4mm An EM Workbench: Mini-Signwriting (rough)
- Thread starter AJC
- Start date
AJC
Western Thunderer
Thanks Matt - Rumney Models' PC.111 - an Air Ministry 14 ton tank (yes, the same prototype Dapol have just released. You can read the instructions here: https://website.rumneymodels.co.uk/...0/PC.111_7.3_Air_Ministry_Tank_Wagon_Kits.pdf
It's a country mile ahead of the Dapol one, and only slightly more expensive (but a lot more, mostly quite enjoyable, work). There's still scope to make a mess of it, but the hardest part, the tank, is now almost there. Of course, there's so many detail parts in the box, I might yet have to buy a Dapol one to use them...
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Anyway, back to the humble tank wagon. Nearly all soldering operations are completed (barring the ladders), and once the various tank fittings are on it will be ready for paint.
This really is an excellent, and surprisingly straightforward, kit, though the iPhone makes it look ever so slightly bananaform...
Adam
This really is an excellent, and surprisingly straightforward, kit, though the iPhone makes it look ever so slightly bananaform...
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
I haven’t built a 16 tonner of any sort for absolutely ages, so why not do four at once?
Ok, so there’s a requirement for a couple: road stone traffic from Podimore will take two, and three other wagons (more anon), which accounts for the welded 1/108 and riveted 1/109. The ‘French’ type are simply because they were in the drawer thanks to other forum members (and thank you, I really appreciate it). They’re a bit more involved in detail terms so will be slower: there’s every chance the plain ones will be done within the week. Basic bodies done, load bases added, those with buffers in hand secured. The ESSO tank is nearly done, too, more of that later.
Adam
Ok, so there’s a requirement for a couple: road stone traffic from Podimore will take two, and three other wagons (more anon), which accounts for the welded 1/108 and riveted 1/109. The ‘French’ type are simply because they were in the drawer thanks to other forum members (and thank you, I really appreciate it). They’re a bit more involved in detail terms so will be slower: there’s every chance the plain ones will be done within the week. Basic bodies done, load bases added, those with buffers in hand secured. The ESSO tank is nearly done, too, more of that later.
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
One more for the roadstone rake, a Parkside/Peco 13 ton hopper. The Parkside bit is in grey, the Peco bit (completed posthumously), black, perhaps in a different type of plastic. I presume that they used drawings prepared to finish the job without Parkside’s understanding and knowledge of the real thing. So we have ok springs, overscale vee hangers, crude axleboxes, and buffers with rounded stocks. Oh, and this is fair enough, very thick end platform sheeting. I can do something about that, and will, so watch this space.
A fair bit to replace then. There’s also some poor fit around the hopper base, but that’s forgivable and quite easy to resolve: I trimmed away some of the grey moulding to suit. A spot of filling will be required.
A third 16 tonner and another, more exotic, hopper will complete the rake, but they’re for the future.
Adam
A fair bit to replace then. There’s also some poor fit around the hopper base, but that’s forgivable and quite easy to resolve: I trimmed away some of the grey moulding to suit. A spot of filling will be required.
A third 16 tonner and another, more exotic, hopper will complete the rake, but they’re for the future.
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
By means of contrast, here’s the PECO/Parkside.
It’s assembled ok: the end pieces of the frame fit into slots in the hopper assembly. I found that I needed some 10 thou’ packing at the *top* of the slot to get the level right. The location of the solebars is a little tight, but accurate and the application of Daywat did the job (my usual Humbrol liquid poly didn’t cut it).
To get the end platforms close to scale, I trimmed and filed the moulded representation away: this will be replaced with 5 thou’ plastic sheet.
Other changes and omissions: the spring stops were horrid, crude lumps and will be replaced. There are no horse hook holes - never seen a kit lacking those before. The vee hangers are round about the correct size for S scale, note how they don’t line up with the rivets, so they’re going and obviously new axleboxes will be added. I quite like the PECO wheels, they drifted out to EM without hassle, though on stepped axle, they seem to be true. This isn’t actually much work, it’s mechanically sound, but whoever cut the moulds for PECO, and those who signed it off, don’t know much about wagons…
Adam
It’s assembled ok: the end pieces of the frame fit into slots in the hopper assembly. I found that I needed some 10 thou’ packing at the *top* of the slot to get the level right. The location of the solebars is a little tight, but accurate and the application of Daywat did the job (my usual Humbrol liquid poly didn’t cut it).
To get the end platforms close to scale, I trimmed and filed the moulded representation away: this will be replaced with 5 thou’ plastic sheet.
Other changes and omissions: the spring stops were horrid, crude lumps and will be replaced. There are no horse hook holes - never seen a kit lacking those before. The vee hangers are round about the correct size for S scale, note how they don’t line up with the rivets, so they’re going and obviously new axleboxes will be added. I quite like the PECO wheels, they drifted out to EM without hassle, though on stepped axle, they seem to be true. This isn’t actually much work, it’s mechanically sound, but whoever cut the moulds for PECO, and those who signed it off, don’t know much about wagons…
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Back from holiday and now all four wagons are on their way. One of the 16 tonners has its drop flap doors dropped, as did happen occasionally. The other two are perfectly normal and all are waiting on brake levers, and one axleboxes/springs because I’ve run out of the very nice Rumney ones. You can just about see that I’ve also reworked the corner reinforcement brackets with 5 thou’, bonded with more superglue; this is worth the hassle, I promise.
The hopper is missing buffers because the set of LNER/LMS self contained I thought that I had are hiding. More on the end supports later, I’ve had to extend them downwards by 20 thou’ to meet the platforms. Note that these are decked with 5 thou’ superglued in place, along with some proper axleboxes (MJT).
Adam
The hopper is missing buffers because the set of LNER/LMS self contained I thought that I had are hiding. More on the end supports later, I’ve had to extend them downwards by 20 thou’ to meet the platforms. Note that these are decked with 5 thou’ superglued in place, along with some proper axleboxes (MJT).
Adam
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