"3D Print 4 Yourself " range.

[John Candy]

As announced a few weeks back, I will be releasing a range of wagons and carriages as my "3D Print 4 Yourself " range.

Two LNWR brake vans (diagrams D17 and D17B ) are the first now available to download. The design was undertaken using OpenSCAD and the downloads are supplied in STL format.

D17 is the 6-wheel 20T van and D17B is a 4-wheel 20T  van which was christened "Crystal Palace", in consequence of the large number of windows.
Both types are provided with alternative parts to produce either original LNWR condition or with later LNWR/early LMS modifications. In the available photos, no two vans are identical in detail , so, for absolute accuracy, you will need to have a photo from which to work.

Four models have been test built, one of each diagram in LNWR and LMS condition.

Photos (taken under indoor lighting and not very good) are attached of the test-builds which are yet to be painted.
The two LNWR versions are destined for Northamptonshire (the project has been a collaboration with Mike Williams), while the LMS versions are for my collection.

Notes will be prepared to assist with assembly as soon as I have a spare couple of hours but, meanwhile, the following information will assist.

D17 : The van is mounted using a laser cut steel W-iron assembly designed/supplied by Williams Models specifically for this project . The buffer guides (two types) can be printed from the supplied files but you will need either Williams Models or Slater's buffer heads/springs. Other parts required are brass wire/rod, wheels and couplings ... everything else is supplied, ready-to-print. The floor was laser cut from 3mm plywood and the SVG file is included.

D17B "Crystal Palace" : This van is mounted on Walsall Model Industries etched compensation units using Slater's wheelsets running on inside bearings. Other parts required are brass wire/rod, wheels and couplings ... everything else is supplied, ready-to-print. There is a separate "interior pack" file set for this van which contains both STL and SVG files. The SVG files were used to laser cut 3mm plywood for the floor and parts of the minor fittings.  The buffers are a distinctive double-acting self-contained type unique to the D17B and were designed/supplied by Williams Models in brass and nickel silver,specifically for this project.

See http://g3forum.org.uk/index.php?topic=3145.0 for further details and how to access the files.

The next release will be the GCR 45ft 15 ton bogie fish van (BRC&W louvred version).

[753]

Good quality prints there John, are they resin?

Mike

[John Candy]

Mike,

They are of this high-speed PLA printed on the very fast Bambu Lab P1S.

PLA is many times stronger than resin and can bend way beyond angles that would snap resin (and then springs back to shape). Many a time I have (accidentally) knocked a model quite hard, expecting it to have broken delicate detailing but there is never a mark on it.
I bought an Elegoo resin printer and washer/curer 3 years ago (not long after the Snapmaker) but I have never used them.
My feeling is that when FDM printers can produce this kind of result, the messy business of resin is not worth the hassle.
I shall try the resin printer at some stage.

Regards,
John.

[IanT]

Very nice models John and interesting comments about Resin Printers.

I've just watched a review of the Bambu and it does seem a fast, capable 3D printer. I too have a Resin printer that is still in its box...   :-(

Regards,


IanT

[John Candy]

The two D17B "Crystal Palace" vans are painted and ready for lettering.
The LNWR version (the darker grey) is as in a 1917 photo of No.626B.
The LMS version is modelled from a photo of No.280361.
There are quite a few detail differences...see if you can spot them!!

The D17 (6-wheelers) are about to have their roofs fitted and (if the weather stays dry) will be photographed later today.

[John Candy]

As threatened, here are photos (very quickly taken between showers) of the pair of D17 6-wheel brake vans .... unlike last time, I remembered to straighten the couplings before taking them!

This time, there are few differences between the LNWR and LMS versions.
The LMS van has the later (webbed) buffers and a small hatch door in the end for placing the tail lamp (the earlier arrangement is a hole through which the lamp lens projected from the inside).

The next instalment will be the GCR 45ft bogie fish van, followed by the GCR 4-wheel 18ft fish van.

Not a valid attachment ID.

[John Candy]

The Great Central 45 foot bogie fish van STL files are now available as part of the 3D Print 4 Yourself series.

Body: The two test models were built around a laser cut plywood carcass. The printed parts were attached with a contact adhesive (I used Evostik).

Two different ends are supplied ; the original (as built) and the later modification with diagonal braces. Photos of these vehicles in service are almost as rare as hens' teeth but those in LNER period photos carry the modification.

Underframe : These 3D printed parts have been designed specifically for use with the laser cut steel underframe and bogie kit available from Williams Models.

