LSWR/SR/BR 24 Ton Brake Van x 2

A chance discovery in an unopened box has netted me a few more kits available to go at and amongst them were a couple that I had forgotten that I had. These are a couple of Connoisseur LSWR/SR/BR 24 ton Brake vans. I bought these at the time with the intention of building them and selling them on to raise modelling funds.

This is still the plan and unless someone comes forward asking for them in LSWR or Southern livery they will be finished in BR grey.

So far not being of the Southern persuasion normally the only photo that I can find of it is on the Hornby site here and is copyright Mike King.

As they say around these parts, more as it happens.

 

Hmm, I would prefer the one that he bought in error though which doesn't really help....

 

In the last couple of days I have been really productive on the modelling front. While the cutter was rattling away doing it's thing I cut out and folded up the four sides for the two vans and bent up the outer shaped covers for the duckets ready for soldering in. No photos yet because I was struggling but I hope to get the duckets soldered on tomorrow so I will take some photos then.

 

Finally I have these at a point where it was worth taking some photos.







They are much more involved than I originally envisaged with a good number of overlaid parts. What you see above is the result of more than 8 hours work. Admittedly that is for two of them.

For anyone building these a tip is to take some time over the bending of the ducket fronts. Getting the basic shape was fairly simple. But taking extra time to get them to fit without having to apply any pressure paid dividends when it came to soldering them on.

These are destined for the small ads so now I need to decide on how I intend to finish them. Personally I would like to do one LSWR version (so I can add the extra details that were removed later in it's life) and a BR version. But I suspect that in terms of being attractive to a wider range of buyers the BR version will have most appeal.

Besides using them to generate funds I am also using these to ensure that I can still solder etc and work okay in metal before returning to building things for other people. My fingers are mostly back to normal after my mishap with the mower but there are some jobs such as driling with a pin vice that I am finding difficult at the minute. Hopefully that will improve with time and use.

 

Thanks Kim,

I try to use the minimum solder that I can get away with because it saves on cleaning up. I also make a good job of cleaning up because when I build for others it gives a much better impression if they can't see lots of solder residue. Ultimately as long as any solder residue is smooth, once it's painted, it makes no difference to the finished article.

 

Once I get the workshop fuly operational I will see what I can do. I have a bit more room now than I had at the old house the lack of room made taking videos almost imposible.

 

Although I still have the small panels to add to the sides where the fixed side lamps were removed later in life. I cracked on with the veranda ends and managed to get them ready for fitting to the body.
Next up is the ends of the cabin and all the safety bars over the windows. Although since my order of brass angle for the step boards on the LNER van has arrived from Barry at Metalsmith I may get the step boards prepared for fitting.

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Yesterday I managed to get the cabin ends detailed ready for assembly to the body.





Although not discernable on the photos that I have due to there position and being in shadow. The drawing that Jim includes with the kit has a notation that the vents above the doors were planked over later in life. What I am not sure about it whether the planking was flush with the ends or that the vents were literally planked over. I have chosen to do the latter using some thin scrap etch.

 

Thanks Gents.

 

I completed 3 of the 4 verandas the night before last but didn't get a chance to do any more with them. The fourth one just needs the tool box tops adding then they are all done.