More wagons.

[Craig Warton]

Over the last month or two I have become rather frustrated by my tendency of flitting around from thing to thing and never actually finishing things. I am sure I am not the only one who has been guilty of this but I finally reached the point of sitting down and sticking to the one thing for a while. In my cupboard were a few partly built wagon kits and lots more that were unassembled. After considering things I decided to concentrate on building some private owner wagons. My period of interest is around 1923-1924 and I am fascinated by the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton railway. Looking through the Wild Swan book on this line I purchased a few POWSIDES wagons for traders and finding that one of them purchased from the Forest of Dean region prompted a few other purchases.

Most are 6 or 7 plank RCH Slaters kits and are fitted with Bill Bedford 1907 RCH irons and Ultrascale wheels. Brakegear is by Masokits and Bill Bedford. The interiors have had planking scribed and rudimentary ironwork fitted. The sole bars have been filed down and then sanded on emery paper until the remains of the W-irons fall out. Buffers are not sprung because room is tight and I am not going to bog myself down and procrastinate further while worrying about a solution. Couplings and hooks are by Exactoscale.

That is about it really. 3 wagons complete except for painting, two more on wheels and one just about to be wheeled. Then another 3 to finish up on. Hardly lightning speed, but I am really enjoying myself and actually sticking at it.

I found a 6' baseboard up in the roof space so i am now contemplating something that fits into the criteria of the challenge. Rob M, your layout is lovely.

Regards from Australia,

Craig W

[John Fitton]

Craig,

Very nice models if I may say. Regarding your comment about focusing on one item at a time: I live in Canada, and my modelling comes to a fairly abrupt halt in May with hot weather, but I can usually drop the clutch in September and get going where I left off, without too much trouble. So how was the Australian winter where you are? A dose of cold wet windy weather is always good to get us around the modelling bench I find!

John

[Knuckles]

I've been thinking of using brass brake gear instead of the plastic supplied in most kits for a while. Seeing how nice you've done those is the kick I think I need, so much crisper. Knowing which designs to buy for which wagon however may be a small hurdle.

Thanks for posting them.

[Guy Rixon]

I've been thinking of using brass brake gear instead of the plastic supplied in most kits.

Definitely worth the extra work, IMHO; most satisfying.

If you don't want to go to etched hangers and push rods, you can get a nice boost in appearance just by fitting an etched V-hanger, lever and brake-lever rack to the moulded shoes, hangers and push-rods. Wizard do a useful range of these bits, with some notes to applicability: http://www.wizardmodels.co.uk/FrameSetShop.php?DM=wizabout

Bill, via Eileen's, does MR levers and Vs and some GWR brake bits.

[Craig Warton]

Knuckles,

Bill Bedford, as Guy notes, does a wide range of brake gear. He does 9 & 10' RCH sets and these are what I used. The main brake gear folds up rather than pins together like the Masokits stuff. I do like the Masokits bits, but some people find them very frustrating. The BB ones certainly get things done quicker although parts of the etching are not as crisp as the Masokits. The other down side with the BB things is the instructions. I understand that things should be intuitive to build so you do not need a bit of paper. I just find that reality varies at times.

I noticed you dremel damage repairs. Get a piece of wet and dry and sand the sole bar down by rubbing it in a circular motion on the paper - far more controllable and less likely to lead to dremel damage!

Regards,

Craig

[Knuckles]

Many thanks you two.

If Masokits use pins does that mean they would be the best option to make working brake gear? I know that is an extreem proposition but after seeing Ted Scannel's example on Clag I rather fancy a go, just for kicks. I have a fair idea how to go about it.

And the mini drill episode. I know. has worked every time, just not this time.

[Craig Warton]

Masokits is designed to be held together with pins, the instructions suggest Duchess pins - I have some 0.45mm ones. You could make them working, or at the very least the lever would not be too challenging. I look forward to seeing this Knuckles, will you have a photo of a beer or sandwich at the end of the post?

John, our winter is not like yours at all! I originally had my modelling chaos set up in a spare bedroom - vacated after my daughter moved out. Since that happened, our daughter has moved out - and back again! In addition, one of her friends was in a bit of a bind when her parents separated and she now lives with us too. The end result of this is that I have been exiled to the garage, which is a double garage on the lower level of our split level house. The garage is not lined and 5 or 6 degrees at night is cold enough that it makes things a bit uncomfortable. I can imagine everyone laughing at that.

Anyway, the good thing is that I am very motivated at the moment and making good progress!

Regards,

Craig

[DougN]

Craig I am surprised that your garage gets that cold at night. Mine here in Melbourne.... Don't like the weather? It'll change....gets cold but I think it is always about 5 to 8 degrees warmer than out side in winter... About the same cooler in summer if the door remains shut. Then again I am strange in I keep cars in my garage

[Craig Warton]

Craig I am surprised that your garage gets that cold at night. Mine here in Melbourne.... Don't like the weather? It'll change....gets cold but I think it is always about 5 to 8 degrees warmer than out side in winter... About the same cooler in summer if the door remains shut. Then again I am strange in I keep cars in my garage

Doug, our house is an early 1970s build and the garage is not insulated - and also has the vents in the outside walls. Thus, temperature inside is not that much different to outside! I have covered them over now that the garage is my man cave. Cars in the garage? Cars are made of metal for a reason Doug!

