Hi John

I see a dairy looming.

Nigel

Not quite Nigel.  I don't have the space.  I was thinking of a vignette with the road tanker on the off side platform using a portable pump to transfer milk.  I have a picture of that very thing so it did happen.

According to Paul Bartlett, the milk tank model development was well under way before Richard Webster (Lionheart) stepped in to bring them back on track.  At best they are LMSish so I've been searching Pauls collection for pictures of LMS examples.  I still would like some info on how the brakes were arranged.  I think I have the experience to interpolate if I have to.

John

"Interpolate"


Rather a posh word for an YMRC member wouldn't you say, John ! :shock:

If John's interpolation results in an adventitious   and harmonious interpretation, without of course resulting in a superfetation, I say goferrit!

Nigel

Wot 'e sed.

John

Clodpolls we ain't. 
Nigel

I had to look up clodpoll - some things make it worthwhile getting out of bed.

This erm discussion brings to mind one of my favorite characters:



John

[user=1632]BCDR[/user] wrote:

Clodpolls we ain't. 
Nigel

Sounds like a vote for village idiot of the year, John !

Candidates like this: 

John

Reminded me of the parish council. 
Nigel

I started building a Parkside 10T LMS Banana van.  Only 100 were built between 1925 and 1930.  Originally they were steam heated to help the bananas ripen before hitting the shops.

In the 1950s BR did away with steam heat since the insulated nature of the vans was sufficient for ripening.  The steam pipes were kept as through pipes to enable the vans to run with other steam fitted stock.  Finally the steam pipes were removed in 1963.

Here's where I am:





Vacuum and Steam pipes are brass tube, the actual dia was something  like 2".  I used 0.032" brass wire for clips.  I cobbled up a drain cock  for the steam pipe from bits of plastic tube.  This is based on a  drawing of a meat van in Bob Esserys LMS Wagon Drawings.
 
Phosphor bronze wire is the vac pipe connection to the cylinder.
 
I glued a stip of plastic to the back of the brake handle ratchet and made a reinforcing bracket from scrap brass.
 
Oddly, these vans didn't have tie bars between the axleguards.

John

This afternoon I assembled the body to the underframe.  I got a good fit but care is really needed to ensure this.  In particular the solebar ends need to be fettled to slot in the end buffer beam.





Some construction methods that I use.  Corner brackets to ensure body squareness and reinforcing bars to stop the body from bowing in.

Also self adhesive weights to raise the wagon weight to the requisite 1gm per mm of length.  I think ~150gms.



Anyone who has built a Parkside kit in 7mm will be familiar with the whitemetal cast vacuum and steam pipes.  I really don't like them and, in the past, have substituted Slaters lost wax items.

This time I thought I'd see if I could do something with the kit parts.  My biggest beef is that the "bag" looks crude and oversize.  I cut the bags off and substituted Slaters springs, a much cheaper option.

You can see I drilled and glued a piece of wire in the vacuum pipes.  This will locate the pipe to van end.  I also drilled and glued some wire where the the hose connection meets the standpipe.  I also drilled the hose connection enabling me to join them.

John

A project I've been putting off for some while has come to the fore.  Reason being I plan to attend the Great British Train  Show (GBTS) near Toronto in April, so I need to get some prep done.

I want to make removable coal loads for my mineral wagons.  I started this morning by cutting out card to the appropriate size for 7 wagons.

I made an 8th to use as a mockup.



I glued foam to the underside and then shaped it until I got what I think is required.



Mockup in a wagon.



Applying pressure to one side or the other will tip the load for easy removal.

More to come.

John

Looking good John, initially I thought that the shape was for the shape of the coal pile in the wagon - I have seen people do similar in the past with layers of styrene to create the basic shape for the coal which they then covered wit just a thin layer or coal rather than a heap.

Good point Rob.  I guess I'll see how things develop.  You realise I'm making this up as I go along.

John

I spent some time this morning cutting out card and gluing it.



I've made them specific to each wagon.  Currently in paint.

John

With the paint dry I glued on pieces of foam and shaped them to provide the basis for piled coal:



I also made tape ID labels.

John

The banana van came together fairly quickly:

Hi John,

Nice idea 're the sloped bottom on the coal. Following on from Rob's comment, one or two? (That is heaps, not lumps).

Nigel

I've done the coal today Nigel, now waiting for glue to dry.  I lined the wagons with plastic wrap.  One hump for these small wagons.  21 tonners would get two.

John