New Railway Modellers Forums

What with decorating, and trying to understand what's & why's of NRM computer problems, plus
preparing for some exhibitions it may look like I've not been doing much.

What I have done is almost finish a Parkside Dundas GWR banana van. I decided on late GWR
for this one and will do the second as BR. I'm amazed at the way the brown plastic colour
bleeds through when under a strong bright light. In natural daylight it looks a very dark grey.

The decals are a mixture, although mostly HMRS press-fix with the running number made up
from individual number decals, ouch it hurts my eyes !! Interestingly the HMRS disc markings
were white & not yellow, so I found some Fox transfers with yellow discs.



I liked this kit, but one niggle is always the hand brake levers on those with the DCIII brakes.
To get them right they need to be made from brass with 2 x 90 degree bends to bring the round top
outside the buffer beam. With straight plastic and stuck in close to the solebar there is no way they
could be used, they would be blocked by the buffer beam. I tend to stick mine in a partially on
location just clear of the buffer beam ......... Whatever I do I'm not happy. I've not looked, but
perhaps someone makes an etched brass fret ?

I need to over varnish & weather slightly before finished, but it runs well in a train so I think it'll
be O.K.

Geoff T.

Nice to see the Wagon Works back in production!

This kit makes a really nice wagon. I want a couple of BR bauxite Banana Vans and was looking at the Bachmann ready to run,
I think you have changed my mind Geoff, this looks ideal. With the added bonus "they are kits" and I'll have to build them.

Jim.

Jim, join the wagon kit building revolution.

Geoff, that looks like another top quality build. As for that brake lever, I hadn't a clue what you were referring to! With little knowledge of the prototype I wouldn't know what to/not to look out for. My general ignorance is something I should try and correct.

Paul

Hi Paul .......

They say ignorance is bliss ...... In today's case ignorance is Blast !!
All the earlier GWR Fruit 'B' to diagram Y4 had a large white circles, these became smaller yellow ones
by BR times. Now if only I'd done my own research instead of believing the Parkside Dundas instructions
I would have fitted large white circles for which the HMRS decal sheet provides 2.

So question - Do I finish the second banana van in Bauxite as BR with another small yellow circle. OR
do I make the second one as earlier GWR with those large white circles ?? I suppose I could always do
a third one ..........

Either option is covered by decals I already have.

Jim they do make up into nice vans, no real wrinkles to sort out. Well, other than getting decals, but apart
from cost availability is not a problem.

Here are the two .... second one not far behind.



Geoff T.

No answers to my request and with van 2 ready for painting I must decide.
IF I can find a 'Return to Avonmouth' decal on that HMRS decal sheet I shall
go for an earlier GWR set of markings rather than BR bauxite.
I still would like a BR version ........ nothing wrong with having another is there !!

Off tomorrow morning early, for day 1 of the Wessex exhibition at Sherborne. I
wonder if anyone will be selling P.D kits ..... Bet not one of these !! If the price
is right I could come back with anything.

Geoff T.

I think the answer is clearly, have all 3 lol. It gives us more to read and you more to build, as you say, it's just getting another kit as the decals are already there.

Too true nickbrad,

Only 1 more kit ?
Nothing for sale over the weekend for me to buy. Apart from being 'locked out' due to site server problems
I really wouldn't have had time to do more. The two day show with total mileage back & forth of 140 miles
took all of the weekend. A Thomas overload, funny one of out 'good' children drivers was only 3 years old.
Thought I'd add this as a typical weekend scene for me !!



This evening that second GWR Banana van will become dark grey, but yes there will be a third to follow.

Geoff T.

Still not ordered that third GWR Banana Van, but will soon. To make the P&P worthwhile I'll
be ordering up to 5 more wagons. Perhaps I'll explain that later.

What I did was butcher my Lima Horsebox, still probably the basis of the Hornby one, but not having
examined one of them I can't be certain what updates may have been included in the recent release.
The original was not dire, but the large coupling didn't work well with my Bachmann small tension lock
standard, giving unreliable running.
Saw out, cut off the mountings, replaced with P.D mounting blocks with Bachmann NEM pockets & small
tension lock couplings. I noted there were no hooks, while I don't dangle 3 links I fancied hooks. I have
some Lanarkshire Models white metal hooks that neatly fit into 1(+)? mm holes I drilled.
Last evening at club it ran faultlessly behind the loco with another 27 wagons behind it - success !! Now
I must check on those roof vents, I know Lima put on too many, but what I need to remove needs checking
out, don't want to get it wrong.



