Welcome Wagons BR Bogie Bolster “C’ kit

so while the paint is drying on the Conflat and containers, the next kit build needs to be chosen.....

There’s a few of Jim’s to be built, but I think I will carry on with the WW models first then switch over to Jims.

Wheels, transfer, sprung buffers all ready to start this one off...

At over 300mm long this is a big model

 

Hi Toto, well yes and no. It’s a big beast to handle. Not a lot of rivets to knock out, but lots of long fiddly bending.....

 

Well if any one needed confirmation that this was / is in fact a M&M models kit, proof positive. So if any one fancies one check out First Class kits as they have them.

First job as always, cut out the main etches and work on the river detailing.

next fold up the “tub” of the wagon

next the inner and outer sole bars need forming.....tricky little buggers to do, thankfully the Piranha to the rescue.

next make up the outer sole bars and buffer beams

now this needs to be secured to the underside of the “tub” so using a set of compasses with the lead replaced with a scribing pin I marked a line approx 2.25mm in, this allowed me to position the frame accurately and secure ready for soldering up.

next up the trusses. Again a real pain to bend up. Then the two supports needed to be soldered square.

these then need to be mounted with a 16mm gap between the underside of the sole bar to the bottom of the truss. Placed in position they measured 15mm, so I simply added a 1mm plastic block to raise them and secured them for soldering up.

First page completed

next the inner sole bars and three spacers each side needed to be soldered up

and that as they say is it for tonight..

Kim

 

Hi Rob, thanks.

History
Bolster C was a new design built for BR, five diagrams cover the type, all examples are 45ft over head stock and have a 30T capacity. This kit covers diagram no. 1/477 which were vacuum fitted. Built at Swindon 1959

Kim

 

Correct, hence the plate glass work surface I use and a very hot iron, in and out as quick as I can !

 

Inner trusses next to be fitted, plus 4 diagonal supports, 2 each end.

The two bogies will be secured with bolts so the bogie support plates need two nuts soldered accurately, the instruction state to open the hole up to 2.7mm, but testing this size hole on some scrap showed a small amount of slope, so I drilled it out to 2.4mm and then used the screw to self tap the brass. Apply some oil to the screw threads before soldering stops the solder bonding the nut and bolt together. Once soldered check the screw moves freely, which it does and then fit the supports in the marked position.

brake cylinder and rods fitted each end, gets a bit tight in between all the trusses to position these and solder up. Add the short brake handle and lever guide.

lots of finer detailing in white metal.....these are not the best and really let the kit down. Not sure if the new version has had any alterations to these but I don’t like white metal couplings, fixed buffer and the stanchions have been cast stuck together !! So a fair bit of cleaning up to do.

and after cleaning and pre tinning these parts are soldered up...carefully

Repeat process on the other side and that’s me done for today’s session.

kim

 

Bolsters next up....made up from 2x etched plates, folded up and soldered back to back to give a nice chunky “H” beam then a white metal part needs soldering to the top edge. This is where the fun begins, they don’t seem to fit, frame sides are correctly bent to 90 degrees, white metal stanchion holders are soldered tight against the side panels ?? Bending out the end pins on this part just makes the whole assembly look wrong, so side cutters out and snip!

#

soldered up with 100 degree solder carefully and then filed back to shape, they fit perfectly now.

Ever since I first saw this model built and on display at Reading show I’ve wanted to try and reproduce the beautiful wire loads that it was modelled with, so tonight by way of a change from burning my fingers with the soldering iron I have taken a roll of Bunnings finest garden wire and using a cordless drill to twist and stretch the wire until straight, started the first bundle. I’m hoping to produce three of these bundles which will add some nice weight to the wagon when finished

Buffers and vacuum pipes tomorrow plus I’ll start the bogies..

Kim

 

Cheers Toto.

 

Bogies !! First job drill out hole to accept your chosen bearings or pin point cups, in this build I’m using slaters wheels so only a minor clean up of the hole with a drill was required.
If you look at the following picture carefully you will see two pips on the cross beam which the instructions tell you will line up with the side frames after you have drilled them out. Now having done this type of axle assembly before, I found that :- 1) They don’t line up and 2) The beam is to wide and makes a very sloppy assembly......

......so the method I use is to loosely assemble the bogie on a flat surface, plate glass in my case, Remove the pip’s From the cross beam and place loosely on top of the two frames whilst holding them together, mark or measure The beam and trim to give a nice tight fit , then check it rolls freely on your flat surface. If it does then I then drill a small hole each end of the beam into the side frame and secure with a micro screw.

Re test the bogies on your flat surface and also if possible you track work. If all is good then you can solder up both sides to the beam or as I prefer to do, solder one side and this allows the bogie to be taken apart to remove the wheels for painting.

next add them to the chassis and tighten the screws up tight on the pivot point then back off the screw one turn. This will give you a nice free moving bogie.

next job, finish off straightening some more wire to form the steel bundles.

Kim

 

And finally before the big clean up, I give you, 7 bundles of 33 lengths of wire 300mm long
Also added the real wood plank flooring.

Kim

 

Cheers Toto.
Yes a bit like you now, there’s a small collection of brass kits that need painting, decals, and then weathering.

 

I prefer to do several models at a time in the paint booth, makes the job easier and less cleaning of the spray gun.

 

Phoenix Bauxite paint for the body work and a flat black mix for the under side. Lifecolor set CS20 weathered wood for the Poppy’s wood insert.

And with the bolsters added

and with the steel rod loads added

I think there’s a bit of a theme going on here !

three of these to add decals to today.

Kim