Millimodels set GCS2 Great Central goods train

[Millimodels]

The next vehicle to be dealt with is the large 15' wheelbase van.
The main unit for this is the body which folds up with a false roof flat across. The axlebox assembly and the wheels assembly are similar to those for the brake van ans have the same V axle arrangement. The long wheelbase makes for some careful cutting out around the brake push rods.

The headstocks are added to the ends and the roof rolled and fitted. There are no rain strips or any other features on this roof!

The completed model has the buffers fitted and some wire handrails, it looked a little featureless without some attempt to add detail. It must be the simplest model in the train.

The dropside wagon has a body that is a shallow open box with a floor fixed to the inside.

Once again I use the construction method of a solebar and axlebox assembly and a wheel assembly nested inside each other with V axles to hold the wheels upright.

The headstocks are added and the end struts fixed on. These continue vertically across the ends and headstocks and were actually an L ancle iron riveted twice to each plank. Buffers are in place as well.

Final photo of this set shows the wagon with paint applied to cover the white card edges and the wagon sides interior. Perhaps I needed a bit more on the brake lever. In case you were wondering the livery is grey including the solebars with black ironwork and white lettering. Exactly what was counted as ironwork is a bit vague in some cases judging from photographs.

[Millimodels]

Last part of the test build.

The double bolster wagon is the last vehicle in the train. It follows the dropside wagon construction quite closely. The first photo shows the body assembled with floor fitted and the two assemblies fitted below with the V axles in place.

And then a photo to show the finished wagon. The wagon ends and headstocks are in each in one piece with end supports fixed on afterwards. I have made up bolsters out of wood for this build but card boxes are provided in the kit. The positions of the upright poles is marked and it is worth using a tiny drill to make holes for pieces of wire to represent the poles before folding up the bolsters. The brackets on the ends of the bolsters were for attaching securing ropes and chains. Note that it would normally be ropes in use for such loads as lengths of wood or pipes as chains would be liable to slip whereas rope would grip. Chains would only be used with a fixed point of attachment on the load (lots of regulations about loading).

The final photos are of the completed build of the train mounted on six sections of the track and fixed to a piece of plywood as a base. I do try to make the track sections appropriate to the model as well. There were different lengths of rail used by different companies at different times and the ballast would be from different sources as well.
I am going to have to make up some more examples of each of my models sometime soon (I hope I will have enough spare time) and will try to describe them on this site as I do so.
I hope that this will have been of use to people in general for building up Micromodels and not just for those interested in my Millimodels.

Robin Madge

[peter taft]

Most excellent. Great designs/builds at a sensational scale. Congratulations on your achievements here !

[Plumdragon]

Simply exquisite :-) The brake van is utterly charming!

Love that you're using all sorts of odds and ends for the details - just like the Micromodels of yore - "use a broom bristle for handrails" etc!

Inspirational stuff; I'm going to have to resurrect some 2mm projects :-)

Plumdragon

[romanmodels]

good work Robin.

[Millimodels]

Well, I have just listed all my model sets on eBay, including the new Great Central Goods set, so I'll sit back and see if anyone wants one.

My next task is to get my web site sorted out, I've not been able to get it updated since I had to get a new PC, probably something to do with 32 bit versus 64 bit operating systems. I have worked out how to get it re-created and have the pages 95% there, just need to re-evaluate how I set things up as I have been told of a method to get multiple web sites organised from one hosting. Seeing as I have other interests that could benefit from their own web site (Music creation, concertina playing tutor, etc.) I am holding back to see if I can get the right set up.

Robin Madge

[michik]

Weeell, Robin,

I did, and I must congratulate you: Your kits are beautifully executed, nice, little gems!

There is, however, one minor issue I have: I'm building (traditionally) pretty much everything in 1/250 scale, not in 1/200. Therefore, I'd humbly like to ask for your permission to scale down your kits (under the obvious terms, i.e., building only as many models as I've bought, no passing on of the original kits...).

Regards!
Michi

[Millimodels]

I have no problem with people re-scaling my models but I would point out that you may lose some detail in the process.
I use CorelDraw to design my models so the digital information is scalable to more or less any scale but once printed out the detail is then fixed, so scanning and re-scaling can reduce the detail or, if going larger, not have the detail of the digital original.
Best wishes,
Robin Madge

[michik]

Hi, Robin!

First, I'm sorry for the late reply - I was just a wee bit busy the recent days!
Second, and most of all, thank you for your permission of rescaling!
I've, third, immedeately scanned, rescaled, and printed a few cards. Though there is a certain loss of sharpness visible in the comparison picture, indeed, it's nothing that bothers me under every day conditions.
And, forth, I've build the conflat this evening (except for the buffers), which went together nicely (pictures shall follow when a) it has got its buffers and b) I have a few more vehicles to show). Only, I didn't quite get where to put the corner plates of the container, but it seems that you haven't attached them on the model from your instructions page, either?

And off I am again, for this week is busy, too (oh my!)..
Michi

[Millimodels]

The corner plates on the container in set GWS3 are something that I omitted in the instructions.

The card with the parts on has an arrow showing where they fit, wrapping round each of the four corners a short distance up from the bottom.

I think that perhaps they would look better in a thinner paper as they could look over-thick, and I confess that I left them out on my original test-build. They are there on the prototype as an additional strengthening piece to the corners. It could be that they are in a place where the turnbuckles tightening the chains would rub against the container in transit.

The photo is so everyone knows what we are talking about!

Robin Madge