Garden Railway Forum

That looks very neat and tidy, great work! Will you be adding coach-bolt heads to the hinges?

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 9:29 pm That looks very neat and tidy, great work! Will you be adding coach-bolt heads to the hinges?

Thanks - and yes now you’ve mentioned it, I think that’s a good idea!

Some really realistic looking developments with interesting back stories. Can't wait to see pictures and/ or video when the trains start running. Nice looking cattle van! I know from experience, they are not the easiest to construct from scratch.

Rik

Nice van - it looks just right!

That's a lovely looking cattle van. As Peter mentioned, some 'ironwork' would cap it off nicely. You can get all sorts of 16mm scale plastic ironware from Cambrian Models (just in case you haven't discovered them yet) https://www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk/16mmng-parts

Seb_N&BLR wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:40 pm Other than painting it, I’ve today finished my ‘Christmas project’ which was to scratch build a cattle wagon.

Really neat, looks superb.

That is a great looking wagon!

Thank you for all the kind and helpful comments

Can’t believe I’m contemplating actually going through with this. My thinking is a plywood chassis and modellers-grade stripwood & dowelling to construct the bodyshell, clad in plasticard. I’ve got a powered bogie coming in the mail from Ince Locoworks. The most challenging shape is undoubtedly the roof over the cabs. That’s one to cross when (if!) I get to it. Suspect this will be a long project, but I’m daring to believe I can pull it off

Also - as I’ve realised it’s over a year since I last posted Here are a few photos from a recent running session. Rather simple operations involving sending trains from one station to the other (out of sight of each other for added interest) but we had a very fun couple of hours in the sunshine.

Welcome back! While 3d printing is terrific, it's nice to see a scratchbuild of complex prototypes.
Fence-mounted signal is a nice touch too.

Love the idea of a narrow gauge Flying Banana! Do keep us posted with build updates, please.

A slightly more complete schematic drawing. On the (frankly, likely ) possibility that this project turns out to be beyond my ability, hopefully it might inspire someone else!

That's brilliant, I love it!

There's a precedent for it taking a very long time too. During a childhood visit to the K&ESR (probably in '83, or '84), I remember seeing a forlorn looking railcar No 20 with a sign attached appealing for funds so that it could be restored in time for GWR 150 celebrations in 1985. Nearly forty years later, the restoration does now appear to be on the home straight...

Andrew wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 11:02 am That's brilliant, I love it!

There's a precedent for it taking a very long time too. During a childhood visit to the K&ESR (probably in '83, or '84), I remember seeing a forlorn looking railcar No 20 with a sign attached appealing for funds so that it could be restored in time for GWR 150 celebrations in 1985. Nearly forty years later, the restoration does now appear to be on the home straight...

Funnily enough the many ‘WIP’ images of no.20 has really helped with mentally planning how to structure the model!

A fairly brief project update after a few weeks of occasional bursts of activity, in my usual style. I’ve cut the plywood chassis and attached solebars, headstocks and buffer beams. After some careful measurement of the power bogie and the required coupler heights I’ve concluded that the bogie frames will sit entirely beneath the chassis with only the central pivot and motor required to penetrate the vehicle floor, which rather simplified the size of the hole required. There is enough rotational space for the bogie to turn through my tightest pointwork, about 2ft6 radius.

I’ve also cut one of the cab rear walls out of ply and it is now glued in place along with the first part of the cab structure. The (as yet unpainted) driver is positioned for scale comparison. It’s a rather cosy cab so the doorway to the saloon is offset rather than central - I’m trying to think how the Swindon design would be adapted to the narrow gauge rather than just reproducing a smaller version of it.

Pics: A long long way to go yet but it’s pleasing to make initial progress.

After a hiatus of a few weeks due to family issues, I’ve once again pressed on with my Swindon railcar project. The frame of one cab and the main passenger saloon have been constructed and the character of the model is hopefully starting to appear. I’ve decided to clad it using 1mm ply rather than plasticard which will result in an all-wooden construction - the full size vehicles were wooden bodied clad in steel sheet similar to other GWR coaches of the period. All wooden body should make it easier to paint and achieve a consistent finish.

Some pics of it WIP:
I’ve also acquired a power chassis from Ince Loco Works which may get used for this project if I can work out a sensible way to attach & pivot it within the frames, hidden by the parcels compartment. The trailer bogie will sit beneath the passenger compartment.

Beautiful work!

A bit more progress…