airnimal

Graham, exactly what I was thinking. When looking back at the photo I estimate the body is about 3 times the size of the solebar. Clearly I got this wrong when I did the first drawing. Now I have done this second drawing it looks a lot more like the picture.

Having invested a fair amount of time already I was still not happy with this build. I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong ? Because I am estimating from a photograph I took a lot of information from other drawings from the same period to make my own drawing. I should have taken more care when calculating the height of the body sides because I am sure this is to high. What at to do now ? My better half suggested I turn it into another wagon, but my inclination is to scrap the body and start again. I would have to remove the ironwork next to the crown plates because they would be at a wrong angle. I could retain the the basic frame and wheel set up and provided I successfully remove the body without damaging the frame.

I went to Oldham Library today to obtain another copy of the large photograph that I am working from only to be told that they do not have any left and will not be printing any more untill after April because they have run out of money this year. I will then have to search high and low at home for the one that I have put somewhere safe. I have started to put some detail on when I got home The corner plates have been put on made from 2 pieces, butt joined and will be trim back in the morning when they have time to harden. The crown plates have been made from 20 coloured plasticard but thinned down to just over 10 thou.

This is not one of my better builds because I have made so many mistakes through lack of attention. When scribbling the sides I went to far when marking the uprights for the door opening and had to fill the top part in with filler. I also glued the wrong end in when putting the body together. I don't like using filler. I think it is a result of poor workmanship and I try not to use it but having invested a lot of hours in this build already i felt I should use it on this occasion.

I have made a good start on this Park Lane wagon with the underframe done and both sides. I find sometimes it is better to make and fit the sides before making the ends especially when both ends are different.

Just added the lettering details.

Graham, I do not know if it is available on line, Brassey posted a thumb size print on page 5 of this thread back in July 2017. I try not to post direct copies and just use them as background to the models I make. I am unsure of copyright issues. I have a copy purchased from Oldham Library and if I find it ( just had a look but couldn't find it ) I will bring it to Bristol at the end of the month.

I have assembled the wheels sets on a sub base taking care to make sure that the wheels run sweet and true and the springs are soft under compression without any end float. I have decided to make another Wigan wagon from the photographs in Oldham Library. I have done a quick sketch taking dimensions from the Coal Trade Wagons book by Len Tavender as a guide. Intresting parts include the diamond shape crown plates and half round corner strapping over the corner plates at one end. This one is lettered for Park Lane Ince Wigan with two round circles with crosses in the middle.

Richard, i hope your mojo comes back soon. Winter is not the best time for myself because I can never get warm and that is one of the reasons I try to escape to warmer climes at this time of the year. I had been planning to go in a few weeks time but I think we need to concentrate on finding a new house. I have polished the w-irons to make sure there isn't any tight spots before I blackened them. They were then cleaned before giving them a very thin coat of Halfords Matt black.

Nicked Line, I am sorry to say that the door does not open, but I suppose with the method of the wire in the tube it would be possible to do. Finally Christmas is over and I can get back to a more normal life. Will the new year be more productive than last year ? First of all, both my better half and myself would like to move house. My good lady would like to move closer to our youngest daughter so she can help with the two small grandsons when retirement arrives at the end of the year for her. I would like to know what sort of space i will be able to have for a workshop / layout room. So untill we can find something to meet our needs i will make a few more models. I have a few ideas for some more wagons. I have decided to make up some Slaters w-irons that i had in stock. I find they work extremely well providing they are well prepared. That requires a bit work with needle files to make a good sliding fit with no rough edges. I then tin the part that slides before applying the iron over the hornblock. Once I am satisfied that it all moves freely, I apply more solder to the top and bottom to firmly secure the hornblock before cleaning everything up.

Thank you for the information regarding pens and ink. I think I have had better results with a fine pointed paint brush than anything else. I have not do a great amount over the last month. I am trying to finish wagons built awhile ago so I have added a weight box under the W.J.Turner wagon. I want to paint this one the same as the one I did a couple of years ago but I cannot remember which paint I used for the body colour. A couple of shots of the end door opening bar of another wagon. It is a 16 BA nut soldered to a bit of wire and runs in a brass tube which will be blackened and replaced after painting.

This wagon will be finished when I add the couplings and a bit of weight. I have given it a used look. I am not sure if it's too much but it will have to do.

I wasn't expecting to do any modelling today because we have one of our grandsons on Wednesdays but my wife and daughter have gone out visiting. So I have started the second side with a thin coat of paint. I will thicken up the letters over the next few days and reshape as necessary. My English skills will never improve but my lettering skills hopefully will.

One side is nearly done. This never going to be my favourite wagon. The lettering is not crisp enough no matter what Graham's say's about the original painting. Sign writing was a skilled craft and the sign writers were proud of there work.

I am finding this lettering hard going especially the shading. Not sure what it will look like under a coat of grime. Will it just mask my poor skills enough to get away with it ?

This sign writing lark is more difficult than it looks. I think it is getting better so I will carry on for a little while longer. Then all I have to do is the other side. O

Richard, the paint is Halfords red oxide primer. I have moved the position of the O next to the N. The number 2 looks a pale imitation that will be removed and done again. I will keep trying and one day I may get it right. I think a lot of time we don't take in fully what we see and this separates the great painters / artists from the rest of us. Mike

If at first you don't succeed.......... I rubbed both bottom lines of writing off and repainted this area. The colour didn't quite match but I am hoping this will be better under a coat of grime. I have had another go with very thin Humbrol Matt White rather than ink. I think the small O under coal needs to be nearer the N and the numbers need a lot more attention. I will build up the thickness with several more coars of paint over the next few days, if I get time. I have my domestic chores to do tomorrow for the boss while she is at work.

When I scribe the sides of my wagons, I always do both sides to prevent the plastic from warping even if they are never seen. If you want the sides to bow outwards I find it best to pre-bend the sides before they are assembled. What glue are you using ? The reason I ask is when gluing the end pillars on to the body, I find that if you use the stronger glues it will bow the ends in over time. I now use Limonene on these parts and on thin plastic parts. Mike

I have had a go at the other lettering but this will take a lot more work as well as better observation. The large N under the word coal is in the wrong place and the numbers are not thick enough. I must try to keep the lettering a more consistent size.

John, PECO have G.W.R. buffers in their range that might be what you are after. Mike

Andy, in the original photograph the light appears from the front left hand side. The end door bar may possibly cast a shadow over the end which looks to be painted white and would it be so pronounced. Would coal dust tipping over the end many times wipe out the white painted lines if they existed or is just a trick of light ? I don't know the answer and I don't think we will ever know. So as model makers, do we guess or not build models. Mike

In the original photograph it appears to show the end door has a white strip painted up the side and over the end. Is this the first time a wagon painted this way has been photographed to indicate an end opening ?

Jim. here is a better photo after the brake gear is reversed. Just noticed it wasn't Jim but Compound. Sorry to both.

Jim, you are correct what you say regarding the brake gear. One of the good things about building most of the wagon myself is the ease of reversing the brake blocks to the correct way round. My brake blocks fit anto a channel and held by the shaft from the brake lever. Remove the brake level ( glued in when the wagon is finished ) reverse the blocks and replace the lever. In in my defence I have my youngest daughter here with my new grandson who is 3months old and very loud.