| Item Link | Brand |
|---|---|
| 3MT class locomotive | Tri-Ang Hornby |
| GWR Mink D | Peco Parkside Kit |
| Esso Tanker | Airfix Kit |
| 24.5T Mineral Wagon | ? |
| GWR High Bar 7-Plank open wagon | Cooper Craft Kit |
| McCain Beefeater Chips van | Lima |
| Blue Circle Cement Wagon | Airfix Kit |
Another broken wagon stored away for decades. This one was so far gone that it was destined for the bin except, I enjoyed my previous wagon repairs so much that I decided to give it a second chance.
It is the Parkside PC38 Mink D general merchandise van kit. A GWR design that saw service until during the second world war. This is before the period that I model. Incidentally 'Mink' is a shorthand code devised by GWR to define a range of goods vehicles.
Further research revealed that 10 were converted for Departmental use (9 in 1947 and 1 in 1955). These vans were in use on BR(W) throughout the 1960s (my modelled period). They carried the 'Enpart' sign and conveyed locomotive parts. The conversion resulted in different style end panels and the underframe is different to the Parkside model. I have not modified my model in this respect.
I model the BR Southern Region main line in the west country not Western Region. The Western took over that part of the Southern Region in 1963, giving me some licence for it to run on my layout, although I doubt it ever did in reality.
Nearly all detail was missing from the model underframe. Most notably the axle boxes and springs. These I had previously cut out for use on a scratch build wagon. That wagon was subsequently retired so, with careful manipulation the superglue fixing the four axle boxes/springs in place was severed and the parts reapplied to the Mink.
Wheels, couplings, vacuum cylinder, vacuum pipes and two buffers came from my stock.
The other two buffers I could have 3D resin printed but it is such a faff to set up and clean up resin printing it is not worth the effort for such a small job. Instead, the shanks were fabricated from proprietary kit sprues with 3D FDM printed discs applied.
Difficult to confirm the brand of this assembled kit. From remnants of the coupling supports it looks like Cooper Craft but I could not find an example on the web. It is not Parkside because that one has a little more detail.
It is a twenty four and a half ton mineral wagon.
Any way, it was another broken model stored away for decades brought out for repair.
One tie bar was severed mid way along its length and half of the other one was missing. Couplings and three buffer discs also missing.
I noticed in prototype photos that door stops, either one per door or two per door were fitted. None were on this model and no evidence of provision for them either.
Out with the 3D printer again to make the missing parts, including door stops. The couplings are proprietary. I did not have sufficient NEM sockets in stock so these were designed and printed too but they are somewhat bulkier than proprietary parts.
The wagon was repainted, decals applied (designed and printed on sticky back paper) and a weight fixed inside.
