Wagon loads - esp coal

[MattR]

Morning all

Can anyone point me to some reading - posts, mag articles, books - on how to make your own wagon loads, please. I’m new to freight working. Specifically, I’m interested in how to simulate coal loads for hoppers, but in easily removal and ‘put-awayable’ ways. I know you can buy loads, but I’d rather make my own. Thanks, Matt

[96RAF]

I use a bit of balsa wood or polystyrene foam with a wedged bottom at one end so it can be tipped to get it out. The coal is a thin layer of black quartz from an aquarium place. It is sort of shiny so looks fairly real good coal.

[LesXRN]

If by 'put awayable' you mean storing the wagons off the layout, then I did the same as 96RAF, but also added PVA & water, just like that used for ballasting, so the coal stays put.

[Brew Man]

I'm wondering why you would need to remove the loads for the purpose of 'putting away' the wagons for storage. I'm planning on adding some loads to my wagons, but I'm not planning on removing them once in place.

[atom3624]

I modify the packaging to accommodate the loads.

Al.

[81F]

The most realistic material I have used for a wagon load is coal! Although this might be getting harder to get these days. For many years my needs were satisfied by a couple of large lumps of steam coal found lying around a live steam museum and another former loco shed site, but house coal would do.

Just be careful smashing it up - I put it into a plastic bag and hit it with a hammer until the desired size was obtained.

[What About The Bee]

Just search "Santa Coal" on eBay for small lots of actual coal. Lifetime supply in larger bags also available.

You will have to smash it up, ala 81F.

Bee

[96RAF]

Yes I forgot to add my thin layer of 'coal was glued in place. I did make the mistake of fully loading a large hopper wagon once, glued in as well, it weighs a ton.

They reason for making the loads removable is some folk actually run their wagons full to where they are going and empty them to come back to be refilled by the magic hand of dog (naughty word filter alternative).

[Rallymatt]

To make load’s easily removable you could put a small steel washer under the coal etc and use a magnet to pull them out. If you are looking for that realistic coal look, real coal is perfect, there is more of it about then you think although I live in Co Durham and we still eat it regularly. One mistake many modellers make is, they replicate scale sized house coal, most industrial users took it in shovel sized chunks. (Railways powers stations, gas works etc) in power stations it would often be pulverised and then blown with compressed air as a liquid around the plant and increasing thermal output. House coal was a by product being the small bits and easier to handle at home. It was generally sorted at the mine. So different wagons would have different coal products in. 2 generations of mining engineers in the family has led to this disproportionate knowledge of coal based information 🤣

[Brew Man]

They reason for making the loads removable is some folk actually run their wagons full to where they are going and empty them to come back to be refilled by the magic hand of dog (naughty word filter alternative).

 

 

That's taking realism a step too far IMO joy.

 

 

[Fazy]

I use tissue paper, scrunch it up wet it place in the wagon and press it into the shape you are hoping with. Add a few drops of PVA glue and brush it all over let it dry. Then paint it black when the paint is dry add some PVA and sprinkle coal dust on top.

tarpaulin loads make some cubes out of cardboard using PVA glue and scissors place them on open wagon. Take a piece of tissue cut to rough size. Soak with a water and PVA mix gently apply over cardboard boxes on the wagon and allowed to dry. paint accordingly. String maybe used to replicate the ropes. Imagines to follow

[Fazy]

tarpaulin loads results

[What About The Bee]

Hello Fazy

Your tarpaulins are magnificent. They really portray the look.

Have you ever put the railways stencil lettering on the tarpaulins?

The Liverpool and Manchester Railway had LPMRW in giant lettering on their tarpaulins. When I get to tarpaulin covered freight, I would very much like to replicate that artwork.

Any hints or tips would be appreciated.

Bee

[Fazy]

No I haven’t tried any stencils as of yet might give it a go the next time I do some.

I was just looking at the picture again and it’s dawned on me the green one is tissue. The other are packing paper! I’d forgotten about switching to that. It’s the none greasy type you get when you have a model delivered. And I think one is rizzla paper need to be really gentle with that but it folds much better the one in front of the break van. The pipes are just plastic tube available from most good model shops for those interested.

[threelink]

No need to buy coal. Just go for a walk along any abandoned railway and look down the embankments. Apart from a wide variety of treasures there will be lumps of coal fallen from tenders or bunkers or thrown down by a fireman cleaning his fire. I once found a tender full plus a full set of fire irons on an embankment on the old GCR . I guess that there had been a derailment, causing the tender to roll down the bank. What you find will be the real stuff - steam coal. One lump will fill hundreds of wagons. Smash it up as advised above. The waste tips of Welsh coal mines are also bountiful but travel will be involved unless you happen to live near one. The coal adds an element of olfactory realism but beware the household authorities : I am modelling a harbour and Her Grace objected strongly to the use of rotten seaweed and gone off fish to achieve greater realism - can't think why.

[Rallymatt]

Anyone who has been to the magificent Jorvik museum in York will know the delight those smells can add 😁