Commission: O&K skip chassis wagons in 7/8ths...

This trio of O&K skip wagons in 7/8ths (1:13.7 scale) are built from excellent Model-earth kits and have been finished and weathered for a customer in South Wales whom also bought a Hudson Hunslet from last years batch, so it will be nice to see photos of them all together in the coming weeks...

The trio of wagons undergoing proving trials on the Dyfrdwy Tramway with the Alan Keef K40 - it must be cold as the driver has closed the cab door!

The Model-earth budget skip wagon is a well detailed kit but does require careful preparation, especially of the white metal axles boxes that in my experience often need levelling and the bearing hole straightening. However, once these tasks have been done it's just fiddly, not difficult to assemble each wagon's axle boxes onto the resin chassis frame, that needs gently tidying up with a saw and knife to remove the mould feed and very limited flash. The wagon bodies are all 'as intended', although I have added a custom brake stand to the flat wagon, along with associated brake shoes against the wheels under the wagon - barely visible but necessary otherwise it just wouldn't look right from a distance.

The paint finish is my usual multi-layered approach of solid painting followed by washes and dry brushing, with some detail micro painting thrown in half way - writing it is more difficult than the process, but it rewards patience and practice to get the colours right and take advantage of the natural variation a hand applied process can have.

The oil barrel has been painted, washed, stippled and dry brushed to give a realistically worn but serviceable appearance!

The flat wagon has brakes bearing on the wheels on the left in the picture, a cross beam has been fitted, it's bearing housings being welded to the frame each side (glued obviously, not I didn't add bolt heads ad it looked cluttered).

If you're interested in me building you a single kit or a complete train like this, in any scale or gauge, get in touch for a personal proposal. More soon...