Built from one of Pete's recently released cast resin aids to wagon building, this example portrays a double-deck sheep van in Highland Railway rich red-oxide livery with the iron-work picked out in black. I've not come across any photos of these vans in HR days so the insignia is based on that of a cattle wagon on pg.164 of Peter Tatlow's "Highland Railway Carriages and Wagons". The wagon number, 1478, is taken from the tables in the book and is the best I can come up with. The 7"sole-bars are too narrow for the standard Highland wagon plate, so this feature has been dispensed with, identification is by means of the number painted on the lower plank.
I painted the wagon with Phoenix P436 Caledonian Wagon Oxide and picked out the iron-work with matt black, though this was brushed with a soft brush when dry to enable a slight sheen. The small number transfers are from HMRS sheet 20. The Society's own range of 7mm water-slide decals provided the 9" Highland insignia which adorn the top boards, ref: HRGS1. The roof, which can be removed for access to the interior, is painted off-white with talc added to the mix. Working screw-couplings are from CPL and have been chemically blackened.
Photos of planked sheep vans in LMS days show that the ironwork was no longer painted black, the company's grey livery is applied all-over, including the buffer housings, though the brake gear and all below the sole bar is black.
