3D Printed bodies of early all steel mineral wagons

[21D]

I’ve recently bought two 3D prints of 4 mm scale wagons from Ian at ‘Siop y Wageni’ on Shapeways and thought I’d share with you my construction of the wagons. For those unfamiliar with Shapeways products what you get is a 3D print of the wagon body and you add the underframe and details such as handrails etc. Wagons printed in 3D are reasonably robust but cutting and drilling needs to be undertaken with more care than is usually needed with polystyrene kits. Certainly you cannot bend or soften parts like you could with an Airfix/Dalpol kit. I used Slaters Melpack for kit plastic to 3D printing plastic.

 

The two wagons I worked on are both early all steel mineral wagons. The Cambrian 13T coal wagon dates to the mid 1930s and the Hurst Nelson wagon to 1943. The Cambrian at 13 tons is almost ‘pygmy’ riveted version of the later ubiquitous BR 16 tonner and the Hurst Nelson is a full sized 16 tonner but with extra side stanchions which didn’t appear in later types.

 

Cambrian 13T coal wagon

 

 

 

 

 

I used the following bits to complete both wagons:

Cambrian C35 16' 6" / 17' 6" RCH Steel Underframe (9' wheelbase – 36mm):
https://www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk...H-Steel-Underframe-9-wheelbase-36mm-p94497733

Alan Gibson OO Gauge 12mm 3 hole Disc Wheels with his waisted pinpoint wheel bearings:
https://www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk/store/OO-Gauge-12mm-3-hole-Disc-Wheels-p94293655

C35 allows the correct double independent brake gear to be fitted because as far as we can tell these wagons all had bottom doors in the floor at least when built. The solebars will need a small amount of trimming at each end to fit between the headstocks which are printed as solid (for strength reasons I'm sure) whereas in reality they were thinner rolled steel troughs.

I also used the Bill Bedford CES052_4 Wagon Safety Loops from Wizard Models on each wagon but they are currently unobtainable (although I'm assured they will appear again in due course) so I’d try use fine staples in the interim.

 

I fitted commode handles at the non-opening end of the Cambrian wagon and also two lifting handles in the end door which are shown in a Paul Bartlett photo of the now broken up ‘Goodyear’ wagon on the Severn Valley. Hurst Nelson wagons didn’t have any door handles until some received replacement welded end doors in BR days.

 

Hurst Nelson wagon of 1943

 

 

 

‘Modellers Backtrack" Volume 1 Number 3, 1991’ contains pictures of both of the types of wagon as does ‘The Acquired Wagons of British Railways: Volume 2’ by David Larkin. A search of Paul Bartlett’s useful site will also turn up a few photos. Unfortunately no actual wagons now survive.

Regards
Martin