Atso's C&W works

[Atlantic 3279]

Good choice. Should cut down to the earlier version if anyone is brave enough to try.

[Atso]

Good choice. Should cut down to the earlier version if anyone is brave enough to try.

Thanks Graeme. Foxhunter used to do a kit for this van but it sadly hasn't been available for some time now. I also picked this van as I'm sure Farish will do the 10' wheelbase version in due course and in any event, it wouldn't be difficult to adapt one of the many LNER 'standard' van kits to make a representation of one.

Now, what I'd love to do is one of the first LNER fish vans types but unfortunately my copy of Mr Tatlow's book doesn't have any drawings of these...

[Atso]

Another day, another fish van...

[Atso]

Having moved the printer down from the shed into the garage, it finally got set up again today.

A warts and all (and poor quality, sorry) picture of the initial print of the Dia 23 fish van. I need to do some tweaking to the support structure and orientation of the print as I think I can do better than this initial test print.

The upper section where the roof will go looks ragged as I just pulled the supports off the model and didn't bother to carefully trim them (it was only a test print after all!).

[Atso]

The GNR twin set (that I accidently posted in my loco thread!) is on hold for the moment while I decide on the best route for designing a close coupled articulation unit. Therefore, I've turned my attention to another GNR vehicle...

I've still got a bit to do on the roof but it is coming along. Due to its narrow nature, clearances are very tight for the wheels. I think I'm going to make the centre wheels a dummy set that ride just above the rails, it'll be interesting to see how easily I can fit N gauge coach wheels to the outer ends of the physical model...

[exile]

Well that is looking the Bee's knees to accompany a Stirling Single. Any chance of a scale up to 4mm:ft?

[Atso]

Well that is looking the Bee's knees to accompany a Stirling Single. Any chance of a scale up to 4mm:ft?

Thanks Exile. I think Bill Bedford is working on a 4mm version of this van.

[Atso]

The Dia 134 Fish Van finally acquired a chassis today...

[Atso]

I woke up to a surprise today as UPS had delivered my Shapeways prints. This was a most welcome find as Shapeways predicted that they wouldn't be ready for shipping until Wednesday!

So what have I got?



From left to right: MR 15' long outside frame van (this is truly tiny! Am I allowed to even mention the MR on here!? ), the early LNER Dia 23 fish van and the later LNER dia 134 fish van. As you can see, I've test fitted the wheels (Farish) and everything is free running.



The GNR six wheel full brake. This one isn't quite as successful as the clearances aren't quite their to take the wheelsets. I think that I might be able to play with the clearances to find a better compromise to accept Farish coach wheels. At present, this coach wouldn't even take a 13mm axle as there really isn't enough clearance around the wheels. I thought this might well be the case but thought I'd try my luck anyway - three successes out of four really isn't bad. On the plus side, I'm really impressed with how well the panelling has come out.

[wehf100]

They look excellent. The panelling on the carriage is genuinely impressive!

Are you designing the axleboxes to accept brass top hat bearings, or are they just free-running? I suppose FUD is basically nylon isn't it (?), which ought to be a good low-friction surface and mean that brass bearings are not necessary?

Will

[Atso]

They look excellent. The panelling on the carriage is genuinely impressive!

Are you designing the axleboxes to accept brass top hat bearings, or are they just free-running? I suppose FUD is basically nylon isn't it (?), which ought to be a good low-friction surface and mean that brass bearings are not necessary?

Will

Thank you Will. I've designed them to be free running as they are and plan to fettle these and cast them in resin (some of the surfaces are still somewhat rough as a raw 3D print). This is the same method as I used for the 'pigeon' van kit and I've not seen any degradation to the running qualities of mine own ones over the years.

[Atso]

Hi all,

The current state of play with the fish vans.

These cruel enlargements show that there are still a couple of bits and pieces to fettle but I think they're coming along nicely. I'm especially pleased that the word 'FISH' is legible on the door of the dia 134 van!

[MikeTrice]

Impressive.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

They've come out very well.

Question, if I may, the 'stuff' that the wagons are made out of, is like a clear plastic/nylon ? could it not be coloured, so as to give you a base, in case your wagon gets chipped ?

manna

[Atso]

They've come out very well.

Question, if I may, the 'stuff' that the wagons are made out of, is like a clear plastic/nylon ? could it not be coloured, so as to give you a base, in case your wagon gets chipped ?

Thanks Manna,

These have been produced by Shapeways in Frosted Extreme Detail as they've now gotten their quality control sorted and are producing better prints than I can do on my own machine so their isn't the opportunity to colour the material. However, having experimented with colouring printer resin for my own machine in the past, I can say that this creates some 'interesting' results - not of the good kind!