Gunpowder Van

nevard_121118_GWR-gunpowder_IMG_1682, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

This afternoon I finally finished the Parkside Dundas (PC86) GWR 10 Ton Gunpowder Van Z2 kit that's been in the workbench for a few weeks.

The lettering/numbering is homegrown and a chance to try out the Crafty Computer Paper DIY transfer sheets.

Painting and weathering is my usual build up of washes, blobs of paint and dry brushing. I prefer to work this way over airbrushing these days. These steel bodied wagons are always a joy to replicate with the tin worm which took over due to our wet climate.

Dirty Minky

nevard_110719_MinkD_DSC_2976, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

From a Parkside Dundas kit; a GWR Mink D used for stores and local movements around Bath seen here on Brewhouse Quay being pulled along the wharf road with a tractor. The driver has probably gone for a jar by the way...

Rather than go for 1950's carmine which was rather pushing history, I decided to turn it into the local stores runabout in grey (Halfords primer). Numbering still needs to be toned down a little  and I need to replace the rods between the brake levers at either end with some brass as I have already have between the V hanger wotsits in the middle - the supplied styrene rod is not really tough enough even for normal handling.

Note the Sentinel in the background - that is a modified Model Rail/Dapol Sentinel and this is a tease for a forthcoming article 'wot oi wrote' for the printed page. 

Now you've got to the bottom of today's drivel, be sure to check out George Dent's blog - and by pure chance he has made up a cracking selection of stores van including a Minkypoos...
http://georgedentmodelmaker.blogspot.com/2011/07/ncb-stores-vans.html

• Bigger version http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/5951905761/sizes/l/in/photostream/

A Cheeky Minky

nevard_110510_minkD_DSC_2168_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.

A  Parkside Dundas kit of a GWR 'Mink D' Goods Van after assembly and a  coat of BR Carmine courtesy of Halfords Ford Venetian Red. Obviously  this wagon is not yet finished should anyone ask, the roof needs  painting grey, the underframe black, then numbering, couplings and the  all important weathering.

Parkside  Dundas kits are mostly a joy to assemble, with little flash and carving  required to get them to fit together, with the basic assembly taking  about an hour. However in this kit for some reason the brake shoe legs  or arms or whatever they're called are about 3mm too short, so a little  shim of plastic card was bonded to the underside of the chassis behind  the solebars so the shoes hang at the correct height in relation to the  wheels. Some of the chassis detail is supplied as thin plastic rod which  will last about 3 minutes in the real world, so that was replaced with  some suitable brass wire for added strength and fidelity.

Historically  to be totally accurate, it's touch and go as to whether this type of  GWR Mink D lasted into the BR era, though the similar looking later designs did. Of course in Nevardland I don't worry about bending time ever so slightly, and anyway, the only people that might get upset probably have squeaky voices and are generally not the sort I'd be comfortable introducing to my wife or 'normal'  friends .......