O&EM workbench - Van de Error

76043

Western Thunderer
I've almost got a pathological dislike of metal, even more so now I've been on WT and seen so much amazing metal bashing that has increased my fear of it! So having seen Cambrian sell etched tie bars for fitted wagons, I thought I'd ignore that and spend the same amount of money on some .75 X .75mm evergreen strip. I filed down the bottom of the w-iron with this lovely edge file on a flat surface, glued on the strip, both plastics melted with EMA and added the bolt heads. I've never been a fan of metal to plastic joins anyway, so this solution keeps my metallurgical fears on track as it were. :)

Tony

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76043

Western Thunderer
Can anyone help with a signalling query please relating to the diagram below?

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What's happening here is the crossover by the signal box is where a single line becomes a double track line, all on an embankment. The line next to the red arrow goes to a lower level goods yard and the red arrow indicated the direction of the incline upwards.

Do I need a trap point just before the crossover where the yellow splodge is? The incline upwards from the lower yard is not enough protection to the main line?

Cheers
Tony
 

Phil O

Western Thunderer
Tony,

It depends on the situation, if there's a stop signal in advance ot the turnout, it will probably be a ground signal, but if there isn't then it will be a post and will also need a post on the running line before the turnout by the 'box'.
 

76043

Western Thunderer
Back to the wagons now. The next Dublo bodied 12t van is a plywood door version. So the planks on the door are filled in using plasto and the angle iron has been changed, along with the number panel being filed back and planks scribed in. All a bit daft, but it's fun so who cares?

I'll get some primer on it soon to see how rough it looks.

I'm just a pseudo rivet counter.
Tony

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Rob Manchester

New Member
Tony

I think the only assistance I can provide is that the drawing that accompanies that pack from Slaters shows it as being a shoc Open wagon from the springs on the sole bar (I think also that BR open wagons had diagonal frame members whereas vans where all square). On Bartlett there are a number of shoc opens that have ‘Morton-style’ long hand brake levers without lifting links, such as this one.

BR 12t 5 plank shock open merchandise wagon OSV ZGV | B721357 SHOC-BAR @ Hitchin engineers 75-08-10 © Paul Bartlett w

So I think this pack is correct for converting a shoc open wagon to 8 shoe brake without lifting links, but not necessarily for other BR wagons...

Doug
Hello Doug / Tony,

Google came up with a result for this Topic when I asked about the Slaters 71548 item. I have about a dozen unbuilt Slaters kits for the 'Standard' vans and they are all just the 4-shoe brake versions. I have a single Slaters Lowfit kit that comes as standard with the 8-shoe type and therefore a more complex etch than the standard 4-shoe vans. Idealy I would like to convert some of my van kits to 8-shoe. My understanding from the posts back in 2020 is that just buying the 71548 item leaves me short of some other bits. The Lowfit comes with etch X706701 which contains, amongst other parts, lifting links and non-morton levers etc. Is this what I need for the standard vans along with 71548 ??

The original plan ( not that plans stay fixed for long with me ) was to just compensate the vans with the 71546 sprung axleguards and not alter the braking at all. Then I saw the cost of the item and started looking at alternatives for compensation. Inside bearing units from the WEP range or Bill Bedford sprung w-irons for example. I have kits for both the LNER/BR and LMS/BR brake vans and purchased the Slaters sprung etched W-irons for them. You don't get much for your money !

If anyone has figured out how to put compensation and/or 8-shoe brakes on the standard vans I would be grateful for an update.

Sorry if anybody has already answered this. My internet connection is so bad tonight that I haven't been all the way through the site to check.

Many thanks
Rob
 

76043

Western Thunderer
So I've dug out the Dublo EM vans for more hatchetry. I kept looking at the pic on the front cover of the Forest of Dean branch book, and this BR standard van with a huge ventilator kept staring at me like a one eyed monster. So I had to act and found it relatively easy to simply cover the existing vent with a bigger one. Just vac pipes to add now.

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A bit of filler to tidy it up and it's looking much better now.

The plywood door version also now has new vents. A coat of primer will reveal any remedial work soon. The chassis will be another parkside one.

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Tony
 

76043

Western Thunderer
Van work continuing, later rain strips added. Red Panda chassis built and a few extra details added. It's definitely not a Rumney models kind of thing, so I probably won't add much more brake detail. I have three more to build and they'll all be standard planked vans as per the first one.

The aim for these vans is to trundle up and down the next layout without stopping for comments....
Tony

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76043

Western Thunderer
Wagon work continues, the K's "meat" van has been turned into a passable unfitted V33, by scraping off the Louvre fittings on the ends. I've fitted the wrong ABS GWR buffers and added spare Parkside brake components. Extra plastikard support for the roof which is now an interference fit. Lastly the axleguards and boxes are old PECO wonderful wagon items with old dome end Romfords and PECO brass inserts.

So the door sticks too much and the underframe is too wide, with the wrong buffers and ancient wheels but it was fun seeing if I could make something from it.

Tony

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76043

Western Thunderer
The Airfix 16 tonner seen before is now looking much more complete, some Cambrian skullduggery on the door hinges, which do not align, but there's Gibson wheels to make up for the error. HA Models buffer heads complete the picture.

Next up SR vans, a conflat and Cambrian minerals...

Tony

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76043

Western Thunderer
Another one from the comedy shop of errors workbench. An Airfix LMS van, numbered as a BR built 1/204.


This image from Paul Bartlett's website suggests this batch had three part corrugated ends and plate axleboxes. Roof rainstrips also incorrect. Oh well, mine doesn't, but I might oblige on the plate axleboxes as they are easy, maybe even the rainstrips if I really could be bothered.
Tony

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