Mercian Models WDLR H class wagon kit (7mm)

[49395]

Hi,

 

I've just got one of the Mercian Models kits for the WDLR H class water tank wagons, and I was wondering if anyone has built one up.

 

I'd be particularly interested in pictures, especially the folds at the bottom of the tank as the instructions are a bit sparse.

 

I'm also a little unsure about what some of the parts are, as there isn't a list or a diagram.

 

If anyone has any pictures of the real thing they would also help, I have a few but any pictures will help.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[49395]

Hi,

 

After a bit of pondering I think I've figured out the bits of this kit I was unsure about.

 

I think the etch has been scaled up from 4mm scale and only the tank is needed for 7mm, as the chassis is made up from a modified wrightlines kit.

 

As such there is solebar detail on the etch which needs to be folded out of the way.

 

There are still a few bits on the etch I'm unsure about, but I'm thinking they must have something to do with the 4mm scale version.

 

I'll post some pictures soon.

 

Mike

 

 

[49395]

Here's a photo of my progress so far:

 

 

The tank isn't fixed to the underframe yet as there are still a few details to add, then the brackets to hold down the tank need to be fitted to the sides and ends of the underframe.

 

I'm still unsure what colour scheme to use.

 

I'm torn between the original colour scheme which the one remaining real wagon is currently painted in, which is a grey underframe and what looks like a galvanised tank, or the later camouflage colour scheme.

 

Mike

[Talltim]

camouflage, definitely!

[49395]

I'm now certain that I'll paint the wagon in the camouflage scheme, the only problem now is what colours make up the camouflage scheme.

 

I'm hoping the colours used on the example on the scalelink website:

 

http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Narrow_Gauge__60cm__Railway.html

 

are the correct ones, can anyone confirm this?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[49395]

I've now given the wagon body a couple of coats of Humbrol 159 khaki drab, I'm thinking of using black and a sandy colour for the camouflage, as per the photo on the scalelink website.

 

Pictures to follow soon

 

Mike

[JaymzHatstand]

It looks rather tidy Mike, all you need as an ALCO 2-6-2 or a Baldwin 4-6-0 and you'll be well away!

 

I keep toying with the idea of a WWI train for my layout, but as yet I haven't really got anywhere other than a bogie E and the A class tubs.

 

As far as camo goes, I've a feeling (which is open to correction) that many of the vehicles will have been painted in the field, with whatever #was available, so inconsistencies in paintwork, and indeed quality of it are not too much of a problem. I imagine that khaki drab and other greens and blacks were common, as well as some browns but would suspect that the patterns would vary from wagon to wagon.

 

Looking forward to the photos

 

J

[49395]

It looks rather tidy Mike, all you need as an ALCO 2-6-2 or a Baldwin 4-6-0 and you'll be well away!

 

I keep toying with the idea of a WWI train for my layout, but as yet I haven't really got anywhere other than a bogie E and the A class tubs.

 

As far as camo goes, I've a feeling (which is open to correction) that many of the vehicles will have been painted in the field, with whatever #was available, so inconsistencies in paintwork, and indeed quality of it are not too much of a problem. I imagine that khaki drab and other greens and blacks were common, as well as some browns but would suspect that the patterns would vary from wagon to wagon.

 

Looking forward to the photos

 

J

 

Thanks James,

 

We are waiting for Wrightlines to finish retooling their Baldwin, but the Alco is a scratchbuild job (which is a shame as the layout really needs a few Baldwins and at least one Alco)

 

I'm using khaki drab, cream and black for the camouflage, as the light colour in the black & white photo I have is very light.

 

I've asked on a couple of forums and no-one is sure about the colours used for these wagons, so I'll paint it in my interpretation* and if anyone can prove either way if its right or not, I'll happily be proved wrong (or right)

 

*(My interpretation is based on a black & white photo of a real camouflaged wagon for the pattern, and the colour schemes used on WW1 artillery)

 

Mike

[Penguino]

I've asked on a couple of forums and no-one is sure about the colours used for these wagons, so I'll paint it in my interpretation* and if anyone can prove either way if its right or not, I'll happily be proved wrong (or right)

 

From short chats with the guy who runs wdlr.org.uk and is restoring some wagons and also the chap who owns a big 4mm WDLR layout (Willesden Green?) the wagons were mostly in olive green, but the paint used was pretty awful and obviously appearance wasn't a priority so repaints were rare, and so it would fade pretty quickly to lighter colours, or flake off completely to reveal undercoats.

 

Patches to repair damage might not be painted at all, especially the timber parts, though I'm guessing that metal would be given a quick coat of something to inhibit rust.

 

Several restored wagons are in light grey, which was the French colour for wagons. I suspect that whoever was closest would repair wagons if needed and so some would end up grey if repaired by the French or using French facilities.

 

The three Plateway Press Narrow Gauge at war books generally seem to show most British wagons as a dark colour, with a few lighter ones in some photos. I don't think any of the pictures show a wagon in camo, but that's not to say it didn't happen.

