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...

Clay Wagons GWR dia 013 (part 2)

Just a quick posting to show where I am with the rebuilding of the Ian Kirk clay wagons.

I'd taken the above photo to show progress about a month ago but never did post a blog. The evening had been spent reducing the thickness of two sets of solebars, which can be seen on the relevant wagons. I'd also finished preparing five sets of MJT RCH compensation units. In the foreground can be seen a simple plasticard jig that I'd cut ready for marking the centre lines down the middle of the wagon floor and of each axle. I'm hoping this will help position the compensation units on these wagons and the other dozen or so Ian Kirk clay wagon kits I have waiting to be started.

This next photo shows the current state of play and was taken about two weeks ago. I've only progressed five of the six rebuilds as I'm short on wheel sets. Scalefour North is fast approaching where I hope to be able to replenish stocks of wheels and other items. Waiting in the wings are all the thinned down solebars for these five wagons ready to be installed. Once I've a few more wheel sets in stock, I'll bring the sixth rebuild to the same state the the five above. I'll then make a start on a couple of the many un-opened bags of Ian Kirk clay wagon kits to bring this rake up to eight. So I hope to make a little more progress on these during May.

Power is installed

I've not posted any blog entries during the last couple of months due to the many projects I have on the go for both my model railway and wargaming hobbies. Trouble is I don't seem to be making much progress on any of them worthy of an entry in either blog. However, during the Easter break, I'd promised myself that I'd find enough time to complete the wiring of my little control panel for Tredethy Wharf and hopefully get something moving on the layout.

The only problem I had with the wiring was working out which two of the three tabs to use on the 9v DC socket. The 9v supply is supplying the power for the point motor circuits in the control panel. The first attempt seemed correct on the bench when tested with the multimeter but in practice did not supply any juice to the point motors. Eventually the fault was traced back to the socket and after some head scratching it was sorted. I've not installed any electromagnets on the layout yet but do intend to experiment with some hands free couplings. To this end I have installed five push buttons on the control panel including all wiring between control panel and the layout. Well there are only four at the moment as I ruined one with a little over zealous soldering.

After running the loco up and down for a while I found a few little gremlins to sort out. To banish one gremlin might require the re-laying of track at the far end where I've installed a continuous check rail. If I do need to re-lay this section I'll use copperclad sleepers next time. All of this section will be buried under road and a dirt track between two buildings so in hindsight the used of ply sleepers and chairs on this section was a little extravagant.

I feel a little happier after my efforts this weekend, but I'm also a little frustrated that it has taken so long to get this little layout to this stage... Anyway, onwards and upwards, I'll keep pecking away at it and one day I might even finish it...

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..!