West End Workbench

[Atlantic 3279]

I had "passively assumed" that the V4s may have been Toad A, but I've also recently seen a picture of a bit of a GN/NE hybrid design - very much GN bodied but with rather NE style duckets, built in 1923ish - so that could instead be the Toad A . Hence the appeal for learned opinions.
Again it's an assumption, but Toad C could conveniently refer to the two experimental Toad B style ferro-concrete bodied vans that proved too cold for guards' comfort. It was a neat idea to do away with separate ballasting to bring up the braked weight.
Whilst the final variant of Toad B, with pressed steel duckets, i.e. Toad E, ought in some ways to precede Toad D if the versions were coded in evolutionary pecking order, I believe that the Toad Es (to a largely tried and tested general design) were built after the first LWB Toad Ds but while the latter were still "on trial". I assume that once the Toad D had proved acceptable on a wide enough range of duties the justification for also building a SWB variant, no good on express goods, fairly logically disappeared.

[65447]

I had "passively assumed" that the V4s may have been Toad A, but I've also recently seen a picture of a bit of a GN/NE hybrid design - very much GN bodied but with rather NE style duckets, built in 1923ish - so that could instead be the Toad A . Hence the appeal for learned opinions.
Again it's an assumption, but Toad C could conveniently refer to the two experimental Toad B style ferro-concrete bodied vans that proved too cold for guards' comfort. It was a neat idea to do away with separate ballasting to bring up the braked weight.

That's certainly an alternative possibility for the 'A'. Likewise 'C' for Concrete has a certain credibility, but I've not seen anything to either confirm or deny it. By the way and for historical accuracy, only 1 such experimental brake van was constructed, see here.

[Atlantic 3279]

One only, I see, not as RM Oct 75 article then? What about the livery of the concrete van though? The interiors of the verandahs do not appear to be as dark as the applied main body colour. The duckets and end stanchions look darker. Not apparently red-oxide all over, as per the standard scheme........

[jwealleans]

Not much obvious progress last night, mainly brake gear and other stuff which will be painted black and mainly invisible. I have added the buffers which were nice clean mouldings and certainly no worse than the whitemetal alternatives. I had a bit of help with the roof; I replaced the roofs on those German ferry vans I built last year as they'd sagged. There was one in the bits box which was damaged, but enough intact to cut down for this purpose. The detail transplanted over easily enough.



This is the other ongoing project at the moment; I was given this half built recently and have just started to try to finish it off. So far I've added my usual method of securing body to floor, also secured clerestory to the brass roof Peter had made up and started to detail one bogie thanks to the instructions so kindly provided. Since the photo I've also added the hinges and drilled pilot holes for all the lamps and vents.

[Robpulham]

Looking great Jonathan, I do like what you have done with the Dapol kit. it just goes to prove that there is life in some of the older stuff yet.

[Atlantic 3279]

Participants in the speculative discussion of "Toad A" above may be interested to to know that thanks to the kindness of 2512silverfox I have had a personal message from the man himself Peter Tatlow, confirming that the Toad A designation applied to vans in the outstanding order for a significant number of NE V4 pattern vehicles, completed after grouping.

[65447]

Participants in the speculative discussion of "Toad A" above may be interested to to know that thanks to the kindness of 2512silverfox I have had a personal message from the man himself Peter Tatlow, confirming that the Toad A designation applied to vans in the outstanding order for a significant number of NE V4 pattern vehicles, completed after grouping.

A reasonable if slightly imperfect assumption on my part then, and another jigsaw piece drops in place.

I don't suppose any enlightenment was offered about the 'C', or confirmation of the apparently anachronostic sequence of 'E' and 'D'? Well, it is Christmas and I have been good (most of the time...)

[2512silverfox]

Peter only said that the concrete brake was a version of the Toad B. He states that all will be revealed in Vol 4 of LNER Wagons - a kind of U trailer for an X certificate - if you are old enough to remember what that means!

