Scratchbuilding an LNER 12T Open

[Josef]

Hi all, here's my first attempt at a scratch built LNER standard open goods. My Dad and I have previously built a fair number of 16mm narrow gauge wagons, but this is the first try at matching a prototype, and doing the more fiddly things like actual brake gear!

It started off with spotting a chassis on eBay. The seller mentioned the parts were older Brandbright bits. In the end it was £33.51 delivered, which is not bad for wheels, axle boxes, w irons and couplings, plus a chassis!


Chassis as delivered.

Of course, it couldn't be that easy. Closer inspection revealed the chassis was not square.



So I stripped it right down to the component parts, squared everything up, and started from the beginning!



As I figured out that the axle boxes were LNER standard ones, I decided to build the ubiquitous LNER open wagon (and co-incidentally Dad is building the modern Brandbright version). So I started off with a body of 3mm ply.



Followed by detail from scrap brass, tin can sheet, plasticard, brass rivets and bolts, and card from a 1977 Triumph Spitfire water pump box!





I also dived in to a bit of CAD, drawing up and etching some works plates, and giving myself a crash course in 3D modelling to design some suitable buffer guides. The brake gear (and buffers) is all Mike Williams' bits, with adaption to represent Morton gear with a cross shaft.



For paint, I resurrected some old airbrush skills to spray a coat of Phoenix's LNER wagon grey, and brought some Humbrol matt 33 back from the brink to do the running gear. Then hand lettered the sides using a magnifier and an adaption of a sign writing technique. The lettering was designed in Inkscape and printed. Then I poked holes all around the outlines with a pin, placed the patterns in position and tapped them with a cut down climbing chalk bag. This leaves a faint chalk impression to follow with the brush. It's come out OK for a first attempt.




Ex-works photo, just before I have a go at some weathering.

[hornbeam]

 Very nice.

[LankyTank]

Good save there, Josef, nicely done. Is that a van peering into the right hand edge of one of the photos?