B WAGON OPTIONS

New for 2013 will be a 009 resin kit for the 2nd generation SAR B Wagon.

There are currently 2 of these in use on the FR / WHR and a further 6 are being imported from South Africa in the coming weeks.

The kit is going to be offered with mix and match components which will enable purchasers to model the B wagon in three configurations.

In original condition:

Running as a bicycle transporting wagon on the WHR:

And as one of the fleet of wagons employed to transport and store locomotive coal on the FR:

We expect this kit to be available in the early spring on 2013. For all enquiries email us at: bostonlargsworks@btinternet.com

BETTER BOGIES

I do my best to respond to customer feedback.

of the modellers who bought the first batch of DZ wagon kits commented that it would be nice if the etched brass bogies were a little more three dimensional.

It's a very good observation so with the intention of improving the kit and giving extra value for money I have designed some small stick-on castings representing the suspension in the centre of the bogie frame and the chunky axle boxes on these SAR bar frame bogies.

The spring casting is glued onto the centre of the bogie frame and the axle boxes simply slip over the axle bushes.

These castings will come as standard with all the DZ wagon kits produced from now on and I will be doing something similar to add onto the alternative bogie design for the forthcoming NGY ballast wagon and B wagon kits.

DZ FLAT WAGON KIT *UPDATED*

We are delighted to release our second resin kit in the new Boston Largs Works 009 range, this time depicting an example of the DZ flat wagons running on the Welsh Highland Railway.

A number of these wagons - which were converted simply by removing the side doors and ends, leaving the tell-tell hinges visible - were employed during the reconstruction of the line and have since been taken into departmental service on the completed railway.

Among their many uses one of these flat DZs was used as the base for the notorious track laying gantry - dubbed 'The Forth Bridge' - which was deployed during the relaying of the first section of line from Caernarfon to Dinas.

Perhaps one of these kits might one day be used as the basis of a unique scratch-building challenge? As with the previously released complete DZ wagon kit this comes with an etched brass fret containing simple fold-up bogies, brake gear and SAR hexagonal handbrake wheels.

It requires wheelsets and shouldered pinpoint axle bearings to complete and costs £15 plus post and packaging.

The first production run of these kits have now sold out but you can reserve your kit from the next batch by emailing: bostonlargsworks@btinternet.com.

DZ WAGON KIT RELEASED

I am delighted to be able to announce the official launch of our first OO9 kit for the ex-SAR DZ wagons, a number of which can be found running on the Welsh Highland Railway.

As you can see below what you get in the kit is resin castings for the sides, ends, chassis and some very thin castings for the distinctive bulges on the inner faces of the doors.

You also get an etched brass fret with fold-up bogie frames, basic brake gear components and the SAR hexagonal handbrake wheels.

To complete the kit you need to obtain wheels, pinpoint bearings and couplings all of which can be found on the excellent Parkside Dundas website, as well as 10BA nuts/bolts to secure the bogies.

The kit is being sold for £20 and is being produced in limited run batches. The first batch of 30 is almost sold out.

Email us at bostonlargsworks@btinternet.com to enquire about availability or to reserve your kits in the next production run.

These kits are also going to be available from the Ffestiniog Railway's own shop.

DZ WAGONS IN PRODUCTION

We are now casting the 'production version' of the 009 DZ wagon kit, which will retail for £20.

A number of these ex-SAR wagons are in departmental use on the Welsh Highland Railway.

The wagons in the picture above are for clients who have opted to pay at little extra to have us make up their kits for them.

Bogies and other brass detailing parts including brake hand wheels and brake rigging are being etched for us by Narrow Planet.

Availability of the complete kit will be determined by the number of these etches which are produced and we are approaching the point where we will have to confirm the size of the first run.

If you are interested in purchasing one of the first batch of kits please contact us at bostonlargsworks@btinternet.com to avoid disappointment.

*NEW* DZ WAGON KIT

Regular readers of the Bron Hebog blog will know that I have been experimenting with resin casting to make myself a fleet of ex-SAR DZ wagons, of which there are a number on the WHR.

