Monday 7 April 2014

Lynton and Barstaple open

As so it came to pass that after forty days and forty fortnights the open can now be declared open.

This nearly beat me. Not because the kit is bad, although there are glitches as mentioned earlier, but because the final bits are just so bloody small that I couldn't keep them in the right place while waving a hot iron around. So all the basic bits on and pictured pre-primer spray. If I had a proper job the likely remedy would be to buy a resistance soldering set up, but that's unlikely to happen. If I wanted it perfect I'd just shell out for the new PECO version... no I wouldn't.

While at NGS I perused Parkside's stand and looked at their plastic version. It looks smaller. Is it under-scale? Or is this over-scale? This cranks out at about the same width as a W&L van, Parkside's wouldn't. Anyway all quite fun and reduces Nigel's kit mountain a little.

2 comments:

  1. According to the drawings in the OPC "History of Southern Wagons Volume 2" as built the bodies of these were 10' long x approx 5' wide x approx 4'10" high (rail to top of curved end) on a 6'0" wheelbase, door opening 3'0" wide.
    Later modified to 5'8" wide (wagon body now wider than headstocks, original were same width as headstocks) and slightly taller (thicker floor!).
    The completed model looks to be an amalgam of the two versions....early top-hung doors with rebuilt floor as the ends of the planks are visible as opposed to the curb rail of the original.
    I guess this really doesn't matter for a freelanced line.......which could have bought them from Bristol Wagon Co. and done their own modifications in the light of experience but found the original doors suited their needs.
    All good fun.........
    Stig

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  2. Not sure if the Peco job could be described as perfect, like most RTR open wagons they suffer from over-thick sides and ends. Not a problem with etched brass of course!

    I have an RSU which doesn't see nearly enough use considering how much that it cost, my 25W Antex is good enough for 95% of soldering jobs. But when I do need it I'm glad that I've got it!

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