Adam

Having looked at the pics above, it occurs to me that the lifting lugs aren't awfully clear. Try this one: Adam

I like these very much. Much the best rendition of the diamond frame bogie I've seen in etched metal which compliments the wagon beautifully.Most impressive all round. Adam

Found the containers, all from Parkside who, in 4mm, will do you BD and FM types. Nice mouldings but they can be improved. As supplied the door catches and various lifting lugs are not nearly prominent enough so I've replaced them with brass strip and wire. The strapping that holds the lifting lugs on the roof should extend over the eaves and be double thickness. The lifting lugs should also be well proud of the roof so here's my attempt. I've just flashed some primer over it and I'm pleased. I have done the same to the FMs, but being moulded in white plastic, you can't really see! This one will end up in Freight Brown with the 'flying crate' graphics which should contrast nicely with the Bauxite/Red Oxide of the conflat. The downside of building containers and conflats, of course, is that you have to chain the wretched things down. Something to worry about later... Adam

Thank you, but don't be discouraged, I reckon that making these from Plastruct is probably a greater challenge than my composite approach.Colin's EMUs leave me in awe. Like Geoff Kent's work, these are another level entirely. To be honest, were I intending to build a rake of these, especially a loaded rake, my preference would be to make a master and to cast the ends, side raves and load in one piece in resin. I'd then add sheets over the top to build in variation. You could then leave almost all the detail off and make your life much easier. Adam

A small batch update of ongoing projects that have reached the paintshop. First, a bashed about Conflat A with an Airfix body (for the GWR type - BR built some to the same pattern, with the BR style W irons and Swindon pattern ratchet lever guides), Red Panda solebars, ABS brake gear and MJT buffers. Knocking up the GW type would have been quicker. Still, it's in primer now. The pair of Coil S have now seen primer and, because these are meant to be newly converted wagons, a coat of black on the underframe. I would normally just apply matt chocolate over primer (as I have to the wheels). In this case, I'll apply a little bit of weathering over the top when the time comes but first, there's the wood to paint and, eventually, the livery colour - Precision Paints Freight Brown - to add over the top. The LNER version of the Coil S will run loaded, probably with a tarp on so I could go easy on some of the detail and add a strengthening beam to support the ends. No bolt heads here! The ex-SR wagon, however, will run empty so this got the bolt heads on the inner ends and the wooden liner to the angle iron. A day or two hardening off awaits. Now, there's a batch of containers somewhere... Adam

The address given by Don is the Gloucestershire archives, just round the corner from the station. I've dealt with them in the day job and found them very helpful. They have a lot of GLoucester RCW material. Jonathan - a quick search of the National Register of Archives, the best place for locating corporate records in the UK - suggests the Staffordshire archives in Stoke on Trent would be a good place to start. Since I'm searching on the phone,scrolling through the search results isn't too straightforward so I can't be sure they hold things like drawings. They certainly have the business records however. Adam

I had completely forgotten about it, truth be told, but I am happy for this to happen so will alert the mods accordingly. Adam

Thanks Paul, Brian and the 'like, etc.' clickers. I see what you mean about the rope ends Brian. Were the ropes let through eyes in the tarp or simply tied over the tops like lorry loads? Pictures of loads of rod coil in unsheeted opens do turn up from time to time. With the rather glossy brown that must have looked quite garish! Refurbished or re-bodied? Adam

Back in 2012 I started a pair of wagons... and in the intervening period they have actually gone backwards before, in the last week or so, having suddenly shot forwards. The pair of wagons in question were Coil S, one of many ways in which BR turned various bits of its open wagon fleet into wagons more or less suitable for carrying various types of coil. In the case of Coil S, these were open highs from various constituent companies and BR itself heavily knocked about to ship rod coil that had previously been transported in said opens, pipes or tubes. They did much the same thing to plate wagons. I think this happened in the very late '60s when lots of other things were tried. I had come to the realisation that plastic wasn't going to work so obviously brass angle work was required and for that reason these wagons have been sat at the bottom of the 'in progress box'. There are still lots of fiddly little details to do but this is the state of play this evening. There are quite a few detail differences between the pair indicating their origins. the top is based on an SR-designed open built in the early days of BR and an LNER version below. The LNER version will be modelled loaded, the SR empty. The various raves and stanchions are all heavily pinned into solebars so should remain where I've put them. The boltheads, however, can wait until another time. Adam

That's interesting, but a slightly smaller type. I haven't seen any of the larger type with those curious solid wheels though I'd be delighted to be wrong... Adam

Like this Brian? https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/7686973946/in/set-72157603653607671 It's probably nearer Humbrol track colour (#173, now available again). Note the gloss of the new finish. Adam

