G64 Troublesome Truck Conversion
- Thread starter yb281
- Start date
It's been a while since I built any gauge 3 stock, but I have managed to acquire some really excellent reference books and have spent hours looking at all sorts of weird and wonderful items of standard gauge rolling stock that I fancy building. However, the one thing that becomes obvious from looking at endless photos of 1950's / 60's goods yards - there is one wagon that is found pretty much EVERYWHERE during this period, the BR standard 16 ton all steel mineral wagon. Tempting as some of the weird and wonderful stuff was, I simply HAD to have a 16 tonner in the interchange sidings at Gooey.
Then, last week, Gareth very kindly donated a Bachmann Thomas milk tanker that he couldn't find a use for. I had a couple of ideas for using this, but on taking it apart, I found that it was based on a standard Thomas wagon chassis. The tank was put to one side for another day, but the chassis was just crying out for the 16 tonner body that I REALLY needed.
Then, last week, Gareth very kindly donated a Bachmann Thomas milk tanker that he couldn't find a use for. I had a couple of ideas for using this, but on taking it apart, I found that it was based on a standard Thomas wagon chassis. The tank was put to one side for another day, but the chassis was just crying out for the 16 tonner body that I REALLY needed.
It was at this time that I realised that I didn't have anywhere near enough plasticard in stock and the wife had the car all day, so I couldn't go out and get any. What I did had was a sheet of Daler mounting card (the stuff sold for mounting photos etc.). Several of my narrow gauge wagon bodies have been built from this card. It's absolutely lovely stuff to work with, nice to cut and glues together strongly with PVA. Obviously it's not totally weather proof, but I am too much of a whimp to ever run in pouring rain and a couple of good coats of paint will at least make it shower proof. You could make it totally weatherproof by coating it in Shellac (now sold as Knotting), but I don't bother. Like I said, I already have stock with card bodies and / or roofs and these have lasted for years.
Most open wagons have a very simple construction, but the 16 tonner is an exception to the rule. Some parts of it are incredibly complicated, notably the end with the door in it and the side doors. I've studied photos of these wagons for hours, but it's only since starting this build that I've got a handle on why they were designed this way and how they worked. The door end alone took a whole afternoon (about 4 hours) to build.
The finished wagon is NOT a scale model. It has been built to fit the Thomas chassis and to match my existing Thomas based stock. As long as it looks about right, then I'm happy ............ and I'm happy with this.
Here it is posed on the chassis which has yet to be converted to gauge 3.
Painting comes next and then my favourite bit. These wagons were seldom immaculate unless they'd just been rolled out of the wagon works. They had a hard life and their normal condition reflects that fact. That means plenty of coal dust and loads of rust. My normal method for rusting entails giving the body a bit of a soaking, so that will be fun won't it?
Most open wagons have a very simple construction, but the 16 tonner is an exception to the rule. Some parts of it are incredibly complicated, notably the end with the door in it and the side doors. I've studied photos of these wagons for hours, but it's only since starting this build that I've got a handle on why they were designed this way and how they worked. The door end alone took a whole afternoon (about 4 hours) to build.
The finished wagon is NOT a scale model. It has been built to fit the Thomas chassis and to match my existing Thomas based stock. As long as it looks about right, then I'm happy ............ and I'm happy with this.
Here it is posed on the chassis which has yet to be converted to gauge 3.
Painting comes next and then my favourite bit. These wagons were seldom immaculate unless they'd just been rolled out of the wagon works. They had a hard life and their normal condition reflects that fact. That means plenty of coal dust and loads of rust. My normal method for rusting entails giving the body a bit of a soaking, so that will be fun won't it?
Looking good as always.
im glad i'm not alone with the gauge 3 bug! ( he says selling stuff to get mote gauge 3!)
I know Mike williams is bringing out some cheap chassis for things like this and the tanker- as you may know. Im looking forward to seeing the bachmann gauge 3 brake van when it comes out.
im glad i'm not alone with the gauge 3 bug! ( he says selling stuff to get mote gauge 3!)
I know Mike williams is bringing out some cheap chassis for things like this and the tanker- as you may know. Im looking forward to seeing the bachmann gauge 3 brake van when it comes out.
Interesting comments about distressing. My memory is of them looking in pretty good shape, mainly in the Paddington area ie for the Main Line Bunkering & for the local coal merchants.
I know it sound odd given the load, but that?s the memory. But I know it will look good which ever way u do it.
But moving on can we now expect to see a tipper coming on?
I know it sound odd given the load, but that?s the memory. But I know it will look good which ever way u do it.
But moving on can we now expect to see a tipper coming on?
'Fraid not Martin. Bear in mind that I'm modelling a fairly sleepy branchline on the Welsh border (an extension to the Cambrian Kerry branch). My coal siding has room for two wagons comfortably, three at a push. As I said earlier, I built the 16 tonner because they are seen in pretty much EVERY photo of 50's / 60's goods yards, but my railway wouldn't have any such exotic facilities.oldoak said:
Wagon now pretty much finished. Yesterday I did all the rusting using my old faithful Modeltown rust dust. As I touched on earlier, turning this to rust involves giving the model a bit of a soaking, first with vinegar and then with water. This sounds a bit of a dodgy thing to do with a cardboard model, but it did have a good coat of paint by then and suffered no ill effects - proof that the finished model would be OK if caught out in a shower.
Some of the heavy internal rusting - unfortunately the colours have come out a little "dead" compared to reality.
Just got a couple of jobs to do to finish off like dry-brushing a little white back on to the ends of the brake levers and adding some grease effect to the buffer faces.
Some of the heavy internal rusting - unfortunately the colours have come out a little "dead" compared to reality.
Just got a couple of jobs to do to finish off like dry-brushing a little white back on to the ends of the brake levers and adding some grease effect to the buffer faces.