Adam

Plastic wagons can be remarkably durable beasts and only rarely can one be said to be beyond repair. My first attempt at one, an original Parkside Grampus, was not an ideal choice, in part because of the nature of the prototype with its intricate baskets to hold the removable end planks when not required on the wagon and the design of the ends in three, prototypical bits located on poorly mould pins and holes. This may be why the body still isn't entirely square. Not entirely Parkside's fault, it was rather challenging 14 and more years ago and the chaps in Kirkcaldy have, in fairness, been back and produced a rather better kit for the Grampus. I've built one of those as well. When originally built, in OO, with brass Romford wheels and with only minor extra detailing; replacement buffers (Kenline I think), three-link couplings and an attempt to represent all those door springs I was relatively pleased with it. I've had another couple of goes at it since, replacing the tiebar between the W irons with scrap etch when the plastic ones went 'ping' and replacing the buffers with better (ABS) castings. A bit later, I had another go at the weathering, changed the wheels for 8-spoked, EM examples (some prototypes really did have 10 spoke wheels), replaced the long-link brake gear with some leftover parts suitably shortened from a more modern Parkside Tube and tweaked the axleboxes to better resemble some real ones. At the same time, I loaded the thing with ballast. Moving on several years, I like to think that my standards have risen further. Having assembled quite a rake of flat-bottomed engineers types, thanks to Roger Chivers and Parkside, with a handful of Medfits thrown into the mix, this poor old Grampus was starting to stand out and the time has come for its third, and hopefully last, rebuild. This is very much a scrapbox sort of operation using odds and ends from other projects so hasn’t actually cost any money, merely a little bit of time. It never occurred to me to take a 'before' shot so this will have to do: Having popped the wheels out, the whole wagon was popped in jam jar of water and the ballast soaked, cajoled and, eventually, dug out with a screwdriver, taking the plasticard load base – and one of the sides – with it. This made adding a planked floor (hand-scribed 20 thou’ plastic – very hairshirt finescale...) rather easier so no harm done, the side was tacked back on straight afterwards. The brake levers and vees went as well and replacements came from a combination of bits from Dave Bradwell and Masokits who do a nice GW pattern ratchet lever guide. Must do the safety loops too. I realised at the same time that I'd placed the centremost door springs in the wrong place. Two I managed to save, the other two pinged off, I know not where. Someone, somewhere, must have done an etched underfloor basket for these but I've never seen one. Does anybody know better? The door securing chains are stripped from multi-strand wire twisted round a 1mm drill. these were ten secured with a drop of cyano' and a small 'wedge' of 10 thou' to hold the in place. The wedges were trimmed off a scalpel later. here's the 'after' shot: With the aid of Paul Bartlett's photo's, I've finally got the ends more or less correct. How much easier would it have been to have replaced these bits in the first place? Important lesson: replacing duff components is almost invariably quicker and less stressful than modifying them! The last little job was to replace the kick-steps on the left-hand corners. The modern Parkside kit has some neat mouldings in tough plastic. Mine were fettled up from some bits of scrap etch and 0.75mm brass angle, carefully fretted with a piercing saw. If faced with something similar, my advice is to talk to the chaps at Kirkcaldy about spares; the current version has some nice moulded ones. It's now ready for a touch up and a return to traffic. Was it worth it? Adam

The china clay has modified ABS (new safety loops) with levers and vees from Masokits. There's nothing wrong with the bits Parkside supply and I've retained them for future use, but the real wagons were rebuilt in in '40s with conventional 2-shoe independent brakes having been built with a version of the Dean Churchward variety. Once BR replaced them in the early '50s most were sold on to the NCB and it'll be finished in that condition. The SR shock is pure Masokits and if I'm honest, the sole reason for building the wagon (dad modelled one of these 40 years ago so we don't really need another) is the possession of the etch for the brakegear!

Thanks, the couplings are Masokits, a bit of a fiddle to assemble, but once assembled, they don't fall apart (all soldered you see). Adam

The joy of cobbling together 'traditional' wagons is that there are so many similar processes which, once you've worked out how to do them come quite quickly. As I've noted before, having mundane bits in stock means that you can progress quickly while the mood takes you. Making one set of couplings, for example, can be a hassle. Making 6 sets at one go only really takes half as long again as making 2 pairs, so why not make an evening of it? So, along with the Coil carriers mentioned earlier, I've been playing with another three or four at the same time. It only really gets dull when you're doing multiples of the same wagon so having done 30 or so empty minerals, I'm taking a break for a short while. This post is by way of a parade of work in progress. First up, this LMS-designed, BR-built fruit van (Parkside PC42): I've done one of these before and clearly forgot about it so this is a duplicate. There was another batch with LNER brakegear as well so that's a possibility for a later date. Not that this is a bad thing, especially if you own plastic moulding equipment in Kirkcaldy. If you look carefully, you may observe modelling in progress. Another Kirkcaldy product is this Grampus, from the mark 1 Parkside kit (not an ideal choice: the three part ends were a complete swine and those baskets under the floor still can't be had in brass) and this was, in fact, my first ever plastic kit. If it were human, it would just have collected its GCSE results. These pictures record progress through its third - yes, you read that right, third - rebuild. It started out in OO, was re-gauged with spoked wheels to EM and has since had some 3-hole discs, a second set of replacement buffers and new brakegear. This time round, it's getting a new set of brake levers (Dave Bradwell with Masokits GW pattern ratchet lever guides) a new set of couplings and some of the detail I unaccountably missed the last two times. You can spot these very easily, they're unpainted... From a different generation entirely, this GWR china clay wagon (PC82 - as built and how they looked when the NCB had finished with them) but still benefiting from some additional detailing including some better looking axleboxes and springs. Goes together square on the first time of asking though. The body of the Grampus still isn't. And finally, more mucking about with bits of plastic and brass, an SR-designed shock high. There's modelling in progress here too. All that strapping, corner plates next. For the real thing, as ever, Paul Bartlett comes up with the pic's. Adam

