MikeOxon

To test Burgundy's suggestion, I photographed one wagon side and then used Photoshop to make a mirror image.  This shows that there is indeed a small discrepancy in the placing of the bump stops and V-hangers.  Since I aligned the axleboxes with the bump stops, this can explain the mis-aligned axles.

Thank you for your comment, Michael.  I am always happy to share ideas and methods, especially as I spend some time thinking about (hopefully) easy ways of doing things!

As a postscript to this post, I dismantled my first poor attempt and re-built it with a brass floor.  For those who mistrust superglue, it was actually quite difficult to get the first one apart!  Just as one needs to use flux for a soldered joint, it is equally important to prepare surfaces well for a glued joint.  If care is taken, glue will do a great job!

Mike

I do like those early coaches and the way you've used mahogany veneer for the running boards.  I'm even more impressed by the lining on the coaches you show on the link above.  I know how difficult it is to get an even line with a bow pen!

Mike

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think my own clumsiness was the main reason for mis-alignment, as the cast w-irons are actually separate from the side castings. The instructions suggested fitting them first, which I did, but it would be better to leave them until later, so that they can be aligned correctly.  I'm going to try my brass floor idea first and may also try the MJT etchings.  I enjoy problem-solving  

Mike

Thanks for those thoughts, Poggy1165.  Iain Rice's book on building etched brass kits has been a constant source of inspiration and I do like his definition of a 'kit' including "the kit designer must describe how the kit is to be built, and he should have addressed and solved all the problems encountered in building the model at the design stage".  Fortunately, I quite enjoy 'problem-solving'   I agree that superglue sometimes gets a bad press but is great, when used correctly. I'm also testing Bostik 'Serious Glue', which seems quite promising.

"This guy must be mad..."

Well, there's probably something in that   I'd built loads of plastic and white metal stuff and actually found the precision of the brass etches a welcome change. And I certainly learned a lot about undergear!  Now that I'm retired,I enjoy a bit of a challenge.

Cant wait to see your next posts

Thanks for the comment,  I enjoy scratch building / modding, so it's nice to move away from the RTR coverage and make something different!  I've just moved a second post from its original place in the Pre-Grouping forum, so you've not had long to wait!

Mike

Splendid model and accompanying story!  I think your fly is what we call the Marmalade Fly in England (Episyrphus balteatus).  You probably know the photo of cattle wagons at Leamington in 1904 livery : http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrls237c.htm

They are not the outside-framed type but the layout of the end lettering looks the same as in the Bath photo.  The lime is a lot more prominent than on your model;  remember, they did things differently from in the 21st century!

I look forward to reading more!  I intend to build some 19th-century stock myself, so will be interested to read any details of how you approached the scratch-built carriages - outside framing, etc. (just noticed you have a link to another article- must read)

Photographs can be very cruel (though also usefully revealing!)  I have a GWR Dean tender with coal rails, which looks fine in reality but photos show up the bends in the rails!  Careful work with tweezers can straighten them up.

I'm fairly new to this site and have been considering whether to start a blog myself.  It does seem to have the advantage that you can maintain a continuous thread on a single subject.

Mike

On the issue of red loco frames, that's an interesting parallel! But if there was a logical connection, shouldn't carriages also have had red underframes then?

In my original comment, I didn't intend to imply a direct logical connection but just to indicate that applying colour to underframes should not be ruled out.  19th century railways often used colours in ways that seem surprising to us (e.g. Stroudley's improved engine green)

I do like your idea of Churchward asserting his new aesthetic and he did get rid of a lot of previous 'fussy' colour schemes - including even the 'hallowed' chocolate and cream!

Mike

Does anyone know the reason/occasion for these new facilities?

 

See http://www.getreadin...cleaner-5168672

for a description of the official opening.  They will support the electrification of the Western main line.

I f you don't know it, there is a real travellers guide from 1839, available as a free download from http://archive.org/details/greatwesternchel00wyld

A couple of thoughts

- if locos and their wheels were (Indian) red, it seems reasonable to expect wagons to have red undergear as well.

- the red oxide may well have degraded in service and prompted a change to grey, since older wagons probably were heading that way, anyway.