Fat Controller Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Thanks Colin. The tie bars are brass angle for added durability and, given the amount of other work going on, I could hardly leave the safety loops on the brakes. In the course of this model I've established that there were at least 4 variations in brake gear, 3 patterns of rope cleat and enough assorted axle boxes and buffers to provide inspiration for another half dozen models. 1977 is about 10 years too late for my modelling really! This one will be in recently reprinted Freight Brown per a David Larkin photo. I might even load it; these were used as large highs by the mid 60s so something like cable drums might be in order. Or a container, or even pipes... Adam Nice work, Adam. To the list of potential loads, you could add large wood/ply packing cases (RN supplies) or bricks- they worked from Calvert to Lawrence Hill and Canton with these in the 1970s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted March 4, 2013 Author Share Posted March 4, 2013 Thanks Brian - dad already has one with RN type cases, so great minds, etc. Having scanned through pictures, you can add wire coil (unsheeted), 'normal' containers, roped in, small items of agricultural machinery and plant and goodness knows what else. They were clearly very versatile. Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 (edited) I've not had a lot of time for modelling recently, but one day when the morning remperature headed above 0 degrees Celsius the Pipe acquired a coat of primer and has sice had a couple of finishing coats; Humbrol chocolate brown on the underframe (mixed with a touch of metalcote gunmetal - I had the mix on the go for something else) and Precision Freight Brown above the solebar. The bodysides have had two or three coats of Klear prior to adding transfers. It's nearly there...The inside has had a couple of coats - a dark grey and some weathered wood colours. This isn't done yet, there's another couple of passes to go.Adam Edited March 29, 2013 by Adam 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Hi Adam, I can't see the images. How frustrating, they are sure to be good! Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 Any better now Colin? There are various things stalled for want of time or parts. More as and when. Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Any better now Colin? There are various things stalled for want of time or parts. More as and when. Adam That's better; very nice, Adam. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 That said, there are a couple more completed vehicles (fairly clean, correct for period). A pair of Esso monoblocs - started a long time ago - TOPS would regard them as TTV. Bachmann with new walkways from S Kits and rebuilt brakegear. Adam 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Any better now Colin? There are various things stalled for want of time or parts. More as and when. Adam Oh yes Adam! The wagon looks very nice. Those door retaining pin chains are ever so effective, as is the wood grain finish on the interior. I like the magic you have worked on the TTV too, with the addittion of all the fine parts. All the best, Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Following a visit to the paintshop, and having been lettered and dullcoted, the Pipe is now ready for weathering (subsequent to taking this picture, I've silvered the buffershanks - correct for OLEOs - and touched in the vac' pipe in red). I'm not sure what's more amazing; that we had the transfers in stock to do the job or that the sun shone long enough to take the picture. I'm reasonably pleased with this one so far though it's a bit clean at present. This has been discussed recently, but, can you tell what this is yet? Adam 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Super finish on the pipe wagon Adam. I shall win no prize for guessing what that other vehicle is - I've no idea! Al the best, Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 (edited) Thanks Colin - it's one of Mr Bulleid's off the wall experiments, the penthouse roofed van. There were three of them, apparently, and amazingly, one of them (at least), managed to survive until 1966 if not a little longer. There has been a thread recently - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69402-peaked-roof-goods-van-pictured/&do=findComment&comment=981155 - and there is some information, including an elevation of the end, in the fourth volume of Chorley, Bixley, et al's 'SR Wagons'. Part of the idea was to solve the problem of leaking roofs that the usual shape SR vans were prone to (solved, apparently, by the adoption of plywood sheeting for the centre section of the roof) and partly, this was a rebuild of a bomb-damaged vehicle, no. 49363. The Ratio kit crossed my path subsequently and thus temptation had to be yielded to. Adam Edited July 24, 2013 by Adam 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted April 2, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2, 2013 Looks like it's got a reasonably conventional underframe, one day I shall have a dart at his steel mineral, now that was really off the wall. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Kinda - structurally, this was a perfectly normal SR van; which is what it was rebuilt from after all. The chassis did have a pair of 15" vacuum cylinders, which is another odd Southern thing - a bit like this one: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/srvan/h22fdcbbc#h2b657273 The experiment wasn't only the roof, but in the cladding which was actually lots of rather small planks clad, and presumably held together, with something called 'Ruberoid' which the SR apparently used for roof coverings. In model form, it's easier to start with the plywood version of the van. I'm not sure that steel wagon ever made traffic though the unusual underframe was related to that used under the GRP PMVs and the pressed steel bodied highs O.V.S. developed for CIE when he went to Ireland so that was quite successful. Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted April 2, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2, 2013 I don't think it did either ... but it would make a nice model and IMHO the frames would have made a great baseboard design too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Hi Adam, I'd never have guessed Bulleid designed something like that. Now as a challenge, what about one of his cast-frame Lowmacs? I have great confidence in your abilities! All the best, Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 (edited) Hi Adam, I'd never have guessed Bulleid designed something like that. Now as a challenge, what about one of his cast-frame Lowmacs? I have great confidence in your abilities! All the best, Colin Ha! I'm not sure how much input Bulleid had really, but it is an impressively lateral solution to the problem of shifting roof planks. As it turned out, plywood answered the difficulties and BR followed suit. Whatever else one can say about the man, nobody can deny that he was happy to try things. There's lots of stuff like that in Volume 4; the one I'm really intrigued by is the fabricated welded wheelsets. These weren't deemed a success but are interesting. I will admit to the temptation of the cast Flatrol - the drawing is there, after all - I have some doubts that plastic would be sufficiently stable long term, especially as regards the fabrications which support the wheels, but it would make a good model. Adam Edited April 3, 2013 by Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Returning to the 'Penthouse' van, the build has reached the point where the components are smaller but their application is - for me at least - more satisfying. The view from the side shows the brakegear (modified Ratio - some SR brakeshoes were triangular in shape and this was the case here) which meant that the detail had to be reinstated in 5 thou' plastic. The axleboxes are Parkside spares and the couplings are from Masokits (and aren't nearly as hard to do as Mike Clark's reputation suggests). The end view shows the characteristically Southern vents and, if you like that kind of thing, a couple of boltheads for the lamp iron: Adam 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Kinda - structurally, this was a perfectly normal SR van; which is what it was rebuilt from after all. The chassis did have a pair of 15" vacuum cylinders, which is another odd Southern thing - a bit like this one: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/srvan/h22fdcbbc#h2b657273 The experiment wasn't only the roof, but in the cladding which was actually lots of rather small planks clad, and presumably held together, with something called 'Ruberoid' which the SR apparently used for roof coverings. In model form, it's easier to start with the plywood version of the van. I'm not sure that steel wagon ever made traffic though the unusual underframe was related to that used under the GRP PMVs and the pressed steel bodied highs O.V.S. developed for CIE when he went to Ireland so that was quite successful. Adam Adam, Ruberoid is still in existence (it may even be the stuff that was put on my railway-room roof to waterproof it). You might find this link amusing:- http://www.ikogroup.co.uk/About-Us/Fix-That-Hut/Nominate-a-project/ Pent roofs remained in circulation until the early 1970s; Italian Railways used them on both 'normal' and refrigerated ferry vans. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Cheers Brian, that's great. I do wonder why these peaked roof types weren't more widely adopted; I can't imagine that the space at the very top of the wagon was more or less efficiently used that a conventional curved roof. Not that it matters, I happen to like the prototype and have enough information to model it. Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 The sun is shining this morning in Southampton and a few bits have been added so I popped outside to take a couple of pictures of the van in the sunshine. There are still things to do, some immediately obvious - upright vac' pipes, brake levers - and others less so. It does now have safety loops, door retaining chains, lamp irons and boltheads, etc. In other words, all the things that make this vehicle 'different' are done and now I just have to do the run of the mill stuff that all wagons need. Still, it's gettng there. Adam 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Lovely work Adam. Separate bolt heads on the ends too! All the best, Colin 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 (edited) Separate bolt heads on the ends too! I blame exposure to Geoff Kent at an impressionable age. On a plain sided vehicle like this it does make a difference, I think. Not much left to do now actually: brake levers and guides (brass; unfortunately, I'm out of stock of the lever guides) vac' pipes - it seems I've run out of cast ones so I'll have to scratchbuild, which is fiddly, but worth it brake cylinder arms Then it's painting and weathering time. Adam Edited April 6, 2013 by Adam 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Very nice Adam - I've seen this wagon pop up in a few photos and always wondered what it was until the original thread came about. Pix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted April 6, 2013 Author Share Posted April 6, 2013 Thank Pix - it's curious that you say that - apart from the two on the web (noted in the original thread) and the one in SR Wagons vol. 4, can you recall seeing any others? The basic structure of the van is clear enough as is most of the detail but if there are any other shots out there which might give a steer on things like the existence of chalk boards or lettering then I would be extremely interested to see them. Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 There another photo that was taken at Leamington Spa at platform level - I can't remember what was on the front, but this was about the 4th vehicle in the consist and stood out due to the roof. I'm desparately trying to remember where I've seen it, as soon as I find it I'll let you know. I don't think it would show any details to be honest, but I can appreciate its all helpful. Pix 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now