GCR Bogie Fish vans

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
Further research shows that it will be more difficult than I thought to build a Bogie Fish Van, but that's not an unusual occurence. The original louvres are going to be be very difficult and the bogies are 5'6 Fox type, which would probably have to be scratchbuilt.
Still the difficult we do at once, and the impossible takes a little longer, or in my case goes via a spell in the back of the cupborad.
Earlswood nob

[mick b]

There are a couple of built ones on ebay at mo , search NE will bring them up

[earlswood nob]

Morning all
Thanks for that info Mick. I had a look at the two fish vans and they're both WSM, and the starting price seems high for me. Also by buying a ready made kit, it deprives me of the pleasure of building it.
I shall watch them to see what sort of price they go for.
Earlswood nob

[auldreekie]

Good morning all
the impossible takes a little longer, or in my case goes via a spell in the back of the cupborad.
Earlswood nob

Must be putting them at the back of the cupboard before you wave the wand that does it. No amount of spells cast by me seem to have any effect whatever....


auldreekie

[earlswood nob]

Afternoon all
A lot of the progress that I make and problems that I solve are due to these forums. The amount of information that I receive is fantastic.
I used to be a slightly successful amateur boxer, and I think this is why I tend to be overconfident of my abilities. If one were not confident of one's ability to win, nobody would get into the ring, and certainly not stay there when the bell rings. Have you seen how fast the seconds get out of the ring when the bell sounds?
I also walk fair distances (when the weather is fair), and I find that walking through the countryside listening to music, help me to think through and solve problems.
Earlswood nob

[John Palmer]

The original louvres are going to be be very difficult

If you are as old and decrepit as me you may recall an accomplished modeller of GWR subjects who rejoiced in the name of M Selous Hodges. To form the louvres of a model Siphon G, he mounted a fragment of piercing saw blade of appropriate length and tooth pitch in a pin vice, which he then stroked from side to side against his workpiece with the end of the pin vice resting against a straight edge. The teeth gradually had the effect of scoring a number of closely spaced grooves in the workpiece that convincingly represented in 4mm scale the louvres of the prototype Siphon. Possibly a method you might try out for the louvres on your bogie fish van?

[Atlantic 3279]

I'll try to remember that method. All of these little dodges help.

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
Thanks JP that is a useful tip. I am often breaking piercing saw blades, so get plenty of odments.
Earlswood nob

[jwealleans]

Larry Goddard advocates something similar for coach vents.

[scratcher]

Looking at the bogies on the WCM model, they seem rather strange and nothing like the R&E Models bogies. On the assumption that they are both intended to be 5'6" Fox bogies, anyone know which is the more accurate? The R&E I would think.

[Woodcock29]

I have attached a photo of the R&E van I built for a friend (who has modelled Nottingham Victoria). I still have one to build for myself. This was built about 5 years ago. The main issues with the R&E model are that the axlebox springs are too long and need to be shortened and the slats in the upper parts of the doors don't line up with the slats in the body sides so this needs to be corrected during building which I have done. These issues are identified in Steve Bank's article in the March 1997 RM. What I didn't notice was the extra diagonal strengtheners in the ends, which arte quite evident in the Photo in Tatlow Vol 1, I'll have to fit these when I build my own model. I understand this kit is currently available from Brassmasters.
I think the R&E bogies are much closer apart from the issue with the length of the springs.
I seem to recall that James Harrison scratchbuilt one of these vans in his workbench thread on kitbashing GC locos and rollingstock.

Andrew Emmett

[scratcher]

That's a lovely model.

According to Brassmasters the white metal castings have been reworked so the latest version of the kit will hopefully have fixed the over-length spring problem.