The Bigbee Line

Here are my 'too long in the workshop' specimens... The one on the left has the Cooper Craft Chassis split into 2 and screwed to the body. The 'stop gap' buffer beams are also screwed to the body. I want to try making some of similar shape, but with sprung buffers. The use of the Big Train / Lima underframe is too much of a work up and is not likely to be repeated. So tomorrow Matthew I'll be making doors......

I want to get to the end of my Mineral production line, so am seeking to batch each job where possible, as I want to get them to the 'running stage' as quickly as possible I cut a sheet of thick styrene to form the base to give the extra height to the Big Train / Lima body. I have used my 'weapon of choice', the small circular saw blade in a dremel, to hack out the door and trim to allow assembly at the new shorter scale length. Cutting the next 4 bases... So 4 more doors to make...

I did some years ago. I sawed the non insulated wheels towards the axle, then with half the wheel in a vice, the other half firmly gripped in pliers and flexed, easily comes off the axle.

The 'red' one has a Cooper Craft Underframe. The 'green' one has a Big Train Underframe, bodged to enable its use. To get the ride height correct it gets mounted inside an evergreen 'skirt'. I therefore needed some cosmetic solebars to complete the illusion. Luckily I had some spare evergreen channel that has been added, just need to wait for the cement to dry and to fettle the ends to join to the headstock. This one needs the rest of the door and end detail added, plus some couplers, then a first coat of grey will take them to that next stage....

The 'red' 'no top door' version has had some more body parts added. To enable running I have fitted some couplings to the 'stop gap' headstocks.. I have used some Dapol links from their 3 link version, These are slipped into the Peco RCH hook,

One of my minerals is using the original chassis shortened. The ends are located using the corner pips. It actually sits up inside the lower extension to the body. It has scrap styrene glued underneath, so that when sawn in half it sits evenly. As usual everything is held together by screws I drilled out the axleboxes to take Peco bearings. Enlarging the holes to let it sit at the right height.... Here is a stop gap headstock fitted. The axle boxes will be filled when the bearings are set up at the right height and flat fronts added to the boxes. My own view is is that this modelling style is the true spirit of O gauge.

Does this count. 6’8.1/2”...

The headstocks are turned upside down. Then secured with 2 screws. quite easy....

This is how I cut out the big train headstock to re-use it. The cuts are made with a rotary saw. The boss of the coupler is removed and the whole thing cleaned up.

Working on the principle that you can never have too many projects on the go. Guess what it’s made from and guess what this will be. The clues are a spare set of 12’ wheelbase solebars and I have a picture showing one at Hayling Island.....

The Cooper Craft Underframe has been screwed in place. It can now be unscrewed, slit into 2 and the spoked wheels replaced by 3 hole disc. There’s also a pair of brake blocks to come off..... Tonight it will get stand in buffers and drawgear. It can then run if required.....

Steady progress on the doors. I measured more this time. Using evergreen for the uprights, but cut up hot drink lids for the actual doors. I think I might work how many doors I need and batch build them.

I made sure I did a bit today. Straightened a few buffers and cut a body to shorten to the right length for a 9’ wheelbase version. Here they are, with the newest first. next the one one without a top door... the 10’ wheelbase.... My second version... this is the first the production line

Quite please with todays efforts. Fitted couplings to several wagons. Also sorted out some stuff in the workshop. I also got some underframes ready to fit. Here are some of the couplings, need some nice thin paint to weather them...:

Just found an HMRS drawing on line https://hmrs.org.uk/drawings/16-ton-all-steel-mineral-wagon-2-side-2-bottom-1-end-door-9ft-w-b-19ft-6ins-o-a.html This shows that the clearance on the Chas. Roberts Minerals is not massive on the prototype, so will go with it. I seem to be on a bit of a roll today. Adjusted the alignment of some Cooper Craft pushers. It will be fitted ar$e about face, so I might drill out the pin holes, just for fun, and add a wire safety loop....

Things move on. I have had the good fortune not only to see the layout, but also to operate it. It was a good experience and picked up quite a few tips. I notice Chaz, that you mention disposal of the rolling stock... I know I may be adding 2 + 2 and making 5, but assume this means a change of scale/gauge... It could just be a change of period... I wish you all the best with the next adventure, Many thanks Ernie

I’ll dig out some bolts and take pictures. In in the meantime I’m fitting couplings. Here’s one with a rigid mount. Odd bits of coffee stirrer glued round the shank. The plate is for function only. This one uses the spring, but will get fixed solid when the front is filled around the drawbar to stop it flopping about. I have a Parkside Slope Sider. At the door end there is not a lot of room above the hook. Need to check some pictures.

Nice Walrus, is it a kit?

