The (GWR) Milk Train cometh!

[John Candy]

You may remember (middle of last year) I 3D printed the parts for many diagrams of "Siphons".
Those are now being prepared for assembly.

The diagrams involved are:-
six-wheeled O1/O2/O3/O4/O5/O6
4-wheeled O8 ("Siphon C")
bogie Siphons "F", "G"(outside frame) and "H".

These will be serialised (in similar fashion to the auto trailer series) and the files made available to download.

John

[John Candy]

The new 3D printable downloads cover the following diagrams of "Siphon" vans.

Bogie Vans : "Siphon F" (O7); "Siphon G" (O11 outside framed); "Siphon H" (O12).
4-wheeled "Siphon C" (O8).

Access is via www.gauge3.info and, for each diagram, the STL files for sides and ends are packed into a ZIP file, together with a README PDF illustrating the components and brief details of the prototype.

The bogie frames, axleboxes, etc (in STL format) are separate from the ZIP files and are accessed from the Siphon index page,.

I am preparing the files for printable roofs and these will be available soon.

[John Candy]

Following the test print, the roof for the Siphon "G" (dia. O11) has now been added to the downloadable package at
https://www.gauge3.info/downloads/GWR/O11.zip

Roof for Siphons "C" and "F" are currently printing and will be added to files O8.zip and O7.zip when completed and checked.

[John Candy]

It had not been my intention to include an inside-framed Siphon G in my milk train but have now decided to produce the dia O22, which differs from the O33 which had been the basis of the GRS kit (long since discontinued) .

GWR dia O22 "Siphon G" (inside-framed with horizontal planking).

This diagram, built in three Lots between 1926 and 1928, was the first Siphon G with internal framework and the sides and end were horizontally-planked. Like the outside-framed version (O11) they were fitted with "scissors" type gangway connectors.

They were mounted on angle-truss underframes and most ran on the 7ft Collett bogies but a few did have the "American" 9ft type, both as original fitments and as in-service swaps.

The HMRS publication "GW Siphons" states, "This diagram was electrically-lit", however, the only photo (No.1229) clearly shows gas tanks fitted!

It differs from the later dia. O33 (and the BR-built O62) both of which had the sides and ends vertically planked, as well as the more modern "suspended" type of gangway connector.

The files for the ends and roof are identical to the outside-framed O11 (as are the louvred vent components).
The doors and the lower planked components are the O22-specific parts.

Download link https://gauge3.info/downloads/GWR/O22.zip

P.S. All Siphon zip packages now include the roof.

[John Candy]

More than two years have passed since I 3D printed the parts for my train of GWR milk vans "Siphons" (11 in all) but, over the past month, I have begun assembly.

The diagrams O1 to O6 (all six-wheelers with slatted sides) remain in their boxes, since I decided to start on the  (comparatively) modern types with louvred sides.

The 3D plastic parts have been assembled around a laser-cut plywood box to form a very strong body. The box is laminated from two thicknesses of ply (nominally 4mm+3mm but actually totalling nearer 7.5mm). Since the largest size sheets readily available and suitable for laser cutting were 300mmx210mm, the sides were cut in multiple sections with the joints of the inner and outer layers staggered.  The ply was laminated with Wickes Outdoor Wood Glue (not a PVA type) and the 3D PLA parts were attached using Evo-Stik 528 contact adhesive.

There is still detailing to be added to the bodies, as well as the underframes/running gear and roofs (all of which have already been 3D printed).

The shortest (at 29ft 6ins over body) is the 4-wheel "Siphon C" to diagram O8.
The bogie "Siphon F" to diagram O7 is a 40ft van.
The remainder are all 50ft vans, an O11 "Siphon G", O22 "Siphon G" and O12 "Siphon H".
The diagram O22 will run on Collett 7ft heavy bogies, the other three on Churchward 9ft "American" equaliser bogies.

A P16 "Monster" (a 50ft CCT) is also at the planning stage.

Photos show the differences between the Siphons mentioned above (they are all in primer....they will be finished in GWR chocolate).

John.

[753]

John

Your Sipfons look superb the detail is very good well worth the effort.

Mike

[hornbeam]

Very nice indeed.