Sand hopper

[ge_rik]

No, not one of those little insects which live under seaweed on the beach ......

After building the brewery, I'm now thinking about what I will do with another of my sidings. Another industry which can be found in this part of the world is sand quarrying. I fancied having some wooden hopper wagons like those on the Snailbeach Railway. Swift Sixteen do a lovely kit, but at £40 each and needing eight or nine I decided my piggy bank wouldn't stretch - and then I remembered I had a few HLW wagon chassis which Greg had sent me form Oz a while back ......

I bit of surgery with a razor saw, a few bits of plasticard, some brass strip and a few escutcheon pins and it's beginning to look the part.

Only eight more to go!

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The Snailbeach wagons were grey, but I fancy painting mine red oxide, just to contrast with all the other grey wagons on the line. Of course, I will have to bash them about a bit - from photos it looks like there was an infinite number of variations on the design and a fair bit of butchery and ad hoc repairs. Sounds like my sort of railway - I can cover up my incompetencies with authentic looking 'wear and tear'.

Rik

 

[Chris Vernell]

HLW wagon chassis are wonderful things. I have a couple that I was working into flat wagons (idea also cribbed from Peckforton blogs), but I think a couple of hoppers would be even better. I have three of the Swift 16 hoppers (bought years ago), but like you I find 40 quid a little beyond my pocket for any more

 

[ge_rik]

Hopper number two now completed.

I've adjusted the dimensions on this one - I think (personally) it looks better proportioned. I've also changed my construction techniques slightly. I was struggling to get the strapping right with brass. I've used plastic for all the strapping on this one - and had a clever wheeze for the diagonal straps which hold the hopper to the base.....

This is the first one for comparison.

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I'm not too worried about there being differences in the wagons. From photos it looks like those on the Snailbeach were a bit varied in their design and I've got a couple of rakes of LGB tipplers which are very uniform, so this train should look a bit more interesting, particularly after I've weathered and distressed them a bit.

Rik

 

[3Valve]

Yep, I like em both mate and the height difference gives a little variety.

 

[Gardenbahner]

Rik, where did you get those wheelsets from? I'm looking something similar for my future rolling stock.

 

[ge_rik]

Rik, where did you get those wheelsets from? I'm looking something similar for my future rolling stock.

They are the smaller diameter (24.5mm) Bachmann metal wheels.

Rik

 

[Gardenbahner]

They are the smaller diameter (24.5mm) Bachmann metal wheels.
Rik

Do they run well through pointwork etc?

 

[ge_rik]

Do they run well through pointwork etc?

Very well. I'm gradually converting most of my stock to Bachmann metal wheels. I have LGB, Piko and Trainline pointwork (R1, R2 &R3) and they go through all without problems. I also use their 31mm wheels which replace standard LGB wheelsets.

They seem to be hard to find on eBay at the mo but I've just checked the GRS website and they seem to have 6 sets in stock at £16.43 per 4 axles which is very reasonable. Wheels Metal Ins. 24.5mm 4 off | Garden Railway Specialists Tel:01844 345158

Rik

 

[Gardenbahner]

Very well. I'm gradually converting most of my stock to Bachmann metal wheels. I have LGB, Piko and Trainline pointwork (R1, R2 &R3) and they go through all without problems. I also use their 31mm wheels which replace standard LGB wheelsets.

They seem to be hard to find on eBay at the mo but I've just checked the GRS website and they seem to have 6 sets in stock at £16.43 per 4 axles which is very reasonable. Wheels Metal Ins. 24.5mm 4 off | Garden Railway Specialists Tel:01844 345158
Rik

OK, that sounds good. Many thanks.

 

[ge_rik]

Now got another two wagons completed.

I've tweaked the design slightly as I've progressed.

Quite happy if there is slight variation between the wagons as those on the Snailbeach were far from uniform. I've now cut and shaped the components for the remaining five wagons, so these ought to go together a bit more quickly (famous last words?).

Rik

 

[ge_rik]

All nine wagons now done and dusted and so, while the sun was still shining, I took them outside for a test run. I think they will do the job!

Rik

 

[dunnyrail]

All they need now Rik is a little bit of weathering, but I suspect you will have that in mind for the next RoundToIt.

 

[PhilP]

All they need now Rik is a little bit of weathering, but I suspect you will have that in mind for the next RoundToIt.

Nah! Just need sanding-down a bit!

Hat, coat, door..

 

[ge_rik]

All they need now Rik is a little bit of weathering, but I suspect you will have that in mind for the next RoundToIt.

Very much on the to do list, Jon. As is some sort of loading hopper on the sand quarry siding....

Always something to do.........

Rik

 

[Chris Vernell]

All nine wagons now done and dusted and so, while the sun was still shining, I took them outside for a test run. I think they will do the job!
Rik

Inspiring . So I went on to view several other Peckforton videos: very nice.

 

[Chris Vernell]

Nah! Just need sanding-down a bit!

Condign pun-ishment

 

[musket the dog]

They look really smart. The new couplings are very effective too.

 

[Gardenbahner]

All nine wagons now done and dusted and so, while the sun was still shining, I took them outside for a test run. I think they will do the job!

Nice! Especially with the G scale sand as well!

 

[ge_rik]

They look really smart. The new couplings are very effective too.

Thanks Ricky
Glad you noticed the couplings. I was pleased they could be attached with the minimum of modification. Because I'm using 24.5mm wheels rather than 31mm there's a discrepancy in the heights for the coupling mountings.

Rik

 

[musket the dog]

Thanks Ricky
Glad you noticed the couplings. I was pleased they could be attached with the minimum of modification. Because I'm using 24.5mm wheels rather than 31mm there's a discrepancy in the heights for the coupling mountings.

Rik

I would imagine that they're a little more robust to the change due to the more barb like nature of the hook, and the smaller relative size of the loop?

Due you find that they are any more fiddly to uncouple than the normal LGB types?