Ruston Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Here's a tank that I have been building for my layout... I've made the frame from plasticard, including the washer plates. The W-irons, axleboxes, wheels and buffers are Slaters products. The brake blocks are spares that come with Slaters BR vans to build the kit as a clasp-braked version. I've not bothered to model the leaf spring for the buffers/couplings as this won't be visible unless the wagon is inverted. One thing that I've yet to add are the crown plates. Making these curved plates that go on the outside of the frame has always put me off building wooden-framed wagons as I could never imagine cutting a consistent curve in a sheet of plasticard by using a knife or scissors. However, I learned, from a fellow at the Wigan show, a method of producing these, which I will reveal, if anyone's interested, once I've made and fitted some. Side view, awaiting construction of the brake gear. The tank was made by the method described here: http://www.rmweb.co....s/page__st__146 except that this time the barrel had to be narrower so involved cutting it along its length and removing a 5mm sliver. I then glued it back together and wrapped it in sellotape until the glue set. The tank isn't yet fixed to the frame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Here's some more pics. I made the cables by stripping the insulation from a couple of lengths of the wire that I use for wiring the layout and soldered the ends. I then clamped one end and put the other in a hand drill, winding it until the individual strands of wire looked something like steel cable. A tiny split pin was soldered to each end and a strand of wire wrapped around it. The shackles are bits of 4mm scale screw couplings. It still needs washer plates for the diagonal braces and some nuts for the ends. Of course it also needs brake levers and not forgetting the crown plates that I still haven't made. It looks pretty crappy this close up but then it's not exactly engineered and it'll look reasonable once slathered in paint and weathered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted January 17, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2012 I don't think it looks crappy at all, Really like the idea for making the steel ropes. B) I bet those crown plates will be dead easy... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I bet those crown plates will be dead easy... Can't you get etched ones like you can in 4mm? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted January 18, 2012 Author Share Posted January 18, 2012 I don't know. I hadn't given it any thought to be honest. I'm going to make them myself anyway but I'm lacking a vital piece of equipment - one of those things that punch holes in paper to fit sheets into ring binders. If I see a branch of Staples when I'm at work today I'll acquire one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 It is now finished, bar brake levers, lettering and weathering. I made the crown plates from plasticard and fiddly little things they are! There's no way I could have cut them by hand so I used a more elaborate version of what I'd learned from the fellow at the Wigan show. I didn't buy a new hole punch as I remembered that I had one somewhere and spent an hour looking for it! The tool for making the crown plates is made from turned brass. The spigot is the same size as the hole made by the punch and the overall diameter is turned to that required for the plate. I made a top piece that fits over the spigot and traps the plasticard. All that's then needed is to go round the tool and trim off the excess plastic with a sharp knife. This leaves a hollow circle of plasticard, which needs to be cut in half to make a pair of plates. The finished wagon. The bolt heads on the various plates are sections of plastic rod, some square, others round. Not the best of models but it kept me occupied for many hours and it beats watching the telly! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Not the best of models but it kept me occupied for many hours and it beats watching the telly! Very nice nevertheless. Well done. Presumably the next one will be even better - will it have a brake handle though? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 A fine wagon, Dave, but I'm intrigued by the thread title. What did the Home Office use tank wagons for in 1901? Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 As far as I can tell, from what I've read, the Home Office issued the drawing, from the Oldbury Railway Carriage & Wagon Co., as a specification for a tank wagon "in every way suitable for the conveyance of either petroleum oil or petroleum spirit". I've seen photos of this design of tank in the ownership of various companies so perhaps it was not used by the HO themselves but was intended as a specification in much the same way as the RCH issued specifications? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Brake lever fitted and the beginnings of some lettering etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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