4mm Jan's 4mm WB: Hello, Old Friend

[Lyndhurstman]

Another Empire Backfire
How many turns can one man make?

I think this is Take 4 for the Mica underpinnings. The GWR axleboxes that came with the build would not sit right, and so I’ve gone with a complete sea change; a pathway to the Morton version, with MJT RCH/GWR compensation units and spring castings. I’ve used some Evergreen tube to hold the non-compensating unit in place, opening out the holes in the units to suit, and dropping PlasticWeld down the hole to mate it with the floor. Once the glue has hardened. this becomes the datum for the other. The Morton underpinnings are ABS. A bit on the massive side, but it looks the part, and also adds to the weight!

It came with - what I have since found out via The Clearing House on Facebook - is a Dean Churchward cylinder. And was hung upside down, and worked by moving the cylinder, rather than the piston. This will be changed for a true Morton version from the ABS kit.

I have some 6 rib buffers from LMS to fit.
Cheers

Jan

 

[Pete_S]

16 ft long, yes. But 10 ft wheelbase and 3’ 1 1/2” 8 spoke wheels originally, with GWR OK axleboxes.

The Hornby/Wrenn version needs two cuts per side either side of the doors to produce an accurate model. As linked to previously on WT (Dave's Model Railway Plans and Articles) the January 1929 issue of Model Railway News has a useful article on Micas.

Found this photo on Ebay of X.1 47971 (c.1890) looking rather ex-Works in grey:

Railway Photo 6x4 GWR MICA Van 6 Ton No 47971 unknown location c1930's | eBay

Photograph Notes: Part of a collection of GWR wagons and coaches from the 1930's currently being listed.

www.ebay.co.uk

10ft WB, Mansell wheels, Dean Dustbin vac cylinder. Exam date on chassis... 1931?

(See also Russell Wagons Appendix Fig 208:— X.1 47967 dated 1941)

Pete S.

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Found this photo on Ebay of X.1 47971 (c.1890) looking rather ex-Works in grey:

Railway Photo 6x4 GWR MICA Van 6 Ton No 47971 unknown location c1930's | eBay

Photograph Notes: Part of a collection of GWR wagons and coaches from the 1930's currently being listed.

www.ebay.co.uk

10ft WB, Mansell wheels, Dean Dustbin vac cylinder. Exam date on chassis... 1931?

(See also Russell Wagons Appendix Fig 208:— X.1 47967 dated 1941)

Pete S.

Hi @Pete_S
Thanks for this. Intriguing. Especially when compared with its neighbour (which may be Morton).. A late date, for sure. I don't have the Russell book. GWR isn't supposed to be my thing I'll look out for it though.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Split Shift
I’ve been making space in the Lanarkshire Model Supplies (CH04) coupling hook for the Smiths (LP8) Screw Coupling.

Step 1 is to drill out the dimple in the hook to 0.8mm (the Smiths loop is 0.6mm wide.).

Step 2 is open the top with a broken fretsaw blade (I have several ).


Step 3 is to press the horizontal end of the loop down into the gap, using the end of a small screwdriver, or some such. As the blade is narrower than the drill, there’s a nice moment of freedom as it moves past the restriction into the prepared hole. It’s a two-handed job, so no piccies, I’m afraid

Step 4 is closing up (not totally) the cut. I use a toffee hammer, and a small punch. This is the end result:

As a byproduct, Stores are amassing a collection of unused springs, split pins, and hooks!

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Not The Raining, Champion

It’s a tie, Rod. Stupid Me had forgotten these pesky things. I really should have catered for them back when I was setting out the chassis, but hey ho… The GWR used round section on these, it appears. So I’ve squeezed the ends of some brass wire in my machine vice (realising as I did so how weak I am these days!) flattening the ends enough to get them into the backs of the W irons, where they’re held in place with Gorilla superglue (of which I’m a fan)

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Lamp Pray
I'm a sucker for a fish-based pun. I think I'm part Finnish.
End (and Side) PHDesigns lamp irons (linketylink thing). A bit protuberant (Positive potato tirade?) if I’m honest, but they’re there, now. Until I clout them off, probably. I should have numbered* the van before doing this. Like Little Ern, I’m Wise after the event. The roof is still to be fixed; I need to drill holes for the vent and the chimney. And fit the side lamps to the roof/side line above the central handrail..


*does anyone know if these were black panelled numbers under BR? David Ford has a grainy image of one on RMWeb and I think the number is just applied directly to the body colour.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Red White Letter Day
It’s always good to finish something, and way too much of my stuff is Work In Progress… I guess we all have side roads and dead ends lurking in our environs? I hope so!

This GNR van has bedevilled me for many a Sparrows Moon. Over half a decade of lurking at the back of the Works, seemingly flat-packed for an eternity, having battled hard - sometimes triumphantly - against its own reconstruction. But today, I win!

The last knockings were the lettering and numbering. A real hotchpotch of hieroglyphics. The XP came from Modelmaster; the Railtec one was too chubby. The numbering is individually applied 2mm from Railtec with 1mm for the 8T, and 3mm for the ‘E’. The number is a supposition, based on one in Tatlow’s single volume on LNER wagons. The Tare weight comes from a CCT sheet. The buffer housings are GNR pattern, CAD and printed for me by Tad at Diagram3D. And the couplings were from Roxey Mouldings.

We aren’t sure how it (or the brake van behind it) got down to the quayside; the sharp curve of the point accessing the quay edge is limited to 9ft WB vehicles. It was probably our lot; the Main Line boys wouldn’t risk a Form 1..

Cheers

Jan

 

[matto21]

The last knockings were the lettering and numbering. A real hotchpotch of hieroglyphics. The XP came from Modelmaster; the Railtec one was too chubby.

