Walsall Model Industries Shunters truck

Something I came across whilst trawling the net. It looks quite a straight forward kit. Well apart from the usual white metal parts but I'll have to master them at some point.
here is a couple of pictures.

and the main kit itself .......

its got some " tabbed " parts which will certainly help alignment and holding together of some parts whilst being soldered.
Could be the next build as part of my maintenance train.
cheers
toto

 

Still waiting for buffers to finish the lowmac. Hopefully sometime this week. The shunters truck could be next though. Most of the main construction is easy but there are a lot of very fine detailing parts and a substantial brake arrangement. I have sent away for soldering paste for placing beneath the finer stuff.

It does look good though.

Cheers

Toto

 

Hi,

I had been going to start my Gladiator crane and match truck but decided to go for this instead. More soldering involved and I want to get my hand in for the impending 4F build starting in the next few days.

So ......

starting with this. I have already cut out the main body .....

and there it is. I had to clean it up as it had started to discolour a bit.

folded iot all up as per the destructions .....

and there we have it again.

Next was to solder on the spring stops .....

and there they are ...... Next up the solebar number plates .....

This was done after punching out the rivets on both solebars and folding into the C channel section as required .....

Both sole bars are now soldered in place.

Next up is to solder on the wheel guards. This is aided by some etched lines on the inside of the solebars to give you the position. I am just about to go and do that now so ...... more later once I have done that and had my tea.

cheers for now

Toto

 

So ..... the wheel guards went on .......

and upside down view .....

then I had to punch out the rivet detail and fold up the deck end surrounds ....

and of course .....

solder them in to position .....

another .....

and one last photo for now.

Now its on to fiddly little handrail brackets and the hand rails.

more later

cheers

toto

 

Thanks Pete,

still in the shed plodding on.

and next were these little corner finishing brackets ....

they go in here .....

like this ......

and all four done .....

and moving on swiftly to the hand rails .....

and another .....

Now to tackle the other side ...... Onwards .....

cheers

toto

 

OK, the last progress shots for tonight .....

Handrail stanchions soldered in place .....

rod fed through the pre - drilled holes ......

soldered in and trimmed to length ....

and the last shot for tonight .....

more tomorrow .......

cheers for now

toto

 

A quick clean up. Something I am trying to force myself to do at the end of a shift ...

and again .....

thats all folks

toto

 

Thanks Paul.

I'll be pushing on later today. I think the main toolbox build is next from memory before turning my attention to the underside. That will be interesting as their is a reasonable amount of fidgity detail on that and the instructions whilst adequate ( I think ) take a little bit of deciphering.

This will make a nice little add on to Nellie when I get around to building her. Albeit it under a different name, whatever that may be. I think between the various suitable wagons and carriages that I intend to build, I'll have enough for two or maybe three differing types of maintainence trains which can be permanently coupled as sets. As well as the four coach rural passenger set for use with the 4F.

That's the plan anyway. ...... just add time to build them.

Hopefully on returning to work on Tuesday, it's not going to kill my enthusiasm for motoring on. Dont know where the drive has come from lately but I'm not complaining. It's been a long time coming.

Onwards ho .........

 

So, first update of the day from the shed.

and its all about folding up the main tool box ....

greatly assisted for fitting by tab and slot .....

which fit well ....

Thought I'd add a little touch of my own and add a couple of little brackets on the back of the tool box to take an additional shunters pole ...

the next step was to solder in the corner strengthening brackets .....

and the last image before I go off and install the rear top box lid.

The larger lid section does not get installed at the moment until the box ( which isn't permenently fitted to the wagon yet ) is fitted. this is kept accessible to allow the addition of extra weight later. It also allows access to the tab and slot allowance that is still to be utilised ( and soldered ) for the main under carriage of the wagon.

more later

toto

 

Moving on ...... Strengthening plates to the underside of the tool box hatches .....

still on the fret as we are not ready to fit them just yet. Just really following the order of the instructions ( mostly )

both are done awaiting their turn in the construction sequence.

Next up is the internal tool box.

no big deal really. Looks ok but a little cleaning up required still.

and thats where I am for now. Time for a read at the destructions to see where I am heading next. The underside is looming and when it finally rears its head, there will be a bit more heavy going again. Its good to get some simpler parts every now and again to provide a bit of light relief. Not that there has been anything so far that would worry an experienced builder ..... but its me building it .....

cheers for now

toto

 

Nice Rob,

I dont think mine has a brake standard on it. Very nice. Also, going on your shunters pole, mines is a bit under scale. It may now be an additional hand rail.

The additional hand rails along the side look very good as well. I had thought of doing something similar. I also thought of incorporating a bit of a seat at either end and having someone sitting with their legs dangling off. Might still happen.

The jury is out on that one.

The stanchions that connect the foot boards to the body are straps on mine as opposed to bars. The straps look a bit over scale and clumsy to me. I may do something different with that as well. I have a thought about that but I'd need to see if it can be done without ruining the overall integrity of the build.

Wll will be revealed.

Cheers

Toto

 

Starting on the underside now .....

fold up etch for compensated chassis .......

solder the bearings in place

This fits between the two triangular plates on the main etch. A piece of rod is threaded through the bearing holes on the two parts giving it its pivot.

you might see it slightly better from the above shot.

\the main frame ready to go onto the underside of the body ....

some tabs still to bent up. These help position the main underside etch to the wagon body etch through the slot and tabs.

time to move on ....... cheers

toto