Right, next question I need to fit some sort of representation of the vacuum brake gear to the saloon seen on the last page. Every known picture of the saloon where the underframe is visible shows it from the side shown in the model photos - with the gas or Westinghouse cylinder blocking the view of the underframe equipment. Now, the coach clearly has vacuum equipment, and it was clearly operational up until the last days, as shown by the hoses being connected up in this grab:
20211230_105118 (2).jpg
However, the dial/gauge on the solebar, which I
think normally indicates the location of a vacuum brake cylinder, is missing in the photo above, but present in this 1934 photo:
03-02-2022_08-05-25_resized.jpg
It's also present on the other side of the carriage in 1930s shots. The above shot also shows something protruding from under the solebar - presumably the valve to which the gauge was related?
Could it be that this gauge (and valve) was moved inside? Alan Wright notes that in 1943 "the vacuum brake equipment was reconditioned and a guard's valve fitted into the van portion."
This impacts on the model as, if I understand it, the solebar gauge/dial/valve does in fact indicate the position of the vacuum tank; I can then work out the position of other things from there. So the (almost certainly daft) questions are:
1. Does this gauge in fact indicate the centre line of the vacuum tank?
2. Would an 18-inch wagon-type vacuum tank be sufficient for such a vehicle?
3. Is it fair to assume the vacuum tank would be hard up against the solebar on the other side of vehicle to that shown in the photos?
4. As I understand it, the basic vacuum brake equipment would be the tank, with a piston connected by an arm to a thick rotating rod held in V-hangers; on said rod there'd then be a crank attached to thinner rods which link to the brake yokes, such that when the crank turns on the (thick) rod, the (thin) rods pull the brakes on or off. Is this right? Is it fair to assume that one V-hanger would be hard up against the solebar, and the other as far away from it as the positioning of the gas/Westinghouse tank would allow? If this is right, then knowing the tank centre line and guessing the length of the "arm" from other kits will help me position the V-hangers.
Thanks again!
Don't miss the exciting next instalment of daft questions: modelling light-railway track. Coming soon!
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