Thanks again Andrew, and all the other clickers of the like button. The nice thing about the matt chocolate treatment is that you can add colour variation straight onto the top coat rather than effectively painting the chassis twice... My thanks to Ian Fleming for the idea. Adam

Another couple of finished - well, barring weathering - vehicles both fairly obviously from Bachmann. There's not much more to say about them really, is there? Adam

So the five plank has been lettered and partially weathered while the loco parked next to it is also closing in on the finish. Adam

Probably because the Dapol pre-prod is meant to be of an 'as built' machine. Note the wooden brakeblocks as opposed to iron on the Edge Hill Light Railway loco, different lamp irons different coal rails and route of the clack valve pipework. All run of the mill stuff for a Terrier, the ultimate dated photo reference machine. The feature I really like is the wheels. An excellent impression of the real thing though the lack of daylight forward of the centre axle is a pity. I don't do O gauge, but if I did this is very encouraging. Adam

Thanks Colin. I'm pleased with this one, it's come out rather well. Adam

Not exactly exciting, but all the livery colours are now done and the first dose of Klear has been applied to the sides prior to the transfers (from CCT) going on. Adam

No apology necessary, I'd be delighted to see them myself! The only picture I'm aware of of ISC's narrow gauge system at Avonmouth is this one: https://www.flickr.com/photos/12a_kingmoor_klickr/6942435092/in/set-72157626666084955 Anything more about any aspect of activity at Llanshamlet would be of interest. Adam

Having re-posted the links on the 16 tonners thread (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/36891-16t-minerals/?p=1481225), I've had a reply from Mark Saunders, who writes: He are the offending vehicles, as preserved: http://www.palbrick.com/gc/2797xx/DSCF2915.JPG http://www.palbrick.com/gc/2797xx/DSCF2911.JPG There are several unusual features to these, including uprated journals and springs and their 'afterlife' seems to have been very interesting indeed (details from Bob Wallace's Wagon research Yahoo Group and Mark). Adam

Not much more to report on the wagon front, but a bit more with regard to industrial locos. A North British Hydraulic with a MAN engine (but a bit smaller than the type most are familiar with) here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/86099-building-a-north-britishman-330hp-0-4-0dh-now-with-added-prototype-pics/ And more on the Sentinel, here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67087-the-200hp-steam-sentinel-the-boiler-finished/?p=1483977 Adam

You mean this thread? there was a thread on these wagons somewhere. Another one of those interesting things that would be fun to make as a one off that only hunted in rakes... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/86750-evocotive-railway-remains-what-derelect-or-abandoned-structure-stirs-your-emotions/?p=1478863 Adam

I've posted this elsewhere, mostly for the Sentinel, but the 16 tonner behind it is interesting, well, to me, anyway. Clearly owned by Imperial Smelting it may have been converted to a tippler http://www.philt.org.uk/Misc/Brian/i-6F8JrPV The second shot (below) may show plated up side doors: http://www.philt.org.uk/Misc/Brian/i-BN957BQ The third shows a set of four. Any ideas folks? http://www.philt.org.uk/Misc/Brian/i-FPrZLvW Adam

Pass, Arthur. I knew about Avonmouth and saw it smoking away, years ago, not that it was an especially well-photographed location. I suppose it was a bit out of the way and an enclosed site so reasonably hard to get into? A google search offers the suggestion of a 'spelter' works which is zinc. Interesting bit of film there, thanks. Adam

This is prompted by a chance find yesterday of some pictures of the now preserved Swansea Vale no. 1 (the last steam Sentinel built). Various things intrigued me about these. First, the colour of the loco, but second, the works and the wagons shown in the pictures. I don't know anything about Llansamlet works at all so if anyone has any information I would be interested to hear about it. In the meantime, here are the links to the pictures concerned. The Sentinel rather speaks for itself, but the wagon behind it is interesting: http://www.philt.org.uk/Misc/Brian/i-6F8JrPV The wagon behind the loco in interesting. It's clearly a 16 ton mineral of some description owned by Imperial Smelting. The odd feature is the square-shanked hydraulic buffer. I've never seen the like on anything other than the BR-built single bolsters and, possibly, a batch of brake vans. http://www.philt.org.uk/Misc/Brian/i-BN957BQ This picture suggests that the side doors have, possibly, been plated up and plate front axleboxes (unusual for a 16 tonner) fitted. The suggestion is that this was in use as a tippler? Adam

No problem - dad has the Marsden book, but early BR shunters aren't really my interest. The industrial versions make nice models though and are good fun to do. My guess is that those steps were taken off with a gas axe, as you say, very crude. The lack of stripes isn't so surprising; if it was anything like the application of yellow panels the job was tackled in a fairly lackadaisical fashion, especially on the Southern! Adam