Wright writes.....

[jwealleans]

As Barry said, I have just finished off both these wagons:

 

 

The Hymac is also available from 247.   I used LMS buffers and added a brake lever to the Coral at each side.

 

 

The Hydra is awaiting chains - I'm going to do this one unloaded and the chains seem to have been crossed along the length of the deck when not in use.  I added brake levers again and also the quite prominent brake shoes at each end.   There are also chain securing eyes on each end just inboard of the buffer covers.   I used a Roxey etch for these.

 

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by jwealleans

[Tony Wright]

4 hours ago, jwealleans said:

As Barry said, I have just finished off both these wagons:

 

 

The Hymac is also available from 247.   I used LMS buffers and added a brake lever to the Coral at each side.

 

 

The Hydra is awaiting chains - I'm going to do this one unloaded and the chains seem to have been crossed along the length of the deck when not in use.  I added brake levers again and also the quite prominent brake shoes at each end.   There are also chain securing eyes on each end just inboard of the buffer covers.   I used a Roxey etch for these.

 

 

Thanks Jonathan,

 

So, nothing has to be removed (except the wee supports behind the axleboxes). Ah, the 'power' of threads like this. My ignorance of GWR wagon matters is not quite so profound now! 

 

We're the 'Corals' used mainly to transport glass? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[jwealleans]

Morning Tony,

 

You can follow my work on them starting here.  It was largely a case of gentle filing of the axlebox slots to make them an easy fit, then adding extra detail.   Do make sure the Hydra axles are a snug fit, there's not much clearance above them if they're sloppy.  Mine were and I've had to take material out from the floor to allow it to run freely.   I used Wizard Models wheels as the Hornby ones I had simply wouldn't fit, the flanges were too deep.

 

Corals were used for glass initially but I think I've read that they were also used for steel plate later in life?  I'm sure someone can confirm that.

 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

10 hours ago, LaScala said:

Good morning,

 

Many thanks - a great help.

 

Do I see an errant apostrophe here? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Barry Ten]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning,

 

Many thanks - a great help.

 

Do I see an errant apostrophe here? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

I saw one in an episode of the 1960s-set TV detective series George Gently a few days ago. It was the one about a murder at a Butlins-style summer camp. They'd mocked up a sign at the entrance to the fictitious camp, but there was a clear errant apostrophe in it. Shocking!!!

 

Even more shocking, for fans of the series, I discovered that the original books aren't set in Northumberland!

[Chas Levin]

4 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

Even more shocking, for fans of the series, I discovered that the original books aren't set in Northumberland!

 

Don't worry - neither is Martin Shaw's accent 🙄.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Chas Levin

[rowanj]

29 minutes ago, Chas Levin said:

 

Don't worry - neither is Martin Shaw's accent 🙄.

To be fair, he isn't trying to be a male Vera. His character moved up from the Met after his wife was murdered.

[Chas Levin]

14 minutes ago, rowanj said:

To be fair, he isn't trying to be a male Vera. His character moved up from the Met after his wife was murdered.

 

True, fair point!

[Tony Wright]

17 hours ago, jwealleans said:

As Barry said, I have just finished off both these wagons:

 

 

The Hymac is also available from 247.   I used LMS buffers and added a brake lever to the Coral at each side.

 

 

The Hydra is awaiting chains - I'm going to do this one unloaded and the chains seem to have been crossed along the length of the deck when not in use.  I added brake levers again and also the quite prominent brake shoes at each end.   There are also chain securing eyes on each end just inboard of the buffer covers.   I used a Roxey etch for these.

 

 

Good evening Jonathan,

 

I assume the 'Hydra' is fitted, meaning screw-link couplings?

 

Was the 'Coral' unfitted? If so, three-links? 

 

I've just about finished the pair (encountering the same flange-clearance issues you found), and will add the details you've included, from my spares box. 

 

I'll prime them, though I don't know if I'll bother to paint/letter/number them, assuming they ran in BR days? If they did, were they usually confined to the WR?

 

Apologies for all the questions, but I don't really have any volumes on GWR wagons.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[jwealleans]

Morning Tony,

 

Yes, the Hydra is fitted, so screw links or Instanters, being GW (and a dangly vac piple, i forgot to mention that yesterday).   I haven't fitted couplings to mine yet.   They did survive to BR (and one exists at Didcot).   Although the diagram is different I used Jim McGeown's kit instructions as a general guide when finishing mine - like you, I'm not overendowed with GWR wagon books..

 

There are more photographs of the Coral wagons online and there was an article about detailing the Ks version in MRJ 264.   Definitely unfitted and definitely still in use by BR.   In terms of range, other than Pilkingtons at St Helens I'm not sure where glassmaking went on in this country, so it's hard to say.   Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will add something.

[billbedford]

I've found this snippet mainly because I remember gardens in parts of Pontypool adored with lumps of bluish glass. 

