O&EM workbench - a trio of PO's
- Thread starter 76043
- Start date
Prototype buffer heights will always vary, due obviously to whether the vehicle is loaded/unloaded but also due to such things as wheel/tyre wear and also wear to suspension. During my time on the railway - and believe it's still the same now - the allowable wagon buffer heights were 3'6" maximum going down to 3'1" (the lower figure was obviously when loaded) , a few wagons did have slightly different max/mins but that is a good general rule.
76043
Western Thunderer
76043
Western Thunderer
So I've turned my attention to removable W-irons. This should be self explanatory, Evergreen strip is used as it's generally quite square in section, is robust enough to take a 10BA tap solidly. The W-irons on the opposite side are glued in.
It's a Parkside 16t mineral, which does have separate W-irons.
Tony
It's a Parkside 16t mineral, which does have separate W-irons.
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
Mineral chassis is now complete, all four wheels are level when on my engineering flatbed, so as it's my first O gauge kit, I'm pleased. The removable w-irons are secure and come off easily.
Now turning my attention to the bodywork, have heat treated with boiling water the sides, so they now bow out slightly, not inwards.
As my intended time period is late fifties, I'm thinking a five year old mineral wouldn't be too battered???
Tony
Now turning my attention to the bodywork, have heat treated with boiling water the sides, so they now bow out slightly, not inwards.
As my intended time period is late fifties, I'm thinking a five year old mineral wouldn't be too battered???
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
16t mineral #1 is finished and ready for painting and 16t mineral #2 is now underway. Paint was stripped off and it was carefully disassembled, not helped by being glued with superglue and quite liberally applied too. Most parts are now back to the bare plastic now and the w-irons on. The tiny spots of white on the underframe are my styrene infills where the previous owner decided to cut back the framing instead of seeing if it actually fits. For some reason the drawhook was bent round and the underframe also cut away, but all now restored as it should be.
Tony
Tony
Stephen
Western Thunderer
Thats interesting about the use of kitchen cleaner spray. I've previous purchased the precision paint stripper, which isn't cheap.
I purchased a few Parkside O gauge wagons previously off e-bay which needed attention, I don't think I've been as lucky as you, seeing as mine were literally glued solid, making it almost impossible to take them apart. I need to revisit them sometime and potentially get an order in with Peco for some spare underframe sprues. The dodgy body work I can probably live with, seeing as the corners can be filled, but axles that aren't parallel is another matter.
Cheers,
Stephen
76043
Western Thunderer
Hi Stephen,
Yes, the kitchen bleach cleaner takes about 24 hours normally, stubborn built up paint another day, but it dissolves away enamel and acrylic happily.
Yes, I have been lucky to get the kits apart, the second mineral was super glued, so required more persuasive action, so you could have another look, the plastic bodies can take it, underframes less so.
But I have bought four sets of Parkside underframe sprues, and lots of parts from Slaters so I haven't been that lucky.
Cheers
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
AJC
Western Thunderer
Drat. Can replacement axles be had for Slater's(?) wheels? Just because I have a couple of second hand O gauge wagons for rebuild in the drawer, you see...
Adam
paulc
Western Thunderer
Hi Tony , you could use it as a , actually i dont really know . You're correct its scrap , why would someone do that . I would offer you a replacement axle but you're a long way from Australia .
Cheers Paul
76043
Western Thunderer
Thank you Paul, it's a long way, but the sentiment is appreciated. I too couldn't fathom out why you would file the axle that way. But in rebuilding these kits I've seen plenty of things that reflect on possibly unclear kit instructions and far too much haste on the part of the kit builder. The latter is more of the culprit than the former I think though.
Tony
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
So both minerals are more or less finished and ready for painting, so I've finished something by Christmas.
Not bad considering they looked like this in October, the brown one was £22.50 and the unpainted one £18.50. I bought some Peco chassis sprues, for £13.50 to rebuild them, with some spare buffers from the Parkside range, so not a massive saving on the price of new kits, but nice to rebuild and upcycle them.
Time to look at the LMS all steel van again.
Tony
Not bad considering they looked like this in October, the brown one was £22.50 and the unpainted one £18.50. I bought some Peco chassis sprues, for £13.50 to rebuild them, with some spare buffers from the Parkside range, so not a massive saving on the price of new kits, but nice to rebuild and upcycle them.
Time to look at the LMS all steel van again.
Tony
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76043
Western Thunderer
The LMS D1828 van is now just awaiting NMRS RCH buffers that match those shown in the LMS wagons book. The corners also need filling, one has been done already.
There's been a lot of work done on this van, firstly one of solebars is removable, along with the roof so that the wheels can be removed. It does mean one of brake levers is also removable. I added the support bracket going to the w-irons from the brake lever ratchet not only because it should have one, it also strengthens the rather vulnerable ratchet moulding. The sides were braced with evergreen strip. Door handles were added using Slaters rod.
20 thou plastikard was added to the floor where the w-irons butt up to the floor to make sure the irons sit square, but one needed an extra 10 thou.
Painting should be quite easy as a result, plus any required weight can be bolted to the floor if needed.
I have to say it's not easy setting up the axleboxes to make the wagon sit squarely on my engineers flatbed, so any thoughts on that would be appreciated. It is at least square and sits upright on its wheels.
Tony
There's been a lot of work done on this van, firstly one of solebars is removable, along with the roof so that the wheels can be removed. It does mean one of brake levers is also removable. I added the support bracket going to the w-irons from the brake lever ratchet not only because it should have one, it also strengthens the rather vulnerable ratchet moulding. The sides were braced with evergreen strip. Door handles were added using Slaters rod.
20 thou plastikard was added to the floor where the w-irons butt up to the floor to make sure the irons sit square, but one needed an extra 10 thou.
Painting should be quite easy as a result, plus any required weight can be bolted to the floor if needed.
I have to say it's not easy setting up the axleboxes to make the wagon sit squarely on my engineers flatbed, so any thoughts on that would be appreciated. It is at least square and sits upright on its wheels.
Tony
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76043
Western Thunderer
The PECO/Webster rebuild has started. In previous posts the wagon was broken back into its parts and paint stripped.
This time I wanted to build a fitted version, so having already purchased the PECO conversion kit, found it to be basic at best. I built up the w-irons to my usual removable state finding the wheels sat quite square. Next, I realised the push rods are not right for a fitted wagon, so I reversed one side. Then I realised the DC3 brake gear is mostly missing and some parts in the wrong place, so after a lot of internet research have come up with this compromise using various parts from the scrap bin, including a DC1 ratchet, bashed into a DC3 type. The DC3 non-Haywood type is vaguely represented below, don't look too closely, there's plenty amiss...
The w-irons have been built up a little to prepare them for the nickle silver tie bars.
Tony
This time I wanted to build a fitted version, so having already purchased the PECO conversion kit, found it to be basic at best. I built up the w-irons to my usual removable state finding the wheels sat quite square. Next, I realised the push rods are not right for a fitted wagon, so I reversed one side. Then I realised the DC3 brake gear is mostly missing and some parts in the wrong place, so after a lot of internet research have come up with this compromise using various parts from the scrap bin, including a DC1 ratchet, bashed into a DC3 type. The DC3 non-Haywood type is vaguely represented below, don't look too closely, there's plenty amiss...
The w-irons have been built up a little to prepare them for the nickle silver tie bars.
Tony
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