7mm APPLEBY MODEL ENGINEERING FNA Nuclear Flask wagon

[mickoo]

I see these wagons at work every day, but the armed guards don't like you taking pictures, so I have to memorise any detail.

Cheers
J.P.

Quite, one has to have a little bit of common sense around these trains, drivers are cheerful enough, so long as you don't start walking up to the wagon and poking big expensive cameras around them and getting your tape measure out.

 

[Stu Fox]

At a guess I'd say (L 2 R) a cable/strap anchor point (or for horse shunting in East Anglia...) then 2x cocks related to brake cylinder pressure testing (maybe some kind of air release/diversion) and finally the brake release cord for shunting. I assume these wagons are fitted with a air brake distributor valve, hence the need to release air from the system.

Regards

Stu

 

[lnerjp]

Quite, one has to have a little bit of common sense around these trains, drivers are cheerful enough, so long as you don't start walking up to the wagon and poking big expensive cameras around them and getting your tape measure out.

I probably did'nt explain myself very well there Mick. I work on a Nuclear site and the guards I refer to are security guards. Oh and they also have guns.

J.P.

 

[mickoo]

I probably did'nt explain myself very well there Mick. I work on a Nuclear site and the guards I refer to are security guards. Oh and they also have guns.

J.P.

Ahh, best do as they say then! No armed guards out in injun country round here, but as I said above, BTP nearer to the trains destination at most crossings and known photo spots, certainly within 5 miles of destination.

They are referred to locally as the 'coal' trains to avoid too much public investigation, we also have the glider fuel express.....answers on a postcard LOL, unless you really must know

 

[tomstaf]

Well almost a year on with this thread and finally some results. Where does time go... Anyway, more to follow after the weekend but here are a few bits that have just landed to wet your appetite.

Cheers

Tom

 

[tomstaf]

Hi Tom

I still have mine to build yet looking forward to it - I will need to extend the layout's era a little and perhaps run a 'funny train' (ala David Jenkinson) with it

Kindest,

CME

Well it's an easy build and lends itself well to extra details

Who is David Jenkinson CME?

Cheers

Tom

 

[JimG]

Who is David Jenkinson CME?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jenkinson

Jim.

 

[tomstaf]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jenkinson

Jim.

Hi Jim,

Sorry I phrased my qu very badly. Whilst I was googling for who he was, I am still wondering what DJ's 'funny train' thing is?

Cheers

Tom

 

[AJC]

David Jenkinson was a great believer in modelling to a set period with stock, etc. appropriate to this and consistent with each other. Like everyone else, of course, he wanted to build and run things which didn't quite fit with that and would run what he called 'funnies'; trains built and run pretty much for the fun of it outside of the main sequence.

Adam

 

[auld_boot]

"Lastly, any shots of the RNA wagons (cut down HEAs) would be most useful too."
I hope this works as it's my first attempt at posting pictures. Here's the best I can do to help with the above request, note the HEAs weren't always cut down when used as barriers. I think it was quite rare to see a 56 at Bridgwater on these trains.



Through the fence you can just make out some pipework above the solebar.

 

[tomstaf]

I hope this works as it's my first attempt at posting pictures. Here's the best I can do to help with the above request, note the HEAs weren't always cut down when used as barriers. I think it was quite rare to see a 56 at Bridgwater on these trains.

Thanks Auld,

They've been added perfectly. 56s down there were rare indeed. When did you take it, 96/97?

Cheers

Tom

 

[auld_boot]

Thanks Auld,

They've been added perfectly. 56s down there were rare indeed. When did you take it, 96/97?

Cheers

Tom

Sorry Tom I can't say when they were taken but I think you're about right, my notebooks for anything after March'93 went missing after a housemove.
I've just checked the other pictures on the same film and there's nothing much that could help me date them, just this which means it must be post 1995.
37674 in Transrail grey.

