Coal load for a Mamod Open Wagon

[Chris Cairns]

I've always felt these wagons look rather plain just being pulled around by my steam locos, so I've been thinking about how to dress these up.



As I was going to the Merstham Steam Rally on 17 May 2008, I thought I could add a dummy coal load to my shopping list.

2 of the Traders that were due to be present offered these.

Modeltown ( http://www.ayanami.co.uk/test/catalog/p ... ucts_id=76 ), although it only says suitable for IP Eng 4 Plank wagon (no dimensions), and I actually did not see these on their display (did not ask as I had got mine from the other Trader).

AnDel Models ( http://stores.ebay.co.uk/AnDel-Models ). He does 2 kinds, one for his Wide Bodied Open Wagon, 90mm x 132mm, and the other for the IP Eng Open Wagon, 76mm x 145mm. I had quickly measured that the Mamod Open Wagon as 140mm x 78mm (there is a lip at the top all around the inside), so decided to buy the Wide Bodied Open Wagon one. I'm sure the other one would have also worked, just being a loose fit width-wise.

So this is that coal load.



And it is provided with balsa supports.



As the dimensions prove, it is not long enough for the wagon -



and is too wide.



So I sanded down the sides flush with a sanding block, and measured up the portion from the side to be removed, and give it a generous margin. This resin is tough stuff to saw using my fine model saw, and I cracked part of the waste portion prior to complete removal. I then glued this waste portion onto one end using cyanoacrylate, and sanded flush to finish.

I cleaned off the dust caused by the sanding using a wet toothbrush, and toned the sides using my greasy toothbrush I use for cleaning bolts, fittings, etc.

The supplied balsa supports only needed slight sanding to provide a realistic height.

And here is the result.



This is a tight fit width-wise, and there is a small gap length-wise. The big advantage is it is not a permanent fixing, and is easily removed.

I think these work very well, and look forward to fitting the other 2 I bought in due course.

Thanks for looking. I hope it maybe gave you an idea for those plain looking wagons.

Chris Cairns.

(edited to correct image links)

[SillyBilly]

Looks very good.

[steamyjim]

Very impressive Chris!

[ACLR]

looks great Chris

[laalratty]

I must admit, that looks much more convincing than some coal loads you get, although I get mine by sifting through the nutty slack pile at Ravenglass! (or rather my dad sifts the nutty slack pile at Ravenglass)

[TonyW]

I have a similar arrangement in some of my wagons, except that it consists of a piece of marine ply cut to size standing on some ply "legs" to get the correct height. Real coal glued on to the top with PVA completes the job, and at a fraction of the cost of a bought-in item.

And remember, nothing looks like coal - except coal!

[Chris Cairns]

I appreciate that these can be made in-house reasonably well, but I lack the time (travelling North to my new job today), and do not have a ready supply of 16mm scale coal at present.

Hence my ready built option.