Recovered From The Bin. Another quick Project

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.

The rest of the missing parts I designed and 3D FDM printed.

Dual steps beneath each door were made from plasticard and wire.

It was brush painted with acrylics. The paint was watered down a little and applied in several coats.

Decals were designed and printed on sticky back paper.

The Parkside kit is available today, costing about £20. At that price I am glad I did not bin mine!

The Final Quick Project?

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.

The coal load was made as follows. The base is a thick piece of balsa wood shaped with a slight curved top. A lump of Neodymium magnet was glued in a recess carved in the top to facilitate removal of the load with a steel tool. The top was painted black. Next, a layer of neat PVA glue was applied to the top and real coal dust sprinkled over. This was covered with a 50/50 water/PVA mix and real coal lumps sprinkled over repeating a second time to cover the centre part to look heaped.

And Another Quick Project

This time it is the Cooper Craft GWR High Bar 7-Plank open wagon (not currently marketed).

It had been stored away for decades due to damage. One set of wheels was missing. The coupling 'D' bar was missing from one end and the hook from the other. One brake lever and the brakes & hangers from one side were also missing.

Fortunately, I found the wheels and compatible brakes & hangers in my spares box but, one pin point of the wheel axle was missing. To repair this I filed the end of 1 mm diameter steel wire to a point, drilled a hole in the axle end and glued it in place.

Rather than replacing the couplings I decided to design and 3D FDM print the missing 'D' bar and hook. The brake lever was created like wise.

I read that when wagons from the 'big four' were amalgamated under British Railways the previous wagon identification number was retained and the BR regional letter simply put in front. Hence GWR wagon 29587 became W 29587. The numbers were printed on sticky back paper.

I had previously designed a BR tarpaulin for my 7 mm scale high-bar open wagon so it was simply a case of reprinting it at 56% for the 4 mm version.

The wagon was repainted and a steel weight fixed inside.