After building a couple of ballast wagons the hard way, as I described in previous posts, I decided to investigate a quicker way to build a wagon as I needed a few more to make my ballast train more credible. So, in collaboration with a mate who specialises in model aircraft kit accessories, I produced these interlocking resin sides and ends. The floor, "w" irons, wheels, buffers, couplings, axle boxes, springs and brake gear are not supplied but are all readily available from the trade.
The castings are available for purchase at £20 per set + post/packing at cost £1.50 (UK).
Order 2 wagons and it's post free, order 3 or more and discount is 10%.
Contact Pete on...
armstrongps1@gmx.com
07342 637 813
017687 71302
Features.
There is an inner step between the side planks and the solebar which it is intended that the wagon floor sits on. If the floor is made from sheet metal then the "w" irons can be soldered beneath which makes for a robust construction. You need 10mm between the bottom edge of the solebar and the axle center line so in some cases the "w" irons will need to be modified by soldering a strip to the top to deepen them. The metal floor can be faced with Slaters' 7mm Plastikard planking to make a convincing wagon bed if an empty is being modelled.
The sides and ends are scale 3" thick and interlock to facilitate construction.
The draw plate has a square hole to take a CPL wagon hook (my preference) , or you can scrape the draw plate off and replace it with a different plate and hook.
There are mounting plates on the solebar to which the brake lever and brake handle are fixed, they are designed for Drummond's patent each-side brake gear. It's quite a simple matter to make the lever and handles from 0.45mm brass or nickel silver strip using, a drawing (see below) as a guide. The plates on the offside, without the brake lever, need to be removed and a new plate needs to be contrived to support the cross-shaft and handle on this side.
The fastening that holds the drop sides and ends in place, along with its chain are part of the casting, which saves a lot of time and fiddling.
A drawing is essential when building the wagon and one can be found in Peter Tatlow's "Highland Railway Carriages and Wagons" page 172.
Underside of wagon showing Slaters' 3ft 6"springs superglued to the solebar. Suitable white metal springs are available from Invertrain.
The floor is cut from 0.45mm brass sheet while the w-irons and associated trays are left-overs from a Lochgorm Kits wagon etch. The corners of the trays are cut away to allow for the buffers and a central slot allows for the coupling spring. Using the drawing mentioned above, adjustments have ben made to correct the ride height.
The completed wagon with ballast load... Carr's 7mm light grey ballast glued to a Milliput base, which was shaped on a wooded former. Buffers are from NMRS and have the end door stop cast on the housing. The axle boxes are cast in my workshop in white metal from my own recently made master pattern, springs are Slaters. Draw hooks are cut from 1.25 nickle silver sheet and shaped with a file. The long brake lever and handles are cut from 0.45 nickle silver sheet. Only the oval number plate is needed now to finalise the model, I have this in hand and it will be added after painting but before weathering.

No.2534 complete and painted, the body colour is Precision P436 Caledonian Wagon Oxide which looks just right. Transfers are from HMRS sheet 20. The ballast load is Carr's 7mm light grey ballast, glued to a Milliput former and painted. The wagon measures 110mm over headstocks and weighs 115g without extra weighting. The oval numberplate is from my own artwork, sized on the computer, printed on the inkjet printer and mounted on thin Plastikard before being cut to shape, glued in place and lightly weathered.

Another method of building the wagon is shown here. I used a sheet of Slaters' 7mm planking for the wagon bed which clicks nicely into place under the corned uprights. This is too flimsy on its own so I built an underframe out of Plastikard. Slaters' sprung w-irons are glued in place to give 10mm of clearance between the bottom of the solebar and the axle bearing center. My own recently completed master patterns for the springs and axle boxes were used to furnish the castings to complete the model, these will be available commercially very soon.