Load for implement wagon

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Graham, Blimey that really is clever, thank you. It was shot in last night's gloaming.

Brian, do you mean the ones on top or underneath?

The ones underneath, ie the random bits of timber, could well have been banged about, yes indeed. I tried to do a bit but can hack away more if you think it appropriate?
The ones on top however, were shown on the drawings as integral to the turntable structure. They sat on the beams (as modelled) with lateral planking sat on top of them, the planking extending well outboard. Rails, handrails etc then sat on the planked surface.
All in all, the baulks must have been well protected from anything other than stuff permeating down through any cracks between planks, so I left them pretty well alone.
Having said that, it is highly likely they would have been removed during dismantling, but they seemed to give a bit more interest to the model. Mind you, as a late idea they covered up some previously completed (straight!) riveting which was a bit annoying.
Jamie
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
Hi Jamie.

I declare now that I've never weathered anything, so my comments are based on nothing other than expectations! However, experience tells me that the top baulks would be a very dark brown to black at the least. Additionally would they not be damaged, possibly from one or two locos having dropped on to them? Certainly the turntables I saw tended to show damage to the timber where the locos entered the table itself.

In honesty I hate to be critical. This is such a lovely model on it's own, and to make it a "sacrificial" scrap load is dedication indeed.

I'm also immensely impressed by the use of the decal rivets. I've used them with great success, but never in such an effective way.

Brian
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Brian,
I'm grateful for your interest and thoughts.
Colourwise, I think you are right. They would surely have been creosoted so a darker colour is indeed appropriate. A darker colour would probably make them look 'more of a piece' with the rest of it as well.
Thank you for that.

Damagewise, I'm not sure. The design suggests that the bed of planking would have taken the brunt of any mechanical damage. I can understand the ends could be subject to accidents of misalignment etc., so such damage could be more substantial, but the model represents only the centre element of the full bed- it is assumed that what are drawn as bolt on extension pieces either end have been removed during dismantling to aid disposal.
But how long would a well creosoted sleeper- type baulk last if reasonably well protected within a structure?
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
Forgive my ramblings, Jamie. However, looking at the turntables within roundhouses and such any timber even outdoors seemed to last for ever! However, I was only following railways for about ten years before steam went out although this seemed for ever at the time. This may be a classic "less is more" scenario although scrap materials always seemed to be really well knocked about by the time they were removed. After all, even in the early 60s we were still coming out of a "make do and mend" period, and anything which could be repaired tended to be repaired!

My late father never threw anything away. I've inherited all his stuff and added my own! Anyone want a few pounds weight of steel screws removed from anything thrown away?

Brian
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
It's interesting, and thank you Brian.
I guess another point is that the turntable was taken out of service after only a few years, probably during remodelling of the whole station. And in addition to that, its lack of length must have made it pretty well useless even more quickly.
So I didn't envisage a structure on its last legs, but rather one that was redundant and in the way. Bit weathered/ rusty but fundamentally pretty sound.
I assumed it was off for scrapping however because although too small for locos, it would have been too big to be redeployed as a wagon turntable.
Windsor and Newtons are at the ready.
Jamie
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Andy,
That is very interesting thank you very much.
What jumps out is the intricate system of knots, doubling up of ropes and ropes circling other ropes. Presumably all that sort of thing wouldn't have been freestyle confections, would they? Would there be a manual somewhere, showing how to rope in such a way?
Apart from anything else, I find it hard to work out what the 'coils of rope' achieve over the main bunches of ropes adjacent to the wheels
Jamie
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
The second neg has been printed in reverse! I wondered why they had moved the chimney to the other side then noticed the smokebox door hinges were reversed.
I suspect that the coiling applies a little more tension to the lashings by closing the gap between them. It also stops the end of the rope fluttering in the breeze! Only my speculation.
 

AndyB

Western Thunderer
Would there be a manual somewhere, showing how to rope in such a way?
I've put the question out on the Midland Railway Society email group - so we'll see what the collective greater knowledge brings forth!
From my days of Pioneering in the Scouts (building bridges across streams, etc.....), frapping turns are used in a lashing to pull the initial turns of rope tighter. So that would have the same effect on the multiple loops of rope between the stationery engine's wheels and the wagon's buffers. As daifly says, to some extent it is probably using up the end of the rope - if the rope belonged to the railway then they would not want it to be cut and it no doubt had to be accounted for!
Another point to note is that the lashing on the chimney side is less neat that the other side. Good practice in lashings is to ensure that the initial loops all lie alongside each other (no crossing over) - this reduces the friction and so enable each successive loop to be pulled tighter, and allows the frapping turns to be more effective.

Andy
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Dave and Andy,
Thanks very much. And thanks for looking for more info Andy. I look forward to any.
Coiling, lashing, fluttering, and now frapping. It's a different world.
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
I have some chains and shackles which will be used along the sides from the solebar tiedown rings, but couldn't resist a bit of lashing and frapping on the ends. It's unlikely that so much trouble would have been taken perhaps, but with luck it will all look ok when finished.
A quick snap of the first end to see what it looks like. (I forgot the packing to prevent chafing unfortunately, Les)
PS Top baulks have been darkened and look better, thanks Brian.
IMG_0001.JPG
 
I have some chains and shackles which will be used along the sides from the solebar tiedown rings, but couldn't resist a bit of lashing and frapping on the ends. It's unlikely that so much trouble would have been taken perhaps, but with luck it will all look ok when finished.
A quick snap of the first end to see what it looks like. (I forgot the packing to prevent chafing unfortunately, Les)
PS Top baulks have been darkened and look better, thanks Brian.
View attachment 48182

Hi Jamie.

Couldn't resist a very quick colour balance and sharpen up to your wagon to show off your workmanship a little more ;-)

index.jpg
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
There are only so many photos one should take of a load on a flat wagon, and the limit has now been reached I feel.
It would still benefit from a bit of overall flatting, especially of the chains which look a bit spangly in places.
But, it's just about done. Probably the only model of a bit of Swindon Town's original turntable as it gets taken away for scrapping.
IMG_0001.JPG IMG_0001.JPG IMG_0001.JPG
 

Overseer

Western Thunderer
PS What is the lettering on the wagon with straw bales behind the twin bolster? Can't quite make it out.
Sorry to dredge up an old thread but I realised today that I had the real answer to the lettering on the wagon at Poplar in post 16, in the same folder as the photos of the wagons in the incorrect North London Railway livery answer. The wagon belonged to the Great Northern Railway and was in the livery immediately preceding the large GN initials livery. There are George Washington Wilson postcard views of the docks in Boston showing the G [over] NORTHERN [over] R on the left end of the wagon sides and the number on the right. See extracts -
gww boston gn1.jpg gww boston gn2.jpg gww boston gn3.jpg
Could make a nice model.

And the reason I thought it might have been a North London Railway wagon was because I had a recollection of the early NLR livery with the name spelt out in full across the side - the smaller wagons at Windsor -
gww windsor 9.jpg
 
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