CazRail

Ive always had a urge to model Porth Penrhyn, now I've got an excuse to... Work-worn Linda for me!

My EWS MHAs arrived this afternoon, and as per my other purchases from Accura in the past, very impressed. Very happy, and can't wait for my other pre-orders to arrive!

Thanks! Looking forward to see what that might be!

I decided to paint the wagon by hand last night, without treating the print with any filler, and I'm very happy with the result. Painted in Revell No9 'Anthracite'. I used this colour as opposed to black, after watching 'Wallsrail' on YouTube, who refers to it as 'not black'. I've used it as he says, and I totally agree, black is too harsh a colour on a model. Ive fitted the wagon with Accurascale's excellent Oleo OP12 buffers with 16" heads. So for me, design work is done, and this wagon will now become 12106. In the next 'batch' I will modify one, to include a flashing tail lamp. This will involve cutting off the bottom of the rearmost chute and hiding the gizmos inside. Now to print the other 16....

So here's 12102! Nothing currently glued on it, just dry-fitted so it can be disassembled for paint.

Thanks for the kind words! And for the advice on finishing too, which I will definitely look into! Many thanks! So an update, the third print will arrive tomorrow, and depending on how the chassis have come out, it'll be the first complete wagon, and will become 12102. I have been in contact with Railtec to create me some transfers, so hopefully will come up trumps. This print will be painted up regardless, using Revell No; 9.

A few more mods done to the chassis, as I opted to use 51L's pedestal suspension units for these wagons (part ABWC008). This has involved extruding the wheel holders inwards 1mm. whilst removing 1mm from the outer face to accommodate these suspension units. This puts them about the right position, as the did stand proud of the chassis solebars on the real thing. Also seen in the screenshot, I've added some brake lever detail. Another test print ordered, hoping this wagon will end up being 12102.

Time for an update! This morning, a parcel arrived from the 3D People containing my latest 'sample', so I set about putting it together... So this test print has the more detailed chassis, walkway, ladder and end skirts. It's gone together really well, with only a couple of adjustments to be made for the next print. I need to open out the holes that take to walkway and ladders to 1.5mm, tweak the brace on the skirts, as well as the opening for the brake equipment on one of the skirts. I will now crack on with finding suitable brake leavers for this wagon, or make my own.

This looks very interesting! Pretty much same era as mine, so following with anticipation!

To be honest, Im not sure. I've never really gone back to change any dimensions with it, as Ive mostly been working off engineering drawings so using the given dimensions.

As far as software goes, I also use DesignSpark Mechanical. My reason is I got used to SolidWorks during my time in school and college, and I find it is very similar. I also find it's easy to use, especially if youre following an engineering drawing, as when you draw a shape, you can enter the dimensions you want, likewise when extruding a shape.

So, kicking on from the last prototype, I've gone ahead this week and created the remaining major parts to be 3D printed, including the parts I had intended to etch. I've also added locating holes on the hopper bodies to take the walkways and ladders. I've created a parts list below as a summary for the parts needed for each wagon. Obviously, each wagon will not require all parts, for example only 11 of the 17 require the skirts, each of which is different on them wagons. Each wagon requires 2 sets of ladders and walkways. I've also ordered each part for a second prototype, which will test the details I've added, and the fit of each component.

I didn't know they worked to North Blyth! Thanks! Managed to do some more to the body CAD today, adding the end support struts... Next on these bodies will probably be locating lugs for the walkways and ladders. The chassis also got a bit of attention tonight too, mostly improvement work from the first print which were chamfering the inner hopper support, adding thickness to the wheel holders and adding various details. Details added include foot steps, chassis ribs, and brake cranks and cylinders.

The plan is the support struts will be added to the main body, and will be on the limit in terms of minimum wall thickness, which is 1mm. Thanks! Ill have a play about with it later.

Small update, I added various components to the model, basically buffers and suspension units I had in stock. I also added a Symoba kinematic NEM pocket at one end. The buffers appear to be the correct type for the wagon, so I will order more in due course. The pedestal suspension units used are Cambrian ones, but I will make my own on cost grounds. I will use the Symoba coupling pocket to get dimensions for adding a NEM coupling pocket to the CAD, which will just be a fixed unit.

