The Heybridge Railway, 1889 to 1913

[Osgood]

Four or five of those ? Would that be enough to form a circle?

Almost.

Wheel Drums, Hengoed Viaduct, South... © Ralph Rawlinson cc-by-sa/2.0

The listed Hengoed Viaduct (aka Maesycwmmer) carried the former Great Western Railway's Cross Valleys line over the Rhymney Valley. A cyclepath, part of NCN47, now crosses the viaduct and to commemorate its opening one of Britain's most strikingly distinctive sculptures is in place. Andy...

www.geograph.org.uk

 

[spikey faz]

Your wagon looks fine to me Richard.

One of the reasons I tend to fit a compensation unit to one end of my wagons is to allow for adjustment for such issues. A bit of subtle twisting of the compensation unit usually results in something that is more or less straight!

Mike

 

[RichardG]

The wagon sits flat on the track and runs true, but the four corners of the frame and body are all a degree away from a right angle. I can see this when I look for it but it is not noticeable in photos taken from a low level.

On this particular wagon, with an air gap between the drop sides and the ends, the entire model will twist if needed. Probably a good thing during the build and not so good now it is done!

 

[simond]

I don't know how this happened, because I thought my brass floor was true.

It occurs to me that the whitemetal solebar/sides were not symmetric.

A couple of hundredths out, and if the axles are parallel and square, the buffer beams cannot be, assuming the same part both sides.

you got the important bit right, (it runs true), nobody will be able to spot the lozenging of the body, and if somebody does, you have the “rough shunt” backstory. Job done, move on, nothing to see here, folks.

 

[RichardG]

Staying with the permanent way theme I have a kit from ABS to build a platelayer's trolley, a simple hand-propelled one.



Building the kit should be straightforward (as long as I don't ruin a wheel trying to dress it) but the instructions are not making much sense:

"Stand trolley on two sleepers, wheels chained and padlocked together alongside".

I guess the sleepers are to reduce damage to the wheel flanges and could be any suitable timbers; but what is alongside what?

 

[simond]

alongside the track, I presume.

I see it’s S7.

but was there no padlock in the kit? Poor show!

 

[simond]

This one looks like the inspiration for your kit

Welcome to Bideford Railway Heritage Centre - Trolley

Railway push trolley at Bideford Railway Heritage Centre

www.bidefordrailway.co.uk

I couldn’t find an image of one chained up to prevent the locals using it as a taxi home from the Railway Arms…

 

[simond]

And a bonus rabbit-hole

Sails on Rails ; Sail trolleys & bogies

 

[RichardG]

Oh wow!

The Slater's chain I bought for my Peco yard crane will pass through the holes in the kit wheels, but these photos suggest I ought to be using spoked wheels. I can make a padlock if need be, though I'm not sure if these were in widespread use in the 1890s.

 

[daifly]

Building the kit should be straightforward (as long as I don't ruin a wheel trying to dress it) but the instructions are not making much sense:

"Stand trolley on two sleepers, wheels chained and padlocked together alongside".

I guess the sleepers are to reduce damage to the wheel flanges and could be any suitable timbers; but what is alongside what?

I think that the ‘instructions’ are actually a scenic description of how in reality it would be stored when not in use. The sleepers would avoid damage to the axle slots.

Dave

 

[simond]

I’m sure I’ve seen stamped sheet wheels like your kit.

please measure it, I know one should never make a model based on a model, but something this simple sounds safe enough.
Particularly given Adrian’s fidelity and modelling ability, and the photo above.

I guess wheel dia over thread, overall length & length of deck, and the cross section of the frames. I should be able to work out the rest.

 

[simond]

I think that the ‘instructions’ are actually a scenic description of how in reality it would be stored when not in use. The sleepers would avoid damage to the axle slots.

Dave

Or flanges? I imagined the two sleepers lengthwise, set approximately to gauge, and parallel to the track, and the wheels resting on them, but of course, the sleepers could be a bit closer together and the bearings could then be resting on them, it wouldn’t roll off in that case.

I did a quick Google for an image, which is how I found the links above, but I didn’t get the “parked up and out of use” photo.

I guess it would be adjacent to a platelayers’ hut but Google wasn’t helping there either.

 

[RichardG]

I think the trolley lifts off its wheelsets for ease of handling. The wheelsets are chained together and stowed beside the trolley. The instructions are a perfect example of writing you can only understand when you already know what it is saying.

 

[RichardG]

please measure it, I know one should never make a model based on a model, but something this simple sounds safe enough.

Frame scanned against metric 2-10-20 mm graph paper
Measures 49.5 mm long, 1.6 mm thick

Deck 36 mm long x 34.5 mm wide, with ten (10) boards 1 mm thick

Outside faces of frames will be 27.5 mm apart
Wheels pressed steel, 10 mm diameter over treads.

 

[simond]

Magic, thanks.

S

 

[simond]

I think the trolley lifts off its wheelsets for ease of handling. The wheelsets are chained together and stowed beside the trolley. The instructions are a perfect example of writing you can only understand when you already know what it is saying.

I hadn’t thought of that. It would make lifting it a two man job, rather than four.

 

[RichardG]

The kit doesn't have this hole. Just a guess, but the hole would let a chain pass through here and the adjacent wheel. For example if the trolley is left unattended on the track.

 

[simond]

I wondered if it is the pivot for a lever and single shoe brake? Seems a bit unnecessary, but a recent excursion on a cycle powered “rail chariot” suggests it might be quite welcome.

 

[RichardG]

I think a brake lever is a better explanation for the hole in the frame. This would explain why the hole is reinforced.

I have soldered up the frames and the top so here are a couple of photos in case they are useful.



The main difference between this trolley and the one at Bideford is the way the planks overlap the frames.

 

[simond]

did a bit of garden repair, and then decided indoors was nicer than outdoors - too hot!



Might get a print on later, see how it goes, deep joy, we are now going to the tip with the garden cuttings.