Wednesday 10 October 2007

Wagons Roll


Although I wasn't able to attend the recent NEAG meeting, I have managed to get a bit of 2mm modelling done recently. My current project is a Great Central Railway Diagram 8 5-plank open wagon-construction of one of these wagons was described in the 2mm Magazine a few years ago.


The basis for this is a Bill Bedford etch which has been in the cupboard for a while now. Although the etch is complete with it's own underframe (of a rather quirky design), I've decided to use one of the Association etches to make life a bit easier. The photo shows the part-completed body perched roughly on the basic underframe etch.


The wagon body folds up from two pieces to which the ends are soldered and then various detail overlays to represent the strapping, corner plates and end stanchions (missing in the photos) are added. Unfortunately the floor is too narrow as designed, so I've replaced this with a piece of scribed plasticard.


At the moment, the body needs the remaining overlays adding (on the opposite side to that in the photo) and the chassis needs bearings, solebar overlays, axleboxes and springs, brake levers and couplings completing, then it will be ready for the paint shop. Transfers will be the GCR waterslide type produced by Phil Smith. With a bit of luck, it might just be ready for the AGM.
I'm tempted to order another of these etches - although they take a bit more work than a 'normal' wagon kit, they're fun to put together and the prototype was quite common!


Andy

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice makes my efforts seem rather naff what will you use for the axle boxes ??

nick bastable

Andy Hanson said...

I've got some fold-up etched axleboxes that I think were spares from the Midland 4w brake van kit that the Association sell. These appear to be the right type for this wagon (they have a semi-circular bottom).

I finished painting the wagon last night - all that is needed now is the lettering, weathering and a coat of matt varnish.

Andy