[Brossard]

The scope of the project was to create a credible model of the subject van. Starting point was the Hornby model.



The body is generally acknowledged to be accurate. The less said about the underframe the better and indeed, it was totally discarded.

Besides the picture (of 38550) shown in LMS Coaches by Essery and Jenkinson, there is one other picture (of 38551) in an article by Essery in LMS Journal 31. This article also contains a works drawing of the brake rigging.

I went down several dead ends and my sanity was severely tested on this build. I won't bore you with that and simply cut to the chase.

Body:

Generally accurate but Hornby used their generic Palethorpes mould. The ladder, platforms and ice hatch have to be removed and the roof filled and smoothed over.

Underframe:

I did a complete scratch build using Evergreen sheet and strip.



The heart of the underframe is a Slater's Cleminson chassis:



Not the most ideal choice, being designed for 00 and for their six wheeled MR coaches. A better choice would have been a universal chassis such as Brassmasters (next time).
In the event, the only mod I had to make for EM was to detach the W irons and stick them to the solebars. The wheelbase was, fortunately correct.

Wheels:

I thinned some Bachmann coach wheels to 2.2 - 2.3 mm.

I spent rather a long time detailing the underframe. The strategy for painting and assembling all the bits took a fair bit of thought.

So, here we are:



Here's a shot of the underside:



John

 

[Ian Abel]

Very nice result John, and superb amounts of detail on that underframe, you should be well please...

 

[Grifter_Guru]

I hate to ask, but did you take any further photo's of the build in progress??

I have one of these "insulted" milk van myself and yes, the chassis is junk. I did look, briefly, at how to improve the van, but drew a blank. What you have posted has reignited the idea for me.

It appears to be a relatively simple build, but i know that it takes time and knowing where to get certain parts from. Any tips on wht, exactly, is required?

 

[Brossard]

Thanks Ian, I am well pleased indeed.

GG, it was NOT a simple build but mostly because I was feeling my way and went down some blind alleys.

The basic underframe is relatively simple being just plastic strip and sheet. Pay attention to the correct dimensions, the Hornby U/F is nowehere near right.

Buffers were MJT available from Dart Castings.

I started using Bill Bedford sprung W irons but this came to nothing and had to be abandoned. As I mentioned a universal Cleminson chassis (eg Brassmasters) is better than the Slaters that I used.

I have boxes and boxes of bits and pieces so used what I had in stock. Comet is a useful source for U/F details like axlebox/springs, vac. cylinders, V hangers, J hangers etc. I like MainlyTrains own etches for brake gear (Morton levers and Vee hangers). These also have a number of other useful bits like cast solebar plates and bufferbeam hook plates.

Steps are scrap brass strip. Safety loops are brass strip. Brake pull rods are phosphor bronze wire, chosen because it is springy and won't interfere with the swinging axles.



Fitting the Cleminson chassis to the chassis.



Axle unit with some of the brake gear.

The two references I mentioned were extremely useful in getting things right. It's hard to put things down as a list because I frankly made it up as I went along.

I did a lot of soldering but cyano and epoxy were also used.

If you're building in 00, you may get away without a Cleminson chassis and just having the center axle move from side to side. I did the Chivers LMS Fish van that way for a friend and it seems to work.





I hope this inspires you to do battle with yours.

John

 

[dwb]

An interesting project

Something I will tuck away in my memory for when I want to do something with a 6 wheeler.

Thanks for posting

David

 

[Pennine MC]

Nice job John. There's something about a decent model made from this sort of basis; in some ways these old Margate clunkers have more going for them than (some) current Hornby products.

 

[Brossard]

Thanks Ian and David. They certainly come with a challenge to make 'em look right.

John