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Conflat L wagon with 3 containers

Discussion in 'Kits, Kit bashes & Scratch builds' started by Kimbo, Jul 21, 2024.

  1. Jul 21, 2024 #1
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    So hands up…..who had / has one or more of these interesting wagons in their collection…..

    Many moons ago I remember using my pocket money to buy a TRIANG “flat “ wagon with three grey containers to add to my small collection of TRIANG wagons pulled by a Jinty. It was my favourite wagon being so different to the others I had….over my oo gauge modelling years I had three, all with containers…….
    Moving on to researching these wagons, I’ve seen a few modellers up date the original version with added detailing , weathering etc and whilst searching more info I found a Tim Shackleton write up where he has used the contains with scratch built chassis in oo gauge due to the incorrect scale of the chassis.

    scroll down the page to find the builds….here

    https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/restoring-vintage-hornby-oo-gauge-models

    Conflat L, 17' 6" over headstocks, carrying three L type containers (for cement). There were two types, one with short drop down sides and ends (similar to the steel Lowfits) and others without. The Tri-ang model is based on the latter.
    The standard Tri-ang chassis of the time was only 16' over headstocks, so they are a little small.

    Some good reference photos can be found, as always on Paul Bartlett excellent site

    https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/conflatl

    and further reference pictures

    http://www.manlocosoc.org.uk/chulme/slide-webone-off.cgi?ch-021&07


    https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/36840324250

    This search led me to find these excellent pictures of an O gauge build.(scroll across for more pictures on the site)


    https://www.flickr.com/photos/brianews/9169013168/in/photostream/

    Turns out then that not only do Mousa Models (Bill Bedford) make a oo gauge highly detailed kit but also a o gauge version……so my order was placed with Bill with a wait time of 12 weeks……

    12 weeks later…..2 nice boxes arrive, one with the 3 resin containers and the second with the etches.
     
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  2. Jul 21, 2024 #2
    Jim Freight

    Jim Freight Full Member

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    My hand goes up!

    I have stayed vintage with my OO Conflat L wagons by grafting Tri-ang OO tops with containers on to British Trix chassis which works well enough as part of my vintage fleet.

    Adapting the Tri-ang conflat body meant relieving the backs of the chain pockets to be quite thin but have just got away with it, although the biggest problem was attaching the bodies to the Trix chassis as the plastic they are made of is almost impossible to glue the Tri-ang (easy to glue plastic) body to, resulting in having to screw the bodies in place from the otherside.

    Not ideal but I only run them with containers in place anyway.

    As an aside I have also adapted a few Tri-ang toys and prams containers to fit the Trix conflats too.

    These combinations make a much better looking 'vintage' container train than using the very crude Tri-ang chassis which incidentally is their standard short chassis, this actually helps as the short Conflat L body fits the smaller scale Trix chassis well enough to look okay.

    Jim :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2024
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  3. Jul 21, 2024 #3
    Jim Freight

    Jim Freight Full Member

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    I almost drool at the detail available and the more prototypical running dynamics of 7mm scale models, but I prefer operating up to almost half length express freight trains (about 18 wagons), as well as local pickup freights.

    So I stayed with my childhood and early adulthood OO toys and greatly expanded my collection via eBay in 2005 to 2007 when nearly everyone was emptying their lofts onto that site, before being seduced by Bachmann and company later on into buying contemporary models. :facepalm:

    Of course, I could have built a branchline in 7mm scale, but I think the limited operating side would have killed it for me. :scratchchin:

    Jim :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2024
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  4. Jul 22, 2024 #4
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    Jim, I had a few Trix coal wagons on my very first layout, nice solid models.
    I’m with you there as well re running long trains. The biggest run I had on a oo gauge layout was 6.5m in a garage, when we decided to build a new house I had three rooms merged into one giving me 9.5m x 4.3m which I knew would allow me to run all my long oo gauge rakes of stock…..so in the 2 years it took to build the house what did I go and do…….yep sold all my oo gauge items to fund an o gauge project :facepalm:

    it’s still a nice sized room to build an o gauge layout in, and I’m very lucky to be able to do so, but it does have its limitations in o gauge for long runs, re curves, inclines and straight runs. Hence the reason I built Lord Street Depot for shunting my kit built and RTR stock in a 5mx1m space, but after a while the urge to have a tail chaser prompted the sale of it and a simple twin main line with a passing loop on the inner line plus 10 large storage sidings allows me to run train comfortably at 20 wagons plus loco, but the sidings will take up to 37 standard wagons.

    We are going to be building again and this time I’ve “negotiated “ 10x7m ish railway room with the management’s approval (she did mention something about a sowing table) :lol:
     
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  5. Jul 22, 2024 #5
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    Inside the boxes this is what you find.





    nice etches with lots of fine small parts which will require some careful handling and safe keeping from the carpet monster !
     
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  6. Jul 22, 2024 #6
    Jim Freight

    Jim Freight Full Member

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    I can't imagine how long it would take to build a rake of these, mind you silly thoughts go through my mind about building a rake of 10 4mm scale Conflat P kits from Judith Edge even though I already need another 50 years to build what scenic and wagon kits I already have :hammer:

    I have seen it somewhere that an avid reader only gets around to reading 10% of the books they own, I think we can easily outdo that :avatar:

    Jim :)
     
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  7. Jul 25, 2024 #7
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    Well strange you should say…..I spent about two weeks modelling time to make this kit up. It went together really well, the fiddle parts to build were the lifting rig on the top of the containers…..I made up a jig to get them all the same…..and the coupling chains are a slight challenge. Decals….lots of them, then weathering…..I’m very happy with the result , so much so that two more kits arrived this week, so hopefully a nice rake of three to run around the layout.
     
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  8. Jul 25, 2024 #8
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    posed with the Rapier mobile crane





    lots of decals……




    not every one’s cup of tea, but I like my wagons weathered up…..Paul Barlett’s photo’s used again….

    I forgot to take build pictures. If anyone is interested I can take pictures as I build the next pair
     
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  9. Jul 25, 2024 #9
    Walkingthedog

    Walkingthedog Full Member

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    I do like that, that’s the way I like my wagons although they’re not as good as that.
     
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  10. Jul 25, 2024 #10
    Jim Freight

    Jim Freight Full Member

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    I would like to see a build if you have the time, but I know only too well that describing and photographing a build can take up a fair slice of modelling time.

    Jim :)
     
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  11. Jul 25, 2024 #11
    Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    I’m glad you said they were packing cases. !
    Being molded in grey, I always thought they were the little electric units for sub stations, but i suppose that really was a too specific wagon load for back in the day to be modelled, although I guess there were a fair few shipped about when new housing estates were built post war.

    I think I may have been thinking this wagon :facepalm: IMG_8695.gif


    love the O gauge one Kimbo! Very nice.
    Andy
     
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  12. Jul 26, 2024 #12
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    Cheers Walkingthedog”….just practice, practice, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes, which I do all the time. Weathering can over up so many mistakes :thumbup:
     
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  13. Jul 26, 2024 #13
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    your not on your own there Andy….when I first saw them I didn’t know what they were either.
    Now I also have a nice resin transformer load that awaiting painting and fitted on to a wagon in the near future :thumbs:
     
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  14. Jul 26, 2024 #14
    Kimbo

    Kimbo Staff Member Moderator

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    Ok Jim, will do…might be a few weeks away after uk trip. :thumbs:
     
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