Bluemonkey presents....

Warning! Don't try this at home. My inspired stiffening fix for the retaining bar across the cattle sides is not a great idea and makes more work and takes a very long time to complete one wagon. Result; Appearance is nice and finer than the original plastic or a replacement plastic rod. Not sure how much more robust it will prove but it does take some time and the feeling of not achieving anything is great. Considering plastic rod for the tie bars though, especially with plastic weld on the ties.

I forgot to mention that each pack of the transfers will renumber one wagon. There are five accurate running numbers alongside the correctly associated tare as researched. Meanwhile it has been far too busy to complete the cattle wagons. I have managed one more warflat though. This completes the two already loaded, so I can now finish the unloaded wagons without risking the delicate chains. I have for comparison the original kit and the more recently purchased kit from a different supplier. The differences are subtle but can be viewed more so in picture than the naked eye. Both sides of the individual wagons also differ correct to prototype rather than mirror images as most wagons. This proved a little strange at times but you have to be careful.

Nice job they look really good.

You may also find this inspirational; Great Western Wagons Plan Book, JH Russell. Be careful though I your hand and with your skills it could very very dangerous!

Saturday turned out to be a pile of pants! One good thing that come out of it was these; I have been working with Simon from Old Time Workshop on the transfers for the warflats. Each pack contains enough for one wagon and all 5 numbers are genuine running numbers I found pictured from various sources. These are excellent quality and Simon was able to scale them to a perfect fit for the wagons I have built and to accurately represent how the wagons were liveried. If you want to build some wagons or just renumber your Bachmann ones then pop Simon a line for some, I am sure he'll have a couple left. He has a wide range of transfers and if you cannot find what you need email Simon and chat as I did, you may also come up with something fabulous. You can find him here; http://www.oldtimeworkshop.co.uk (Disclaimer: I have no links just a very happy customer). I will apply these later this week and show off the finished wagons. In the meantime I need to get those little detail parts on the cattle wagons ready for priming.

Finished the basics. Decided on 4 W1 and 9 W5. My understanding of the basic difference is the fact W1 are older and non-vacuumed where as the W5 are W1 converts and fitted with vacs. Happy and please do, to be corrected. Had a couple of the top irons to fix and missing one weight but in general a successful batch build. Now to let the cement harden off before messing them about any further. Hopefully the flats transfers will arrive tomorrow and that can be completed.

We have seen some constructive progress today, seems to be something about my modelling and hiding from the sun! About half way on the rake but do still require finer details and the brass wire replacements as previously mentioned. After some more picture looking I notice that the retaining bar is actually attached to the out edge of both the wagon end and door stay so that should make life a little easier.

I have a plan for those delicate tie bars and the bar running through the open side of the wagon to keep the cattle in. If possible this will be replaced with 0.45 brass wire but secured flush behind the axle guards, this should replicate what already exists exactly and the central side bar inserted into the wagon end and door stays to ensure a constructed fit rather than just attached. More fiddle but in the long run should be much stronger against my clumsy ham fisted efforts when running. Fingers crossed! Will update with pictures to visualise my babble.

Chris, sorry I am a dirty rotten liar! The D hooks are made from 15amp fuse wire but loosely shaped/bent around a piece of .45 or .5 brass wire to form the loop and cut with long tails to allow cutting to length as required. It was not until I start making a few more that I realised I had sent you a pup. I am only making more because I cannot count either

There is a re-livery project for a tank wagon associated with the WW11 stuff but I have never attempted removing factory transfers and reapplying new ones so it keeps being put on the 'to do' side of the bench.

Wow sore fingers from filing and scalpel use but all wagons ready to be thrown together now. Any further clean up will happen during build as required. Just got an order in for the required wheels of a future project loosely related to the flats but you'll have to wait and see as I have those cattle wagons to build and the flats transfers are on the way. A teaser is; there are 40 axles required! Not to mention the loco coal wagons I built a while ago but finished the bearings off the other day - N13s if I remember but I have a couple for another prototype just cant quite remember what that is. It will ping no doubt, probably about 3am , hmmmmm maybe N10s?

Thanks, I have read up a little and there is a line of thought that the lime markings would be visible from prior use until a repaint, that's my excuse any Should be able to get away with that.

Thank you. I am pleased with the resulting models although originally the casts received were disappointing. D shackles on the wagons are made from some old 15 amp fuse wire bent around a cocktail stick, cut to length and the ones on the tanks are part of the kits. Tensioners and hooks are from Ambis Engineering; http://www.ambisengineering.co.uk/ (no connection just very happy) as recommended by @Castle fiddly little devils but worth it unless you are running at distance.

It certainly is the Dart Castings etch. The build is mainly the Ratio Iron Mink which fits together very nicely indeed. The etches are very fine and as long as you ensure you have the right distancing and alignment between the wagon ends you are fine. It is a lovely thing to build. I was commissioned to build five in the GWR red which led me to make this one for myself. I might even have another one in stock to build, will have to check.

Found some old pictures of a couple of previous cattle wagon builds as well, interior very poor in comparison and I need to remove the cattle

My lucky number! You are right 13 it is and I plan to batch build them like the flats. Mikkel Maurice's wagon, especially the interior is wonderful. I think I may attempt something similar for a couple. I need to research the type of cattle for my area in the late 20s, early 30s I think.

Here are the fiendish chains . I need to get them done whilst I still have good eyesight, lol. A really fiddly job but worth it. I do not make to entire chain, it has to be cut and the links opened to locate the additional tensioners etc.

Spent all Saturday afternoon making up the chain, hooks and tensioners for the tank loads, just another 3 to go! Some exciting news today though, it appears that the custom transfers for the warflats have arrived and will be on the way soon. So with that in mind it seems time to start something new; I have, over the years, picked up random kits. I am sure we are all in the same boat when I checked my 'stock box' I nearly fainted I have a number of cattle wagons so it is certainly about time to make a start especially as I know I have a few brass kits as well!!!!! And of course the ones I have already finished............................yes yes you read correctly. I have actually finished some kits completely including transfers and coupling WOW! Don't tell the Boss!

Should you need any this is where I got mine from; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acoustic-Underlay-for-Solid-Wood-Floors-Self-Adhesive-Identical-to-Diall/181158311892?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 Usual disclaimer just a satisfied customer.

Deleted due to no interest.

I have always thought it was something to do with the deflection of smoke, ash and embers potentially catching the planking and causing fire or quick erosion of the frontage but I must confess I have never looked into it.

Nice work Chris, always impressed with computer modelling and such magic.

Busy afternoon what with the Moto GP, GP, cricket and now Chelsea in the cup! Weights added, oh ran out of paint as well. Will need another light spray before transfers and a little weathering. Then chaining up with those tensioners, hooks and that central ring not looking forward to it but makes the model. I will have to finish the sleeper wagon loads off whilst I am at it. Don't you just love the smell of Vallejo paint

Got a little ahead of myself and nearly forgot the gun locking mechanism. this has to be made up. I am told the Cromwells probably never had this but my picture shows it on the tanks loaded. I appreciate mine are incorrect types but they are the closest I could find to replicate the picture. I have since learnt that the picture tanks are Comets but they did not last very long in service. I am more than happy with what I have though and the Airfix kits are a great little build. Since been re-primed. Still have enough of the tarp I made up for the original build to suggest a covering over the end of the main gun. One less job.

That is a fantastic job so far, love it and does inspire thoughts of adding/bashing a couple of other loco types What rolling road is that, please? I think I should be looking into adding one to 'the tools of the trade'.