 

Quote

Pilkington Brothers Limited, which was founded in 1826 at St. Helens, Lancashire and became the principal glass manufacturer in Britian with works in Doncaster, Birmingham, the Isle of Sheppey and these works in Pontypool. The company mainly manufactured flat glass but also processed flat glass (mirrors, multiple glazed units, etc.), and manufactured pressed glass, optical glass and glass fibre products. The factory in Pontypool was built in the 1930's. Now demolished.

 

[Willie Whizz]

Just to return for a moment to the proposed Hornby Coronation twin-sets, and whether there will be BR post-war variants, I’m still trying to get to the bottom of this in between other tasks. 
 

On a thread in the Hornby pages on here, RobertCWP posted on 5 November 2022:

 

“Last weekend, I saw Hornby’s 3D printed test models for the new Coronation stock. Two twins were on display plus an observation car. They looked very good.

 

The twin-first model on display was in BR condition with valances removed.

 

Alone amongst the twins, the firsts had an extra door on each side but only one side of the model had the door. As you look from the outside, the extra door is always on the right-hand carriage (i.e. there is one extra door on each half of the twin). I did mention this to someone on the Hornby stand but he did not seem to know anything about the models. I did not have the chance to speak to Simon Kohler as he was in the TT room which was not generally accessible.

 

It’s possible that they have done the mock-up so that one side is original and the other side is altered although neither side had the valances.” …

 

This squares with my vague recollection that the original announcements indicated BR versions would be produced as well as LNER, but I haven’t tracked that down yet and there seems no current mention on H’s own website. Robert also appears to suggest that Mike Trice was involved and consulted about the design; whether he could add anything further (obviously without breaching any confidentiality agreements) may be a line worth pursuing. 

[MikeParkin65]

1 minute ago, Willie Whizz said:

Just to return for a moment to the proposed Hornby Coronation twin-sets, and whether there will be BR post-war variants, I’m still trying to get to the bottom of this in between other tasks. 
 

On a thread in the Hornby pages on here, RobertCWP posted on 5 November 2022:

 

“Last weekend, I saw Hornby’s 3D printed test models for the new Coronation stock. Two twins were on display plus an observation car. They looked very good.

 

The twin-first model on display was in BR condition with valances removed.

 

Alone amongst the twins, the firsts had an extra door on each side but only one side of the model had the door. As you look from the outside, the extra door is always on the right-hand carriage (i.e. there is one extra door on each half of the twin). I did mention this to someone on the Hornby stand but he did not seem to know anything about the models. I did not have the chance to speak to Simon Kohler as he was in the TT room which was not generally accessible.

 

It’s possible that they have done the mock-up so that one side is original and the other side is altered although neither side had the valances.” …

 

This squares with my vague recollection that the original announcements indicated BR versions would be produced as well as LNER, but I haven’t tracked that down yet and there seems no current mention on H’s own website. Robert also appears to suggest that Mike Trice was involved and consulted about the design; whether he could add anything further (obviously without breaching any confidentiality agreements) may be a line worth pursuing. 

Didnt get to talk to anyone on the Hornby stand at the Milton Keynes show last weekend but they had samples of the Coronation set on display. Unfortunately they looked to be the same as displayed last year at Warley, 3D test prints. Not sure this project has advanced much though the fact that Hornby are displaying gives reassurance it will appear 'in due time'. 

[robertcwp]

40 minutes ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Didnt get to talk to anyone on the Hornby stand at the Milton Keynes show last weekend but they had samples of the Coronation set on display. Unfortunately they looked to be the same as displayed last year at Warley, 3D test prints. Not sure this project has advanced much though the fact that Hornby are displaying gives reassurance it will appear 'in due time'. 

Summer 2024 was the date shown on the display. 

 

The retooled 4 Vep was on display too, still with a howling error on the end in that the gangway door is flush with the line of the unit front instead of being in line with the inner half of the gangway.

[MikeParkin65]

7 minutes ago, robertcwp said:

Summer 2024 was the date shown on the display. 

 

The retooled 4 Vep was on display too, still with a howling error on the end in that the gangway door is flush with the line of the unit front instead of being in line with the inner half of the gangway.

And the Black Five will have fixed lamps (class 3 by the looks of it) for which the front footplate will have integral molded mounting points so it wont just be a simple matter of snipping them off. One step up and two steps back I'd say. 

[Geep7]

1 hour ago, robertcwp said:

Summer 2024 was the date shown on the display. 

 

The retooled 4 Vep was on display too, still with a howling error on the end in that the gangway door is flush with the line of the unit front instead of being in line with the inner half of the gangway.

I thought that they were fixing the gangway to improve the look? If that doesn't include moving the gangway door forward, then what's the point? I also think that the horns are still too small.

[robertcwp]

Just now, Geep7 said:

I thought that they were fixing the gangway to improve the look? If that doesn't include moving the gangway door forward, then what's the point? I also think that the horns are still too small.

The end looks better but the gangway door is still wrong so I agree, what's the point?

[65179]

3 hours ago, billbedford said:

I've found this snippet mainly because I remember gardens in parts of Pontypool adored with lumps of bluish glass. 