In Service : Although designed for fish traffic, they appear to have been of limited use, a result of the practice of allocating individual fish vans to a single merchant. Very few merchants had the requirement for a 15 ton load and the vans saw use for pigeon and parcels traffic.

Livery notes :

GCR : The BRC&W-built 1903 vans (louvred) were delivered to the GCR in a varnished timber finish with lining. In this form they appeared in the publicity photos produced by the GCR.
This livery is said to have been very short-lived with the vans being repainted into the standard GCR freight livery of dark grey with white lettering. The later 1910 (GCR Gorton-built) vans with slatted sides were turned out in the grey freight livery from new.

LNER : Being AVB-fitted freight vehicles, they carried the standard bauxite/brown livery with white lettering.
The underframes were always finished in black (including solebars and headstocks which were steel) .

Attached photos show the GCR-liveried body and separate steel underframe with added 3D printed detailing. The dark body colour made it very difficult to photograph indoors (it also needs a matt varnish coat) but I will take some better shots when the sun shines (also of the LNER version in the bauxite livery).

Detailing parts for the basic steel underframe are included in the STL package (including brake parts, queenposts, etc.).

See http://g3forum.org.uk/index.php?topic=3145.0 for further details and how to access the files.

[John Candy]

Here is the GCR 18ft 10 ton fish van, to complement the Great Central 45 foot bogie fish van , now available as part of the 3D Print 4 Yourself series .

There are variations between batches of vans built over a long period and subjected to modifications (particularly axleboxes and brake lever arrangements).

My model (detailed from a LNER period photo) has replacement RCH axleboxes (GCR type are included in the STL files) and "lifting link" brake lever on one side.  The earliest batches were built by contractors (Pickering and Cravens 1904/5) and had  "same end" brake levers which were required to be altered under later BoT regulations (1910) and the lifting link was the method used for conversion. Later Lots (1913 onwards) were built with the lifting link arrangement.

12 were still "on the books" on the eve of nationalisation (31/12/47).

To complete you will require Slater's open spoke wagon wheels, Slater's or Williams Models buffer heads and screw couplings. I used Walsall Model Industries compensation for the running gear.

Livery notes :
GCR : Standard GCR freight livery of dark grey with white lettering.
LNER : Being AVB-fitted freight vehicles, they carried the standard red oxide/bauxite livery with white lettering. Some were fitted with cast iron "FISH" plates as on my model of 511528.

The 4th photo shows the "lifting link" arrangement common on GCR AVB-fitted wagons, particularly those originally designed/built with same end brake levers. Vacuum brake pipes have still to be fitted to ends.

[753]

An excellent model John, great detail you must be very pleased with it.


Mike

[John Candy]

A few photos of the assembled and painted bogie van showing differences between the LNER period model (note the reinforced ends) and the GCR period condition.
The bodies of these vans were mounted on wooden blocks which spaced them from the steel underframe, to the extent that daylight was visible in photos. This can be seen replicated in the three-quarter view of the LNER model.

Vacuum pipes still to be fitted and buffers should be oval but round heads fitted as temporary measure.

Has anyone here ever turned oval buffer heads?
I may have to resort to fabricating oval overlays to be soldered on.

[John Candy]

The next release in the 3D-Print-4-Yourself series will be the LMS 42ft CCT D2023.

The body and solebars have been successfully test printed and I am now working on the underframe details.
I am attaching screenshots of the buffer I have prepared  (they were fitted with standard Stanier pattern coach buffers) together with photos of the test print in situ on a van end.

I did not have a detailed drawing of the buffer to work from (only a general underframe drawing and some photos) but I think it looks right. I have not simulated the surface of the treadplate since I normally use etched brass overlay for the chequer plate effect.

Does it look right to you .... or do you, perhaps, have a dimensioned drawing of this buffer type?

[John Candy]

LMS D2023 42ft Luggage and Parcels Van
New Release 3D Print 4 Yourself series.

Thanks to member "Traininvain" (Ian H) for providing a dimensioned drawing of the LMS coach buffer. I have amended the OpenScad file and am releasing the STL files. The test build model is in the paintshop at present but photos will follow later in the week.

This model is of LMS D2023 , of which ten were built in 1938, being similar to D1870 in appearance but with a raised roof (officially described as, "Luggage & Parcels Van suitable for Aeroplane Traffic"). Such vehicles were more usually classified "CCT"  (covered combination truck) but these were "posh" Stanier flush-sided vehicles, finished in full passenger livery for use in express trains!

