The break over Christmas and New Years has been quite a productive one so far. Christmas day was spent developing a Not-Sentry Box brake van. This is based on what the FRs Sentry Box van would have looked like prior to the iconic “Sentry Box” was added on the balcony, giving the van it’s nickname. The vans were originally built as brake vehicles for the Birmingham Carriages that were ordered in the 1880s. The vans were used as the brake vehicle for passenger gravity trains. Less than a handful of these vans were constructed, with none surviving after the introduction of the Brown Marshall/Boston Lodge built “Curly Roof Vans”.
Van No3, The Ffestiniog Railway’s replica was measured and photographed before Christmas and on Christmas day, fuelled by turkey and mince pies. I drew up the replica. The parts were laser cut om the evening and glued together. Sealed with wood sealer then sprayed with Halfords red oxide, I was quite pleased with the result! It has 24mm Binnie Engineering wheels on 3mm steel axles and some HJE brass bearings.
Over Christmas, I also took the time to develop some more products. The sentry box was a good excuse to get these finalised.
As shown in the image above, I designed and printed some FR goods couplings and the handbrake for the balcony of the Not-Sentry Box brake van.
Over Christmas, I also took the opportunity to design and produce a FR 4 ton Van. There about a dozen vans originally on the FR, with only 2 surviving into preservation. This coupling is specifically designed for this and some other kits that are in development.
All the kits and products mentioned above will be released in the first half of 2022.
Finally, during the annual steam up at the Wigfa & Llanrwst Light Railway, I managed to get this photo of Tim Wilkinson’s Linda. I had repaired the motion, converted it to Manual, modified the tender-loco drawbar, added chopper couplings, made the tender cab and made the tender oil tank for this loco a few months ago. I think it looks rather good!