Advice sought on building an AnDel Guards Van

[Chris Cairns]

Back in 2008 I bought a Guards Van kit from AnDel at the Merstham show. Like most things in 2008 it took a backward step as I ended up commuting to work away from home for some 3 & 1/2 years.

It has now come to the top of my workshop 'To Do' list. I have searched through the Forum but cannot find a specific build topic for AnDel model kits (they are generally easy to put together) with just a couple of photos of this Guards Van posted, which I believe was withdrawn in 2009.

I found Zach's Topic where he had to rebuild his Guard's Van after being attacked by a cat, but it does not finish with whether the article on working brakes was ever submitted to Garden Rail and published - http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/abou ... el&start=0

Originally I considered making the side doors working but felt the van would lose some of its strength by cutting the doors out of the side walls, however I do intend to fit hinges to the inner door as I would like to decorate the inside of the van. The late Peter Longfils did an excellent job of fitting out his van although my skills will not be as good (here are his photos).




In order to view the interior a removable roof would be a good idea (I am painting the window frames white and will be fitting glazing). I am aware that these resin roofs may need softening by immersion in hot water. However will they retain their new shape once cooled down again. My idea is to make a wooden frame which would be a friction fit within the 'cabin' of the van but not holding the roof in place over the balcony - would that idea work?

And what colour would you paint the buffer beam (it has the moulded resin buffer with an under slung coupling chain and top hook in black) - red or black?

Thanks for reading this Topic. Any & all answers most appreciated.

Chris Cairns.

[Spule 4]

I bought one of his kits back then too, has the nice metal buffers that he no longer sells.

I love resin kits, I have built, exhibited and even won awards for some H0 US prototype finescale models in the past.

Anyhow, you could make a wood or styrene frame would work. I built a Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis (NC&StL) home-shops pulpwood car (they rebuilt them out of boxcars, so I started with a resin Fowler boxcar kit) in HO mixing styrene and resin and it came out well.

Resin will bend with some controlled heat, just be careful not to get the buscuit too hot that it distorts.

For rolling stock, you can go black on the buffers and beams.

[Chris Cairns]

This is another Guards Van roof (but it is thin wood) where the 3 very thin ribs were enhanced with a thicker wood frame so it fits by friction but comes off easily so I can access the battery box & on/off switch of a working IP Eng tail light.



On the AnDel the idea would be to restrict a smaller wood frame to inside the 'cabin' where it would not be seen, hoping that the end of the roof over the balcony retains its shape.

Chris Cairns.

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

Inner roof frames work well. I have found adhearing curved shapes of wood to curved shapes of resin a little difficult.

On the subject of my guards van, The brakes got obliterated so they don't work any more. The working brake column is still in there and I'd like to have time to fit out the interior of the guards van at some point. I remodeled the end to give a more open balcony. For reheating resin, I put it in a low temperature oven for a few minuets. Then bring it out in heat proof gloves and put it on a former. and leave it there, adjusting and tweaking as neccessary.