SAR Railcar for the FBGR

FBGR · Post by **FBGR** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:49 pm

After wishing, hoping and planning for a Railcar on the FBGR, it is finally going to happen.

I have been looking out for information for some years and have even had a couple of false starts where I made a couple of bits, found a problem and then went on to something else. I’ve started now, but there still are a couple of challenges where I don’t yet know how I am going to do some of it, but now I will just keep going until it is done.

This two foot gauge railcar was designed and built in the Pretoria Workshops in 1925/26, was originally numbered RM NG1, but was later renumbered RM 501. It was powered by a Leyland 4 cylinder 48/60 hp petrol engine, and weighed about 6½ tons. It was withdrawn sometime after 1934.

Details by Malcolm Crawford, with a drawing, were published some years ago in Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review – thank you to Kelvin Parkes for bringing this to my attention. A (very small) drawing also appears on page 99 of 24 Inches Apart.

I started with the bogies (the front a ‘conventional’ four wheel bogie, and the rear a two wheel bogie in the form of a Bissell Truck). To save complications I will fix the rear ‘bogie’ in position anyway, this also happened with the prototype after a few years running.

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Mostly constructed out of Plasticard of course. I couldn’t make total sense of the brake rigging, so I just copied what was shown on the drawing – most of it will not be visible anyway. Some small bits of wire help to keep the brake blocks on.

Front bogie wheels are 25mm dia from Cambrian Models (code NW5) , the rear wheels were 32mm dia from Essel.

Next will be the Bonnet.

JOhn

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 6:45 pm

Stunningly superb!

kandnwlr · Post by **kandnwlr** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:13 pm

Fantastic. Do you want to post a pic of the original? For those still ignorant of what you´re building. Please.

bazzer42 · Post by **bazzer42** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:31 pm

I've just told the guttering thread that you have the patience of a saint, you have reinforced the point -brilliant!

kandnwlr · Post by **kandnwlr** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:39 pm

bazzer42:99448 wrote:I've just told the guttering thread that you have the patience of a saint, you have reinforced the point -brilliant!

I´m glad that you´ve noted my rapidly approaching canonization. Just one more miracle to go. For example, trying to get my Garratt to go more than twice round the track.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:31 pm

FBGR:99434 wrote:http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m62 ... db09ac.jpg[/img]
[img]
Mostly constructed out of Plasticard of course.

That's Plasticard?

WOW!!!!!!!!!

kandnwlr · Post by **kandnwlr** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:38 pm

Peter Butler:99459 wrote:
FBGR:99434 wrote:http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m62 ... db09ac.jpg[/img]
[img]
Mostly constructed out of Plasticard of course.
That's Plasticard?

WOW!!!!!!!!!

More please

FBGR · Post by **FBGR** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 6:27 pm

Bonnet now made.

This is just large enough to be able to fit in a block of 6 AA sized batteries – nice to get them out of the way and not cluttering up the underside.

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All from Plasticard except the bonnet handles of copper wire.

Next will be the main bodywork.

JOhn

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:30 pm

I want more.......
This is looking just brilliant!

kandnwlr · Post by **kandnwlr** » Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:48 am

Following this with increasing wonder. Can´t wait to see the finished product.

FBGR · Post by **FBGR** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 3:38 pm

Main bodywork now made.

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Mostly Plasticard of course. Brandbright Door Handles – I tried to make these in Plasticard, but they turned out too brittle. Steel mesh is from an old flour strainer – old (or even new) kitchenware can be a good source of mesh.

A knotch had to be taken out of the wall between the rear two compartments to allow for the motor. Luckily this looks as if it can be fitted just below the level of the seats, so should not be very visible in the finished model.

The floor to the driving compartment is higher than the ‘footplate’. The ‘steering wheel’ was probably the front brake. Actual arrangement of the controls etc. were not known, so I just guessed. In order to be able to detail (and later paint) the controls (including the brakewheel) are mounted on a sub-assembly, to be fixed into the cab later.

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Also on the driving cab floor I have positioned the main ON/OFF switch, so that I can reach in with a finger to operated same – hence the wires.

Next the Roof

JOhn

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 4:30 pm

This just gets better and better. I'm so pleased someone else enjoys working with Plasticard as much as I do.
I can't wait for the next installment.

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 8:40 pm

This looks truly fantastic, oh to be so skilled at using plasticard!

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:33 pm

laalratty:100022 wrote:This looks truly fantastic, oh to be so skilled at using plasticard!

I can only agree. Stunning.

Dr. Bond of the DVLR · Post by **Dr. Bond of the DVLR** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:49 pm

Exquisite

invicta280 · Post by **invicta280** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:18 pm

This is stunning workmanship. How do you work with plasticard to this quality? What tools are you using? Every corner and detail looks as precise as advanced 3D printing.

I too am building a railcar from plasticard. The cab design is somewhat similar with opening front window etc, but there the similarity ends! You are light years ahead of me in design and build quality.

FBGR · Post by **FBGR** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 12:50 pm

Dear Invicta280,

I don’t think I use anything special in the tool department: -

Digital calliper – accurate measurement and marking/scoring where to cut,
Swan Morton scalpel with No.10A blade,
Small files – they will never wear out on plastic,
Small drills – they will never wear out on the plastic,
Small bench edge clamp vice – for squeezing multiple parts together during glueing, and holding bits,
Tweezers,
Small saw for cutting large sections or marking plastic surface to imitate wood,
Little wire brush for cleaning files and brushing surface of plastic,
Sand paper,
Various clamps for holding plastic sheets while making long cuts etc.,
Working on a cutting mat with an Angle Poise Lamp close by to give my old eyes a bit of help.

I tend to draw or sketch each part before cutting, sometimes on the plastic to be cut, sometimes on squared paper and sometimes using Paint and print it out.

JOhn

PS - Forgot a small Engineer's Square, and rule - JOhn

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 2:05 pm

Basically the same selection of equipment I use, (especially the anglepoise lamp for the ancient eyes!). No expensive electrical or engineering machinery required for working with Plasticard except for a Dremmell type drill which I think is essential.

FBGR · Post by **FBGR** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 10:37 am

I must work a little differently to you Peter.

I have a small ‘hobby’ type drill (Dremmell) hanging under the corner of my work table, but rarely use it, preferring to take my time with cutting/whittling to near the final shape and then sanding/filing to the finish as required – so I would not consider it an essential piece of equipment.

I have never found the filling of any holes/mistakes very satisfactory, and I would often prefer to start again on a component even if I had already spent some hours on it – it would sometimes turn out better anyway.

The material is cheap enough, and sometimes the tub of discarded bits can yield useful bits for detailing.

JOhn

FBGR · Post by **FBGR** » Fri May 02, 2014 1:25 pm

The Roof is done.

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The shape over the driving cab involved a lot of thin layers and a lot of sanding down between to get rid of ridges – hopefully it will look all right when it gets painted.

Next the Main Frame / Chassis.

JOhn

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