 

I'm going to paint mine mostly olive, with the odd grey one, and some variations with lighter faded olive, and patched planks in 'wood' and grey.

 

As with anything based on wartime practice though in the field anything goes, you cope with what you have so I suspect anything from various greys, greens, black and camo patterns might have happened.

 

There were lots of experiments in camouflage during WW1 as it was developed so I suspect at some time all sorts of weird and wonderful colour schemes appeared here and there, as long as you follow typical practice, which your comments on guns suggests you are, then I don't think anyone can prove you wrong.

[49395]

Thanks,

 

What scale are you modelling in?

 

The photo I am using as a basis for the pattern of the camouflage is in Narrow Gauge at War volume 1 at the top of page 10 and shows two H class wagons similarly painted with a third (probably in the galvanised finish) coupled between them.

 

Although this is the only photo I have ever seen of camouflaged H class wagons (although it is black & white and no mention of colour is made.)

 

If only one or two photos had been in colour.

 

I too will be painting most of my wagons a variation on olive green, possibly with the occasional grey wagon thrown in for good measure, as our chosen time frame is 1917 onwards.

 

I will quite happily be proved wrong on anything, and I'm fairly sure some if not all of the colours I have chosen may well be wrong, but its my best guess.

 

Another case where a time machine and a good camera would come in handy

 

Mike

[Penguino]

I'm modelling in 7mm too, I've got a couple of Protected Simplexes, and a few Class D and E wagons, also a toast-rack coach which is sold as I think L&B but is very close to the WDLR version so will be kit-bashed back into one of those.

 

These are all the Wrightlines kits, bought over the last couple of years. I didn't know about the H class kit until I saw this thread and will now be getting one, did you get the chassis with it or from Wrightlines? If you got it separately what item is it? Just the bogies that are available separately or do you need more to form the chassis?

 

Have you joined the Military Rail Yahoo forum? I just found it myself and has a lot of useful info, as well as pictures, including a great set of Willesden Junction which is a great layout by any standards, and easily the best WW1 layout I've seen.

 

It's called narrowmilitaryrail on the Yahoo e-groups system.

[49395]

Hi,

 

Yes I am a member of that yahoo group, it is very useful.

 

There are some good photos of the preserved H class wagon on there.

 

The chassis for the model is a modified Wrightlines WO26 bogie flat as specified in the Mercian instructions. (The ends need to be cut down and the timber floor needs to be a bit bigger than the Wrightlines instructions specify)

 

The Mercian kit does have a floor and solebars etched as part of the tank, although the instructions tell you to fold this out of the way.

 

The Wrightlines kit provides a better chassis, although you might be able to just use their bogies.

 

I've never heard about toast-rack coaches being used, do you have any more details?

 

Did you know about the Nigel Lawton 20HP Simplex?

 

http://www.nigellawton009.com/7mm_20HP_WD_Simplex.html

 

There were a lot more of these than any other locos used by the WDLR.

 

Here are a couple of photos of my painted wagon, I am yet to build both bogies:

 

 

 

In case you are interested there is a link to the O-14 WDLR layout that myself and 2 friends are building in my signature.

 

Mike

 

 

[poggy]

Hi,

It looks good Mike! What colours did you use in the end?

 

Ben

[49395]

Hi,

It looks good Mike! What colours did you use in the end?

 

Ben

 

 

Hi Ben,

 

I used Humbrol 159 khaki drab, 83 matt ochre and matt black.

 

Now to build the bogies.

 

Mike

[Penguino]

Did you know about the Nigel Lawton 20HP Simplex?

 

http://www.nigellawton009.com/7mm_20HP_WD_Simplex.html

 

There were a lot more of these than any other locos used by the WDLR.

 

 

I had seen that before I think, my layout idea isn't as ambitious as yours, it's much smaller (will sit on a pasting table!) and I'm imagining an area that has ended up a bit closer to the frontline than planned due to the vagaries of war and so it's only safe to run protected locos at the moment.

 

I plan on most of the layout being mud with the track trailing through it and one small shelled farmhouse acting as a partly protected unloading point.

 

Some of the images in your layout thread are some of the ones that helped inspire me too, as well as many others in the Plateway books, and also on the Australian War Memorial site which has some good images of light rail operations.

 

The toast-rack coach I first saw on the WDLR website, in the rolling stock section there is a Hudson factory shot of one, and I've seen other post-war shots of the same type of carriage labelled as ex-WDLR. The most distinctive feature is the quarter-circles of metal rod by each seat which seems to have no function beyond making it harder to get in and out!

 

The Wrightlines kit is identical as far as I can see except for these sections which have a larger 'wood' section at the end of each row of seats, covering roughly the area of the wood and the rodded area on these wagons.

 

This section is plasticard in the kit so I plan on cutting it down to the lower shape shown in this picture and forming the metal sections from wire.