Author

Webmaster

Date

17th April 2020

Reading Time

3 minutes

Taking a break from building Goods and Mineral junction Signal Box for Copenhagen Fields, in times of crisis somehow wagons seem to spring to life almost of their own volition: these are four new private owners in a very part-built state, bodies more or less done but merely propped up on the under-carts in the picture above.

The two Cory wagons are based on a photo in the HMSO album of NLR pictures, they will be dumb-buffered. They are all card bodies with photocopied paper overlays – very 1960s technology – but the under-carts are standard issue 2mm Association parts.

As I didn’t have any axlebox/spring units from the 2mm Association, I am making my own. The axleboxes are made from 60thou square plastic rod with a hole drilled to accept the top hat bearing, while the springs are made of 5 thou plastic card. Strips a couple of inches long and of decreasing width are laminated up, and then “salami slices” are cut off with a razor blade to make the individual springs, The curve is then formed by rolling the individual slice between a file handle and my thumb. To be honest the springs are a shade over-long, but in practice once everything below the solebar is painted murky black this is not apparent.

The buffers were whittled with files in a pin chuck from small brass pins about 6-7mm long which I bought from Antics some time ago – I think model boat builders use them.

The white V hangers on the outside of the solebars of the dumb buffered wagons are cut from 5 thou plastic card, as there are no suitable etches available. They are obviously very flimsy, but are matched by etched ones inside the solebars, and once they are glued to the rest of the brakegear they will be well supported and durable. I have used this arrangement for many years and have had no trouble with it ( so far ! ).

The coal loads are black foam from a piece I found washed up on a beach – oddly, to my eye they look more like a small coal load than the real thing would.

Addendum – 26th April – Here are the completed wagons! Looking forward to seeing them run on Copenhagen Fields

 

Matthew W