Now a nice little runner, boy those wheels have 'BIG' flanges, but in use not seen.

The second banana van was gloss varnished and tonight may be decalled ........

Geoff T.

I don't really understand where these rumors of the Hornby GWR horsebox coming from the Lima model come from. When the Hornby model was released it was made quite clear that it was all new and having an example of the new model I can say that the detail is far superior to the Lima model. Anyway Geoff, it's amazing what a difference a small coupling makes and I look forward to seeing the rest of your improvements.

Hi Skyblue,

I don't obtain much Hornby rolling stock so wouldn't know, but I fear Hornby have over the years
re-released so many old, legacy models in different guises that one becomes highly suspicious when
anything that was once in their range is floated as a new model.

Here we have 2 different schemes of GWR banana van. Both will need over varnishing and weathering,
but first I must allow at least 24 hours for the decals to fully dry out. Sadly I couldn't find a "Return to
Avonmouth" decal on the HMRS sheet. The Banana text on the old paint scheme is nominally like some
title on earlier vans, but this is from a BR period set of decals.



This kit has few difficult build areas. The end to side joins fit a treat as does the roof and some elastic
bands help in getting a tight box. I have 5 grams in the box over each axle to give a little more stability.
The only place a little deviation comes is when mounting some plasticard on 2.5 mm square section supports
that act as the base for coupling mounting blocks. These mean that the handbrake inner support needs some
trimming otherwise it fouls the coupling mounting and stands too high.

I'm still trying to get my head around all the GWR door types and end designs. I'm going to order a couple of
Parkside Dundas 10 ton vans where the doors are similar to these, the Ratio 12 ton GWR van kit had plain
planking with no diagonal. It seems the only model vans, inc RTR with diagonals are P.D kits.

Geoff T.

The Llima roof vents are what you get if you give the tool maker side and end elevations but no plan. You need a picture of the roof on the new Hornby one, then you'll know which ones to remove.

Hi Bufferstop,

I have severe doubts that the current Hornby Midland version is incorrect for GWR.
The only on-line prototype picture throws doubt on it. I fear I shall go my own way
right, or wrong, but paying lip-service to the current Hornby model.
The Hornby model seems to only have 3 roof locations as to the 4 of those original
Lima drawings and actual moulding.
My current thoughts are starting at horse end, 1 central end shell vent, just before halfway
2 shell vents, both more or less matching the Hornby. Starting at grooms end, 1 central
taller lamp vent, then just before the dividing bulkhead 2 shell vents in line with the two
in the horse section.
Viewed from the side it would give 4 vent locations along the roof, viewed from the end
there would be 3 locations visible over the curvature of the roof. (As per Lima drawings?)

Anybody that can point me to clear prototype pictures would be my friend for life !!
But be quick the scalpel comes out on Friday (Grandson's birthday tomorrow)

Geoff T.

It raises the question of course, there was the official drawing in a draw somewhere in Swindon and then there were the vans, built in small batches at the most. Definitely a case of seeing a photo of the one you are modelling. If no one can come up with a photo or a definite answer you can do it your own way and no one can argue agin' it.

As you say Bufferstop, things are not always as per the official drawings.
I recall the first Airfix B.P Defiant. They had all the factory blue print drawings and made the most accurate model possible.
The only problem was that during development there were no new overall drawings. There were other specific area drawings
for the various modifications needed through testing and then into full production.
The model as made was therefore somewhat incorrect and I believe recently (since I fell out of aircraft modelling) they have
re-tooled to a much improved version.

I will improve my Lima ..... How much anybody cares is a mute point, but in action running it'll look better than as supplied
and few will know if the mods are 100% accurate or not.

Also been mucking about with self-mix GWR NPCS brown. I think the beetle looks better than the Hornby Siphon .....????



Geoff T.

Some progress being made.



Geoff T.