Thanks Brian. That's interesting, and it's unsurprising that they were sheeted on some occasions, but equally interesting that there don't seem to be many indications of the straggling lengths of rope in Paul's photos. Another modelling challenge...

These wagons, designated Coil S, were converted from pre-nationalisation and early BR built wooden-bodied Highs some time in the very late '60s or early '70s - I'm not sure precisely when - and are the kind of prototype I like: relatively obscure, but interesting conversions of 'ordinary' wagons that might be seen in pairs or threes without shouting 'oddity', or, moreover, stand much of a chance of turning up in kit form. They also lend themselves to batch production, though the 'batch', in this instance includes another three 'traditional wagons' of different types (a shock open, a fruit van and a china clay wagon, more of which anon), of different types because it's simply more time efficient to do them in that way. Intial assembly, brakegear, solebar detailing, capping irons, etc. are more easily done on four wagons at one go as individually and take only a little more time: rather than wait for the solvent to go off, you can do the same job to another two wagons and have more to show per modelling session. A couple of Parkside underframes, ABS buffers and brakegear with Masokits levers and vees make for a reasonably conventional starting point, but they present some interesting challenges to model as the pictures on Paul Bartlett's site* should demonstrate. The nature of these conversions means that there are a host of small detail differences which makes them fun to do, whilst retaining the advantages of batch production. The first is based on an LNER open: The second is based on this ex-SR example: http://paulbartlett....c3d7d#h337c3d7d The side raves will be knocked up from brass (the real things were steel section) which will go some way towards reinforcing the ends as will a load: a few metres of soft iron wire should do it... Adam *without which this sort of thing would not be possible. Thanks again Paul.

It seems that the green version has some nicely moulded OLEOs which would go better with the roller bearings, though (if accurate) might have been a retro-fit for spindle buffers I suppose, the more likely explanation is a confusion on the part of Hornby or their contractors... Adam

Ah, not necessarily. There's a photo on the back cover of the Capital Transport volume 'Steam in Dorset' (Michael Welch?) which shows a newly repainted ex-GW Fruit D c. '66 with maroon ends but naturally, it isn't obvious where the vehicle was painted! I'd be surprised if Eastleigh never painted anything maroon however and I would guess that similar principles may have applied at Swindon or Wolverton for the same reasons. Whether this applies to Mk 1 horseboxes, I don't know... Right, I've now found the relevant info' from the archive of the BR Coaching Stock list (on the subject of SR design CCTs/PMVs), courtesy of Colin Boocock: "The ex-SR CCTs and PMVs, and B and BY vans, were allocated to Eastleigh Works for overhaul when I worked there. They normally arrived in BR stock green with black ends (the BR carmine red livery had long gone by my second stint there in 1965) and we repainted them in BR stock green (black ends until we started spray painting; then it was with green ends to save masking up, from about 1966), then soon after that they were sprayed in rail blue. " Adam

I'd second that. Eastleigh, for example - so I've been told by more than one person who worked there at that time - went over to body colour ends, for coaches and NPCS, when they started spray painting in '65-6: it saved masking. Adam

As I see it, the conundrum is this: unless you change the chassis, you won't be able to correct the body which basically entails replacing the bottom of the boiler and cutting a hole in the footplate. Removing all the stuff is easy, no more than 10 minutes brutality with a coarse piercing saw blade and a curved scalpel blade. It's up to you whether you can live with it. Alternatively, put it back together, give it a paint job and try is as 'super-detailed' (and, if you're cheeky, prefix that with 'professionally') and stick it on ebay? Adam PS: The requisite coupling rods can be had from Alan Gibson. Either the universal set or that intended for the WD 2-8-0 bits of which have the correct wheelbase.

