Slaters Wagon Build and Kit Bash

[siclick33]

I have just taken delivery of a bunch of Slaters wagons and will be attempting to see how many different varieties of rolling stock I can build from them.

First, I will build one of each of the Dinorwic and Ffestiniog wagons, largely as supplied, and then I will try some different things out to see what works and what doesn't; I already have some idea of what I want to try. The only difference with these first ones is that the Dinorwic rubbish and slab wagons only come with double-flange wheels, and I am looking to swap them to single flange. This obviously won't be scale, but it looks fairly straightforward to change them over, will simplify running in the future (when I finally get a track set up!) and will match the slate wagon which is available with single flange wheels.

I also want to have a play with some of the rust 'paint' that is available.

[siclick33]

So, I thought that swapping the wheels over would simply be a case of buying the different wheels but it's not quite that easy.

The top photo shows the difference between the double-flange wheels and the single-flange wheels. The double-flange ones have metal bushes and they are a slip fit over the axle, which is permanently glued into the axle boxes. The single-flange wheels are a press fit on the axles and the axle is designed to rotate.

The first suggestion from Slater's was to drill out the axle boxes so that the single-flanged wheels could be used with their own axles. However, when I received the wheels it appears that the hubs are identical, so I wondered if I could use the single-flange wheels on the double-flange axles.

This turned out to actually be a very simple job. The single-flange wheels can be removed from their axles by twisting and pulling. Whilst they are a press fit, they aren't on ridiculously tight so that was fairly easy. The axles that come with the singe-flange wheels then becomes the perfect tool for both pressing out the bushes from the double-flange wheels and re-installing them on the single flange.

I now have single-flange wheels that will fit on the double-flange axle, ready to build the kit as designed. The only additional thing I will now have to do is to add some spacing washers to set the wheel gauge, as the single-flange wheels can't be allowed to float like the double-flange ones do.

[Old Man Aaron]

Some fine goodies there. I've always wondered if anyone had converted one of those rubbish wagons to single-flange. Looking forward to seeing what else you do with these.

[siclick33]

Slow progress (as usual).

I've got 2 of the Dinorwic wagons to this stage. Not much to say - the kits go together really well so I''ll be moving on to painting soon.

[siclick33]

First one (the standard build) is primed. The second one will be built as a flat wagon. This has been done before and is detailed in the link. I will be using metal rivets in the end holes, rather than cutting and re-using the rivets as shown in the link.

One set of wheels have had the rust treatment.

https://www.16mm.org.uk/2022/02/01/febr ... lab-wagon/

[philipy]

Yup.. those definitely look like rusty wheels!!
The rest of them are looking good as well.

[siclick33]

Primed on the left, slightly weathered on the right.

Just finishing the axle boxes and then final assembly of the first one will begin.

[siclick33]

Second wagon converted into a coal wagon with Plastikard. The design of the original wagon doesn't allow the inserts to be scale, so it is just a likeness. It looks better in person than it does in the photo!