The Prototype
Whilst many are familiar with the large bogie vans used at Woolwich Arsenal, There was quite a variety of rolling stock used on the RAR system. The van that caught my eye is the other surviving Woolwich van - a 4w one supplied by PW McLellan which is preserved in the museum at Betws Y Coed. It shares a chassis design with the Deptford / Sand Hutton stock.
Photographs of the Prototype can be found on the 7/8" Lounge website:
Photographs of the Prototype can be found on the 7/8" Lounge website:
woolwich van photographs
The precut styrene kit is in 1/43.5 scale and consists of a set of 0.5mm thick parts, and a set of 0.25mm thick overlays which provide the bevel detail seen on the prototype van. This sort of detail would be tedious to do by hand, but the machine doesn't complain too much.
The construction is very simple and self explanatory. If you download the Instructions using the button above, you will get a labelled scan of the 0.5mm parts. The 0.25mm parts go on the outside, and it will be obvious where they go, so put them aside for a moment.
The construction is very simple and self explanatory. If you download the Instructions using the button above, you will get a labelled scan of the 0.5mm parts. The 0.25mm parts go on the outside, and it will be obvious where they go, so put them aside for a moment.
The parts need to be carefully snapped out of the 0.5mm layer. If there are any particularly stubborn or delicate parts, then running a sharp scalpel along the cuts should free them up. The parts you need are labelled on the Instructions download (this image is of an first draft of the kit and doesn't have a floor on it). In the outer layers (A2 or B2) the parts between the framework need to be removed. If you cut along the triangles then the styrene inside the frame members can be snapped out easily.
There may also be some styrene within the framework of the 0.25mm parts as I generally leave it there as it helps keep the pieces in shape until we need to use them. This should easily separate out from the framework overlays, but using a scalpel may avoid damage to the fine parts.
Once the parts are separated, you may wish to clean off any cutting burrs by holding the scribed pieces (A1 or B1) flat on a surface and gently rubbing them with sandpaper. If you do this you will need to reopen the scribed lines by scraping a sharp scalpel point (held sideways on) down the scribe lines. Whilst this step is optional, in my opinion it does improve the appearance of the finished model.
There may also be some styrene within the framework of the 0.25mm parts as I generally leave it there as it helps keep the pieces in shape until we need to use them. This should easily separate out from the framework overlays, but using a scalpel may avoid damage to the fine parts.
Once the parts are separated, you may wish to clean off any cutting burrs by holding the scribed pieces (A1 or B1) flat on a surface and gently rubbing them with sandpaper. If you do this you will need to reopen the scribed lines by scraping a sharp scalpel point (held sideways on) down the scribe lines. Whilst this step is optional, in my opinion it does improve the appearance of the finished model.
Laminating
The kit construction is extremely simple. You are basically making a 4 layer laminate for each side and end, then slotting them together and adding a floor and roof. The 3 separate frame pieces (0.5mm thick - Frame 1, 2 and 3) need to be fixed together to form the central supporting frame member which runs under the van body horizontally at the middle of the sides.
To Laminate Styrene you need to be careful what glues or adhesives you use as some solvents can cause the model to warp over time. My first prototype was stuck together with good old Plasticweld. I am quite paranoid and keep thinking it may have warped ever so slightly, but it probably hasn't! It is a known risk with using aggressive solvents to laminate styrene. Others have successfully used Limonene to laminate styrene (a more gentle solvent). I have used superglue with some success, though the thin superglues set so quickly you don't have much time to line things up. A slightly more viscous superglue will give you 10-20 seconds before setting, which is probably needed to get your parts in the right place.
Step 1 is to laminate layer A to A1, and B to B1 for sides and ends. When making the sides, always line things up using the longitudinal frames at the bottom of the sides (not all side layers are the same height in order to fit the roof curvature). When making the ends, line things up using the top so the curvature matches.
Step 2 (whilst the first 2 layers are drying) is to laminate the 0.25mm layer on top of parts A2 and B2, which should give you the framework with the little bevelled edges. The 0.25mm layer is in separate pieces to give the look of separate parts/planks. Make sure your laminated layers stay flat!
Step 3 is to glue together Frame1, 2 and 3 to make the central crossmember.
Step 4 is then to marry up the completed sides and ends. Remember to use the longitudinal frames to line the sides up as the outer two layers are 0.5mm lower than the inner two.
Step 5 would then be to slot together the completed van body using the longitundinal frame members at the base of the sides and the respective slots in the ends. You can use the van floor and crossmember to help ensure that your van is square. Once you happy with things, glue those in place too.
Step 6 is to curve your roof. There are various ways of doing this, either bending with your fingers or taping it to a drinks can and immersing it in hot water for a minute or two both work. The roof can then be glued on and you're almost finished.
Step 7 is the final touches. There are hinge details cut into the 0.25mm layer (they may have fallen out) A few little offcuts of microstrip or rod glued on to represent the hinges, and a little bit to represent the door latch (where the cut line stops in the 0.25mm layer) will complete your model.
Step 1 is to laminate layer A to A1, and B to B1 for sides and ends. When making the sides, always line things up using the longitudinal frames at the bottom of the sides (not all side layers are the same height in order to fit the roof curvature). When making the ends, line things up using the top so the curvature matches.
Step 2 (whilst the first 2 layers are drying) is to laminate the 0.25mm layer on top of parts A2 and B2, which should give you the framework with the little bevelled edges. The 0.25mm layer is in separate pieces to give the look of separate parts/planks. Make sure your laminated layers stay flat!
Step 3 is to glue together Frame1, 2 and 3 to make the central crossmember.
Step 4 is then to marry up the completed sides and ends. Remember to use the longitudinal frames to line the sides up as the outer two layers are 0.5mm lower than the inner two.
Step 5 would then be to slot together the completed van body using the longitundinal frame members at the base of the sides and the respective slots in the ends. You can use the van floor and crossmember to help ensure that your van is square. Once you happy with things, glue those in place too.
Step 6 is to curve your roof. There are various ways of doing this, either bending with your fingers or taping it to a drinks can and immersing it in hot water for a minute or two both work. The roof can then be glued on and you're almost finished.
Step 7 is the final touches. There are hinge details cut into the 0.25mm layer (they may have fallen out) A few little offcuts of microstrip or rod glued on to represent the hinges, and a little bit to represent the door latch (where the cut line stops in the 0.25mm layer) will complete your model.
What about the chassis?
Tebee models had already drawn up the deptford wagon chassis for 3D printing as part of their Sand Hutton Wagons. Rather than duplicate their work, I asked Tom (the designer) to make the chassis available as it is the correct one for the 4w van.
It is available from Shapeways either singly or as a ten pack. Tom tells me that any 15mm axle length wheelset should fit.
The van body would equally fit on a kbscale skip chassis or you could produce your own chassis for it. It could be plausibly used in 0-14 on the kbscale chassis in my opinion.
It is available from Shapeways either singly or as a ten pack. Tom tells me that any 15mm axle length wheelset should fit.
The van body would equally fit on a kbscale skip chassis or you could produce your own chassis for it. It could be plausibly used in 0-14 on the kbscale chassis in my opinion.
Ordering
Please use the Order Form below to contact me if you would like to purchase kits for the Woolwich Arsenal 4W Van. I will then give you my Paypal details and produce your kits to order. The price of the kit is £6.00, which includes UK postage.