• Dragon Models / Taff Vale Models, 20 Slade Close, Sully, Penarth,
• Vale of Glamorgan, CF 64 5UU
• Tel: 0292 0026122
• Email: taffvalemodels@gmail.com
• Web: www.taffvale.wales
• Price £43. Requires wheels, couplings, paint and transfers.

This kit is not new, having been introduced by the designer, Chris Basten, prior to selling the Dragon Models business, to the current owners, Julian and Susan Wynn. The kit was purchased by the reviewer, prior to new ownership.

A total of 70 of these wagons were built from 1903, initially 50 by Messrs Pickering and latterly, another 20 by Cambrian Railways own works at Oswestry, Shropshire.

The wagons were rated at 15 tons, and were 18 feet long and 8 feet wide, which dwarfed the usual 10 ton coal wagon. Timber built, they had 8 planks and wooden sole bars. Some wagons had single side brakes whilst a minority had double sided brakes as well as levers on both sides.

A tabulation of every wagon, with Cambrian number, GWR number, renumbering date, building date and withdrawal date, together with tare weight and type of brake gear, has been provided for the kit by Mr Glyn Williams.

Currently, Cambrian transfers are available through the Welsh Railways Research Circle. GWR transfers are widely available in 7mm scale.

Contents include an etching in 0.0125in brass for the body and relevant detail, w-irons and brake gear, and castings for the buffer housings, axleboxes and separate springs. Turned steel buffers with springs and nuts are provided.

Julian now supplies the buffer castings pre drilled to the correct depth, as part of the kit contents. I had overzealously drilled one of mine from an original kit and Julian kindly provided me with a couple of replacements, free of charge.

3ft 11 /2 in 8-spoked wheels are needed, as are three link couplings. I used Haywood finescale wheels and Premier lost wax brass three link type respectively.

The design of the kit is probably unique in as much as the fully detailed interior of the wagon comes a part of the outside structure. The inners fold up at 90 degrees from the floor, with a neat top edge, and the outers fold down, gull wing fashion, to form a rigid box. Careful preparation of all of the folds will pay dividends. The box is ecured by large corner plates. The wagon has hundreds of rivets to be punched out. Plenty of play value here! A good riveting tool is probably a pre-requisite.

The instructions have 48 illustrated step by step photographs for the modeller to follow, in addition to a side elevation of the wagon in 7mm scale. All of this is supported by logical text.

When fitting the wheels and their associated bearings, it is important to get the relevant bearings soldered in position to avoid end float. Test on a flat surface for level running. The trunnions could be made to be compensated, by slightly packing under one end and fixing tubing to the floor either side of the trunnions at the other end, with a wire soldered across. Very little movement would be needed, and in fact my own model has a degree of flexibility here, without deliberate compensation. The axlebox castings have a very large boss on the back, which needs to be removed by filing away, to allow the box to sit flush against the W iron. Additionally, the ‘axle’ hole will need to be drilled out to take your chosen bearing. This hole can be of slightly generous diameter to give some leeway for soldering in place. The bearing is part of the trunnions and the w irons, not the castings. If a glue is to be used, avoid contact with the axle end if the bearing is of the open type. The wagon spring and the top of the axlebox, will need to be fettled to allow them both to sit neatly on the sole bar and at the same time, sliding into the recess on top of the axlebox.

The castings for axleboxes are based upon the originals, and it may be that photos exist of them having been replaced with GWR types during the latter part of their life.

My only gripe was with the folded end stanchions. They were difficult to form, to give a good appearance, and in my view would have been better as a casting, as in some of the van kits from the same stable.

All of the work was carried out with 165 degree solder, my large temperature controlled iron running at 350 degrees, Powerflow flux, let down 25/75 with water and occasional use of Squires solder paint. A resistance soldering unit was also helpful for some of the strapping. Cillit Bang and a half inch paint brush was used to wash off the work, under the tap, after each session.

The wagon was sprayed with Halfords grey primer, with two brushed top coats of light grey enamel from Precision. I usually let down the paint 50/50 with white spirit and brush from end to end with the model held vertically so that there are no drags. 24 hours between coats. Midland wagon grey is a good pre group colour.

Cambrian transfers, 1ft 7in Cam - feathers- Rys were obtained from Camkits, and it has been numbered as 2409.

In later GWR livery up to 1936, this wagon would be 43317 and would be in Dark wagon grey, with three plank lettering of the period. GWR wagons book shows large ‘G W’ lettering either side of the drop door with ‘loco’, on a single plank, where applicable, above the door.

Numbering was on the bottom plank below left and weight similarly in italics on the right. The wagon number was carried on the bottom plank, centrally on the end, in early GWR days. Occasionally, GWR used cast wagon plates on the ends, but there is no evidence that any Cambrian wagons were so treated. Oswestry tradition probably died hard.

After 1936, end numbering and number plates were dispensed with and simplified one plank lettering was applied to the left hand of each side only. The number appeared on the bottom plank and G W was painted two planks up. Tare weight was applied to the right hand bottom plank. Most of the wagons appear to have been withdrawn around this period, so this style would be conjectural.

The kit produces an excellent model of the prototype. A riveting tool is a must for a good result, and preparation of the fold lines, with a scriber and a triangular Swiss file, is important. For such a high quality kit, with the addition of wheels and couplings and transfers, one is in the realms of £50 or so, but there is the satisfaction of having built a stunning wagon with a high level of detail inside and out, which, if carefully made, equals the current offerings from the ready to run market.

Apart from the end stanchions, absolutely recommended.