Hello,
I've been beavering away on/off and the IGA is now build-complete. All the brass details on the ends were my own additions:
- the handrails;
- the extra triangles at the bottom of the vertical support beams;
- the hoops;
- the continental style lamp irons;
- the coupling holder, and;
- the document holders.
I also made the pivot holder on the side of the wagon from some left-over etch and brass pipe. The workers who unload these take out a big lump of metal (crow bar style) which allows them to undo all the ratchets. I also drilled a small hole in each ratchet where this pipe would be inserted. Not hugely noticeable now, but when it's weathered it'll allow a place for the wash end up in and be nice and obvious. When it comes to weathering and painting I'm going to use some of the military modellers techniques. Whilst searching I found this fantastic wood grain etched brass mask. The idea is that you paint a light wood colour first, apply the mask and spray a darker wood colour. It's produced by
RB Productions(Ireland) who also do a whole range of useful etched tools and the like. The piece of 0.8mm black tape will be used to secure whatever steel load I end up putting on it.
I tweaked the bogies slightly to make more accurate. The end cross bars were filed back so that they are flush with the bogie sides. The bottom of the bogie side cut back to be in line with the wheel profile, and the corners were filled with solder and sanded to the curved shape. I bought some German wheels which had a closer face profle than anything on the market over here. But the profile was a bit dodgy and no bearings were available over here. But JimG came to the rescue and very kindly reprofiled the axle ends and made up some bearings to fit.
Lastly, just to show what a whopper the IGA is, here is is dwarfing the HJ 33.
Now, just need some decent weather to come so I can pop outside and get some paint on it.
Cheers
Tom