Accucraft W&L 1 plank wagon modifications

[tom_tom_go]

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!):



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:



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:



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

[tuppenced]

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

[tom_tom_go]

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

[tom_tom_go]

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:

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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.

[tom_tom_go]

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?

[steamer68]

That's a great purchase and well worth doing some work on the wagon to make it looking great. Nice job so far Tom.

[ge_rik]

A great improvement on the original, Tom.

Rik

[RylstonLight]

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.

[tom_tom_go]

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

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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.

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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.

[RylstonLight]

Much better

[markoteal]

Nice alignment!

[steamer68]

Nice crafting much better.

[tom_tom_go]

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).

[tom_tom_go]

I am liking the two tone look:

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