 

 

 

The former Pilkington's glassworks at Kirk Sandall (Doncaster) made it into the 2000s (1919-2008ish). You can see where it was here:

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=12.7&lat=53.57324&lon=-1.08368&layers=10&right=ESRIWorld

 

When looking at North West working timetables for the late 1940s/early 50s it took me a while to understand why there might be trains from the St Helens area to the wayside station of Barnby Dun!

 

Simon

[Tony Wright]

I've now completed the two 3D-printed GWR wagons from 247 Developments, featured earlier.

 

 

Here's the 'Coral'.

 

 

And here's the 'Hydra'. 

 

Extra bits were sourced from Alan Gibson, Kenline, Smiths and Markits. 

 

Painting next.

 

 

[westerner]

Couldn't resist a grubby 16 ton mineral.

 

 

I would hope Ben Ashworth would approve

[Coach bogie]

On 21/10/2023 at 03:49, Tony Wright said:

I've now completed the two 3D-printed GWR wagons from 247 Developments, featured earlier.

Here's the 'Coral'.

 

And here's the 'Hydra'. 

 

Extra bits were sourced from Alan Gibson, Kenline, Smiths and Markits. 

 

Painting next.

 

These look very good but I cannot help wonder why 247 chose these prototypes when they have been available, as 3D outputs, from Bygone Wagons for some time now. Duplication amongst the rtr boys is now commonplace, but is duplication between the small suppliers such a good thing? 

 

If you have not seen the range there are several interesting wagons from Bygone, especially for the BR era.

 

https://bygone-wagons.com/448184374

 

Here are a couple of wagons form Bygone I am running.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

These look very good but I cannot help wonder why 247 chose these prototypes when they have been available, as 3D outputs, from Bygone Wagons for some time now. Duplication amongst the rtr boys is now commonplace, but is duplication between the small suppliers such a good thing? 

 

 

The Coral from Bygone is $40 plus $32 postage ("minimum") - so £37.37; from 247 it's £19 inc. delivery.  Now if Bygone were to get some printed in the UK (perhaps by another supplier "under licence") then that would make them more attractive.

In fairness to Bygone if you are able to submit a larger order then that makes the postage less of an issue, but if the cost goes over the magic tax threshold (currently £132 IIRC) then VAT and royal mail collection charges come into play.

 

[Tony Wright]

20 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

These look very good but I cannot help wonder why 247 chose these prototypes when they have been available, as 3D outputs, from Bygone Wagons for some time now. Duplication amongst the rtr boys is now commonplace, but is duplication between the small suppliers such a good thing? 

 

If you have not seen the range there are several interesting wagons from Bygone, especially for the BR era.

 

https://bygone-wagons.com/448184374

 

Here are a couple of wagons form Bygone I am running.

 

Mike Wiltshire

Thanks Mike,

 

Accepting my ignorance (please), are they kits or fully-finished? Or, can you have both? 

 

I assume they're complete (unlike the 247 equivalents, where wheels, bearings, buffers, extras and couplings have to be sourced)?

 

If they are finished, then the prices seem fair in comparison.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

On 20/10/2023 at 10:16, MikeParkin65 said:

And the Black Five will have fixed lamps (class 3 by the looks of it) for which the front footplate will have integral molded mounting points so it wont just be a simple matter of snipping them off. One step up and two steps back I'd say. 

Good evening Mike,

 

Regarding Hornby's fixed lamps (are they copying Sonic?), the two Turbomotives I've just reviewed (to be published soon in BRM) have them, front and rear. Express passenger is displayed at the front, and stopping passenger at the rear. 

 

While I accept that the former is the more typical, I cannot find any reference of the Turbomotive ever pulling a train in reverse, of any status (certainly not originally, when the reverse turbine could really only move the loco). 

 

When running forwards, the two lamps are illuminated - very, very brightly at full throttle; far too bright to represent just oil-lit ones. Worse, the tail light is red, even if the loco is hauling a train. Even worse, both front lamps illuminate bright red when running in reverse. 

 

Now, it might well be that if DCC-fitted the lamps can be turned off, but certainly not for analogue. It rather 'spoils' superlative models in my view. However, if illuminated, fixed lamps are what the market desires, then I'm way out of touch! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[jwealleans]

Evening Tony,

 

By coincidence I have also just finished a wagon from Bygone Wagons.  It's an LNER Refrigerated van and will be on Grantham at Newcastle.   My build is illustrated here.

 

The 247 products were much simpler to build and I'd have to say the standard of printing was better (which I think is as much due to the equipment used as the design).  

 

The Bygone Wagons design was ingenious and I can see how it can be adapted for a number of prototypes.  Amanda was also very helpful with the ordering process and happy to supply either as kits or assembled.    Printed to a better standard I think they'd make excellent wagons.

 

Neither has quite the definition or finesse of brass, in my opinion, but you pay your money and make your choice  - if there is one.  I'm not sure any of these wagons are currently available in 4mm and some of them never have been to my knowledge.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by jwealleans