Out of a cracker, or get a load in your wagon

This topic seems to have been languishing somewhat so here are some ideas to 'get a load in your wagon'.

It all started with this object that came out of a Christmas cracker very many years ago; after Christmas I rescued it thinking it 'might come in useful some day' and threw it into my odds and ends box, and there it sat amidst other useful 'some day' items for many a year until a week or  so ago. This is it:-



About that same time this came in a Bachmann box:-



After some work marry them together and you get this:-



There are some steps along the way and I'll get back to those, if I can, later today. But it should be enough to, perhaps, get some members thinking.

[user=446]John Flann[/user] wrote:

But it should be enough to, perhaps, get some members thinking.

Oh it does John. I'm thinking could you dispatch it from Hintock to Much Murkle. It would look great filled with apples for delivery to the Cider Factory  

Looking forward to seeing how you've done the strapping down particularly. Not to mention how you did the livery change on that wagon.  shhhh:cool:

Could you do anything with the minature pack of cards I got out of my last cracker! 

On a serious note, lovely job:thumbs

Very nice John. Can I sit back and enjoy the detail of how you did it or am I expected do something equally creative?

I have to say I think you get better crackers in Utah than we do up here! 

Ian, if the cards will fit into a wagon either horizontally or vertically you have a load. The former and with thin strips in between you have sheets of metal, the latter stuck together and banded again with thin card you have a packing case-both suitably painted.

John, you are welcome to join in, I have some more loads to offer, but the more the merrier. And yes, they were pretty impressive.

Nick, here is a photo of the finished wagon, carefully painted to retain the running number and tare weight and with decals from  Microscale sheet 87-294 and weathered. Not for a purist but good enough for me and at a normal viewing distance.  Again I have some more wagons given the same treatment as part of this topic.

I shall get back to the load later today.

John,

you got me thinking that wagon loads may be the most neglected feature on my layout.

My I ask what you used to represent the anchoring rope - in the past I have tried to use thin thread (without much success)

Dave,yes they are and hence my post. The 'rope' is ordinary cotton thread and I agree it can be difficult to use. one trick it run it through the edge of a piece of soap and another to pull it against the sharp edge of a table. Also you can get fine 'rope' from hobby shops that sell kits for ship models.

Here is a photo of the cart mounted on  false floor of scribed and painted card, the ends of the ropes I secured with white glue. The  blue colour here looks a little murky.



And another shot of it at the crane to be unloaded. This isn't really a typical load for most carts were built locally but here it is being moved from a distant land holding of Sir Ralph Cheney Lytton  who owns a large estate here.

[user=446]John Flann[/user] wrote:

Dave,yes they are and hence my post. The 'rope' is ordinary cotton thread and I agree it can be difficult to use. one trick it run it through the edge of a piece of soap and another to pull it against the sharp edge of a table. Also you can get fine 'rope' from hobby shops that sell kits for ship models.

Here is a photo of the cart mounted on  false floor of scribed and painted card, the ends of the ropes I secured with white glue. The  blue colour here looks a little murky.

 

Using a false floor is a clever idea and is not noticeable at a casual glance. :pathead Not only does it remove the necessity to attach the load to the wagon itself - which is what I've been trying to do - but it means the load can be removed at any time .

Brilliant :doublethumb

Now do you have any suggestions for fitting tarps to wagons? - they give me no end of grief

Dave, yes removable loads do help, all mine are, as to tarpaulins I haven't done anything like that recently but I did many years ago use kitchen foil laid over and folded around the corners as a tarp would be, and I think I painted it black. It gives a nice crinkled effect. I didn't bother with any securing ropes.

I've seen it done with toilet paper, I think.  :???:

Ours has got flowers on it Max.  :pedal

There is a free tarp download from Scalescenes which Chris Leigh uses in a 'show you how' article in the current issue of Model Rail (#163).
They are for clay hoods, but they might be suitable for flat covers too.

[user=465]Stubby47[/user] wrote:

There is a free tarp download from Scalescenes which Chris Leigh uses in a 'show you how' article in the current issue of Model Rail (#163).
They are for clay hoods, but they might be suitable for flat covers too.

Thanks Stubby,


I have tried in the past using standard A4 paper that I have painted grey and then screwed up into a ball so that the paper ends up extremely crumpled  -it didn't look too bad - the hardest part I found was to get them secure on the wagon and no matter what I did I couldn't get the tie ropes to look right.

I'll have to wait about six weeks for the issue of  model rail to get to Oz but it sounds a better option that Max's loo  paper - the stuff the wife buys not only has flowers but its perfurmed

Dave,
It's not in MR, it's a free download : http://www.scalescenes.com/products/R001c
Stu
Edit: Sorry, you do need the download code from the magazine.

I agree - tarps are a swine to get right - especially in N.
I have no 'secrets' to pass on but my method is to shape the material (I've tried most things) after covering it in a coat of pva.
The slight 'tack' is enough to help with shaping.
I rarely use thread or similar in N and, instead, use fine plastic and poly.

Here's a link to some tarps that RJR did a long time ago on here. You have to scroll right down almost to the bottom to get to the tarps. If you haven't seen this topic before then you are in for a real treat.

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=3127&forum_id=52&highlight=tarps

[user=2]Robert[/user] wrote:

Here's a link to some tarps that RJR did a long time ago on here. You have to scroll right down almost to the bottom to get to the tarps. If you haven't seen this topic before then you are in for a real treat.

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=3127&forum_id=52&highlight=tarps

Definitely spot on there.   I made the delightful mistake of starting at the beginning - took me over an hour to get to the tarps.  Looks like Max was right about the loo paper and I've now have a use for old AA batteries.

Glad you liked that thread Dave. RJR kept us entertained for weeks with it.

[user=446]John Flann[/user] wrote:

Ian, if the cards will fit into a wagon either horizontally or vertically you have a load. The former and with thin strips in between you have sheets of metal, the latter stuck together and banded again with thin card you have a packing case-both suitably painted.

Very good John, good "out of the box" thinking.:cheers

Now can you think of a use for my next cracker novelty, "a fotune telling fish"mutley

Hi John, I wanted to have a look at your layout photographs for a bit of inspiration for my jigsaws and couldn't find it. The whole layout seems to have been deleted. Could you please tell me how that has happened as I know members cannot delete posts.