Liver & Fry's workbench

[Liver & Fry]

One side lettered:



I'm still to decide on, and apply, a running number. The most commonly referenced vehicle is 31279, owing to it being the focus of an official photograph, but Coates refers to wagons being known to fall in a range between 31279 and 31320, with 31314 directly referenced also; considering there were 75 vans in the first batch, one can only ever imagine which side of that range the other 34 vehicles occupied. I'm likely to pick a lower number in that range, but I may yet avoid 31279 because that seems the obvious choice and I imagine it's been done to death!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

The other side has been lettered and both sides have received a number - 31280



I've also fitted the handrails, although these will need painting tomorrow when my eyes feel less strained than they do now!

My understanding is that L&Y vans would usually carry the number on the ends, however, the end stanchions on the Dia.64 seem to be too close together to fit a five-digit number between using the standard font and so I shall omit this feature (I've yet to see a photo of the end of one of these in L&Y days to confirm or deny anyway).

- James

 

[Tim Birch]

Although it is a Picric acid van rather than butter (nowhere near as nice on toast!), this photo does show a suitable location for end numbering. Also, look at the brake lever and guide. It doesn't just happen on models. (Photo cty Noel Coates' collection).

 

[Liver & Fry]

Although it is a Picric acid van rather than butter (nowhere near as nice on toast!), this photo does show a suitable location for end numbering. Also, look at the brake lever and guide. It doesn't just happen on models. (Photo cty Noel Coates' collection).View attachment 240444

I never thought to look back through the book at these but that is a very handy photo! Thank you!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

With thanks to @Tim Birch for the inspiration, I've now added numbers to the end of the Butter Van:



The handrails have also been painted, marking this project as complete!

It's getting rather colourful over here...



- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Well, as the past few projects have been a rather colourful affair, it's time for something dark and drab. How about all over black? Oh go on then...

For a while, Three Peaks Models teased the idea of producing an L&Y 'Tin Tab' brake van (Dia.21). Earlier this year this finally came to fruition and I jumped on the pre-order list as soon as I caught wind of the project being green lit.

383 of these distinctive iron bodied brake vans were built with slight detail variations between 1890 and 1901. The model produced from this kit represents the 204 examples built between 1882 and 1897.

I say kit, it's a 3D print one piece body, with a floor section and some aesthetic detailing components (spring/axlebox combo, buffers and glazing).

This is the body:



It's a neat print, with very little flash or need for cleaning up.

One immediate issue that I am aware of is how narrow the underframe is between the solebars. These will need filing out inside if I'm to get some MJT W-irons in, but that's a problem for future me!



For the most part I'm quite pleased and hopefully this will be a quick and simple build to help me reset.

(There, I've said it now. Settle in for 15 posts of "and then this problem arose"!)

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Todays focus was elsewhere (including planting 80 onions out on the veg plot). However, I have found time to file out the solebars with a dremel and give a base coat of black.



The logic? I have to fit the glazing in before the floor gets fitted, but I want the body painted before the glazing goes in (at least as a base coat, so I don't have to paint up to the window edge after the glazing is fitted).

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

A thought and some feelers on a relevant group led to an interesting revelation today - The suggestion that the interiors of brakevans were painted a "light green". I've taken this to likely be a similar green to that used on the fish van. Whilst I'm not looking to model a full interior, my thinking was its worth giving the inside a coat of paint so that it gives a slightly more realistic affect than bare plastic.

With that, I've painted the inside of the brakevan tonight:



- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Progress, progress, progress...

Since last time I've fitted the glazing, built a frame for some weight on the inside of the floor, fitted said floor, fitted the w-irons, fitted bufferbeam detailing (buffers and drawhooks) and painted the roof:





It's getting there! I've been sifting through my box of bits for suitable brake components and think I've got what I need already. The springs and axlebox covers are supplied as a one piece component and I've got wheels too.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

I always find myself remembering why I hate brake rigging. Seems no matter how many wagons I build, I still make mistakes regarding orientation despite double and triple checking myself!

Nonetheless, after a few surgical tweaks to factor correct orientation, I've managed to successfully fit brake shoes and a rudimentary hand brake lever underneath the Tin Tab:



I've also fitted a sandpipe at opposing corners, as per the drawings in Coates:



Axlebox covers and springs next...

