... Well mostly completed, again as with the other models I have been working on of late, I have yet to add screw link couplings, but apart from this, the model is pretty much there.
Talking about screw link couplings, I have been searching the net for some appropriate couplings, I find the Smiths screw links too coarse, using a small tack as the adjustment bar, other offerings include Romford's which at £4 per pair, are way out of my league, or Scalescenes at £1.00 a pair which are better priced but not as prototypical as the ones available from Roxley Mouldings that work out at just .83p per pair. Smiths do have a Mk2 version of their screw link couplings which are listed on a few websites at around £1.80 per pair but they don't seem to have been released yet.
As can be seen I have added a Bachmann tension lock coupling at one end to improve compatibility which has been placed in a Parkside Dundas NEM mounting block. This will allow me to run guest stock or any stock that I haven't already converted to three link couplings. I have added vac pipes by Romford, and will be posting a tutorial in due course on how to quickly make these from scrap coax and telephone cable.
The paint used was Humbrol enamel matt chocolate brown No.98. In the pics it looks dark and rich but in real life it looks a little lighter and dustier, which I think will look the part once a bit of weathering has been applied. Transfers are from the HMRS Methfix range and went on with ease after Mikkel of the Farthing Layouts fame pointed me in the right direction concerning the tare weight.
As can be seen in a couple of the shots above, I have used some Peco milk churns, the photo below showing how they have been lined up to hide the lead ballast weight. The churns have not been fixed in place yet, I'm waiting until I have finished weathering, I then will secure them to both sides of the van. I'm not sure how accurate the Peco mouldings are but these will be fine as they are mostly hidden from sight.
The 14mm Maunsell wheel sets are by Romford. I have filed off the flanges of the middle wheel set to allow for unhindered running on smaller radius curves, even in the photos above off the track it fillet to both edges to allow the wheel to slide on or off the track as it goes around corners without any noticeable effect.
It is a straight forward Kit to build, although some of the details of the prototype have been left out of the kit, there is plenty of other detail to make an interesting looking model. Keep your eyes peeled on ebay and you may be able to pick one up!
A quintessential bit of Great Westernry, and a proper job. It reminds me of how satisfying wagon building can be, especially when done as well as this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I love how the GW had a diagram for every eventuality; low, high, 4 wheel, 6 wheel, there are loads of interesting prototypes. It's a shame that so many of the old kits are not available now, but on the other hand, when you can pick something up, it tends to be a bit more special and hopefully not too many people will have one.
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