How to build a Parkside LNER 20 Ton Coal Hopper
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| PECO | Steve Haynes |
| Underleys | Email: steve.haynes@peco.co |
| Beer | Web: http://www.peco-uk.com |
| Seaton | |
| Devon | |
| EX12 3NA |
Mark Horley
Pictures by the author
The LNER had a large number of steel hopper wagons built to a standard design by outside contractors. There was considerable variation in the details of construction between manufacturers, most noticeably in the hand rails. I had previously built two steel hoppers from etched kits but bought this plastic kit to build while away on holiday. The Parkside version is one from the very first batch built for the LNER by Hurst Neilson.
There is a good photograph of the prototype in Peter Tatlow’s book LNER Wagons Volume 4A.
Construction
As instructed I started by gluing the top two sides and
ends of the hopper into a rectangle upside down and
using a square to get a square assembly. The sloping
lower sections were then cemented onto the lower edge
of the upturned body.
The bottom of the hopper was assembled with the
sloping ends within the sides. The plastic parts will
interlock if you don’t accidentally file off the subtle tags
by mistake.
Having run a file over the sub chassis to square up/thin
down all the cross members the hopper bottom fits inside
the middle. I had to deepen the cut outs for the central
cross member to get the bevelled edges of the hopper
bottom to be above the sub chassis so the hopper top
would fit correctly
Two odd shaped pieces are dropped in from the top to
divide the wagon into two hoppers. A little fettling was
required to get these to fit correctly before cementing
into place.
The side braces on the sloping part of the hopper sit
inside the L of the angle iron partly covering the rivet
detail. This seemed odd but is correct looking at photos
of the wagon on the internet. I filed down the thickness of
the side brace to reduce the overlap thickness where it
attaches to the angle iron.
The end braces are located inside the rivet line on the
footplate and inside the angle iron on the end of the
hopper. They are handed, with the lip facing into the
centre line of the wagon.
I selected the LNER axle boxes with appropriate front
plate. The axle box back should be a sliding fit in the
W-iron on the chassis before adding the brass bearing. I
used a then a spot of superglue on the top of the bearing
to fix the axle box onto the back sandwiching the W-iron
making a sliding fit.
I sprung the axle boxes using the method explained by Richard Cleaver (Gazette Vol. 21 No.9 page 80). This required drilling holes in the back of the axle boxes above the brass bearing and in the back of the solebar. I used 28swg phosphor bronze wire for the spring which is superglued into the holes at either end.
After assembling the buffers and fixing to the buffer
beams with super glue the buffer beams were cemented
to the chassis with the solebars slotting in between them.
At this point I should have added the wheels and assembled the brake gear but I decided to do this after painting. However, I did add the brake lever guide using a sliver of plastic card to increase the separation to the solebar in order that I could fit it vertically in line with the hopper bracing plate/angle iron.
The hand rails are cut and bent from the supplied wire,
using pliers following the measurements in the
instructions. Later, looking at the photograph in Peter
Talow’s book I realised the vertical hand rail should
stand upright, overhanging the end of the chassis with a
horizontal section onto the footplate
The lower end footstep plate is glued to the support
moulded as part of the chassis. This looked vulnerable
so I added reinforcement in the form of a piece of scrap
etch bent to an “L” shape superglued behind
The clasp brakes and rods from the central pivot are a
single moulding to which the linkage below the wheels is
cemented. The assembly is then placed in position before
inserting the wheels. Fitting the wheels requires the
W-irons to be bent outwards a considerable distance!
With the wheels in place the brake shoes were lined up
with the wheels and liquid cement applied to the joints
between the brake assembly and the cross members of
the underframe. Clearances are tight so care is needed
on positioning. I replaced the plastic rod for the brake
shaft with wire superglued at the joints with brake shoe
and V-hanger mouldings. The brake levers were slid
through the lever guides before supergluing to the ends
of the brake shaft. Before the superglue set I also used
plastic cement to secure in the brake guides to make a
ridged assembly. The brake safety loops clip over the
brake rods and cement to the chassis cross members
I left fitting the coupling hooks to last as I usually
chemically blacken. On this wagon this was a mistake as
the chassis framing creates a very tight box. I found I had
to cut 0.5-1mm off the spring securing lugs (as they have
to be bent to a right angle in order for the coupling hook
to slide all the way into the buffer beam) to allow free
movement without scraping the sides of the pocket
The majority of painting was done prior to fitting the
wheels and brake gear. The body was airbrushed with
precision paints LNER grey with the chassis hand painted
with Humbrol satin black. The waterslide decals
supplied with the kit were applied before Citadel varnish
was applied. I probably held the can too close and
applied too concentrated thinners when spraying as
some of the paintwork crazed. I will think about whether
to try and repair this.
Overall the kit went together well although care is needed to get the body sections square and fitting into the chassis correctly. Clearances around the wheels and coupling pockets are tight.