WillCav

We put a new tandem in Acton Yard about 5 or 6 years ago. Not quite a 3 way but saves the issue with point blades getting in each others way that you get with a 3 way - and it still saves a load of space. Not that Acton yard is inglenook material! Will

Hi all, Over the last few months I have been working on a GWR Y7 banana van. It's a rare beast that seems to be a bit camera shy but it is the only 17'6" banana van. There is not a kit generally available, so I decided to kit bash one. The sides look like the standard 17'6" GWR body (Ratio GWR van) and the 9' WB underframe is like the Ratio GWR open. Ends would be modified Cooper Craft spares. I have mostly built the wagon - I thought I only had tie bars to do. Until... I was reading through the Atkins et al bible today - about the similar V21 and V33 vans - and I was reminded that the vertical side framing tucked under the floor - more work to do to file down the straight down frames. I then read on - the V23 respaced the vertical framing to have two equal panels each side of the door and the diagonals were different L then T section. So the V21 body was different to the V23. My model making is not perfection. If a model looks right, it is alright for me. An inch wrong and I don't mind. I then compared V21 and V23 body photos- and it is obvious. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. I will have to scrape off the detail and redo it. Aaargh! Would have been a lot easier when it was a kit part. And I have a V21 to do too. Why did the GW have to redesign their wagons all the time? I suppose it was progress. And one of my colleagues says that everything GW looks the same! Take care Will

I've just finished putting one together - the diagonals are correct for O8 and some O9. O8 had chain pockets at first but they were removed later on. Diagram O9 shows later diagonals but some were built with the early type. Later typed also differ with a sack truck door (bottom plank angled out). I found the brake gear to be too long and the axleboxes too far out and had to modify a lot. Happy to do this to get a different wagon type without stratchbuilding. Will

On reflection, you are probably right Compound. We will never know what was going through their minds 110 years ago but it is fun to try and guess! Thanks for your reply Will

Thanks down the sjdr, I use the point of a compass to make marker holes at the edges of each piece before I cut it out. Then I use a Stanley knife lightly scoring literally to 'join the dots'. Other methods / tools are available but it seems to work for me. Will

Thanks for your comments Mikkel, hoping to encourage others to add something different to their layout. And it only takes a couple of hours to build. Will

Thanks for spotting that Melmoth - I have corrected the post above - I should have gone to Specsavers! Will

Hi - and welcome! I've been interested in the GWR since my parents brought me a Hornby pannier with a few trucks and an oval of track over 40 years ago. My Dad and I tried to make a ratio 4 wheel brake coach in the 1980s but it never got finished. In the 1990s, I started to try Cooper Craft and Cambrian wagon kits. I then moved onto Parkside and other manufacturers whose kits are sadly no longer available. My first try a kit bashing was to convert Ratio Iron Mink and MOGO into an Iron Mink with replacement wooden doors and a plywood MOGO. As I've got older, I have got more interested in the history and correct operation of trains. I am more interested in the goods side of things as there is more variation there. In real life, I work on the railway, so I am also interested in modern day operations - but I have never been tempted to model today's railway. Why 1948? For many years I planned stock for late 1947 as it was still GWR. I have now slipped it a few months to get more livery variations. What's planned? I've got a few rolling stock projects on the go, three different SIPHONs, BANANA Van's and an ancient OPEN C but I will be starting with a humble container. Will

Darren, It will be one of the chocolate & cream liveries as brown was later. See the excellent gwr.org for full details of the differences - but be aware that a coach could retain an older livery for a few years as they didn't repaint the whole fleet overnight but waited for them to need painting. http://www.gwr.org.uk/liveries.html regards Will

If you want the signalling diagram, it is shown in: Signal Box Diagrams of the Great Western & Southern Railways By GA Pryor Volume 8 G.W.R. Lines Taunton to Exeter and branches Regards Will

Here's a picture of the POW sides conflat transfers. Will

Hi, I've just had another look in Atkins Beard etc. and realised that diag H10 conflate were all built after the livery changed. There is a picture of 36692 (plate213) and the livery is: 36692 LH end of the floor edging G above LH axlebox on floor edging (not the 4", but as large as possible) To be retained... and Chain pocket... on the side of the chain pockets italics XP WB10-0 on top right of chain pocket W above RH axlebox (as G) 12 Tons Tare 6-? Italics at RH end of floor edging The XP legend would only go on diagrams H7, 8 & 10 as H6 is 9' WB and H9 non vacuum. I also looked at other low (no) sided vehicles and found similar liveries on Bogie Bolsters - that code changed in 1943. Hope that helps Will

Hi Fatadder, Just looked through these:- Atkins Beard Tourret 1998 edition Russell wagons appendix Russell GW wagons No photos with any later variants of livery, only difference I can see is some later ones have XP branding above RHS of chain pocket. Will

Snooper - you're absolutely right - I know what I MEANT to write but what I typed was totally opposite! Many Thanks Will

UUDD is better for trains swapping between main and relief with no opposing trains getting in the way. It is also better for passengers if two island platforms are provided - one for both ups and one for both downs. UDUD is better for engineering work as you can close mains, run on reliefs or vice versa if you don't need all four lines. It also has a smaller footprint as only one wide way 10' required. If you want to swap from one type to the other, you can with a flyover as at Bishton. Will

The GWR used both methods - UDUD for example from Cogload Jn through Taunton and beyond. UUDD Ladbroke Grove to Didcot. Will edit: UUDD at Cogload and UDUD at Ladbroke grove (oops)

The 'cash register' style indicator wouldn't be needed if there wee only one route indication. There has to be another destination. Will

I agree with trains&armour and Wickham Green too on the first two. Does the third one look like a g42 loriot p? Something about the angled ends reminds me of them. Will

Hi all, I've made a start on the Y7 with the shopping list of bits as shown above. I've gone for the 'type 1' ends using spare cooper craft cross braced ends as a base. I've just realised that the ratio door mechanisms are wrong. The handles seem to be a lot lower on these for some reason. Thanks Will

If they wanted it to look like wood, they should have spoken to some LNER experts about painting teak effect!

Thanks for the dates of removal Davidbr. I can safely build as an o8 without pockets in 1948. Will

That's the spec. Usually - There are a few contemporary photos of horse wagons with the metalwork picked out in black. You give the same painting spec to the a whole load of painters in a whole load of different locations and there will be non-standard variations. Will

Thanks Paul and Rich, I did look at your site and totally missed that one. The number checks out as o8. I'll assume that it lost the chain pockets pre'48 and build it as that wagon. Thanks again. Will

Hi all, I've recently got my hands on an ancient Ratio Open C kits. Checking in Atkins, Beard etc, I see the curved diagonals match O8 and some O9 but it doesn't have the chain pockets shown in the diagram. I have looked in my books and on the internet but can't find much info about them. Did the chain pockets get removed to match the later diagrams? Would any o8 wagons be likely to last to 1948? Thanks Will

There are a few non-vacuum fitted wagons which had tie rods - I always work from a photo or info in the Atkins, Beard etc GWR wagons 'bible'. I can't remember if any vans were in that category though. Will