Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:31 pm

One down, eight to go...

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Dec 09, 2021 4:38 pm

I went nuts with the piercing saw last night:

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The test of the wagon I've already converted didn't go well albeit it was not unexpected, the flanges of the new wheels occasionally touch the brakes so the brakes will need to come off and be refitted in a wider position.

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Dec 10, 2021 12:46 pm

The first two wagons are up and running, just waiting for some wheels for the rest...


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Triode
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Triode » Fri Dec 10, 2021 4:25 pm

Looking good John :thumb

Did you manage to reposition the brakes?

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Dec 10, 2021 4:49 pm

Triode wrote:Looking good John :thumb

Did you manage to reposition the brakes?


Thanks.

For now, I've just cut them off. They had a tie bar between them which would also need to be lengthened so I'll save them for when I'm in the mood for soldering small things :mrgreen:

To be honest, from the usual viewing height of the layout, you can't really tell that they aren't there...
Last edited by John Donnelly on Mon Dec 13, 2021 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Allan Goodwillie
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Allan Goodwillie » Mon Dec 13, 2021 7:18 pm

Very nice John, :D yes very nice indeed.

I have been following quite a lot on the forum and observing progress with quite a few things of yours and others, all very inspiring, seeing your progress is making me put a bit more effort in to my own efforts. Getting a few things done after a bit of a break. I will post some progress soon on a number of items I have been building. Happy Christmas when it comes.

Allan Goodwillie :thumb

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Dec 16, 2021 1:41 pm

Thanks Allan,

Just waiting arrival of some wheels from the stores and the rake will be complete.

Looking forwards to seeing what you are up to and a Happy Christmas to you too.

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Mon Dec 27, 2021 9:50 pm

The conversion of the iron ore train is now complete:

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Allan Goodwillie
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Allan Goodwillie » Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:22 am

Now that is just lovely John! :)

It must be nice to have the sort of space you have for the layout. I have not had that since I had the Melrose Model Railway Museum back in the 1980's.
This view is reminding me to get back to rebuilding Grayrigg in the new year - my main resolution is to get it back up and running, hopefully by Easter.
I note in the background a rather nice 2-10-0 - reminds me of my spotting days in the NE region on the iron ore trains. Really exciting to see one of these trains slogging away, this is bringing back lots of memories of one of my favourite railways.

Allan :)

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Tue Dec 28, 2021 12:48 pm

Thanks Allan.

We are very fortunate in having the space and have just agreed a further 3 year lease as well so the future is looking bright.

Yes, that is a 9F in the background in the fiddle yard of the EM gauge version of South Pelaw, one of, I think 5 on the layout. I do have plans for my own and have a Bradwell chassis at the ready...

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Allan Goodwillie
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Allan Goodwillie » Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:45 pm

Hi John, :)

I don't have one for Grayrigg yet, but may manage it in a couple of years if I am still able - minimum radius 38 inches! Everything is built to get around the corners. I do have a Britannia under way so hope to have that running this year amongst other engines. Dave and I also have diesels including class 40's and 10000 and 10001.

Making trees for the other layout tonight.
Allan

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Triode
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Triode » Wed Dec 29, 2021 12:33 pm

Great stuff John. The wagons look perfectly at home behind the mucky green 24s :mrgreen:

I've also got some of those Accurascale ore tipplers which will need the Consett treatment at some point.

Cheers,

Liam

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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Dec 29, 2021 4:56 pm

Cheers Liam.

Yes, need to source some correct decals for the PTAs...

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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Mar 24, 2022 4:51 pm

The workbench (for which read kitchen table) is a 21T hopper fest at the minute, 2 Hornby, 1 Dapol and the rest Parkside at various stages of work:

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Only 100 or so more needed for the layout although I'm hoping, given the other coal wagons they've done, that Accurascale may come along with some of the variants...

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Neil Smith
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Neil Smith » Fri Mar 25, 2022 11:35 am

John

I do like your alternative to lead for weighting....!!! Adds value to the wagons too?!

All the best

Neil

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Mar 25, 2022 1:24 pm

Neil Smith wrote:John

I do like your alternative to lead for weighting....!!! Adds value to the wagons too?!

All the best

Neil


Thanks Neil, I've found using money is cheaper than using it to buy weights...

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ChrisMitchell
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby ChrisMitchell » Fri Mar 25, 2022 4:10 pm

I seem to recall using coins as weights was mentioned in the letters page in MRJ a few years back. I’ve found the idea very handy, helping to reduce the collection of 1p and 2p coins I have stashed away in a jar.

Chris

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Mar 25, 2022 4:17 pm

ChrisMitchell wrote:I seem to recall using coins as weights was mentioned in the letters page in MRJ a few years back. I’ve found the idea very handy, helping to reduce the collection of 1p and 2p coins I have stashed away in a jar.

Chris


That's where mine come from although I may have to make a few hundred wagons to make a dent in the collection :D

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Mar 25, 2022 4:34 pm

A couple of years ago KR Models announced their intention to do a ready to run model of the Consett Iron Ore Hoppers. As I already had the full Bradwell rake that I've already converted to P4 in this thread and more than enough Dave Alexander kits to make up another rake along with my concern over some of the incorrect details on the engineering prototypes, I decided not to order any even though I can certainly use them.

While browsing eBay on Monday I came across a full set of 9 of the KR Models wagons being sold at 25% off the RRP so I found myself reaching for my credit card. The wagons arrived to today and, whilst they are not perfect (I've counted at least 7 small issues) I have to be honest and say that they are really rather nice, especially for the price, and you'd have to have a fairly intimate knowledge of the prototype wagons to spot all the issues.

