GNRI Vans

[David Holman]

Hear are a few pics of the 9 ton vans I've been working on. Three so far, using self made resin castings - see my blog for more details.

Have included pics here because wanted to show the difference in size between the GNRI vans and the SLNCR 7 ton ones. The latter were built by using the Alphagraphix card kit as a scale drawing, but am a little concerned that they are noticeably smaller than the GNRI ones - 7 ton v 9 ton capacity notwithstanding. Alphagraphix seem to have used the same outline for the cattle van kit, as well as their own GNRI van & [much as I value everything they do] have been concerned about this discrepancy for some time, so would welcome any further comments.

[Weshty]

David, mighty job done, the brake dust weathering in particular is very subtle. Top class.

[scahalane]

Fantastic level of detail, well done.

[Mayner]

Great work the loco and her load in the heading photo certainly looks like its straight out of one of one of Neil Sprinks' books on the SLNCR. Vans of bagged cement, ale, cigarettes and Belfast linen for Sligo with a couple of empty cattle wagons at the tail end for Collooney.

 

I don't think the difference in size between the Alphagraphix and scratch built wagons is too noticeable, the GNR vans were to a more recent design than the SLNCR vans and may have been slightly larger. if you are looking at the 1950s period its worth considering the Parkside BR Plysided Van which is very close to the last batch of GNR bagged cement wagons and a good basis for the standard CIE H van.

 

Besides traffic from the GNR to Sligo the SLNCR seems to have conveyed traffic from CIE into Northern Ireland and possibly Donegal, one of the photos in SLNCR an Irish Railway Album is a well loaded afternoon Enniskillen-Sligo goods including a solid cut of 6 CIE H vans towards the rear of the train.

[BosKonay]

Wow - just absolutely wow!! Incredibly evocative - stunning job sir!

[heirflick]

increadable detail there -i might as well be standing outside the railway bar with a pint in my hand watching the real thing!

[David Holman]

Many thanks once more for the positive comments. They are very encouraging to someone with no direct experience of the railway other than via photos. The idea of the Parkside van is very interesting, not least because I have several on my BR layout, so will definitely be checking the stock box.

While I appreciate the comments on detail, the vans ( indeed all my wagons) are far from state of the art. For example the brake levers are Parkside left overs while the brackets are no more than two pieces of 60thou micro strip. The bees are also cut down Parkside and the lever does not link to the brake gear, mainly because I'm not sure how.

The moral of all this is the good old three foot rule - actually more like 18" in my case - in that if it cannot be seen at that distance that you do not need to model it. I am guilty of including more, but it is hopefully that which contributes to the overall impression and or what stands out to you personally. For me the door chains matter, and the marks they make, so short bits of fuse wire, or strands of multicore, twisted up give a good idea of the chain. Barry Norman mentions this in one of his articles and it is so easy to include, in 7mm scale, anyway.

As for weathering, having previously extolled the virtues of Martyn Welch's book, have mainly used powders on the bodywork, though did put a wash of dirty thinners over a good rubdown with a glass fibre brush to highlight the wood grain. Freestone Models do a very nice powders set, but there are others. However for underframes you can't beat Martyn's mix which is gunmetal and bauxite (Humbrol 53 and 133) plus a little grey or black.

Hope this encourages others to add a little extra detail of their own, for there really is nothing difficult here that a bit patience can't overcome.

Edited October 14, 2013 by David Holman
Missed a bit

[jhb171achill]

Not just the wagons, but the whole layout... that's as good as it gets-ever! Absolutely TOP class stuff, every detail... track, ballast, models, paint jobs including weathering. A real work of art as well as railway modelling.

 

With regard to the sizes of the wagons, I doubt they would have used an exact copy of GNR ones - though quite possibly at times Dundalk might have built or repaired wagons from this line. Therefore, I would be more inclined to believe in different sizes being prevalent, rather than uniformity.

 

From recollection, pictures showing "H" vans in SLNCR train consists indicate that they at least were marginally larger. The GNR vans would have been closer to "H" vans in dimensions, therefore smaller SLNCR wagons was probably the norm.

 

Bear in mind also, the SLNCR hadn't a brass cent to its name. Thus, while the GN and CIE were upgrading with (inevitably slightly larger) wagons in the 1940s and 50s, the SLNCR was more likely just patching up older ones of their own.

 

jhb171-Senior remembers noticing how down-at-heel most SLNCR wagons seemed to appear when he saw them in cattle trains at various locations on the Irish North.

[David Holman]

Thanks again. All ideas and comments appreciated, especially in terms of prototype fidelity. The combined knowledge out there is wonderful.

[minister_for_hardship]

Looks the absolute business.

 

Very minor niggle, I'm pretty sure the Gilroy Guinness (toucan on a weather vane) ad as depicted was intended to be a printed framed poster rather than an outdoor enamel sign.

I'm aware there were later cheap tin versions produced, mainly for tourist souvenirs or pub decor.

http://jacquieverettdesign.wordpress.com/guinness-advertising/

 

There was a walking toucan toting a pair of pints produced as a hanging sign, but think that may be a later 60's/70's item.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3834899456_bac7a78796.jpg

Edited October 16, 2013 by minister_for_hardship

[Dave]

David that is stunning, well done. Superb

[RedRich]

Those wagons are amazing David. The scenes look so right, almost as if the viewer is right there at trackside. I could see myself walking along the track stepping on the sleepers.

 

Rich,

[David Holman]

Looks the absolute business.

 

Very minor niggle, I'm pretty sure the Gilroy Guinness (toucan on a weather vane) ad as depicted was intended to be a printed framed poster rather than an outdoor enamel sign.

I'm aware there were later cheap tin versions produced, mainly for tourist souvenirs or pub decor.

http://jacquieverettdesign.wordpress.com/guinness-advertising/

 

There was a walking toucan toting a pair of pints produced as a hanging sign, but think that may be a later 60's/70's item.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3834899456_bac7a78796.jpg

 

Now that's what I call trivia - much appreciated Minister. Reminds of a time years ago when operating a friend's layout of Groombridge. Very accurate model but got criticised by a viewer because the station garden did not have any runner beans growing & they were a feature of the time modelled. Needless to say, they were there the next time the layout went out...

Will see what I can do about the poster!