 

[Devonbelle]

Class 56s worked the Bridgwater working for a number of years - certainly 1996-1999 they would appear. The last workings before DRS took over in 1999 were EWS 56s both to Sharpness and Bridgwater. A day of so later I got called to site at Bridgwater when I was Regional Freight Manager for Railtrack - with a DRS class 20 and 37 in multiple for the first DRS working - classic (non hydraulic) traction. I had to help sort some issues as to method of working - but lovely to hear EE engines working! Paul

 

[tomstaf]

A little more progress on these. But as I'm incapable of taking something out of the box and building straight it's only a little. So the progress is small but stuff that you can see in O gauge.
I drew up some works number plates and these help to break up the vast flatness of the sides.
I've attached the etched hood guides. These also break up the wagon's flatness running along the top edges of the wagon body. They guide the hood when it slides back to release the cargo. There are 2 tiny little ones in between the larger ones, and these are angled. I made this by sticking some plastic strip on the etch and filing to shape. I also noticed there is a line of bolt heads along the sides of the hood. So out with the Grandtline bolts and a spot of super glue. They're only teeny but the dirt seems to gather around them which will provide definition for the weathering. There are some weld lines on a few of the hood's vertical ribs which also attract dirt so I scribed these on. Lastly, there is an angled panel at the base of the centre ribs. So a bit more plastic strip filed to shape sorts that out. Just a little more to add and then into the paint shop




Cheers

Tom

 

[tomstaf]

Hi, I got some wheels made up by these Norfolk folk (http://www.modelrailwayparts.com/index.html) who also produce batches of S7 wheels from time to time. The tyre thickness was too great for my liking and needed adjusting to accept my stainless steel disc brakes but they were happy to make the changes for me The only thing I forgot to ask was for them not to be blackened as I wanted the wheel treads to be silver, just like the real things. So I've put a set in a minidrill and rubbed a file over it which removed it. I've applied a pin wash of blue/brown enamel in the disc fixing holes and around the centre boss. Result, in terms of look.

But I think I may have had the speed too fast and possibly bent the axle stub a bit as it wobbles in the drill. Need to find an alternative way of doing this - is there a chemical which removes chemical blackening?

Cheers

Tom

 

[richard carr]

Tom

Don't use a file to do it, a brass or steel brush that goes in mini drill will be just as effective but it won't bite the wheel like the file and thats what has caused the axle to get a bit bent.

Have you got any of the disk brakes for sale ?

Richard

 

[tomstaf]

Tom

Don't use a file to do it, a brass or steel brush that goes in mini drill will be just as effective but it won't bite the wheel like the file and thats what has caused the axle to get a bit bent.

Hi Richard,

It's one of those watchmaker files so extremely fine. But the slight wobble happened just after I turned the drill on with the axle in it, before I applied the file. I tried the steel brush first but it had nil effect, hence the file.

Have you got any of the disk brakes for sale ?

Richard

I haven't at the moment but I can get some more run off if you want some. You'll have to get some wheels custom made, or tweak some of the commercially available ones as the discs are to scale, and all the available wheels I've come across have too thick tyres meaning the recess for the disc brake is too small. Do I sound like too much of a scale glutton?

Cheers

Tom

 

[tomstaf]

Hi Tom ,

I spoke the Peartree at Reading too (as they did some similar products and I have used Peartree wheels etc on my Brake Tender - a couple of the track jigs were made by Peartree for me too and they now market them ) - is there any chance that I could have some of the disc brakes run off too please (would that help make up an order?)?

I will PM you too

Kindest,

CME

CME

Hi Martin,

The artwork is on another sheet (to test they worked) with various bits and pieces that I needed for a range of projects. I'll make up a separate A4 sheet's worth. It's not a case of making up an order's worth as it'll simply cost X amount for an A4 sheet in X material. So just a case of running x number of A4 sheets off. A set of 4 (one axle's worth) is about the size of a medium post-it note.

Cheers

Tom

 

[demu1037]

Hi Richard,

But the slight wobble happened just after I turned the drill on with the axle in it, before I applied the file. I tried the steel brush first but it had nil effect, hence the file.

Cheers

Tom

Tom, I assume you are holding one axle end in the mini drill?, If so, try to hold the drill in your palm, with a finger on the outer axle end (use a bearing to avoid denting finger). This should support it & stop any wobble - leaving the other hand free to clean the tread, try a fiberglass brush instead of a file, use a new one as they soak up flux which doesn't help with steel wheels!

Regards

Andy

 

[tomstaf]

Thanks Andy, was thinking along something similar last night actually - added a bush to a block of wood and mounting the block in a vice and pushing the axle in. A kind of hand held lathe I suppose

Cheers

Tom