Garden Railway Forum

In later preservation years the Rylston Light needed to rest a lot of the original non-passeneger rolling stock and re-patriated several steel bodied wagons from the Namibia to use for coal and hot ashes.

I needed to devise a novel way of modeelling rather than my usual staright sided box (in wood) on a chassis. I wanted more rounded, and came up with this. However I know what it started life as and I can't quite shake off knowing this when I look at it.

Photographs look better as we control context (eg background); I think that a lot of our success as modellers relies on the observers' willing suspension of disbelief (eg in real life we choose not to notice the out of scale house in the background).

Let's see if the model fools you eagle-eyed lot. Can you guess the origins? It is a very simple project; an afternoon's work excluding painting. Should I go back to the drawing board, or does it pass muster?

Lovely job!

My initial guess would be an extended plastic storage box with plastic strip and detailing

I'm afraid not even that complicated:

UNEXTENDED plastic storage box with plastic strip !

Perfect "Roundhouse" loading gauge dimensions from The Really Usefiul Box Company (from Staples).

Problem is I just keep seeing the plastic box. The problem is, in real life the eye is used to seeing 1:1 scale storage boxes, and so that's what I see.

I could spend days modelling a more legitimate design but the loading gauge will be the same and I suspecgt I might still see the same storage box at the end. Mmmmm.

It looks mighty fine to me! (especially as a "re-pat"):D

Oh, yes! I'm familiar with the boxes (I use the larger, 9 litre ones for Flagg Flourspar stock and peripherals) but it was only after you said that I realised what it was! I do like the extra detailing.........................

Ive just started to look at alternative plastic as a material other than commercial plasticard to my surprise there are intricate shapes and folds on the edge of such boxes like marg tubs that have been put to use

I couldn't figure out what you were on about until I read the comments. Just looks like a coal wagon to me. I'd say you were right about context. Things really only look like what you expect them to look like. I see nothing of a storage box, only a wagon.

Certainly works for me......just wish I'd thought of it first!

It's the handles on the end that gave it away to me, you could try disgusting those?

Someone made some and displayed on the 7-8ths.info site sometime ago. They used the clips that hold the tops on as bogies

Your effort is superb...it looks the real thing...i must have a go

Did a similar thing myself a little while back. Tiny tub,based on a box bought from Hobbycraft. They looked a bit askance when I asked for 20 black ones.

Better than Roundhouse!

That would never look out of place full of foundry waste, with the underframe suitably weathered too!

Andrew, I agree. I did consider surgery on the handles but couldn't quite see howe to do it without major surgery.

For those interested there is lightly embossed lettering on the box. This can be lifted off with a sharp blade and when painted doesn't show. The larger area of letting on the end can be covered with a square of plasticard that looks like a panel.

Hi, these are cheap wagons...thanks for the reminder as I have several at home to do...must empty the screws out of them.

Just for you RylstonLight here is the link to 7-8ths.info page where John Foley has done something similar...as it would seem others have.....who needs the major suppliers...just need Staples!!

http://www.7-8ths.info/index.php?topic=16682251.60

Read the who topic it also discusses paint that will stick to the plastic..

John well done...I hope you don't mind the link

I upload two pictures of Johns fine efforts which will show what he did with the locking handles.......I wonder if the really big ones would run on 3 1/2" or 5"?????????

Crackingjob

ps I feel a little competition coming on for the most creative adaptation

Now those handles are really clever....

Initiative very clever! Staples are goona have their stocked cleared now!

And to think I just threw away the fasteners!

Is there a problem getting paint to stick? In my innocence I just sprayed them with Halfords Yellow pastic primer chosen for it's colour. Seems to have worked okay.

EDIT: Thinking back I am sure I burnished the sides with a fibre-glass pencil to improve glueing on the extra trim. That may have helped the paint stick too.

I think the Yanks had a problem, but Halfords paints especially the bumper paint sticks to anything...I think its just preparation... as they say Poor Preparation appertains to Poor Performance ( that's the polite version!)

Halfords bumper paint gives a matt... matt .... colour