I have spent a lot of the day in a very cold garage cleaning and preparing our model railway layout for an exhibition in Keighley in three weeks time. As there is further work to do on the layout I didn't want to get involved in any new projects. A few weeks ago in a charity shop I bought a plastic model of Postman Pat's van to go in a train of various other toy vehicles which are used to entertain children on CMES open days. The origin of these wagons go back many years; the first wagons used were Mamod with wooden tops either replacing or on top of the original steel tops.
Mamod based wagon originally a log wagon with a 'Brum' plastic toy as a load. A pair of Mamod buffers have been modified to act as centre couplings.
With this wagon the load is held on with a wing nut so it can easily be removed so a camera can be fitted.
Only a few Mamod based wagons have been made as even second hand they are quite expensive given the large numbers of these wagons that we use. So a wooden wagon was made the same size and the same coupling height as the Mamod version. The design is simple and uses only one type of wood 1/8" modelling plywood.
This plywood was cut to size on a circular saw which uses a cars 12 volt window motor for power.
Usually enough plywood is cut for up to 10 wagons which are assembled when needed. There is enough cut plywood for 5 wagons here.
There are the parts to make three wagon. Over the years many different sizes and makes of wheels have been used but mostly of about 24mm diameter which is about the same as Mamod use. I was given several sets of Binnie's small GRP wheels used on his skips, the owner had replaced them with steel wheels. Because of the smaller 16mm wheels this some deeper sills where required to maintain the same coupling height.
To simulate planking the plywood is scored with a Biro and the sides nicked with a file.
When painted the planking looks fairly realistic.
Over the years many different axle boxes have been used but in recent years the Binnie Festiniog 2 bolt wagon axle box has been used. The axle box has been drilled so that it can be attached to the wagon's sills.
A wagon with the usual 24mm wheels fitted in this case also a Binnie product. The axle boxes have been cut down for the narrower sill used.
Up until quite recently I have had enough Mamod buffers to make into couplings along with red painted buffer beams.
This is the wagon just completed with Postman Pat's van as a load. The wagon uses 16mm wheels and as I have run out of Mamod buffers it has modified Binnie Bumper Carmarthen couplings on a painted buffer beam.
All of the last 10 or so wagons made I have had to buy new all the fittings which goes a bit against the grain. The gift of Binnie wheels kept the cost of three of them down. I know that some people don't like using plastic wheels but I have used many and not had any problems with them. I have wagons 25 years old running on old Hornby plastic wheels, there are some Playmobile as well. I think if you want to make inexpensive wagons and have to buy new: axle boxes ,wheels, axles and couplings using Binnie products the cost of the hardware for one 4 wheel wagon is £5. The plywood and the screws possibly add another 0.50p, I have no connection with Peter Binnie but I do use his products that I find good enough for the job they do.
Regards Tony.