Not as such, no, but in 4mm, the tender itself can be had from London Road Models. Adam

Cheers Mike! Adam

I have a notion that it's nothing of that sort but possibly some sort of water carrier or similar built on an old tender frame - possibly one of the eight-wheel types which were paired with L&Y 0-8-0s? My guess is a sludge tender, in which case some sort of door arrangement is what is on the sides - the full-size picture shows evidence of a hatch on top - but that's all it is, a guess. Adam

The filling/emptying/space the extra rakes might take up, is precisely the faff I had in mind. Collieries, and colliery railways, had other elements to them - landsale yards, spoil disposal, stockyards, blacksmiths' and carpentry shops (even brickworks on occasion!) - and it's these other elements that are the kind of thing I'm interested in. The only model (in 4mm - Jerry Clifford's magnificent 'Highbury Colliery' in 2mm is an example from a different scale and period) I've seen that really reflects this is Dan Wright's rather nice 'Axe Edge and Thatch Marsh Colliery' (video by Paul Birkitt Gray): That said, both are models of very small pits. I'd rather like something which suggests part of a much larger whole, though as I say, not in the near future... Adam

Thanks Tim. Some day, they'll be a small colliery or similar to run it on, but there's no rush on that front. Most model collieries feature screens, which have their problems in model form: empty wagons must go in, and full ones come out and that's a faff. They're also very much mineral wagon only territory (though that's less of a problem). My thoughts at the moment revolve around the entrance to classification sidings or, perhaps more realistic in terms of space, a stockyard or landsale yard, perhaps with appropriate narrow gauge bits and bobs. That's a way off yet, however!

After something of a hiatus, I've returned to the Bagnall which has now reached the rolling chassis stage. Having replaced the slidebars with a set which actually reach the motion brackets and adapted the motion brackets so that there is actually something for the slide bars to attach to. The slidebars are made from some of the fret which held the frames, some nice, chunky - but probably still underscale - nickel silver. I think the modifications to the original kit design are now complete! To anyone else out there with one of these kits, I'll describe (briefly) the motion bracket mod's, since they are not all that clear in the pictures. The bracket is tabbed into the chassis and has the usual 'C' shaped cut-out to allow the connecting rod to reach the wheels. Unless you are modelling in P4, a small amount of the bracket which protrudes from the frames will need to be removed to provide clearance for the flanges of the front pair of drivers. The depth of the 'C' will also need to be reduced in size to provide support for the slidebars. I used a small piece of scrap etch, filed to size after the slidebars were fitted. That done, a couple of coats of paint followed and the usual round of fiddling and adjustment ensued to make sure that the thing actually runs. I have never understood the logic behind making everything run well and then taking it all apart to paint and having to re-make half the adjustments. Barring one stiff hornguide which needed easing, for reasons which are not entirely clear: it was fine a couple of months ago, this was not, in fact, too painful though a notch had to be filed in the motion bracket all the way to the rear of the slidebar. I had ascertained early on that the coupling rod bosses needed a certain amount of thinning and the second layer of boss - the rods are laminated from two layers of nickel-silver - behind the crossheads was removed altogether (a common ploy). There is sufficient clearance (in EM), however, that the actual crankpin only needs to be filed flush with the nut while the nut itself can retain it's full thickness. I should have worked out that drastic thinning of the 'big end' of the connecting rods was also needed, but one learns through experience! The next job is to apply some blackening solution to that gearbox... Adam Source: Preston Docks Bagnalls

Plus one from me for the tipper. There's a rather nice drawing in the IRS industrial wagon publication IIRC. It should be noted that steps and so on can be had from AMBIS engineering. AMBIS Engineering Division (Alan Austin) 27 Stanhope Gardens Ilford Essex IG1 3LQ e-mail: alan [at] austinalan.wanadoo.co.uk - details from supplier.text NOTE, NEW CONTACT DETAILS AND WEBSITE: http://www.ambisengineering.co.uk/ Nice little etch, though many of the components (alternative rods for 50550, etc.) are not strictly relevant and the etched spoke overlays for Sharman's version of the Austerity wheel are now obsolete. Adam

Not so far as I am aware, though I see Cambrian have it (and much else) on their 'to do' list. Adam

Because it's not a 16 tonner, but something a bit more interesting, a pre-war 13 ton coal wagon built for private owners. Paul Bartlett has a collection here: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/steelmineral Adam

A nice clean job, though it seems churlish almost to point this out, you seem to have assembled the axleboxes to wrong way up. See, for example, this Paul Bartlett shot: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrbrakevan/h3850ef9a#h3850ef9a Adam

Nick, Having a couple of loco's with rather similar mechanical set-ups, the answer is probably 'plenty': of the order of 25 or so wagons on a flat layout depending upon the amount of ballast. This shouldn't be too much of a problem with this particular Hunslet... Adam

You're right Ivan, at least, for the 'normal' chimney casting which, when you think about it, is more or less cosmetic. The chimney proper would be attached to the smokebox. It's still a decent-ish fit though. See this shot: Nice work Robert. Adam

Well, to an extent: note the newly repainted wings and bumpers, presumably the result of some minor prang or other. It is decidedly tatty otherwise and as such, an interesting modelling possibility. The plant videos are interesting too, thanks for unearthing those. Adam

Now it's possible that we've had this one before, but if so, I don't recall it. A WR Thorneycroft at Gobowen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/5862697661/in/set-72157626903930889 Frustratingly, the fleet number isn't quite discernible. Adam

Try this thread for answers: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/31873-airfixdapol-j94-kit/ Adam