A wheel swap, coupling swap, a couple of tweaks and some weathering and they'll be good to go and that will be another train sorted out...

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Last edited by John Donnelly on Tue May 31, 2022 9:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Triode
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Triode » Sun Mar 27, 2022 7:43 pm

At this point you must have almost as many Consett hoppers as the total fleet of prototypes!

The KR models do look pretty good. I'd be interested to know the full list of issues you've identified.

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Mar 27, 2022 8:33 pm

Triode wrote:At this point you must have almost as many Consett hoppers as the total fleet of prototypes!

The KR models do look pretty good. I'd be interested to know the full list of issues you've identified.


I think, including the unbuilt Alexander kits I do have the same as BR built!

Before I get on to the issues, I'll start by saying that I compared these to my Bradwell's yesterday and they do compare very well if not, as I've said before a bit 'chunkier'. Dimensionally, they are a spot on match and, as for the issues, as I'm mentioned for some of them you need to know the prototype really rather well...

Starting with the ends:

1. Only two air/vacuum pipes have been modelled and there should be three.
2. Red circles - two holes which shouldn't be there at all.
3. Green circle - the vertical 'handrail' that the levers pass through is moulded solid and is not attached to the body at all.
4. Yellow circle - I'll be honest, I hadn't picked this on up until I looked at a prototype photo but the operating arms are pointing in the wrong direction, the should be pointing top right to bottom left.

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1. Red circles - more holes that shouldn't be there at all.

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1. Red Circles - the operating arms are moulded solid but they should be moulded with a gap down the centre.
2. Red Circles - the slots the arms come through were different heights on each side of the wagon. They are moulded the same size on both sides.
3. Red Circles - the attachment points of the arms to the doors are a bit crude.

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1. The way the body is moulded has left gaps along the bottom of all the doors - not an issue if a fit a load bit noticeable without.
2. Some, but not all of the 9 wagons I got, bulge in the centre of the sides as they the centre hopper divider has been pushed in too hard. Having said that, these wagons took such a battering during their lives, this may well be prototypical.
3. There should also be a small handrail on the sloping section of the centre divider.

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Again, as the list above likely shows, you need to know the prototype really well to spot the issues almost all of which can be overcome with a few minutes work and, once re-wheeled and weathered, from 3 feet away in moving train, you'd be very hard pushed to tell them apart from the Bradwell or Alexander versions.

I showed them to some friends who also know the real things very well and for an RTR offering at a reasonable price, they all agreed that they are a very nice model...

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Triode
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby Triode » Sun Mar 27, 2022 9:19 pm

Thanks John.

As you say, most of them are very minor issues and fixable. The size of the door actuating arm slots being the same on both sides seems like it would be the most annoying to fix.

Did they get the V hangers on the correct side of the solebars? I remember this was one of the first issues people pointed out at pre-production, but they may have fixed it since.

Cheers,

Liam

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Mar 27, 2022 9:34 pm

Triode wrote:As you say, most of them are very minor issues and fixable. The size of the door actuating arm slots being the same on both sides seems like it would be the most annoying to fix.


Likely the one thing I won't bother doing anything with. I'd need to do some measuring to be certain but it looks like the moulded slots match with the larger ones on the prototype so a strip of styrene may be enough to reduce the height.

Triode wrote:Did they get the V hangers on the correct side of the solebars? I remember this was one of the first issues people pointed out at pre-production, but they may have fixed it since.


I've just had a look at the V hangers are set about .5mm behind the face of the solebar and, effectively, come out of the bottom of the solebar. Putting one alongside an Alexander version with an all etched under frame it is very difficult to tell, once again the detail is lacking the finesse of the etching but it is still very well done.

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John Donnelly
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Re: Wagons for South Pelaw Junction

Postby John Donnelly » Mon Oct 31, 2022 10:30 pm

I've started work on some refinements to the iron ore wagons. As I've said before, after my original scepticism when the original EP was shown, ultimately I was rather impressed with the final result but that's not to say that the wagons won't benefit from a little extra work. I've decided that, for the most part, I can live with the small issues I've noted before. Having placed the wagon below on my layout alongside the Bradwell and Alexander versions, it is very difficult, from a couple of feet away to tell which is which.

First up are the manual door release handles at the end which, on the real thing, passed through a wire loop but this is moulded solid on the models as shown below:

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As it happens, that vertical part of the moulding has holes in the ends that it fits in to so, once removed from the wagon, there are two holes in exactly the right spot for the replacement wire. The vertical section was cut off the handle, the handle glued back on and a wire loop added as below (looking at some more close up photos tonight, I've discovered that this wasn't round but was made up of a flat strip so I'll likely remove the wire and replace accordingly). I've also rubbed down the buffer heads as they have a quite prominent horizontal seam running across them.

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For some reason, the models have holes in the curved tops of the end boxes and a number of holes on the insides of the wagon sides, none of which existed on the real thing so it was out with the filler (the white dots in the photo below). I've also, using TCut, removed the branding on the doors as, by the 70s all of that had gone on the real wagons.

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Tamiya XF68 Nato Brown is an almost perfect match for the original colour although, having painted the underframe, I have dusted it all over the wagon. A couple of touch ups to do and then any slight differences in shade will disappear under the weathering.

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Next up is weathering the interior of the wagon based on the only one colour photo I have of the interior of the real thing. All weathering is with pastels and follows the quite distinctive pattern of weathering seen on the real thing.

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