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THE PROTOTYPES
Railway Wagons developed from the early horse drawn Chaldron wagons to the fast air braked Merry-go-Round coal trains of today. In-between there was over 100 years where millions of short wheelbase mainly open and mineral wagons, carried the bulk of the countries goods.
The early collieries and railways produced their own wagons and although similar were not standard, the connecting up of many small lines during the ‘Railway Mania’ lead to several attempts at standardisation. In 1887 the Railway Clearing House, RCH, already an inter company financial institution, set out the first nation-wide standards. These were gradually improved until in 1923 the main standards were introduced. These were adopted by Private Owners and both the LNER and the LMS for their standard wagon for the next 25 years.
THE MODELS
The model design follows the RCH 1923 standards to enable the builder to produce a model of a particular prototype by adding specific details and livery or their own freelance design. The type of wagon chosen is the standard 9’ wheelbase 16’ 6” long with a wooden under frame. These were built in many types and capacities but mainly as 12ton coal wagons. The design aim has not been to produce an exact scale model in every detail, but to simplify the method of manufacture to easily produce a model of a typical Private Owner or Railway Company wagon which looks right on the outside. The design and drawings are metric in order to utilise modern readily available materials and components. It is hoped that this approach will encourage newcomers, especially youngsters to take their first steps into Model Engineering.
With the exception of the wheels and buffers, which it may be possible to supply ready machined, all the work can be carried out using average DIY tools and equipment. However a pillar drill, perhaps with a cross vice, and small belt/disc sander will help with speed and accuracy.
The wheels are carried by bearings suspended on simple arms pivoted from a steel plate which carries the rest of the wagon. This is capable of carrying a passenger and could be used as a driving truck. An alternative using live axle boxes and a coil spring between the axle box and the dummy leaf spring has been developed. The body is plywood scored to represent planking with the small details added as required. The under frame details such as the handbrake can be working or dummy.
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