LBSCR Early Horsebox

[Jon Nazareth]

I need to make some brake blocks as per this picture, can anyone tell me, please, how I can go about doing this? It's not a good picture but, I'm afraid that it's the best I have. If too difficult and all else fails, I'll build the horsebox without brakes. I should have made sure that the component parts were available before I started the project

Jon

 

[unklian]

Can you get any closer to your picture there Jon ? I may know of a source for your blocks. Do you have any idea of dimensions, an overall length for instance ? Of course you could just make one and get someone to cast the rest in resin. Will you be needing a set for the OCT as well ? Sixteen brake blocks could be quite boring to make you know

 

[jamiepage]

Jon,
The single hanger to each block could suggest the sort of approach adopted on this 1/32 PMV perhaps?

PMV races | Page 6 | Western Thunder

Jamie

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Ian
This is closer but for some inexplicable reason, I can't make the image bigger which is annoying. If you know of a source of something very similar, that would save a lot of work. I can only measure off my drawing to find the length and that is about 14/15mm. They are the same block that is used on the 15'-6" horsebox which is shown in the drawing I sent you. The OCT doesn't have any brakes, just a parking brake at least, that is all that is shown on my 1863 drawing so, I'll need 8 blocks. If your source fails you, then I'll attempt making one.

Jon

 

[geoff_nicholls]

Those brake blocks look just like the ones used by the Great Eastern on its carriages, with three holes, and a slot for the brake hanger. The drawings I have imply they're about 12 inches, 13.5 to 14mm long. I'm sending you a scan. If they are the same, I'd be interested in a batch for myself.

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Geoff
Thanks for the drawing and here it shows the block in far more detail than my photo.

Jon


P.S. Trying to get it bigger but it didn't work.

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Sorry about the poor pictures, I did try to make them clearer and sharper, honest.
The top one shows the sides of the horsebox drawn onto the styrene. The lower one the two sides cut out and with minimal cleaning up. I found it very difficult to interpret the drawing and the photo seeking indications of how these boxes were actually made, they are so different from simple wagons. I think that the frame was covered in some sort of sheeting which accounts for the fact that there are very few joints that show up. I've also made a mistake in that the corner 'posts' should be slightly longer. I think that the 'sheeting' extended over the end of the buffer beam which I haven't allowed for. When the body is fixed to the underframe, I'll simply add some small pieces which will be more or less covered by the plate that can be seen in the photos above.
This horsebox will be my interpretation which may not be quite as the original but the best I can do.

Jon

 

[unklian]

Been very busy Jon, when I get back to the workshop I will have a longer look at the brake blocks, and the GA you kindly sent me of course .

 

[Jon Nazareth]

The next thing to do was to apply the beading. I had already bought some Evergreen 1.5mm half round for this job but when I came to mitre and apply, I felt that it was too big. Next, I looked at some 1mm half round and also some flat strip 40thou x 20thou. I found that trying to mitre 1mm stuff was too fiddly and the .040" x .020" was too thick, all a bit like Goldilocks and her porridge. I cleaned off everything that I'd stuck down, sanded off the crud left behind and set aside to have a think. In the end I decided on .040" x .010" flat strip. I shan't bother to mitre the corners but simple butt up the pieces and when all is set, I shall take off the arris' with a piece of 400 grade paper. Well, I'm definitely going to use the flat strip but I shall make a test piece to see if the sanding works before trying on the real thing. If it doesn't work, I'll just leave it as it is. I've had to order more materials and don't expect these to arrive until next week. Watch this space.

Jon

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Here are a couple of pictures of the buffers for the horsebox. It took me 11 goes at the brass bases and 5 goes at the heads and the latter was because of a silly mistake. With the bases it was a question of trying out different machining techniques and methods of marking out which was why there was such a high percentage of waste. I quite like them and I think that they are the best that I have made so far. The heads are 1' 3" dia 'wooden' pads on steel shanks and I will eventually blacken them. When I make the next set of this type, I shall try and make them look a little more the thing by turning up the pads from Box which, I feel, will improve them quite a bit.

Jon

 

[jamiepage]

Very nice indeed, Jon.

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Thanks, Jamie, much appreciated.

Jon

 

[Jon Nazareth]

This picture shows the applied beading. As far as I can tell from the above photos of the horsebox proper, the beading is flat with the edges rounded off. I wasn't happy with my trials at taking off the edges and so, I've left the beading flat. I mentioned above that I was going to use 40x10 strip but in the end, I used .015" x .052" and still think it looks a little high. But .015" scales at .340" so would seem about the right thickness. Any thoughts?

It's difficult photographing something white and so, I've played around trying to get the beading to show up which may have made it look thicker than it actually is.

Jon

 

[Stevesopwith]

I measured similar style beading strips on 1860s GER carriage bodies ; the material was 5/16" to 3/8" thick, and 3/4" wide.

I'd say your material is spot on, and, more importantly, looks right.

I like the louvres .

 

[unklian]

The sides and beading are looking great Jon. I have had a rummage for brake blocks and these are the best I can find. So I think it will be out with the materials for a master to cast some better ones. Would resin be good enough, or do we want metal ? And by the way I realised after I took the picture that the drawing is not to scale, it is rather bigger and makes the blocks look too small .

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Ian
Metal brake blocks would be nice but resin may be easier, I'll leave it in your very capable hands.

Jon

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Steve
Jamie Page suggested two methods of making decent louvres but I didn't feel confident enough to have a go and so, simply scribed them. The sizes for the beading that you've come up with are very encouraging and as you say, spot on.

Jon

 

[jamiepage]

Jon,
Those sides do look the business. I am enjoying this thread very much
Jamie

 

[Jon Nazareth]

I'm making my hinges out of 3mm nickel strip and am currently drilling the holes. In the accompanying pictures, the fixings look to me very much like the heads of coach bolts. Does anyone agree? If they are coach bolt heads, what size does anyone think these should be bearing in mind the straps are 3mm, 1mm or 1.3? I have rivets with heads of these sizes that will serve as coach bolts.

Jon

P.S. These are clearer pictures of No 130.

 

[JimG]

In the accompanying pictures, the fixings look to me very much like the heads of coach bolts. Does anyone agree? If they are coach bolt heads, what size does anyone think these should be bearing in mind the straps are 3mm, 1mm or 1.3? I have rivets with heads of these sizes that will serve as coach bolts.

Jon,

I would reckon they would be coach bolts. I've enlarged the picture and using dividers, it looks as though the bolt head is slightly wider than half the strap width, so maybe about 1.6mm if you are using 3mm wide strap.

(Later) On second thoughts, it looks as though the lower door, when lowered, would have horses walking on it, so bolt ends and nuts would not really be the best bet. So they could be rivets with washer plates and countersunk ends on the inside to be flush on the washer plates..



Jim.