Overseer
Western Thunderer
Over the past ten years or so I have been slowly working on rolling stock for an early to mid 1950s BR layout. The main focus is coal wagons in various states of decrepitude with a few new BR standard wagons to provide contrast. I have decided to start a thread for the non mineral wagons and vans which are needed to fill out the background scene, really to help me remember what I have done over the often long periods between starting and finishing models. Most of the models have been seen previously on WT in various states of incompletion and most are built from Slaters or Parkside kits, plus some scratch builds and rtr.
To start with, a Slaters 7024 Midland Railway 10T Covered Van kit. These kits assemble very well and the compensated brass W irons and some brass castings are included in the kit. The kit produces an accurate van in original condition. From photographs, the vans which staggered into the 1950s had extra braces and bolts added to hold them together. These are easy to add to the basic van and I think add quite a bit to the character of the model.
As these are 'supporting' wagons I am trying to use as much of the kit as possible. The plastic kit brakes have been used but replacement Ambis brake levers substituted for the etched items in the kit which are a funny shape. Injection moulded brake levers as supplied in most kits never look right, so replacing them with etched brake levers from Ambis, Exactoscale or MMP is an easy change which makes a big difference to the look of the finished model.
After a coat of undercoat and an intentionally uneven coat of BR grey as the starting point for the eventual finish.
Another victim staggering towards completion is a Parkside Dundas PS27 GWR 12/13 Ton Open Goods Wagon (Diags. O32/O33). The kit comes with alternate ends with replacement steel channel 'planks' which is useful for these wagons in their 1950s condition. What is not mentioned in the instructions is that the wide second plank which was a feature of these wagons when built was replaced with a standard width plank and a half plank from the 1940s onwards. Paul Bartlett refers to these wagons as 5 1/2 plank wagons, which is what they were by the 1950s. Adding a few bolt heads and scribing the extra plank line is a quick change which alters the appearance significantly. The photo shows it as it is at present, awaiting brake levers etc. I am not a fan of the Parkside etched coupling hooks so these will probably be swapped for Ambis hooks at some stage. I will add chains to the door catches as well but not too much else.
We'll see what comes next. Possibly one of the Freightman van kits in need of its underframe.
To start with, a Slaters 7024 Midland Railway 10T Covered Van kit. These kits assemble very well and the compensated brass W irons and some brass castings are included in the kit. The kit produces an accurate van in original condition. From photographs, the vans which staggered into the 1950s had extra braces and bolts added to hold them together. These are easy to add to the basic van and I think add quite a bit to the character of the model.
As these are 'supporting' wagons I am trying to use as much of the kit as possible. The plastic kit brakes have been used but replacement Ambis brake levers substituted for the etched items in the kit which are a funny shape. Injection moulded brake levers as supplied in most kits never look right, so replacing them with etched brake levers from Ambis, Exactoscale or MMP is an easy change which makes a big difference to the look of the finished model.
After a coat of undercoat and an intentionally uneven coat of BR grey as the starting point for the eventual finish.
Another victim staggering towards completion is a Parkside Dundas PS27 GWR 12/13 Ton Open Goods Wagon (Diags. O32/O33). The kit comes with alternate ends with replacement steel channel 'planks' which is useful for these wagons in their 1950s condition. What is not mentioned in the instructions is that the wide second plank which was a feature of these wagons when built was replaced with a standard width plank and a half plank from the 1940s onwards. Paul Bartlett refers to these wagons as 5 1/2 plank wagons, which is what they were by the 1950s. Adding a few bolt heads and scribing the extra plank line is a quick change which alters the appearance significantly. The photo shows it as it is at present, awaiting brake levers etc. I am not a fan of the Parkside etched coupling hooks so these will probably be swapped for Ambis hooks at some stage. I will add chains to the door catches as well but not too much else.
We'll see what comes next. Possibly one of the Freightman van kits in need of its underframe.