HR Ballast Wagon No. 2745

 No. 2745 built 1901/2

No.2745 with ballast load and modified buffers with end-door stops added.

In early 2018 a Highland Railway Society member sponsored the production of a short run of cast resin ballast wagon bodies which were well mastered and cast by JLTRT, they  were accompanied by an etch for the W irons and brake gear. I missed these at the time, being too busy with other projects, though I managed to acquire recently what must have been one of the last resin bodies available, though without the etch which I believe was rather wayward in any case, a “curates egg“ according to one comment I read at the time. 

The resin body was crisply moulded and promised a less laborious path to a ballast wagon than my previous all metal conversion. I added the fine chains that held the staples that fasten the sides in place from twisted fine wire. I made the brake lever and the support bracket, on which it pivots, and made a similar support for the Drummond both-sides brake handle. These parts were made from o.45 nickle silver sheet and were glued into slots cut in the underside of the solebar. I used sprung w-irons from Slaters, white metal springs from Invertrain, axle boxes from Lochgorm and sprung 3-link couplings from CPL, so an eclectic assortment of fittings went into completing the model. All metal to resin joints where practical were pinned and glued for security. 

I decided that this wagon would not only complement 2525 but would contrast nicely with it if it was provided with a ballast load. I made this from Milliput which was shaped to fit inside the wagon as a former to which the actual ballast was glued with woodwork glue, this was Carrs' Ballast 7mm Light Grey. I glued lead sheet under the wagon bed to bring the weight up to 150g, equal to the weight of the all-metal version. 

Ballast wagon buffers have a single tapering fin on the outside and feature end-door stops cast on the upper part of the housing. I used HR wagon buffers from Invertrain’s range and added end-door stops from thin slices of appropriate sized “U” shaped brass, which I soldered on top with ultra low-melt solder.

The wagon was painted similarly to 2525 with Precision P963 Dark Brick Red, HRMS transfers competed the colour scheme.

Ballast wagon No. 2747 in 1938 displays Drummond patent braking gear, and an absence of safety chains. A canvas flap, which prevented dust entering the axle box, is in evidence. A photo of an Engineering Dept. ballast wagon in later days (D297205) shows a U shaped metal plate guarding the near axle box though nothing over the rear one. Photo... D.L.G.Hunter from Carriages and Wagons of the HR.