The Bigbee Line

The subject of Royalties for the Morton Clutch is interesting. The lever on the other side of the wagon also has a clutch. Going back in time the Morton Clutch allowed a 2 block arrangement on one side of the wagon to be worked from both sides, with the levers on the right hand side as you looked at the wagon. (Some wagons had the levers at the same end, and that arrangement was frowned upon by the BOT - Board of Trade) I assume the royalty was paid as a one off rather than an annual fee.... If so the cost would have come into play when a new build was being priced up. Interestingly contractor built vans seem to have the 2 block morton brake (I've been looking at brakes for LNER vans) The Southern liked the 'Freighter brake' and on fitted wagons the LNER liked their 3 vee hanger arrangement. I wonder what the actual economic saving was as the Freighter has 2 lots of rigging, maybe they were just against the principle of someone else making some money. I find brake work on older wagons very interesting. The key to assessing the function is to look and take loads of pictures... At Highley is a BR cattle wagon, B891504, with a single cross shaft, 3 V-hanger fitted brake, with a clasp blocks... Still has 2 clutches and a kind of clutch on the lever to the vacuum cylinder to allow the handbrake to be applied independent of the automatic vacuum brake

The headstocks were fitted with some extra depth an the holes for the buffers were almost the full width, so were in danger of falling apart before assembly. So once in place I trimmed them up. Here with a quick grey wash to see how they look....

The test headstocks are on now... The function of the buffers is OK. There is no need to blacken the buffers....

Additional layers of styrene added, They will form the buffer bases....

Tonight Matthew I’m making headstocks....... I had a niggling thought about the cooper craft underframe. Couldn’t put my finger on it. Then I went to fit the buffers... The underframe gets in the way...... Solution is to use some buffers with minimal protrusion at the rear. To get a good hold on the buffer I’m making the headstocks out of fairly thick styrene. So while watching Only Connect I whiled away the time when I couldn’t answer questions to drill holes and then open them up in stages.... Starting with the marking out and pricking holes.... Completed so far...

Masochistic tendencies.... Starting to set up DC3 brakes.... This will be the ratchet at one end... The pull to the brake shaft uses this lever... There is a rod to that lever and a connection to the handle at the other end..... Plus I would like to keep the two halves of the underframe separate to facilitate maintenance.

Underframe cemented on the left hand side. Then slit into Two.... This enables a wheelset change in seconds. Three hole disc out, spoked in. Now to sort the blocks and some DC3 brakes.

I’ve cemented the underframe along one edge. Then use a couple of miniature screws to secure the other half, before slitting to separate the halves. I can then change the wheels to the more appropriate spoked variation. I have beefed up the solebar ironwork.

It quite like the home made shunted from Lancing Carriage Works

The Match Truck it is. I’ve a couple of bodies to use up. Thought it would be really easy. Wrong again. The iron work on the side is not only the wrong style, it’s in the wrong place, .... it should line up with the inner spring shoes..... So out with the knife and file....

What dimension are you using to space the 2 end stanchions? I’ve looked at a couple of drawings with no dimension shown. I have found one on a van drawing. They were shown with 2’9” centres.

Here are a few pictures from the acceptance inspections at Merehead. One of the wagons 817055008053 is branded with a MRL logo... Here is a 'plain jane'...

Having spent some time this afternoon looking through books and the new, I think there is a slight mix up of pictures / captions in the Jim Russell book, GWR Freight wagons and loads in service on the Great Western Railway and British Rail, Western Region'. The pages are not numbered, but one page has: Figure 173 - Match Truck 32432, with lots of RCH features - This I think is an L23 Match Truck Figure 174 - Match Truck 32128, with lots of pure GWR features, not sure what diagram, but there are numerous pictures. So I will copy figure 174.....

Afternoon , Looking at some bits in the spares box I’ve got 2 sets of sides and ends for the Slater’s ex CC Match wagon. It has spindly buffers and the ironwork on the sides goes straight down to level with the bottom of the sole bar. However looking through the Russel books I can’t find a good match. The nearest one seems to be in the picture of 32128. But it has the bent under iron work (easy to do) and self contained buffers (my preference) Any comment or suggestions please. Ironwork buffers

I wondered how this project ended up? I have been using privet pruning that were cut for HO pulp racks. That project failed so they are getting re-visited. I found it was best to cut when the new growth was just starting to harden off. It’s moist enough to cut neatly with secateurs. It needs to be seasoned as it has quite a bit of shrinkage.

I was having a sort out ready for the weekend. The works pilot has been busy and another batch of minerals have been collected ready for shops.... Next to the Morton 4 Block Minfit is another Palbrick conversion, then three 9' wheelbase with 2 blocks. Hopefully batch production will be quicker...

I’ve not fitted all safety loops, door bangers. Thought it was just the brake cylinder, suddenly realised I’d not fitted the tie bar between the axle guards. Searching the odds and ends I came across a fret for some class 40/70 bogie etches. The waste seemed spot on, so a length was cut off. Fixed with Super Glue. Here with a first coat of paint. Here in brutal close up...

I’d forgotten to add the representative spring shoes. So here goes. They are the white rectangular blobs This is the underside. Shortlist is now: 2 more safety loops, vac pipes and 2 door bangers and the vacuum cylinder...

Duplicate

Just a few changes today. I had noticed that the wagon was down on one end. I just shimmed they axle guards at the low end. I’ve also added the first safety loop. Just a piece of waste brass

Nearly there. Safety loops and door bangers to go..... oh and tie bar...

Well... my stash of lids from drink cups gave me a bonus today.... I wanted a shaped piece for the end of a brake lever... So here’s the first cut showing the bend... Then setting up in the end of a Parkside lever.... Then a test run... It needs a bit more fettling when properly dry...

When having one of my many clear outs I came across a tub of Copydex. So gave it a try as a 'maskol' substitute. Here with some Copydex brushed on in a semi random pattern: The with a coat of bauxite over the top: Then after a few minutes to dry it peeled off: Now to add rust streaks and a grime wash. P.S. could not get pictures the right way up.....

Tonight Mathew I’m doing brakes.... In the spirit of make do and mend, I rooted around in my scrap brake parts box. Finding a couple of handy brake slides. The base was filed and the top gently filed to fit nice and snug in the sole bar. So after tea I can fab up and fit the brake handles.

One side is done. This time from the more normal viewing distance. I’ve added a representative “HMLE” yellow sticker (actually a chopped up panel from an HO box car sheet. The nondescript black lettering looks fine). Plus a maintenance panel and the 10’0” wheelbase. On this one I used a decal for the white stripe. Now it’s on with the brake work and weathering.