Goods vans

"How do I glue van sides together?" was a question I asked myself when confronted with my first van kit for many years. To experienced modellers there is no doubt a simple answer but initially I was stumped.

The first kit I picked up was an old Ian Kirk BR 12T Van, which has buffer beams that are part of the van end so extends below the bottom edge of the van side. Unlike the mineral wagon kits that I'd previously built there seems no common edge with which to align sides to ends allowing me to get the ends and sides square and level to each other. After a few dry practise runs I was getting nowhere. I was trying to use the engineers squares along with packing to align the sides to end in the vertical position. When turning the engineers squares over the solution stared me in the face.

Once each end was glued to a side it was an easy task putting the two halves together. Certainly not ground breaking but I'm happy.

Clay Wagons GWR Dia 013 (part 1)

Clay wagons will play a prominent role on Tredethy Wharf and other projects that I'm hoping to build in the future. This fact is something that has been playing on my mind for some time. So, over Christmas, I decided to dig out all the kits from different manufacturers that I'd collected over the years: kits from the wagon works of Ian Kirk, Colin Ashby, Ratio, Cambrian, and some of the new Parkside Dundas kits. Also, while getting the Christmas decorations down from the loft, I discovered a number of part built clay wagons that I'd put together many years ago tucked way in a box.

Above are five of these wagons, part built to EM gauge from Ian Kirk kits. Looking at them afresh they are very basic not really coming up to the standard that I am now trying achieve. Rather than throwing them away, I'm going to attempt to rebuild them as a start in creating my clay wagon fleet. I've already been able to disassemble one other part built Ian Kirk wagon, just hope these five come apart as easily. Much work to be done but it's a start.... I've only 32 clay wagon kits waiting to be assembled..!

The paint brush has been put down

I think they're finished, that is finished to the best that my current modelling capabilities allow. I'm not totally happy with the wagons and realise that there is a lot of room for improvement. I could spend more time on trying to perfect my weathering techniques but could also very easily ruin one or all of them by over doing it. So I've put the paint brush down and will now concentrate on getting ready for the 'big day' on Friday.


My original intention was to build six or more wagons, from many manufacturers, and use different components, especially some etched brake gear. In the end I've only used kits from three manufacturers and components from a limited selection of suppliers. So looking at what I wanted to achieve against what I have produced I could think that I've failed. But on the contrary, in entering the competition I have pushed my skills, gained confidence and learned new techniques along the way.







The last wagon (above), the slope sided wagon, has been the most difficult to build. It has, however, developed into my favourite, the one I've gained the most satisfaction from building. More wagons will follow.......

Encouraging comments

A very quick update....

At this evening's Scalefour Area Group Meeting I received some favourable comments on three mineral wagons I took along for scrutiny. None of the wagons are completely finished, and with only four modelling evenings left, time is getting tight. But with the encouraging comments received this evening I'm starting to feel I'm getting somewhere.


Above is a shot of the slope sided wagon before I started to add the white stripes. I still need to work out how to blacken the Exactoscale wheel rims. I've tried all the Carr's Metal Blacks with no effect. However, after all my struggles, I feel it is starting to come together with this one.

All six still needing numbering, some touching up of the rust patches, and final weathering to be applied. Doesn't sound much left to do....... does it?

Kingdom of Rust

Apart from being a good album by Doves, a 'Kingdom of Rust' does seem to be where I might be heading at the moment.

The first wagons to hit the paint shop.......

They do look a bit of mess and as you may realise from viewing the above, I'm not quite sure what I'm doing at the moment. I did start a practice piece on some scrap plastic but with less than two weeks of modelling evenings left before Leatherhead I thought I'd better just get on with it.

On the two rusted wagons above I'm going to try Martyn Welch's technique using Maskol to mask the areas of rust I need to show through the grey top coat. I do hope they start to look better as I apply more layers of paint.

The era I'm working to depict with Tredthy Wharf and other projects is 1961-2. In looking for colour photos of wagons in the early sixties, I've found one that shows mineral wagons with minimal rusting. This photo appears on the back page of Great Western Railway Journal no.66 showing Dulverton goods yard on 11/6/62 with two 16t minerals in view. Other B/W photos taken in the early 60s also generally seem to show minimal rusting on wagons. My recollection during the mid to late 60s and early 70s was of rust buckets travelling through our local station. So I'm a little undecided as to what state the wagons should be. I have to consider that my memory has been corrupted with seeing many colour photos taken during the 70s and 80s of repaired, rebuilt and well worn mineral wagons.

So maybe I will not fully enter the 'Kingdom of Rust', there might not be so much rusting involved on these wagons. I will look at numbering the two rusted wagons above from lots that were built in the early 1950s. On the remaining wagons I'll probably have a go at depicting minimal rusting. Well I'm going to try.........

A long overdue update

I don't seem to have had much time for any modelling since June. The original plan was to have six wagons completed by now leaving me time to build a couple more and pick out the best for the Leatherhead show. At this point in time, with only three weeks left in which to find modelling time before the show, I've still two wagons to finish building before any enter the paint shop. Best laid plans and all that........ Anyway it's not all doom and gloom. Today I have been able to find a few hours to work on the old Airfix kit and Parkside's slope sided wagon.



In building the Airfix kit I'd removed the over scale hinges. So picking up the model this morning it was time to recreate the hinges.



Not as neat as Geoff Kent's example in his book "The 4mm Wagon Part 1" but hopefully my attempt will pass reasonable examination.......especially after a little paint is applied.



Next was the slope sided wagon. I do like this wagon. Well that was until I started to build it..... it's becoming a pain especially as I've made a right c**kup of appling the first of the four side stanchions that are either side of the door. Previously to get the two elements of the sides to fit snugly I'd filed a little off the join. Then I applied a wash of grey paint along the join to see if I'd been able to disguise it. At this point I was very pleased with my progress. When I then presented the first stanchion to the side it seemed it would not fit. Out came the knife and a little was trimmed off the top. After carefully gluing in place I realised that it was too short......Ahhhhh...





At this point after much cursing this wagon had been put to one side, while I got on with the others. Over the last few weeks I'd looked at it a few times and was even contemplating scrapping. But today I decided to have a go at trying to salvage the mess.... A few bits of plasticard later and I think I might be able to get away with it.



The corrected stanchion looks a little long in the photo so with with a little more work it should be OK. After all, as long as the mistake does not jump out at you, once the wagon is part of a train of wagons it will just be another wagon.



There is still work do be completed on the other side, applying the stanchions, second V hanger, brake lever, door stop, then it's adding the buffers and couplings. Then all six wagons should be ready for the paint shop......There's a glimmer of hope that I might have these finished for Leatherhead.

No progress due to a pressing engagement

There has been no progress since my last entry due to what is happening in the follow two weeks... more on which can be found here. Preparation, training and planning have taken up much of my spare time.

I'm off on my 'holidays'........ two weeks of which are concerned with the Coast to Coast walk, plus a third week, to spend time with my partner. Well if I'm truthful, and if I'm able to complete the walk, more as a week to recover. So I apologise in advance for lack of postings on this blog for at least a month. Thereafter I'll have to get stuck in and focus a little on this project and the six wagons for Leatherhead.

Ahh.... but I will have to fit in a little ceremony the week before Leatherhead..... No pressure then....