A Reading Vardo

[Vermin_King]

First test build, and yes, the mollicroft needs enlarging, the brakes don't match the wheel edge and the yoke trees need to be longer, but just winging it, I don't think it is too horrible





But, yes, the front undercarriage pivots

I know, Johnny, it's too flashy

[KCinKC46]

Mollicroft? Brakes don't match the wheel edge? What's a yoke tree?

[Vermin_King]

The mollicroft is the thing on top to allow more light. In the last photo, you can see the brake which should line up with the front edge of the back wheels when engaged. In the photo above that you can barely make out that it is behind the wheel.

The yoke trees are the shafts that stick out to yoke your horse to.

I've just finished adjusting the file. I'll print it out and take it to the folks' place this weekend to work on Saturday night. Not going to have much time, but I should be able to get started on it.

The only somewhat tricky part is the front undercarriage. The spokes are a bit tedious

[missileer]

It looks fantastic to me! Thanks for sharing the photos; I truly love old coaches. The designers/manufacturers seemed to treat them as a piece of art, rather than a utilitarian object. Even the old stage coaches of the wild west had style.

[eatcrow2]

Wonderful unique build!!

[kingjason14]

That looks amazing!

[Vermin_King]

Thanks. I need to go back through that Moon Palace thread and see about getting this down to the line art. Planned on doing that tonight. I'd like to have this in multiple colors.

When I did the Tudor Coach to go with the White Hart Coaching Inn, some folks were talking about playing an RPG scenario, The Curse of Strahd, and there was a request for a vampire's version for Strahd's coach.

The original tudor coach is here: http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/567290-post34.html. So I came up with a red and black version


In that RPG setting, they have colorful folk patterned after the Roma, so they naturally requested vardos.

This is a Reading-style van, but I plan on doing a Burton and a Bow Top or Open Lot, too. With an easier version of the undercarriage. But I'm a sucker for nice wheels and axles that pivot, so the first one had to be a little classy.

[KCinKC46]

Thanks for the explanations. Even though it's not a favorite subject for building, I think I would have to try them. I have a couple of friends who like to camp out but hate the putting up/tearing down phases. And they have talked of getting vardos for that reason.

[JohnM]

Not too flashy at all VK, in fact as modern day replicas and even original survivors go it's quite somber. My point on the other forum was that back in the day, they weren't all gaudily painted. Don't forget that these were built to provide a reliable working home to a family of five or more.



Small point on your model ...A Reading Vardo would have a taller, folding smoke stack, and being one of the bigger "Home" vans, it would probably be hauled by two or more ponies. The Roma rig would have extra ponies outboard of the main horse, which would often be a 'Shire or Wingfoot that was on a well desrved 'Holiday' from a farmer's plough.

PS: I've ordered the Vardo kit from the Russian Traditions website. Is this the one you,ve based your model on?

[Vermin_King]

No, I based mine off photos of one I found on the net that had four different photos from a few different angles.

I found other larger images that won't load here because of size, but the back end was guessed at, taking the window and some of the side trim to decorate the back

The undercarriage was my own design using Josh Buczynski's flat axle to allow for a pivoting front axle. I'm sure this is a replica build, and I saw no smoke stack in any of the photos, so I modified the stovepipe from one of the Clever Models freebies to use on this one. Actually, just saw the way they did it, and then made up one based on their method.

The front undercarriage was one of those designs that I was very happy with. Capturing the look and being functional without being overly difficult to build