Clay Wagons GWR dia 013 (part 3)

On my first wagon nearing the completion of its rebuild, I've installed 4 shoe brake gear with connecting rod and the clutch handle towards the end door. This would seem to be how the vacuum brake gear was fitted to BR's diagram 1/051 wagons.

I'm just starting to realise that this might not have been the case with these older refitted non-vacuum braked GWR wagons. My understanding is that they were initially built with DCII non-vacuum brake gear with both the brake handles at the opposite end to the end door. After 1939, conversion to Morton brakes was initiated to conform to the 'right-handed' ministry rules (though possibly not to all as I've seen a photograph of one preserved at Brewdley with DCII brake gear). 

My problem is, was the DCII brake gear replaced with 2 shoe, 4 shoe, or 4 shoe independent Morton brake gear? If either of the first two which side was the clutch, handle towards the end door, or towards the fixed end? Looking again at the few references I have, and photographs I have since found on the web, it would seem that they had 4 shoe independent brake gear. Some photographs however are not clear and are confusing me slightly. So I'm wondering if there could have been a variation of brake gear fitted to these wagons.

I’m starting to think (partly as an excuse to my possible mistake) that, as St. Blazey wagon works repaired these older GWR wagons, there could well have been a variation in brake gear fitted. That said I would like to have the majority of these wagons fitted with the most common type of brake gear that they were equipped with. Though I will probably also include at least one with DCII just to 'tip my hat' to the heritage of these wagons.

I’ve posted requests for further information on a couple of forums. In the meantime, while I wait for confirmation/criticism of my thoughts, these wagons will be put to one side.

One Gremlin banished

One of the little Gremlins that surfaced when testing Tredethy Wharf was the in continuous check rail area where a road will cross the track. For some reason I purchased S4 plastic check rail chairs instead of P4 which caused some slight wheel binding on a converted Pannier Tank in this section of track.

As all of this section will be fully covered I decided to try and solve the problem by relaying this section using copperclad sleepers. A sharp knife blade was slid between the plastic chairs and the wooden sleeper and the rail removed. Copperclad sleepers were then laid between the wooden sleepers. The rail was cleaned and then relayed with some very crude soldering. Some advice I'd been given was, as this section is to be covered, to double gap the copperclad sleepers as a 'belt and braces' against electrical shorts.

After a brief test I think I've sorted it... Should have laid this section in copperclad from the start.

Buffer Stops (part 3)

I think I've solved the mystery of how the buffer stop at Dunmere Wharf might have been constructed. Below are a few photos of the current buffer stop at Boscarne on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Apart from Dunmere buffer stop having a wooden buffer beam this one seems to be very similar to the photos in my previous posting on buffer stops here.




These photos help to resurrect the idea that this style of buffer stop could be installed on my Tredethy Wharf...