Regards,

Craig

[John Fitton]

My railway is in the basement, and although the temperature is delightfully stable, the body adapts somewhat to the outside variations of plus or minus 30C, and being in the basement in summer feels cool, but this is just an illusion. Now fully engaged in expanding my railway vertically and actually contemplating scenery

[Knuckles]

Masokits is designed to be held together with pins, the instructions suggest Duchess pins - I have some 0.45mm ones. You could make them working, or at the very least the lever would not be too challenging. I look forward to seeing this Knuckles, will you have a photo of a beer or sandwich at the end of the post?

Quite possibly! No promises though.

Please could you point me in the right direction for the pins and Masokits and I'll get some. Due to my knowledge lack I'm unsure what kits to get but the types seen in the pictures above are what I'm looking at, the 'common' types, the ones that are in accordance with most of my wagon builds so far. Apologies for not knowing my smoke-box from my bunker. I've heard Eileen's Emporium lace pins are popular for valve gear too so might get those if they are not to wide a diameter.

[grovenor-2685]

http://www.scalefour.org/masokits/index.html

Regards
Keith

[Knuckles]

Thanks Keith. I knew about the catalog, but by right direction I was on about design recomendations. I don't like asking these questions because I know it makes me appear thicker than a turnout timber....but I don't know what is best to buy. It's like when I'm buying bits to build loco's, often I waste money on things buying what I don't need due to a confusion of ignorance, I after much thinking make guesses but sometimes get it wrong. I look forward to the day I can ditch my high chair and handle the utensil myself.

I don't need an answer yet anyway, closer the time I'll review the choices.

[DougN]

Craig you are right cars are made of metal....my house dates about 1967 I extended it together the dishwasher in the kitchen along with I got a double garage, a new kitchen, another bathroom, new master bed etc. but I managed to get a space in the house for the railway. But the garage is lined in plaster board so the temperature changes are restricted. I could puta railway in there but it is dusty ( I did ask fora burnished slab but I didn't get it... GRRR not happy) the other issue is the door is not fully sealed when closed. I have thought of a way to fix this!

[Knuckles]

Most cars are made from metal.

The wings of my car are plastic or sonething.

Then there is the Reliant Robin / Plastic Pig. Or fibreglass.

[Paul Willis]

Most cars are made from metal.

The wings of my car are plastic or sonething.

Then there is the Reliant Robin / Plastic Pig. Or fibreglass.

<cough> TVR...

Flymo

[Will L]

.. But the garage is ... dusty ( I did ask fora burnished slab but I didn't get it... GRRR not happy)

Seal the floor with a coat of PVA let down with water. Works a treat.

Will

[jayell]

<cough> TVR...

DSC_9585 (Large).JPG

Flymo

Which is worth the most, car or number plate?

John

[nigelcliffe]

<cough> TVR...

DSC_9585 (Large).JPG

Flymo

Which is worth the most, car or number plate?

John

Depends whether the TVR still has the unopened tube of Araldite in the glovebox....


- Nigel

[DougN]

Will I have access to some tougher products than PVA I think grey epoxy floor sealer will be the product of choice! Here we have the concreters warehouse that stocks these types of things.

[Will L]

Will I have access to some tougher products than PVA I think grey epoxy floor sealer will be the product of choice! Here we have the concreters warehouse that stocks these types of things.

But do you need them. When my garage floor proved dusty after being relayed as part of the last extension some years ago, a simple coat of dilute PVC solved the problem. A few years of regular traffic later, unusually my garage is still used to park cars, a painter dropped an open can of paint on said floor, which, much too his surprise, it did not soak in because of the PVA seal, and just wiped off. I know this all relates to your day job so grandmothers eggs may be relevant, but don't over engineer, save the money you would have spent on the epoxy and put it aside for the next Highlevel kit!

Will

[derekrussan]

Eileen's Emporium lace pins

Regrettably no longer available.

Derek

[Knuckles]

Eileen's Emporium lace pins

Regrettably no longer available.

Derek

That's a bummer, but many thanks for giving us the heads up. Anyone know of another vendor or a similar product?

[David Knight]

That's a bummer, but many thanks for giving us the heads up. Anyone know of another vendor or a similar product?

FWIW here's the info on my one and only box of pins

NEWEY Diadem Brass Pins
26x.55mm 31031
Made in England

Perhaps a starting point? I picked them up at a miniatures show over here 'cos they looked useful, and they are.

Cheers,

David

[Paul Willis]

Regrettably no longer available.

Derek

That's a bummer, but many thanks for giving us the heads up. Anyone know of another vendor or a similar product?

Hi Knuckles,

I am sure that there used to be a seller of lace pins that advertised in the back of MRJ. They stood out by using the phrase "we know absolutely nothing about model railways, but we know a lot about lace pins". I think that they were bemused that they had found an alternative market

Anyway, I'm on the other side of the country from my library at the moment, but if no one has pointed out another other suppliers by the time that I am back home I'll have a look for you.

Cheers
Flymo