Thank you! Ill have a look at them software, I'm sure I have FreeCAD already installed. I'll give it a go.

Yeah, I'm using DesignSpark Mechanical.

A quick question! I've now decided that the ladders, walkways and end skirting will be made with metal etch, can anyone point me in the right direction in terms of CAD software or someone who could do the the etching please? Ive decided to 3D print the brake equipment, which will then simply glue into position. tia Carwyn

Thanks, Paul. So here's an exciting update, Ive received the first prototype of the chassis and body! A few changes to make on the chassis, improvements rather than mistakes, including adding additional detail, beefing up the bearing holders and adding pedestal suspension unit detail. The body will now be measured to add holes that will hold the ladders and walkways, which I envisage to be etched components.

A small update... I've now sent for the chassis and a hopper body to be printed, so I can then have a physical model to be able to make the process easier. I'm hoping, so long as my measuring is good, that I'll have a rolling chassis from these, allowing me to measure up to add a coupling pocket onto the chassis, and to plan ahead for the various ladders, walkways and other various details. for ladders and walkways, I'm currently pondering about custom etched parts as they will be finer than what is achievable with 3D printing. I'm also struggling to design the skirted ends, despite me having managed it in the past, but with these also being a prominent feature on the ends, I'm also considering these to be etched parts as well. Any feedback would be appreciated. In the mean time, I've put the chassis and one of the hopper bodies into an assembly on the CAD, and it looks a bit like this... Looking quite encouraging so far. Thanks

A little progress this lunchtime. I've progressed the chassis CAD a little today, by adding holes on the buffer beams to accept buffers and coupling hook, and the beginnings of the wheel holders. The main bit of progress though was the creation of the hopper body, by producing a basic master, onto which I can add the variations the wagon had. Currently, the variations I've made are for standard vent positions(vents at opposite ends diagonally) and mirrored vents(both vents at one end of a vehicle). Next job is to duplicate both of these versions in order to create the skirted versions. Now for some nerdy info regarding some detail differences... The wagons were numbered in the BRT121XX range, from 12100 through 12116. Of these, 12102/03//06/11//12/15 had no end skirts fitted(as CAD above), with 12112 having the mirrored vents arrangement. 12100/01/04/05/07/08/09/10/13/14/16 were fitted with end skirts, of which 12108/09/13/14 having mirrored vents. Various other differences between wagons were extended walkways, positions of document clips, sole bar steps and position of latches. As far as detail differences go, the only variations I will replicate are the skirted/non-skirted versions and position of the vents. To me, the rest are not worth the effort to cater for.

I'd be more than happy to try this. Possible problems could arise with wall thickness and the capability of printers, but it's certainly worth a shot.

Here's the progress I've got to so far on the new CADs. Using the drawings provided by @bazjones1711 above, I've created the basic chassis. Then an hour or so later, refined a bit.

Thank you very much! This will be invaluable, really appreciate.

After a few failed attempts, I've decided to resurrect my project to create a reasonable representation of the PAB petroleum coke wagons of Anglesey Aluminum. This time, I've opted for 3D printing, creating my own CAD work. During the first Covid lockdown, I made significant progress on some CAD, and got a couple of hoppers printed out. Up to now, that's how far I've got, but now I'm planning to start again from scratch. This is the work I've done up to now, but I do need to re-draw the CAD as there are some mistakes, the overall height being one. Shown below are the two main types of body, skirted and non-skirted. I don't know enough about these wagons to know why some had skirts at the end and others didn't, but they're a prominent difference between both styles. There are also various differences between individual wagons. The real things were built in 1970, to work from the then-new aluminum smelter in Holyhead to Immingham. Their purpose was to convey petroleum coke to the Holyhead plant, which was used as an anode in the smelting process. The traffic started in 1971 following the Britannia Bridge fire of 1970, and continued until 2001, when a fire at the plant in Immingham halted the operation. It was initially to re-start, but it never did, with Anglesey Aluminium then receiving their coke from an alternative source in South Africa by ship. These unique vehicles were cut up during 2009, just prior to the end of smelter operations at the plant. Anglesey Aluminium closed completely in 2011 following the end of the re-melting business. My plan is to re-draw the CAD, and build the rake of 17 wagons. Main body and chassis to be 3D printed, finished using detailing parts already available on the market and brass rod.