[Anthony Richards]

Your Mica upgrade looks good Cameron. I put a rake of these together quite a while back, but retained the Wrenn chassis on each, changing only the wheels for freer-running ones. A cheap and easy conversion really and a lot easier and cheaper than constructing the Parkside kit. In the end, I did six.

Photos are a little cruel! I like the hand rail / handle work on your's.

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

The Parkside model is really quite good but forming the handrails is an appalling job which really requires a jig of some sort to ensure that all four are at least remotely identical!

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

Very attractive wagon indeed. Didn't I read somewhere than no more were built by the GWR because of corrosion problems caused by the effluent from their passengers?

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

I must consult the GWR wagon bible on this and report back....

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

The Bible isn't particularly forthcoming I'm afraid. It notes that the build - just one - was experimental and it was constructed in March 1888. It was not regarded as good enough for further examples to be built and no Diagram No was issued for it. Nevertheless, it soldiered on in service until March1935. Measurements were 16ft 1in long, 7ft 5ins wide and 6ft 11.5 ins high. It ran on 3ft wheels. There is no note about any particular difficulties experienced in maintaining it, so the tale of cows' pee may just be apocryphal.

And that's pretty much it.

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

What replacement bogies are you going to use for the Siphon, Cameron?

I'm really tempted to do one of these when I have finished my current project.

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

The K's Siphon F, although very old now and pretty basic, isn't actually a bad kit [although it is overlong to enable it to use the roof that K's moulded for their 40ft. Dean PBV]. And anyway, outside of etched brass, it's all there is! I don't know if I posted this photo before, but here a rake of four I built fairly recently. Forgive the gratuitous highjack!

A perfectly convincing 4-wheel Siphon C can be constructed out of these also.

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

Thanks for allowing me to post my photos.

I'll look forward to seeing your Siphon C. I'd like to do a few more and the Shirescenes overlay would probably be a lot quicker [and maybe cheaper] than chopping up the K's Siphon. Here's the one I did some years ago. Ratio underframe, obviously. Incidentally, using 3mm transfers allows the K's Siphon F to be lettered with no difficulty at all, and the size is perfect, fitting into the panelling without a squeeze.

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

They were Railtech, Cameron,

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

Have been doing some idle musings for 'what if' a super-heavy TOAD would be required for something like the S.Wales coal traffic, so have done a couple of 'sketches'...!
View attachment 21128
View attachment 21129

Thinking of using a couple of venerable Ratio TOADs 'cut and shut' for the body, and some ex-Ratio or Cambrian bogies for below. One day I'd love to have a go at the Rumney Models ones, but probably not for this project!

I haven't yet fully worked out the step boards or the brake gear, particularly on the veranda end... Also wanting to have this one be vacc fitted, but will see how it looks...!

Regards,

Cameron.

Lord Above! I am sorely tempted!

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

It seems convergent evolution is indeed a thing..... Have just come across this on eBay!
View attachment 21131

So that is the question answered; the single-ended option in the first post it is!!

Regards,

Cameron.

Hah! At over £100 with p and p factored in, I'm sure that'll sell....

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

I'm really impressed by your Mica work Cameron. The additional detail that you have applied has been well worth the effort and they'll outshine mine. That said, mine were intended as quickies and intentionally not built to the standard you have applied.

Re. the Siphon F. Those old K's kits can be made up quite satisfactorily. The roof radius was not a problem on all of mine [I've made 5 and have one left somewhere to construct] but it did cause problems on some. I ended up packing the gaps with thin micro-strip and flooding it with liquid poly.

I have used those MJT CCT units on a couple of coach conversions. They are extremely useful and result in fine running. Being compensated, I find the finished models easier to rail by using a railing ramp however as, inevitably, one axle or another drops out of line!

How do you plan to detail the Siphon underframe? The parts supplied by K's are absolutely hopeless and need binning. If you intend to detail that area more accurately, PM me your e-mail address and I will look for photos in the Siphon book. There's not a lot there though, underframes were so often ignored.....

I can't remember if I have posted these already but, if not, here are my most recent Siphon F builds:

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

Gas cylinders - if you are not fussy and are happy to accept 'looks like', then 5 amp fuses with a bit of wire attached make reasonable gas cylinders when painted black.

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

Hot damn!!!!

Tony

 

[Anthony Richards]

Your photo above Cameron reminds me just how truly awful the original Ratio underframe is. I made one up 20+ years ago and it runs, just. I have another unmade one waiting in the pile....

Tony