like this - http://www.ws.rhrp.org.uk/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=6850 ............. though it MIGHT imply a post 1936 livery choice. 

[Garethp8873]

On 23/04/2023 at 10:05, Wickham Green too said:

Well, I hope the Didcot-derived ones aren't finished like this - http://www.ws.rhrp.org.uk/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=6850 ............. though it MIGHT imply a post 1936 livery choice. 

 

Going by what little information we have given so far on the livery of the models and considering their focus has been on the SVR's example (GWR 105873), I would most likely say that the liveries will be pre-1936 as that is what 105873 has been presented in since returning to traffic. I cannot though speak for @KR Models so you would need to email them as to the livery.

 

The MICA at Didcot is currently a bare frame and is beginning it's overhaul. The photo on the Wagon Survey is quite an old photo now. Although I've only seen 105860 in post-36 livery as per below, I know the van has been in both pre and post 36 liveries during it's time at Didcot.

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by Garethp8873

[Corbs]

Maybe it's a sign of my age but I can't read MICA B without the voice in my head putting it to the theme tune of 'Byker Grove'.

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

On 29/04/2023 at 22:53, Corbs said:

Maybe it's a sign of my age but I can't read MICA B without the voice in my head putting it to the theme tune of 'Byker Grove'.

 

 

I get Mika's 'Grace Kelly' stuck in my head every time I read this thread 😅 

[rovex]

So did these run in rakes or individually or a combination of the two?

[Edge]

8 hours ago, rovex said:

So did these run in rakes or individually or a combination of the two?

I think there is probably evidence of them being used both ways out there. However, I believe that the most common usage would have been in larger numbers grouped together as where traffic justified the use of one wagon, the chances are that there was enough stuff to shift to justify the use of many (ship arriving at port and offloading huge quantities for example) 

[Garethp8873]

6 hours ago, Edge said:

I think there is probably evidence of them being used both ways out there. However, I believe that the most common usage would have been in larger numbers grouped together as where traffic justified the use of one wagon, the chances are that there was enough stuff to shift to justify the use of many (ship arriving at port and offloading huge quantities for example) 

 

As @Edge says it varied on the location in question. I have seen photos of either single or several MICA to varying diagrams in goods trains or in goods yards. I suspect you'd find the larger rakes of GWR MICA around London owing the markets. Outside London it would vary.

[Wickham Green too]

2 hours ago, Garethp8873 said:

... several MICA to varying diagrams ...

Yes, the only time they were likely to run in significant numbers of the same diagram would have been when brand new, leaving Swindon for an initial loading point.