The next 3D printing project

The last 3 Fusion 360 drawings I have done don't fit on the build plate of my Mono X so I started looking through all the drawings I have and found an interesting project, an A1 Ag Imp. I have a 7mm scale drawing from the NER Express, with a decent write up to go with it.

Why interesting, well both the buffers and coupling hook actually sit above the floor line of the wagon. The buffers are hidden by loading ramps and the coupling has a very unusual spring arrangement, also the floor in 4 sections is flush with the solebars. It also runs on 2' 6" wheels again something different.

I have been messing about with it for the last week as there are a series of complex relationships between the various components so there have been a number of restarts and modifications but finally it's done all bar the W Irons, springs, axle boxes and brake gear but those are relatively simple.

Over all its 7-8 mm to big for my build plate but angled up about 60 degrees it just fits.

So in stages this is where it's up to:



Then its complex under framing



Next 2 of the 4 floor sections (the other 2 are just mirrors of these)



Next the end ramps again mirrored at the other end.



Finally 1 of the strange coupling springs and 1 of the wheel securing beams



Other than the under frame everything else is still held as separate components, I just need to decide which bits need combining for printing but over all a really interesting excersie and results in a very unusual wagon. Another one waiting for warmer weather to fire up the printer.

 

A couple of hours work this morning

Brake Gear - very simple one brake shoe acting on a lefthand wheel.



W Iron and Spring. There is no diagram of the original very unusual axlebox as shown in a photo of an A1 Agimp in NER Record vol2, p83.
I have used a type 1A box as a replacement, these were probably used later on when the running gear was updated.

 

Rob,

I would be disappointed if your kit is an NER dia A1 Ag Imp, I deliberately try to avoid wagons that are commercially available. After a quick look at the taffvale-wales website I suspect your kit is CC003 which is a NBR Ag Imp but looks extremely similar.

Paul,

As you might of guessed I love using fusion 360 to draw these wagons. Will they ever get printed, who knows. Waking up between 5: and 5:30 which is an hour later than when I was working, I have plenty of time to fiddle about with 360. She who must be gets her morning tea at 8 and usually emerges between 8:30 and 9 so I have 3-4 hours free time to play in peace and quite before the daily stream of orders, instructions and work details are issued, not that I am hen pecked but where's the corn.

 

The A1 Ag Imp is finished so I need a new project. Sifting through my accumulated diagrams/drawings I found three of interest all something different from the run of the mill - open and closed carriage wagons. All 3 are drawings which came as supplements to the NER Express magazine, two have the classic front. end and plan elevations, the third just front and end elevations. There is also an interesting but brief article in NER Express 74 covering the history of this wagon genera. These are:

Diagram 25 covered carriage van – outside framed (which I love), westie braked, steam pipes (I presume pass through as there’s no point heating this van), unloading ramps above each buffer (probably horizontal but sadly details only shown on the plan view) and wheel securing beams similar to but not the same as the A1 ag imp.

Diagram 23 covered carriage van, again outside framed, westie and vac braked, steam pipes (pass through?), unloading ramps definitely horizontal and very distinctive brake guards. A really interesting beastie.

Diagram 70 open carriage truck. Drop down sides, again westie and vac braked, presumed pass through steam pipes, angled ramps above each buffer and wagon securing beams shown in both the end and plan elevations. The similarities between this and the dia 23 wagon is striking, this is essential the dia 23 without it’s body and with minor detail differences.

At the moment this is a drawing project rather than a printing project as none of the three wagons fit my build plate the dia 25 is 18’ 2” over headstocks the others are 21’ over headstocks, but which one to choose.

I first scrapped the dia 70 open, it was similar to the ag imp and bolster wagons I have already drawn. Then only because it had a plan view and the other didn’t I decided on the dia 25 closed van. It lacks some details, but I will borrow those from the other drawings, specifically the wagon securing beam which looks the same as that on the dia 70, but is better shown on the dia 70 drawing. Ramps, inclined or horizontal time will decide which to go for. Brake guards yes or no again no answer at this moment.

One evil or probably stupid thought I had was opening doors. But that would need printing to prove viability so again deferred to the wee small hours of a day in the future.

So this is the starting point.

 

As always I love digging into the history of any wagon I am drawing so I have spent the last 2-3 hours doing so along with reviewing the drawing to check out what isn't clear or any unknown structures. The 3 diagrams were drawn in 1977 and 1979 and although probably state of art at the time don't match up to modern diagrams but reading the associated article it clears states the dia 25 despite being 21 ft long is almost identical to the dia 23. That's good as I can use both diagrams to reinforce each other. The dia 23 was first produced in Feb 1884, 27 being produce over a 13 year period. The dia 25 was first produce in 1897 and 50 were produced over a 9 year period. Time to make a start.

 

Thanks Rob.

What do you think is going on with those door bottoms, the framing appears to be missing. The dia 23 is the same.

It would also be nice to get your guess on the framing behind the end door planking.

 

The boss and daughter went Christmas shopping and she didn't leave a jobs list so I had 4 1/2 hours to make a start on the new wagon.
Side and solebar pretty much done just a couple of minor bits to add. As discussed with Rob Door bottoms "invented" and rivet detail on the solebar added too to make it look right



There's a couple of things which need resolving before I start on the ends. On the plan view the ramp is clearly shown laying on top of the floor yet on the end view the door is drawn extending down to the height of the drag beam - hmmmm. The other point is the Westie hose is clearly shown attached to the door, since the door opens how does it connect with the under floor pipework odd (doesn't affect the drawing but I would be interested just cos I'd like to know).

 

Rob

I thought you would like it.
Below a sneak preview of the end, door closed and door poseable open.
It isn't finished yet, but we are on an extra granny daycare day so there wont be much progress today.

 

Well I got a reprieve from granny day care as they both drove over to Harrogate to go around the lights and the gardens, so a couple of hours of quite and the body work is done.
That leaves the floor and internal bits and all the underneath bits, pumps, pipes etc.

Posed with the opening doors pushed closed:

 

+Hi Rob,

They aren't boarded over that's the internal planking on the other side you can see.