Drummond 20-ton 6-wheel Goods Brake Van.

Pete's latest addition to his range of "aids to scratch-building" is an etched sheet in 0.45mm nickle- silver to build the 20-ton 6-wheel brake van introduced into service with the Highland Railway by Peter Drummond in 1909. It was felt that an etched sheet was more appropriate than resin castings for this larger project. The drawing on page 183 of Peter Tatlow's book "Highland Railway Carriages and Wagons" will prove indispensable when building the model. The etched sheet includes the sides and ends and some of the parts that are difficult to make yourself; simpler parts, such as the roof and the solebars, are left to the individual modeler to make from n/s sheet. Brass strip is used to represent the beading that surrounds the various panels on doors sides and ends, this is soldered into etched slots. Castings, wheels and other parts needed to complete the van are listed below. The later version of this van, with a steel under-frame, introduced in 1918, can also be built from the etched sheet. 

Drummond 20-ton brake van No. 21, one of only two photos of these vans in Highland livery.
Photo courtesy of  Am Baile.

Drummond 20-ton brake van built by the author from the etches shown below.

Etched sheet comprises; body sides and ends, brakes, roof lookout, end steps and supports, corner brackets, coupling plate and door drop-lights. Half-etched locating holes on the front of the etch are designed to be drilled for the insertion of brass rivets. Rivets on corner brackets and step supports can be treated similarly or pressed out with a riveting tool. 

Parts Needed to Complete the Model.

Wheels: Slater's 7123 3' 7" 8 Split-Spoke Coach Wheel.

Lamp irons: Slater's 7161.

W-irons: Slater's 71544.

Buffers F026/Roof fittings/Axleboxes HR2: Invertrain Model Railways 

Footboard Supports (x16): Sans Pareil / CSP Models. These are brass castings designed by myself to fit the model ref: L&F61 footboard support brackets

Couplings: CPL Products.

Springs and "J" hangers. White metal castings (x6) available from myself.

Brake cross-trees: LGM.

Etched Sheet is now available at Sale Price from Pete Armstrong/Border Miniatures @ £25.00 plus post at cost.

2nd class £1.99, 1st class £2.39, Signed for £3.79

armstrongps1@gmx.com

017687 71302

07342 637 813

The rear of the buffer beam is made from "L" section brass, the hollow beam is then filled with Milliput. The solebars could also be made from "L" section material though mine are cut and bent from n/s sheet.

Construction Notes.

A good deal of work is carried out "in the flat" before the sides and ends are soldered together. Rivet holes should be drilled along the bottom edge of the sides and on the buffer beam to take brass dome head rivets. The corner angle-irons and step supports can be treated similarly or rivets can be pressed out from the rear with a press. Holes for handrails need to be marked out and drilled after the 1 x 0.5mm section brass strip has been soldered into 0.25 deep etched grooves on the sides, doors and ends.

Note that three separate handrails form a cluster either side of the doors. Lamp-irons, steps and their supports, coupling plates, door handles and drop-lights can be added at this stage too.

Both brass rivets and pressed ones are in evidence here. Battening of 1 x 0.5mm section is  is in place.
The sides overlap the ends. 

Three handrails are grouped tightly either side of the doors, they are mounted on the battening.

Roof lookout in place. Stretchers soldered at either end of van; "L" section brass section forms the buffer beam inner.

Roof lookout sides are in position, I have extended them a little, the lookout roof is bent to shape and positioned next.

The van ready for the roofs.

The lookout roof and the main roof are soldered flush with the sides, the end of the main roof overhangs the van end.

  

Note the 1 x 1mm brass section soldered along the edge of the roofs.

The Under-Frame.

The brake van superstructure is a separate unit to the under-frame, the two are screwed together. I did not build in any suspension, only a little side-play on all wheels and some vertical movement on the center axle, which slides in a brass horn-guide in the w-iron. The brakes were soldered to a backing sheet of 0.45 n/s then cut out, tidied and drilled for the cross braces. The end of the backing was left long then bent back at right angles to form a foot to help position the brakes.

The "J" hangers and springs, seen in the photos, are cast as a single unit in white metal from my own moulds. I would prefer brass castings and am investigating the possibility. The hangers and springs can be fabricated from parts available from Laurie Griffin, 36-028 6ft coach springs x 6, which can be shortened to 5ft. Also useful are 36-026 "C" hangers x 12. 

Structure of the under-frame showing brakes, linkages and white metal "J" hangers and springs; the lower footboard is not yet in position. Slots need to be cut in the upper footboard for the lower footboard supports and any additional detail included by the model maker. The back view of the silhouetted brake shows the foot formed by bending back the backing layer. 

Brakes, cross-trees and linking arm are shown; lower footboard is in place. Note the double-thickness brakes with rivet detail.

The prototype end footboard support is mounted on the rear of the buffer beam at right angles to the solebar. I have soldered it to the solebar, as seen here, otherwise it would lock the underframe to the van body. The footboard supports are cast from my own pattern by CSP to fit the situation (see parts list). White metal J-hangers and spring casting available from myself.