Building a layout and a loco kit clearly isn't enough for me - I've been inspired!
In addition to the London Road Models D17 Kit I submitted previously, I would like to submit another couple of items.
With the demise of Scaleforum 2020, and the
closing date for this
Socially Distanced Challenge described as "
TBC, but likely to be one week or so before the start of the next Society show", I reckon we've got until next April and hopefully Scalefour North 2021 to complete these projects!
I've been thinking about and discussing these for quite some time, but I received deliveries last Friday to kick start these further two projects.
Entry No.2 - Wagons For my layout set in 1938, I need lots of fitted stock, and the predominant fitted opens would have been the 6,000-odd Diagram 92 6-plank opens on wooden sole bars with 10ft wheelbase. The fitted 5-plank opens on steel sole bars with 10ft wheelbase to Diagram 120, as exemplified by the Parkside PC25 kit, would have been brand new and relatively few, but I will have some of those too.
I noticed some time ago that the body sides and ends of the Cambrian C81 kit for 6-plank open wagons were dead ringers against the drawing in Tatlow Volume 4a of the fitted 6-plank open wagons to Diagram 92.
To be more precise, the C81 kit as it comes represents the more than 20,000 Diagram 3 wagons (and possibly the Great Northern predecessor); and there were some 600 of the fitted version to Diagram 4.
ABS / Four Most models used to do white metal kits for these - I have one, but it's not likely I'll be able to get any more!So if I can find some decent wooden sole bars with a 10ft wheelbase and vacuum fitted brake gear to put under the Cambrian C81 bodies, I reckon I can knock together a decent representation of the Diagram 92 wagons ….
A query to the Cambrian Model Rail website
https://www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk/ explaining what I want to do initiated an email dialogue with Graham, who was very helpful, and which culminated in an order for selected sprues from various Cambrian kits.
I also had in stock a couple of the C81 kits (of different ages, as you can tell from the packaging!), and they’re all laid out in the photo below.
IMG_1687.JPG
So I propose to build a batch of four wooden sole bar wagons: -
• Diagram 3 unfitted 9ft wheelbase – the Cambrian C81 kit more or less as it comes;
• Diagram 4 fitted 9ft wheelbase – the Cambrian C81 kit with fitted brake gear;
• Diagram 92 fitted 10t wheelbase – the Cambrian parts with fitted brake gear;
• Diagram 92 fitted 10t wheelbase – the Cambrian parts with fitted brake gear;
In so doing I will ring the changes with wheel selection and suspension solutions, and no doubt lots of other details along the way.
If the moderator is nice enough to set me up with a sub-forum in the On My Workbench section of the forum, I’ll try to keep you all up to date with how it all goes.
Of course, if I’m pleased with the outcome of the Diagram 92 builds, I’ll need to multiply them!