Very nice van, er....Jan!

Fully agree about the Railtec XP's - they're way too big in my opinion.

Matt

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Very nice van, er....Jan!

Fully agree about the Railtec XP's - they're way too big in my opinion.

Matt

Thanks Matt
Yes… they’re strangely chubby, I think; they wouldn’t fit on the vertical planking, and splitting the X and P to separate planks looked odd to me. Sad, because I’ve got quite a lot of them!

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Operation Voldemort Scrape-Away*
The next in line for the rebirthing treatment; an ex-GNR 19’ 10T Open (10 ft WB).

It probably should be converted to vacuum (under the 1955 Modernisation Plan edict) but will probably stay 2 shoe Morton (Unfitted) and be on the Wharf for prospective buyers to view…

It will (hopefully) be less troublesome than the MICA. I have some GNR buffer housings from Tad at Diagram3D.

You can see the problem with burring in the image below. This is all sides and ends, inside and out. And the floor. Needless to say, the recent scraper purchase is doing sterling work... That headstock might need to go, too...



Cheers

Jan

*Your Ears Will Thank You

 

[timbowales]

Jan, given the amount of work required to "refurbish" this wagon wouldn't it be more efficient to start a new body?
Just saying

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Jan, given the amount of work required to "refurbish" this wagon wouldn't it be more efficient to start a new body?
Just saying

Hi Tim
Probably, but one of the things I like to do is to it acknowledge the efforts of those who may no longer be around.
Another thing I try to do is recycle. As much as I can. I do itch when I see the amount of plastic that goes unsold on Ebay (or lurks in my Spares box(es)). It also mean I'm kept away (mostly) from sharp edges

I lurk on eBay for part-built and broken wagons to cure this weirdness. It leads to a reasonably eclectic mix for Watkins Wharf (strangely, it's mostly GNR/GWR at the moment) but I don't mind that. It's not like I'm keen to live in the real world

Cheers

Jan

 

[Herb Garden]

Operation Voldemort Scrape-Away*
The next in line for the rebirthing treatment; an ex-GNR 19’ 10T Open (10 ft WB).
View attachment 220672
It probably should be converted to vacuum (under the 1955 Modernisation Plan edict) but will probably stay 2 shoe Morton (Unfitted) and be on the Wharf for prospective buyers to view…

It will (hopefully) be less troublesome than the MICA. I have some GNR buffer housings from Tad at Diagram3D.

You can see the problem with burring in the image below. This is all sides and ends, inside and out. And the floor. Needless to say, the recent scraper purchase is doing sterling work... That headstock might need to go, too...

View attachment 220673

Cheers

Jan

*Your Ears Will Thank You

Jan,

What was the source of this particular vehicle?

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Jan,

What was the source of this particular vehicle?

Hello @Herb Garden
I bought it from eBay back in May. It came in a lot of three, along with the MICA and an LMS outside framed van. They’re all scratchbuilds. Some scratches are very deep

Cheers

Jan

 

[Herb Garden]

They’re all scratchbuilds. Some scratches are very deep

Scratch builds or scratched builds?

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Scratch builds or scratched builds?

Maybe they were intended as OO Gouge

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Ironically
A tricksy tweek of transfer and tiredness has resulted in a somewhat less-than rendition of the GWR N13 Loco Coal wagon. I’ve used Railtec again, and - barring my issues with the XP branding being too chubby - cannot speak highly enough of Steve’s products. My only quibble is that there’s only a few 10T decals, so I scalpelled a couple off a PO sheet (code: 4mm-6306). Numbering came via reference to the build table in Atkins et al. Don’t look too closely… especially at the door bangers, which are totally non-standard, but were attached with polystyrene cement, making their removal potentially terminal…


Cheers

Jan

 

[2996 Victor]

Ironically
A tricksy tweek of transfer and tiredness has resulted in a somewhat less-than rendition of the GWR N13 Loco Coal wagon. I’ve used Railtec again, and - barring my issues with the XP branding being too chubby - cannot speak highly enough of Steve’s products. My only quibble is that there’s only a few 10T decals, so I scalpelled a couple off a PO sheet (code: 4mm-6306). Numbering came via reference to the build table in Atkins et al. Don’t look too closely… especially at the door bangers, which are totally non-standard, but were attached with polystyrene cement, making their removal potentially terminal…
View attachment 221346

Cheers

Jan

Looks good to me! I've never considered one of these in BR colours (I don't know why!) but it certainly adds a different twist to the usual GWR livery.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Looks good to me! I've never considered one of these in BR colours (I don't know why!) but it certainly adds a different twist to the usual GWR livery.

Cheers,
Mark

@2996 Victor
Hello Mark
Tank you. That's very kind. There's a fair plethora of greyed iron (and steel, of course) in Larkin's "Acquired Wagons.." (Volume 2). I've based the panel on an N19 (rounded corners like this N13, but DCIII brakes) in that book. Now I've checked Atkins again, the number may well be wrong, but the GWR seemed to be a tad haphazard in their approach to sequencing, so I'm going to live with it.

Cheers

Jan

 

[2996 Victor]

@2996 Victor
Hello Mark
Tank you. That's very kind. There's a fair plethora of greyed iron (and steel, of course) in Larkin's "Acquired Wagons.." (Volume 2). I've based the panel on an N19 (rounded corners like this N13, but DCIII brakes) in that book. Now I've checked Atkins again, the number may well be wrong, but the GWR seemed to be a tad haphazard in their approach to sequencing, so I'm going to live with it.

Cheers

Jan

I think the GW allocated numbers both as blocks of new numbers and also as odds and sods taking up numbers of withdrawn wagons. I strongly suspect that I'll be seeking out that book sometime soon.....