Most of the wagon builds I have posted on this blog have been either based on kits, modified to a greater or lesser extent, or (in one case) scratch-built. This one is different, being based on a 3D print by Stephen @stevel, who has posted about some of his work elsewhere on RMweb. Stephen has been developing his digital model for this prototype over the last few months, with some input from me - mainly providing information from books and drawings Stephen doesn't have access to, and providing feedback.

 

This model is the first full build from the digital model, intended to flush out the kinds of issues that only come to light with a physical build. As a result, the digital model has been fine-tuned for future prints.

 

The body and underframe is a single print. Stephen had done most of the tidying up of the print before sending it to me, removing the supports and filing flat the underside of the solebars. We had previously discussed the best way to do the door bolts and the chains for the retaining pins, and decided to leave these to the builder rather than trying to print them. The print has holes in the door latch mechanisms to slide a piece of 0.4 wire into for the bolts, and I made the chains from fuse wire as I usually do:

 

 

The other parts provided are the axleguards and axle boxes, the brake gear as a single assembly, the brake lever and the roof:

 

 

The axle guards are designed to provide springing using guitar string wire, and Stephen included a jig to help bend this to shape. The axle box is attached to a small frame that slides up and down behind the w-iron:

 

 

Stephen has been having some issues with fine corrugated lines appearing in the prints (discussed in another thread), and these had affected one end of this wagon print. I was able to scrape the lines off with a chisel blade in a craft knife - it looks a mess in the photo but was fine once painted:

 

 

The roof would be perfectly usable as it came - Stephen has even included very slight plank lines - but I decided I needed a bit more texture to help get the weathered look I wanted. I covered the roof with model aircraft tissue, stuck on with the dope provided for that purpose. You can use tissue paper, but the aircraft tissue gives a finer texture.

 

 

 

(apologies that these pictures are not quite sharp)

 

I decided to paint and letter the body before assembling the running gear and brakes. Before that, I made sure that all the parts fitted together, and the axlebox springing mechanism was working. They needed a small amount of fettling with a needle file to get smooth movement (better than being loose) and I rubbed the contact surfaces between the axle guards and the axle box unit with an HB pencil to provide dry lubrication. I also checked the fit of the brake gear; I had to file the brake shoes back a little for the wheels to turn freely, and Stephen has since adjusted the digital model, but again, better to have to do this than have a huge gap between wheel and brake shoe (a particular bête noire of mine).

 

I painted the body first with a coat of Halfords grey primer, and then brush painted a dark grey made from a mix of Vallejo acrylic black and white paints. Painting really brings out the detail:

 

 

You can see in this picture that the headstock is slightly distorted - an issue that can happen as part of the printing process. I decided it wouldn't really show once the wagon was finished, and I was keen to complete this as a test build. I did though have to make a slight adjustment to how the buffers at this end sat to keep them level - the print is designed to use the Peco GWR tapered buffers and couplings.

 

I also realised I had forgotten to add the horse loop, another part Stephen and I had decided would be better added from wire rather than printed:

 

 

I completed the lettering using HMRS methfix transfers - discovering in the process that the meths softens the acrylic paint. Happily, some retouching and weathering disguised the 'water marks' left, but this would be a problem if you wanted a pristine wagon.

At this point I was able to assemble the running gear and brakes. The print has lugs on the back to position the axle guards, making this a straightforward process:

 

 

 

Weathering was mainly with powders - a warm grey mixed from black, white and a rust colour - with some detailing using black and brown acrylics and enamels.

 

This type of wooden-framed covered goods wagon has long been on my planned stock list, and my idea was to scratch build one. I was delighted to work with Stephen to develop the digital model, and equally delighted to have the chance to do a test build. The result is better in its precision of detail than I could build by conventional techniques, and I feel captures the character of the prototype beautifully. It was also significantly less work than a scratch build. What more could one want?

 

 

 

 

 

Nick.