When the weather started to cool off I was back in the workshop, so these had sat around unpainted since Easter. I finally finished the loco project recently and started to paint these models. It is mid-winter here, but the sun appeared temporarily and I was able to take the final photos.
Construction is by my usual methods of wooden under frame and either wood or polystyrene bodywork. You'll find more detail in previous posts on goods trucks.
The bogies started life as LGB US type arch bar trucks, known as bar frame bogies in this part of Aust. They looked a bit airy, as LGB don't include brakes in the moulding. Consequently, as well as fitting my own wheels, I fitted a basic representation of the type of brakes fitted to VR bar frame bogies. See first photo for a before and after shot.
This first batch of models includes a bogie goods guards van, which is basically the same as the existing 4 wheel model stretched to include another van compartment. Bodywork is polystyrene sheet laminated to build up thickness and recess the windows to the correct depth.
The following photos show the model assembled and then painted.
The other models in this batch are two bogie cattle trucks, which are basically two 4 wheel truck bodies fitted on the same bogie underframe as the guards van. Body work and under frame is wood (hoop pine I think) and ply, with LGB bogies and a laminated polystyrene roof. I'd have preferred a corrugated iron roof, but couldn't find a suitable size sheet of the corrugated paper I used on the 4 wheel trucks.
The following photos. show the two models assembled and then a closer photo of a painted one.
There is still a couple of bogie underframes on the bench to be completed as open wagons and a bogie louvre van may appear as well at some point.
TVT Story
With traffic levels building up on the TVT after the Kaisers War, the TVT had invested in more powerful locos and decided to introduce bogie goods trucks for the new traffic, rather than extending the 4 wheel fleet.
Using bogie wagons allowed some goods and the mixed trains to run faster, so some timetabled trains were accelerated a little. Although it doesn't make a lot of difference to the working of the roadside goods, which stops and shunts at every station and siding along the way.
After the kerfuffle with the guards over the passenger guards vans, the new bogie vans for goods trains were fitted with stoves and the guard compartment partitioned off.
The bogies are the same bar frame type as the goods trucks though, so the ride hasn't improved much. The engineers private view being that the rough ride tends to keep the guard awake.....
Regards,
Graeme
