Garden Railway Forum

Been doing 16mm 32mm gauge garden railway now for just over about 2 years. Not long I know compared to most of the other members on this excellent forum and I thought it's about time I started to build completely scratch built wagon or something. I know I have made some coal wagons and Anne's small loco for her slate mine and other stuff. Also the crane that I made completely from coffee stirrers, that I am really proud of... All have been done with other peoples chassis or bodies that I have used or altered in some way. But nothing that I have made involved putting wheels into a chassis that didn't include ready made kits.

So here we go with my 1st attempt at doing that. I have cheated a little bit in that I have used some Swift Sixteen 'I Beam Chassis' but I hope you can forgive me that one thing, well two with the wheels...

1st I needed to drill some holes into the beams has they don't have any for the bearings. I could have put some Plasticard on the inside of the beams with the bearings in them and I did think of that after I drilled the holes.... So I carefully marked the hole centres and drilled 6mm holes 3mm deep. I have to say the 3mm deep holes was carefully guessed.... ....I did mark the drill bit 3mm + from the tip to act has a depth gauge. They turned out ok has you will see...


The two small holes you can see are bubbles from the mouldings....

The chassis with the wheels fitted and the end plates.


A very very short video of the chassis freely running....



I have started to make the floor, but I haven't got around to finishing it yet.

So more to follow. What I haven't got in mind yet, is what to put on the chassis.
My mind has gone completely blank and useless, it may be sometime before I get to finish it......

Unless a member can give me some ideas.....

Great start look forward to viewing the end result.

Looks good.

The choice of body is up to you.
A piece of 3mm ply cut so the grain run across and scored to represent planking would make a flat wagon you can add details such a rings to fix ropes or chains to hold a load on.
Add sides and ends also from 2 or 3mm ply and you have an open.
Add taller ends and sides the add a roof either metal or laminated card (paint with shellac after laminating the curve to seal the card)
Detailing can be added in all cases

2mm ply represent 1.5 inch planks at 16mm 3mm ply gives 2.25 inch planks

For corner plates etc. on a open I use the tubes Tomato Puree comes in. Cut them open (when empty) wash and rollout flat easily cut and bent. An alternative could be the Aluminium dishes you take away comes in.

Don

Great start, Rod. I expect whatever you decide to mount on the chassis will be well up to your usual high standard, given the quality of you scratch built garage building.

Rik

Thanks Rik, that is a really great compliment coming from such a fantastic scratch builder as you are.

Still in this moment of time I haven't got much of an idea what to do has yet. I do have some ideas, but it's deciding on what..... Confucius he says...

Still no rush, you know at what speed I go at....

Rod

That looks absolutely brilliant, I too look forward to seeing what comes out of it

It's now that time to give members my take on a Guards Van.....
It has taken most of the summer (what summer) holidays to finish due to the fact of our Grandkids minding duties... Still it's been fun doing it, but after having the Grandkids, 4 of them at times, mostly 3, I have been knackered after 8-9 hours of them every day for 6 days all summer..

So here we go. Forgive me if it's a rather long update on my build. I could just show the finished Van, but then were is the fun in that...

After the chassis, the floor was cut, scored and painted.

I was going to just leave all of the van with just the grey paint, but maybe next time. There really does need to be a wood colour under the grey, so a little bit of experimenting will be done...

Next is four ends, four ends I hear you say. All will be revealed in a few minutes...


The two inner ends and sides,


Now the outer ends of the van,

I made two jigs for the roof so I could cut the four roof supports out, they needed to be different for the inner ends because of the height of the doors.

With the roof on,


I am sorry I haven't took any more photos showing the making and fitting of the buffer beams and the other things, like the running boards. But they are a simple build and one that most of us can do, some a lot better than I can do..

I did however put some glazing in the van ends and Anne suggested there should be some wipers on the windows so the Guard can see out, (I need a Guard I said) hint...So I thought it would do no harm. I ordered two of them plus some made to order grab rails, plus 4 Milk cans and a chimney from SLR models for £10, which Nicki did has a favour for me, all of them would have been a little bit more though..

After fitting the wipers I did think they don't look right and also the roof....maybe I shouldn't of gone with the crumpled look, at the time it looked good, BUT.....

Anyway here it is, weathered and done. The couple of photos of it behind the coach and Anne's Tram are purely for photo purposes, I am going to have it behind some coal and flat wagons, that was the idea anyway......
I think It come has to the end of the allowed space for this post. So I will put the other couple of photos up later.
I hope you like my take on a Guards Van, it may not be proctypicial, but I don't pretend to do proctypicial. I do what I think looks good for us. I don't really have the knowledge anyway of how railways should or should not be. I just love railways in all its forms......

You must be pretty pleased with yourself. There is a lot of pleasure in scratch building. I would agree with you about the roof. You have rather overdone the texture but you could tackle that if it bothers you. Other than that it is a good build. The Milk churns on the veranda are a nice touch. The van looks just right as part of the train.

Don

You have just made my mind up Don. A new roof is going on.....

Yes I am pleased with my first build....Thanks for your kind comments....

Well done Rod, you have done a great job, especially as as first attempt. I like the way you have thought out the build process too, cut out and score all sides before assembly, paint the inaccessible parts first and fit all detail last of all.
The handrails look particularly good and the accessories you have added all give great character.
Best thing is that it is your work and no-one else has one like it..... something to be proud of!

I'm always astonished at what can be done with plasticard. It really does look like the van is made of real wood!

Absolutely brilliant, I wish I could make plastic look like wood like that, fantastic work and for a first attempt even more mind blowing

Very good. I particularly like the chimney - better than my bit o' pipe!

Another thread I'm just catching up with - and that looks great, Rod! Absolutely full of character, and I love all the details, especially the full-length double footboards and handrails...

It looks great with the tram and carriage, looking forward to seeing it with a goods train too...

Cheers,

Andrew.

That's brilliant

Very impressive Rod - well done!

Thanks Mark.

Sorry for the late reply.