Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

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tom_tom_go
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Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun May 22, 2016 8:41 pm

I bought this off eBay a while back as it was cheap (it looked like it had been sitting outside for a while due to the rust and spiders eggs that were all over it!):

Image

When I first started out in 16mm I bought a few Accucraft L&B wagons although sold them on as I not like the gap between the axle boxes and wheels when fitted with 32mm wheel sets (as you can see in the photo above).

As the axle boxes fitted to the W&L stock are a one piece unit moving them in was much easier than when trying to do this with the L&B models as the leaf springs are not part of the axle boxes:

Image

The hex bolts I used to bolt the blocks of wood and axle boxes to the chassis had to be cut down as they were too long. I also cut slots into each of them to make it easier to use a small flat head screwdriver to fit them into the chassis.

You can see I have made a Plastikard brake arm for the brake lever as my wagon did not come with one (I think this is normal for Accucraft stock?) I think it needs filing down a bit more scale wise but it gives you an idea of what it will look like when finished:

Image

Plenty more to do including wheels needs painting, chopper couplers need shorting, fitting lamp irons, etc

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Post by tuppenced » Sun May 22, 2016 11:10 pm

Good find! And worthwhile improvement.

I've done some serious injury to these - think Industrial Bandsaw - but, because I'm on 45mm, changing the axlebox spacing isn't one of them. However it will be for an Isle of Man two-plank wagon though ;-) So I'm pleased to see how you've tackled it. Thanks.

Something I've noticed is that you haven't taken the opportunity to line up the axleboxes with the 'horseshoe' irons.

Finally, while as you surmise none of my W&L wagons came with a brake arm and brake block, my IoM wagon did. But then it's a TrackShack Special.

David 1/2d

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Post by tom_tom_go » Sun May 29, 2016 10:40 pm

I left the axle boxes in their original position as I thought that is how they were on the prototype?

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Dec 17, 2017 11:13 am

16mm TODAY November 2017 issue has an easy to follow article on grimy up a Binnie Engineering wagon so as I have never felt confident enough to try and make wood on a plastic modem look 'real' I made a start on this one:

20171217_110610-01.jpeg
20171217_110610-01.jpeg (107.03 KiB) Viewed 6262 times

Still more to do I think but this only took me 30 minutes with dry brushing on black, grey and tan colours in various orders.

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Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Dec 17, 2017 11:15 am

tom_tom_go wrote: Sun May 29, 2016 10:40 pm I left the axle boxes in their original position as I thought that is how they were on the prototype?
I would like to know why Accucraft did not line them up in the first place?

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by steamer68 » Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:53 pm

That's a great purchase and well worth doing some work on the wagon to make it looking great. Nice job so far Tom. :thumbleft:
Last edited by steamer68 on Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by ge_rik » Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:06 pm

A great improvement on the original, Tom.

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by RylstonLight » Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:44 pm

I like the kitbash, but I hadn’t realised the gap yoou get with 32mm, or the lack of alignment with the solebar ironmongry that holds the axlebox on. I am glad that OTC rolling stock never tempted me (clashes with more basic standards of earlier kit and scratch buildsj; I wouldn’t have spotted the discrepancies before purchase and it would have irritated me after noticing them. Ironically I tolerate no solebar or brake ironwork with impunity. Funny that.

Back on thread. Weathering good.
Andy S. at the Rylston Light Railway

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:06 pm

I sorted the alignment of the axle boxes now as it started to annoy me after it had been pointed out:

20171223_175814-01.jpeg
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The pieces of wood that I cut originally for the axle boxes were used but this time glued to the wagon and then the axle boxes were screwed using the original screws to the blocks of wood.

20171223_175850-01.jpeg
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I will continue to paint the whole underside of the wagon black as the all brown colour looks too plastic for me.

When I started looking at other Accucraft W&L wagons it looks like the axle box alignment has been corrected so maybe that's why I got this one cheap.

The modified choppers have been fitted but I need to chemically blacken them.

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by RylstonLight » Sat Dec 23, 2017 8:29 pm

Much better
Andy S. at the Rylston Light Railway

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by markoteal » Sat Dec 23, 2017 10:50 pm

Nice alignment!
Where did I put that uncoupler?

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by steamer68 » Sun Dec 24, 2017 1:02 am

Nice crafting much better. :thumbup:
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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Dec 24, 2017 10:07 am

markoteal wrote: Sat Dec 23, 2017 10:50 pm Nice alignment!
I learned early on if you try and fit axle boxes accurately without the wheels in them then you may find the wheels don't spin freely afterwards. As I can remove these screw in type Accucraft axle boxes I can paint the wheels later but if you have to glue axle boxes in paint the wheels first then glue it all in together so you can make adjustments for alignment (using epoxy here works well as you get time to move them around before it sets).

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Re: Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Dec 24, 2017 4:14 pm

I am liking the two tone look:

20171224_161047-01.jpeg
20171224_161047-01.jpeg (151.96 KiB) Viewed 6127 times

Making it up as I go but the original brown colour needs weathering to match the black.

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