Midland 10 ton Brake Van

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
This is the next on the list but I'm going to change the brake arrangements from metal to wood plus, a few other bits and pieces, in an effort to produce an earlier version. These wooden brakes could quite easily be made to work but the stanchion is fixed to the floor and the body is glued to that so, fingers won't be able to get to it once all is complete

Jon

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Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Trevor
Maybe some pictures tomorrow but, the main body has a lot of surplus resin to get rid of and, the sides are lower than the ends making cleaning up/fitting difficult. This is made worse by the roof being moulded in situ as you can't see what's going on/where things are snagging up. My fit is what I would like but I don't think that I can get it any better. Apart from that, it's a very well detailed kit with very crisp mouldings and it's coming along okay. I'm just about to order a couple of brake fittings, the ones that you have drawn up.

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Trevor
Maybe some pictures tomorrow but, the main body has a lot of surplus resin to get rid of and, the sides are lower than the ends making cleaning up/fitting difficult. This is made worse by the roof being moulded in situ as you can't see what's going on/where things are snagging up. My fit is what I would like but I don't think that I can get it any better. Apart from that, it's a very well detailed kit with very crisp mouldings and it's coming along okay. I'm just about to order a couple of brake fittings, the ones that you have drawn up.

Jon
What brake fittings exactly? If youd be willing to wait, I can draw up something from Midland drawings so itll be perfect.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Does anyone have a photo of the veranda end of an early brake van from lot 2 or 18? I have a copy of Vol. 2 Midland Wagons but there isn't one there. The early drawing I have doesn't quite answer my question re the position of the lamp brackets or if there was or wasn't a vertical member between roof and top of barrier.

Jon
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
As a follow up to the above post, I found all of the information that I wanted on the drawing that I have. It's been over drawn a few times but I could still see where some of the lamp irons were originally placed and I don't think that there was a vertical member originally, either. I think that it was put in just so there was somewhere to fix a lamp bracket to.

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Here's the story, so far. Axleguards, springs, axleboxes, wooden brakes and cross beam hanger all fixed in place. I wanted to be able to remove the wooden brake blocks when it came to painting as I wanted to leave them in their natural state. However, because of the angle, this wouldn't have been possible so, I've had to leave fixed in position. After painting, I'll have to pick them out in a different colour unless, it's possible for me to mask them off. There's an etch, with all of the necessary rigging, for the iron brake shoe version but, as mine is totally different, I won't be using any of it, shame really.

Jon
 

Mike W

Western Thunderer
Jon, when you wrote:
the main body has a lot of surplus resin to get rid of and, the sides are lower than the ends making cleaning up/fitting difficult
Was that because of the changes you are making, or would that be necessary if building the kit straight?
I don't have one of these yet and not being died-in-the-wool Midland did not intend to have one, but with the Slaters Kirtley 0-6-0 on the horizon the temptation may prove to be just too great.

Mike
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Jon, when you wrote:

Was that because of the changes you are making, or would that be necessary if building the kit straight?
I don't have one of these yet and not being died-in-the-wool Midland did not intend to have one, but with the Slaters Kirtley 0-6-0 on the horizon the temptation may prove to be just too great.

Mike
Wasnt aware Slaters was planning on upping the Kirtley goods to G3. I wasnt planning on building any tender engines, but I do have a soft spot for curved footplates.
I wonder if he could be convinced to make the Half Cab G3 next?

Also Jon, The brake van looks great so far. Why cant you make the brakes removable? I cant understand what you mean about angles.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Mike
If you are building the kit straight from the box, there's a fiddly bit to clean up and making it fit is a pain. It's a wonder what can be achieved with Humbrol Model Filler, though. Still, If I can make it look half decent, anyone can.

Trevor
I wanted to be able to remove the wooden blocks on their own leaving the hangers fixed in place but, because of the steep angles/lack of space, it is nigh on impossible to get a screwdriver behind them to undo the 16BA cheesehead machine screws.
I've got my name down for one of those Kirtley's, it must be something to do with that Midland Maroon (if that's the name of the colour).

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Trevor
I wanted to be able to remove the wooden blocks on their own leaving the hangers fixed in place but, because of the steep angles/lack of space, it is nigh on impossible to get a screwdriver behind them to undo the 16BA cheesehead machine screws.
I've got my name down for one of those Kirtley's, it must be something to do with that Midland Maroon (if that's the name of the colour).

Jon
I know that feeling. Your screwdriver is just a few mil too long and your fingers just cant fit. Guess best to mask it as good as you can. Im sure youll make it look good.

I wonder when the Kirtley will be ready. And how much itll cost. Estimating by the price jump from 7mm to G1, its looking like it might be close to $1000 US.
Pretty penny indeed.
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
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Almost finished back dating the brake van including adding moving some of the lamp brackets. I've always liked the look of this wagon but not quite sure why. Maybe because it has that comical look of leaping/leaning forward? Who knows. According to Midland Wagons Vol. Two, these early wagons didn't have the number painted onto the side but relied on a plate on the solebar. This is good news for me as I'm not that good at applying transfers :). Number plates ordered and this could be the first to be painted once the weather warms up, a lot!

Jon
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
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These are number plates for the next lot of wagons. Left, 115 for the brake van, middle 2041 for a three plank open and the 36, for the high sided Somerset and Dorset Central railway. I painted these using the paint on wipe off method but with an addition that came to me while thinking about how to clean them up a bit more. I used a piece of mount board, which is about 1.5mm thick, for the paint on wipe off method, when the black paint was still wet but then I used another clean piece of board to which I'd applied neat white spirit and wiped again. hey presto, lovely clean plates. The lighter 'bits' that you can see were left over from the etching process and I should have sent them back but, hey ho. I'd like to try someone else, not the people based in Guildford, for the next plates that I need. Any suggestions?

Jon
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Ive had very good results with PPD LTD. It takes a bit due to their queue, but Ive never been disappointed with the end result.

The plates look good.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
Hi Jon,

I can recommend Narrow Planet, I have had a few items custom etched and have always been happy with the result. Below are some 7mm wagon plates that I had done.

The observant among you will note the 'Irish' spelling of Gunness... Neither Steve or I picked it up and it wasn't until I posted this photo a while later that Mike Edge noted it. Steve promptly did me another set FOC.

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Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
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Trevor and Rob
Thank you for that, I'll bear both in mind next time around.

Here, and finished, are three pictures of my take on an early version of the Midland (Slaters) Brake Van. The pictures always look so much better before they are uploaded. I'll go back and see if I can get them to look a bit better.

Jon
 
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