In addition to their more usual use as vehicle and general luggage vans, the additional height provided the ability to accommodate aircraft fuselage components, a design consideration in view of the onset of re-armament, in anticipation of WW2.

When compared with D1870, apart from the increase in roof height, there were vent hoods over the doors (the raised roof left no clearance for roof vents) and modifications to the design of the end loading doors.  Unlike D1870, they were not fitted with electric lighting  and the underframes were welded, so the numerous solebar rivets of the earlier builds can be omitted. These modifications reduced the tare by two tons (from 24 tons of D1870, down to 22 tons).

To complete, you will need LMS 9ft welded bogies (I modified Walsall Model Industries castings which are supplied with rivet detail) buffer heads (large round with top edges clipped to clear the drop flap), Slaters' coach wheels and screw link couplings.

Note on buffers : To fit the printed buffer guides, the heads require a main shaft diameter of 4mm plus the tail shaft of 3mm diameter).

The underframe (same basic design as fitted to D1870) has a rather unusual arrangement of the twin vacuum cylinders : Both are on same side of the longitudinal centre line and offset from lateral centre line. The more usual diagonal arrangement would have placed the second cylinder in the space occupied by battery boxes on D1870.

LIVERY
LMS livery followed the 1934 paint specification for passenger carriages of crimson lake with simplified lining in chrome yellow and black and with black ends. The steel roof was painted a silver colour (I use Tamiya XF-16 "flat aluminium"). Numbers were 44306 - 44315.
BR livery would have been red (1950 to 55 and some were lined) or maroon (from 1956) with a grey roof.
They were withdrawn between Nov. 1965 and Nov. 1967 and, so far as is known, none received BR blue livery.

Construction Notes:
1) Detailed drawings of the underframe layout (which includes the electric lighting fittings for D1870, which should be omitted for D2023) can be found in "Historic Carriage Drawings" Vol.3 also in "Railway Modeller" for July 1964. "LMS Standard Coaching Stock" Vol.1 contains photos and a basic drawing of D2023.

2) The sides are in four sections so as to fit standard size printers and the joints coincide with visible seams on the prototype (two at door edges and the third on centre line).

3) The side prints are overlays onto ply backing for which SVG files are provided for laser cutting. The lamination consists of two layers of ply (3mm + 4mm)  with the layout designed so as to be staggered betwen the printed joins for maximum rigidity. The triple section side of the ply laminate is that to which the prints are glued (otherwise the ply joint would coincide with the centre line joint on the printed overlay). Locations of the grab rail and door handles are pierced through the sides but will need to be opened up to take the fittings.

4) The roof is printed in three identical sections but does not include the external "ribs" of the Stanier pattern steel roof and they need to be added with strips of plastic card. The open ends fit over the carriage ends and a separate internal roof hoop is printed and fitted to the open end of the inner section, to mate with the closed end of the adjacent section (this file is named "roof hoop wide"). The "roof hoop narrow" file is desgned to fit inside the roof sections at regular intervals as reinforcement and to provide additional anchorage points when fixing roof to the carriage sides.

5) There is a separate ZIP file containing templates for laser cutting the plywood parts for sides and floor (they can also be used to print paper templates for manual cutting). The bogie centres are marked by 4mm diameter cutouts from the floor.

6) Adhesives : I use "Wickes Weatherproof Wood Adhesive"  for laminating the plywood and Evo-Stik 528 for fixing prints to the ply. For everything else I used "No Nonsense Mitre Kit" (an industrial strength superglue with aerosol spray activator, available from Screwfix).

As with other rolling stock in this series, the file downloads are available to G3 Society members upon application as below.
Access will be granted by sending message using this forum's message system to John Candy (subject line to be "STL access request by <your G3S membership number>") , whereupon a password will be sent with a download link . Remember to check that the email address you have linked to the forum is still valid!

Next release will be the GWR P16 (outside-framed) "Monster" 50ft scenery van, followed by the SR Maunsell 51ft 10T bogie luggage van.

[cabbage]

Could I fit a Sopwith Biplane or a Gloster Gladiator in side of it?

Regards

Ralph

[John Candy]

Could I fit a Sopwith Biplane or a Gloster Gladiator in side of it?

I imagine so, as it would have been designed with Hawker Hurricanes, Supermarine Spitfires and similar in mind!
Regards,
John.

[Doddy]

Many thanks for all your hard work John.

I have a question in that whilst I have access to the Catalogue of 3D Print Projects (STL files) but they never seem to get updated with your latest projects, or do I need to ask for access for each individual project?

Many thanks in advance.

Robert