[Atlantic 3279]

I did ask about the validity of my tentative reference to the concrete van as Toad C. Mr Tatlow's response indicated that the concrete van was a B hybrid, but he did not comment further on any other Toad C, so I can tell you no more at this stage. Apparently part 4 of his new book series will cover Toad B in detail.
I think the D-E "anomaly" stems, as I previously suggested, only from the vans being coded chronologically according to first appearance of the design, regardless of any "technological" hierarchy or dates of construction in bulk.

Sorry for the duplication, 2512 nipped in just as I was typing my submission......

[65447]

Peter only said that the concrete brake was a version of the Toad B. He states that all will be revealed in Vol 4 of LNER Wagons - a kind of U trailer for an X certificate - if you are old enough to remember what that means!

I don't suppose Peter has any indication of the publication date yet? I know, it is Wild Swan... And if it's only covering the Toad 'B' in detail, does that mean that Volume 4 will definitely be a book of two halves?

There was a Toad 'X' as well?

[jwealleans]

A very merry Christmas to everyone on the forum and here's to a productive New Year.

[jwealleans]

Well, hurrah. Christmas holidays over and back to work. At least I did get some time on the WB yesterday and I wasn't totally idle while away.

To continue on the Toad theme there was some useful information on my thread on RMWeb from someone who has access to a GA drawing. This shows that the chimney was on a square plate on the roof and had a cast surround at the bottom giving it a stepped appearance. I've turned up a replacement from some 2mm Evergreen rod and stuck it on. Not the best picture; have a look at my thread on RMWeb for a much better picture from Mikemeg.



While on holiday in France it seemed appropriate to start work on my next ferry van project, which was always intended to be a French Fasu van, which is the type preserved in the NRM. Studying pictures from the HMRS it became apparent that there were in fact two types of French ferry van seen in the UK, the other much shorter. The second one turned out to be very similar, if not identical, to this preserved one I photographed at Langeais, very close to the inlaws, in 2009:



and the barely started model




The vent grilles on the FASU took ages to do but I'm quite pleased with how they turned out once I'd developed a technique to space them consistently.



In between vent grilles (well you need something to stop you cracking up) I also had a go at these, the new (ish) open from Cambrian. I haven't seen anyone else on here build any yet - apologies if I've missed a thread from someone) but they're the sort of thing pretty much every LNER layout ought to have. They went together pretty well - more care needed than a Parkside and one or two corners to tidy up. I gather they were to/based on a GNR diagram so there may be scope for another variant when I have time to read it up.



Last job was this BR Lowfit. The kids liked my tractor on a Lowfit for Thurston so much they each gave me another tractor for Christmas, so I'm looking round for a third Lowfit to make the set. This is a Red Panda kit; I hadn't made one before the first Lowfit I built but they're pretty good. Shame they don't do any purely LNER wagons.

[wehf100]

I also had a go at these, the new (ish) open from Cambrian. I haven't seen anyone else on here build any yet - apologies if I've missed a thread from someone) but they're the sort of thing pretty much every LNER layout ought to have. They went together pretty well - more care needed than a Parkside and one or two corners to tidy up. I gather they were to/based on a GNR diagram so there may be scope for another variant when I have time to read it up.

Hi,

Feb 2010 Gauge O Guild Gazette included an article about backdating the Parkside LNER 6-plank to it's GNR roots. Funnily enough the GNR wagon was actually quite a bit longer in wheelbase/ overall than the later LNER diagram! The basic stretch-job only runs in to problems with the difficulty of removing the canted-out plank on the bottom of the LNER wagon's door- the GNR wagons didn't have this. However, the author reasons that a lot were re-built with this feature in LNER days, so all's good I suppose. I doubt there's much in the article a chap of your skills couldn't work out yourself from drawings, but if you do want a copy don't hesitate to ask.

Will

[jwealleans]

Cheers for that, Will; I hadn't seen that article, not being a GOG member, but one of the Ormesby chaps is and I can try to get a copy from him. I'll have a scan of Tatlow sometime as well.

[R. pike]

I like the ferry vans. After seeing your pictures i think i'll try a van next. I need a change from the diag 1/163 hoppers i have been building.