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

The axlebox covers and springs have now been fitted, followed by a coat of black for the underframe and bufferbeams:



- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Forgot to post this the other night, but the lettering has now been applied:



I went for Wigan due to the mix of companies stock I plan to run in my "North Western" goods.

Just need to fit the handrails (into the pre-set holes - bonus points to TPM for that!) and touch up the roof edges and then that's done!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

And that's another one done!



All in all quite a satisfying build. The kit is well designed and, with some mild fettling, produces a nice model!

I do feel I need a break from L&Y wagons for a bit, so the next project is likely to be something closer to home...

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

In the last post I said I needed a break (from L&Y wagons...) but what I meant was I need a brake...

A brake van for my GE wagons!

Yes, moving much closer to home, I've decided to finally crack on with a pair of GE Dia.1 brake van kits by Pre-Grouping Railways. I actually got these a couple of years ago as a Christmas present and I've been meaning to get around to them. I nearly did after building all those opens at the end of last year, but then I got side tracked by pretty colours and built some L&Y stock instead... However, as I've just finished building a brake van, now seems the perfect time to segue back to these.

Here is an overview of the main components provided:



Footboards are also provided, along with card for making up the roofs.

The bodies need a little bit of tidying. On one end of both examples, theres a bit of flash and inconsistency in printing (one van has a gap between planks where its run too thin) along with some warping of the end roof frame arches, to the point I may cut the offending ends out and try and remodel them myself.

Aside from this, the bodies look like the prototype they're meant to represent. I've gone for one of each, insofar as these were built with both 9ft and 10ft 6in wheelbases.

The idea will be to batch build the pair, as I've done with previous matching wagons (e.g the Highland loco coal wagons).

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Spent the evening tidying up the Dia.1 bodies and found a way to resolve the warped end frames:



Found some L shaped channel that I cut to length and bent to sit over the area in question. Once the roof goes on and painting is done, the extra layer won't be noticeable and the shape will be correct.

The photo also shows the (tiny) hole in the end of this particular van.

I won't get any modelling time for a few days now, but I'm hoping to get back to the workbench either Sunday evening or next week, and during the latter I shall be cracking the soldering iron out to make up the w-irons.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

As a random side note, I also did some detailing on a Bachmann J11 recently, culminating in a real coal load a fireman's tools going on the tender:



The timing of this small detail job is very much intentional given the arrival of Bachmann's M&GN (ex-LNWR) coaches (J11's having found their way onto the system in the late 30s).

Normal pre-grouping service will be resumed shortly!

- James

 

[Mullie]

This is my take on the GE brake van kit, still some way to go to finish. I replaced the supplied foot boards with some knocked up from scrap etch and added a brake wheel as per the GE Society drawing and photo in Tatlow. I want to paint the ends before adding the roof so I can still get to them easily. This is EM Gauge.



This has been sat on the bench for far too long, still need to make up some lamp irons. Having this on my layout is very tentative as by my period only one was left at Stratford, but whose to say one didn't get lost up a branch in deepest East Anglia.

 

[Liver & Fry]

This is my take on the GE brake van kit, still some way to go to finish. I replaced the supplied foot boards with some knocked up from scrap etch and added a brake wheel as per the GE Society drawing and photo in Tatlow. I want to paint the ends before adding the roof so I can still get to them easily. This is EM Gauge.

View attachment 241791

This has been sat on the bench for far too long, still need to make up some lamp irons. Having this on my layout is very tentative as by my period only one was left at Stratford, but whose to say one didn't get lost up a branch in deepest East Anglia.

And very nice it is too!

I've been thinking I'll do the same r.e footboards. Good shout on painting the ends first too!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Short verbal update as forgot to take photos (and I'm not near the bench currently) but I've added weight inside the body of each van and taken the time to sort through (and wrap my head around) the brake gear and w-iron etches. The soldering iron will therefore be coming out soon and then I can push on!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

The soldering iron came out on one of the hottest days we've had in a while, but having melted myself in the garden yesterday, i figured this was the better option on my to-do list!



These ones were quite fun insofar as they have provision for clasp brake hangers (which operated on the outside end of each axle).

They will no doubt end up on the vans very soon. I have however just realised I need to order some more wheelsets...

- James