Good morning, Before my head gets filled with the many things I need to do today. I was thinking about wagons, specifically the number that I have in an incomplete state and the number of projects that I have in my head. When I think about this it can all get a bit jumbled and I think to myself will I get them all finished... So I had an idea to give me some control. The principles will be: The wagons quickly get to the stage where the structure is complete; wheels, buffers and couplings are fitted and it is weighted to enable it to run. It may be, the buffers, wheels and couplings can be exchanged if required. My current themes are..... A number of LNER Vans, generically the same but will have 9' or 10' wheelbase, wooden or steel under frames, be fitted or unfitted, plus the odd fruit vans Minerals. I have a number of Big Train / Lima models that get a basic cut and shut (Shorten, wider door, raised in height), they are a tad narrow, but I'm ignoring that. I have various options for under frames, but bearing in mind the accuracy, or lack of it, with the body, I am quite forgiving, as long as the wheelbase is correct and they look OK from a viewing distance of 24". With the under frames a brake handle of brass bent to the correct shape goes a long way to improving the general appearance. I have one of the 10' wheel base re-bodied versions, actually a bit late for my period, but I have a picture of one that I detached from a Betteshanger coal train in Tonbridge West Yard so it has a kind of sentimental value. The first conversion took ages, I cut the body into 5 sections, Ending up with ; End, part of door, filler section, part of door, end. All requiring lots of filling as my cutting is normally slightly on the wonk. Now it is either 2 parts to create the correct body length and a replacement door. I an working to recycle the door sections that are removed to create wide door from the same parts. The second option will be to do as stage 1, but splice in a re-manufactured door. In the picture below are some examples: Left to right, Conversion No.1 - shortened body with new middle door section, sitting on an under frame made from Parkside under frame, Conversion No.2 - this was the convoluted 5 part job, sitting of a cooper craft under frame, finally Conversion No.4 - An as yet un chopped body sitting on a Cooper Craft under frame (This was from a partially completed GW 4 plank that I'm not sure will get finished..) The DC bits on the end will go. A plus point with the minerals is that most only have 2 brake blocks, so that is another economy... In my 'Like to do' list are the following: Southern Railway Ballast Hoppers. A couple are being hauled by a Terrier on the KESR, seen in the excellent book Steam in the Sussex Landscape", this has lots of inspirational stuff in the backgrounds of the pictures. I have cast metal underfames and diamond framed bogies earmarked for the project. In the same book is a picture of an Engineers train with 2 wagons, the first looks like a conversion of a coach under frame and the second wagon is a track relaying crane based on a Warwell wagon. Just need a cheap Warwell now... The aim is to avoid where possible any purchases, just to use what is on hand. So I go to shows, look and hope to return without new stock, quite pleased when it all works out...

Big trains have occupied my time plus a trip to the office (in Paris), no fun when French Customs were working to rule, a 3 hour wait..... Never mind have been having a monster sort, but did look at my conversion program on Big Train Minfits... I was thinking about the buffers and wondered if there's any mileage in using the existing shanks...right On the left 'as it comes', On the right 'drilled out and metal head inserted'

Just discovered this thread. Very nice, just need to read all the other pages..

Brian, Thanks, Browsing the pages made me quite nostalgic. In my time as an Inspector in the 1980's I had to check out an import load on the Rectank. It was a nautical buoy of some kind if I remember rightly. No pictures taken which is a real shame. It wasn't big enough to qualify as an 'Exceptional Load' just being signed off as 'Load Examined'... Best regards Ernie

I was give some unopened tins of Railways Spec. paint because it was past its date.... Considering I use 40 year old Humbrol it seemed crazy. But the undersides of my baseboards have a better paint job than the Forth Bridge....

I seem to have developed a 'Buffer Fetish', firstly in respect to the projection of buffers on fitted and un-fitted vehicles. then it was 'droopy buffers' and their elimination. The most recent has been the diameter of the buffer face..... So when looking through books I always dwell on a nice pair of buffers, so before this turns into the script for a 'carry on' film. I will get to the point... When the Dover - Dunkerque Train Ferry was opened in the 1930's the Southern Railway converted some 'ordinary wagons' for running to Europe via the Train Ferry. Looking at various pictures and referring to the excellent book - An Illustrated History of Southern Wagons, Volume Four, I think the 'ferry wagons' were fitted with larger diameter faces and at the same time the projection was increased to account for the screw couplings fitted (They seem to have been Vacuum fitted at the same time, with a through pipe for the Westinghouse Air Brake) 30 unfitted Dia.1379 opens were converted for Ferry use and given Dia.1387, 12 Ton Open Goods. Apart from buffers, the changes were addition of Vacuum Brakes, axle guard tie bars, an AB through pipe, safety chains, two lamp irons and inscriptions (lettering) to suit the Ferry Use. This a non Ferry buffer This is the Ferry version 20 unfitted Dia.1388 opens, 20 Ton Open Goods, followed, the test says they were converted from Dia.1379. 12 Ton Open Goods. Were these really converted from these or maybe they were converted from Dia.1936 20 Ton Minerals????? Apart from their provenance, the modification included the addition of Vacuum Brakes, an AB through pipe, safety chains, two lamp irons and inscriptions (lettering) to suit the Ferry Use. Both types were fitted with sheet bars before nationalisation. The Southern Railway also converted 100 12 Ton Vans for Ferry use, 100 unfitted Dia.1428 were converted to Dia.1430. Apart from buffers, the changes were addition of Vacuum brakes, axleguard tie bars, an AB through pipe, safety chains, two lamp irons, additional side vents and inscriptions (lettering) to suit the Ferry Use. This a non Ferry buffer This is the Ferry version Other than the size of the buffer head, it is interesting that they converted 9' wheelbase rather than 10' wheelbase wagons. I wonder what the logic was of that decision.... Any pictures or information on these would be appreciated, especially if they lingered into the early 1960's... On the Ferry Wagon subject, there were other vehicles fitted for such work; LOWMAC, CARFIT C, RECTANK, WELTROL, CATTLE.. What others had fittings to enable Ferry use?

Paul, These pictures are good pictures for inspirational purposes. The question has been asked about the angle used for the tie bars. Any idea on the logic for the reinforcing rib on the brake lever?