Friday 4 March 2011

Wagons Roll

Sorry about the rather predictable title, but this week I have mostly been building wagons. Here is the total fleet so far, although I do have some more flat wagons and a fuel bowser wagon set to make up.


These KBScale wagons are all based on prototypes made by Hudson using the "Rugga" skip chassis. Most industrial lines bought their wagons "off the peg" from Hudson or one of the other manufacturers of similar equipment, rather than have bespoke-design wagons made as many of the better known narrow gauge lines did. The kits are nicely detailed and not at all difficult to assemble, although like any kit they do benefit from a little time and attention.

Although I haven't yet made enough couplings, all the wagons are prepared and ready to have them fitted, as previously described. So they are just about ready for painting, but first I will distress the deck of the flat wagon a little, and I need to find a way of making those skip bodies look battered and used. I've heard of people using a blow-torch to soften the thin plastic but even if I had one, I'd be sure to melt or burn the plastic instead!

2 comments:

Phil Parker said...

Try holding a soldering iron near the plastic and push a bit of wood into it if you want serious damage. To be honest though, I think you'll find very heacy weathering would be sufficient. Wagons get repaired or scrapped if they get as badly damaged as some modellers portray them.

Chris Ford said...

Ahh... Phil got there before me with iron tip. What's more important is the material carried and how they were/are loaded. If it's sand from a hopper then I'd probably go for a grubby outside and a very shiny inside. Oh and flatten some lead out and fit in the bottom of the V before you paint.