I've had a number of enquiries from other modellers interested in these but as resin casting is a new technique to me I wanted to wait to see how the first one would turn out, and how reliably I would produce reasonable quality castings, before committing myself to producing some for sale.

This picture shows the first wagon I assembled from the castings.

In this picture below are the main components of the 'kit' which can be supplied which is composed of triple-door wagon sides, ends and a one piece floor casting with vacuum cylinder and reservoir.

There are also some small cast components (not shown) which can be assembled with 0.5mm brass wire to represent the brake gear.

Here you can see a picture of one my wagons which has also been fitted with SAR-style hand brake wheels which I had left over from a previous wagon project.

If there is sufficient interest I will look into the possibility of getting some more of these etched to supply with the castings.

I do not intend to supply bogies or wheels with the kit, but once again, if there is demand, I could investigate getting some etches designed and produced with both the hand wheels and basic bogie frames.

Because of this I would not be able to confirm a price for a castings & etches combo but I am currently in a position to supply the resin castings for a wagon body for £20.

DISCLAIMER: Resin casting by its nature is an inherently less reliable method of manufacture than injection moulding or etching metal and it is impossible to guarantee that parts supplied will not contain some blemishes produced as a result of air bubbles in the resin.  However I will pledge not to sell a customer any part that I would not be prepared to use on one of my own models.  Can I say fairer than that?

PULLMANS ON RAILS

There's some progress to report on the largest models currently being produced at Boston Largs Works.

Wheelsets have now arrived for the two 7mm scale WHR Pullman carriages we are scratch building for a client and for the first time they can be mounted on their bogies and placed on track to confirm the correct running heights.




For all enquiries about our modelling services please email us at bostonlargsworks (at) btinternet (dot) com

ANOTHER BATCH FOR BLAENCWM

Three more 4mm scale (OO9) Ffestiniog Railway carriages been completed for one of my regular clients.

They were scratch built in styrene and finished by hand.

The order was for a model of the 'Service Carriage' 124





The second generation Observation Carriage 100



And 112 which was one of three carriages built at Carnforth in the early 1990's.



For all enquiries about modelling services available from Boston Largs Works please email us at Bostonlargsworks (at) btinternet (dot) com

CARNFORTH AND MULTIPLY

The last of the trio of 009 FR carriages currently being built for a regular client is coming together.



It is a model of 112 which was one of three carriages built at the start of the 1990's at Carnforth as part of the InCa (Increased Capacity) programme.

It is the second of the Carnforth carriages we have built at Boston Largs Works for this client, having previously constructed the buffet carr 114.

The carriage is being finished in its current condition with an extra window on the landward side following the removal of the gas fired heating from these saloons - a decision made after the unit in 114 caught fire while stabled at Boston Lodge a couple of years back.

For more details about the scratch building service we can offer email us at: bostonlargsworks(at)btinternet(dot)com

MORE BARNS FOR BLAENCWM

The current order on the cutting mat is for 4mm scale (009) models of the FR Barn twin-set 100 & 124.



They are a twin set because the rebuilt observation carriage 100 was the first on the FR not to include a compartment for the guard and a vacuum brake setter. Instead this function is located in carriage 124, the first of the 'service carrs' which contains an area for the guard, a toilet, buffet store and preparation area and a diesel generator to provide an electric supply.

Because it has no guard accommodation 100 runs in formation with 124, which you can see here below.



They are being built according to my usual styrene technique and will be the 9th and 10th carriages produced at Boston Largs Works for Blaencwm Works, which you can read more about in this blog.

This client has also ordered a model of 'Carnforth' carriage 112 which will be the next one I'll work on.

(I didn't mention that until now because it's not a Barn design and spoilt the alliteration in the title!)

PULLMAN PAIR

The latest carriages being built at Boston Largs Works is this pair of WHR Pullmans in 7mm scale.



At the front is 'Bodysgallen' and at the back the Observation Carriage 'Glaslyn'.



The bodies are scratch built from styrene and the buff colour on the roofs is the two part epoxy clay Milliput which is used to form the distinctive domed ends.



The carriage bodies are complete and ready for painting once the bodies and couplings have been fitted.