Wagons

Here's some of my collection of wagons that appear on Wells Green TMD. Most are kit built, some are scratchbuilt and the remainder are modified RTR wagons. All are models of actual wagons that have existed on the UK network in the last few years - with photographs taken from Wagons on the Web and my own collection.

In many cases, lettering and numbering has been produced on a computer and turned into transfers, to avoid spending hours lining up individual numbers on data panels, but transfers from Fox and Modelmasters have also been used where appropriate.

MTA 'Doorand' 395008 was converted from a standard Bachmann MTA wagon, with all the existing reinforcing pillars removed and replaced with ones in correct position for a 'Doorand'. The ends were also rebuilt, along with a huge amount of detailing carried out on the chassis to improve on the substandard 'flat' floor moulding. Only trouble is you can't see all the detailing as it's underneath!

MKA 390270 was created using a Bachmann POA, in the ARC livery. Like the prototype, the top holes were removed to limit the weight of ballast allowed to be filled, except the ARC mustard was retained, chopping the logo in half. This also received the same underframe detailing as the MTA 'Doorand', above.

I scratchbuilt this 'MTA' ballast wagon using Plastikard and Styrene strip, on an old Hornby 'TTA' tank wagon chassis. An article about how I did this appeared in DEMU's UPDate Magazine, Issue 39.

This is an MKA 'Limpet', no. 390256, converted from the Bachmann POA model.

Here's a Cambrian 'Dogfish' (not Heljan!), in a patchy 'Dutch' livery.

A Clam in engineers livery without a TOPS panel, instead the solebar contains all the essential details.

A Cambrian 'Shark' in Loadhaul livery, built a couple of years ago, complete with an engineer having a drink on the back!

Parkside Dundas make kits for these wagons - with a Clam being a shown here. Note the deep yellow patch in the centre of the faded yellow stripe - totally authentic, a feature many wagons seem to share.

I modelled this 'Rudd' because it had an orange stripe and a darker grey, making it stand out in a block engineers train. The number panel was made on a PC.

When building my set of wagons I wanted an example of a 'Clam' in original 'Dutch' livery, without any variations, or major weathering of the body.

This is probably one of my favourite 'Rudd's, representing an example with patch painting, post-privatisation 'Mainline' branding with plenty of dents and scars due to being loaded & unloaded many times by grabber without proper care.

My first ever attempt at modelling an engineering wagon was this Parkside Dundas 'Grampus', made from the original kit, around four years ago.

This wagon is a 'VAA' van, converted from a Hornby 'VDA' using A1 Models etched sides, and painted in a faded version of the Railfreight livery. Note the diamond patches on the sides, scars left over from when 'Explosive' warnings were once attached to the wagon's side.

A standard Bachmann 'VGA', but with extra weathering and patch painting over old logos. Like the 'VAA', the wagon carries scars from when the vehicle used to be used for Explosives traffic.

Overlapping into my Cornish layout's fleet now is this 'VGA', modelled with opening doors, with a interior of bagged clay, normally used as part of an unloading scenario with a fork lift truck. The graffiti was by Busch, but I'm not too impressed by the way it lays over the ribs on the van, I reckon I can paint better than that!

Here's something you won't see on Wells Green TMD at an exhibition! A weathered Hornby 'CDA', part of a rake of just 18, normally travels behind a class 66 on Goonhilly Parkway. Although hard to see, this wagon's hood was painted EWS red to represent one of the 'Easysheet' conversions undertaken in 1999.

A couple of shots showing the engineers wagons in situ, as if there were a possession going on. Enjoy!