4mm The West Wales and Midlands Union Railway

[Bazzmund]

It's probably about time I started up this project of mine that's been percolating for a few years.

The West Wales & Midlands Union is my take on how a number of speculative ventures in the 1850s onwards could have developed into a cross country Anglo-Welsh route principally based on moving iron ore from the midlands to south wales in a more direct route than the GWR and LNWR routes. The core main line is from Northampton castle street to Cardiff via the Northampton and Banbury Junction route and the speculative Vale of Crickhowell companies, but with a few never-were's making up some of the gaps. The plan is to have a fleet of locos and stock while I wait for the chance to build a layout. Think Madder Valley but with an 80 mile mainline, numerous branches and bogie ore hoppers.

So for my first project I'm using Hornby's old 4 wheel coaches as the basis for the design of 1875 - 1895 passenger stock. I've resurrected an old project which I have posted previously about. I combined two of the 4 wheelers to make a 4 compartment carriage which with the larger dimensions make for a nice 1st or 1st/2nd compo. A fleabay grab has got me another 5 in a horrible paint job which are nicely soaking away in disinfectant to rectify. I've been using 1mm graph paper as a diagram book to note down dimensions and transcribe the designs so I can design different variations. Extreme surgery will be needed to cut down the compartments into a 5 compartment 3rd, but I'm using it as a good excuse to hone my skills on something moderately expendable. I have a plan to recycle the underframes from them into scratch built brake vans for the WW&MU so wastage is reduced as much as possible.

 

[Bazzmund]

I've been having a look at using the older hornby 5 plank wagons as a quick and easy way to build up a fleet of WW&MU opens. A trip to the Ponty and Blaenavon model netted me a couple of test subjects and the first has been fitted with a new Cambrian chassis - a big improvement.

 

[Bazzmund]

Finally finished one of the Taff Vale pattern tippers. The last thing that needed adding was the tie bars between the W irons. I have been dragging my heels on it for no reason other than fear of failure but with a few touch ups it'll be ready for painting.

I've picked the 4 plank back up and it really shows how the buffers on the first one are made from scrap.

 

[Bazzmund]

Sometimes TV time isn't fair. Despite the wifey wanting to watch Lincoln v Sunderland, Swansea v Barnsley and Saint Helens v Catalan Dragons as well as me I HAD TO WATCH EUROVISION. Luckily she finds my sarcastic commentary that quickly devolves into foul mouthed abuse amusing. To pass the time I carried on working on the tiny tippers.

I've actually shaped (badly) the hinges for the end doors and shaped the end strapping out of plasticard to get the correct profile for them. Is it finescale? Nope. Was it worth it though? Well it looks correct-ish.

I love the different designs of strapping these little tubs had. The most basic I've seen is my newest one with just the vertical strapping, though I have seen some with vertical and diagonal strapping with small side doors. I'm considering doing a few once I've got the doorless build perfected.

 

[Bazzmund]

A little more work on the 4 plank - added springs, end stanchions and started detailing. These were fitted with 5 link couplings so I've remained as faithful as possible. It helps when your wife has old jewellery chain from her teens that is no longer wanted.