This wagon was produced and reviewed by Raymond under the Dragon Models name. Dragon Models are now known as Taff Vale Models and are under new ownership SQL Server
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Taff Vale Models	Julian and Sue Wynn
20 Slade Close	02920 026122
Sully
Penarth	Email: taffvalemodels@gmail.com
Wales	Web: http://taffvale.wales
CF64 5UU

This is the next vehicle in a train of eight for a client. It arrived from the client in a box partially started but I believe normally comes as a flat pack. The instructions cover six sides of A4 and include a series of coloured construction pictures, some prototype information, a dimensioned drawing and an additional couple of pages of prototype information. Here are most of the parts laid out ready to start with the addition of Slater's wheels and WEP compensation units.

The recommended start is to fit the sole bars and then the inner partition however, looking ahead, I decided it would be easier to fit the ends and a side first and then fit the partition. That way it can be correctly lined up with the end of the cabin and avoid the natural tendency of fitting it in the etched line of a floor plank. The ends needed the fold over that represent the buffer beam filing down somewhat so that they are a snug fit against the sole bars. Once done, it is a simple matter to solder them up square. Well, it should be but, as you can see in the next picture, I did not quite make it and had to go back and straighten up one corner.

The sides also need some work with a file to open out the notches at the bottom corner so that they are a good fit around the buffer beam. Actually, a good fit is not essential since they are covered by strapping plates later. I also left fitting the long handrails until the body was assembled so that it would lie flat on the bench when soldering. Normally I fit as much as possible in the flat but this was one time that that was not appropriate. It is necessary to cut away a small section of the upper fold over on the sides so that the partition will fit. I also found that this partition was too tall and needed filing down a little to get the roof to fit.

Here is the floor before the ends and sides were fitted and you can see that several cut outs were necessary for the axle guards and V hangers to fit perpendicular to it. The instructions do not mention this, but careful study of the pictures reveals that something similar was done on the demonstration model. It would have been much easier to have done this before soldering the sole bars.

The cut-outs need to be about a millimetre deep. Ensure also that the ends of the completed floor are filed off square, or the van ends will not sit properly, which in turn will cause the sides to fall short of the ends. Dry runs are recommended. Some of the parts are etched slightly over size, hence the need to check and adjust, but better than being too small. The next job is to fit the underframe detail. Checking the axle guards against the suspension units indicated that they needed a 2mm thickness of packing to line up the holes with the axles. This small problem was overcome by soldering some short lengths of rectangular brass tube on the floor, to which the compensation units were then soldered. The tube did not require the vast amounts of heat that solid section would have.

The underframe detail is pretty standard, now all that is required are the springs, hangers and axle boxes fitting.

The springs and hangers come as separate items and clearly are intended to be fixed inside the sole bars. Unfortunately, this is not possible due to the W irons being in the way. I used Loctite 408 to fix the springs into the hangers and then cut away the remainder of the hanger portion so that the combined spring and hangers could be fixed to the W irons with 408. The axle boxes also need to have their backs filed down flush to be fixed to the W irons.

Here, the three parts have been fitted to vehicle.

Completed and awaiting a trip to Dennis's paint shop, after which the glazing can be fitted and the roof firmly fixed.

And here it is back from the paint shop.