Heywood top wagon in 006.5...

To follow on from the Ruston Proctor kit, and my Heywood and Hunslet scratchbuilds, I've started work on suitable stock for the 006.5 project...

Prototype 006.5 wagon chassis. Fingers to 1:1 for scale!

The obvious place to start, as Mark Greenwood already has plans for the Sand Hutton / Deptford wagons, was the Heywood 'top' wagons used at Eaton Hall. Thanks to EDM models importing some suitable Z gauge wheels from the US this has become possible, and I've been working from scale drawings in Mark Smithers book on Minimum Gauge Railways. You probably won't believe me but this is the first item of rolling stock that I've done as a kit!

Prototype photographed by myself at Perrygrove around 2011.

Anyway, the first rolling prototype chassis arrived and has printed cleanly and proven that the principle dimensions and construction thoughts will work. A few minor tweaks, and the addition of further parts to the print will allow a follow up prototype over the summer with release on or before ExpoNG in October.

As pioneers in the scale, I hope those interested will welcome this addition to 006.5, and I'd welcome thoughts and feedback on this, as well as future items of rolling stock you'd welcome in the scale. I suspect there is demand for a steam engine, and I've several ideas, but as well as that, what stock, beyond the Heywood top and Sand Hutton wagons would you like to see if you were working in the scale/gauge? More on this model's development later in the year!