Railfreight Minilink (part 2)…

In the previous installment I introduced the MiniLink concept and my my desire to recreate the colourful wagon(s) in N gauge - hinting at a second part to follow…

It is also on just 2 axles - the small trucks that moved the containers from railhead to customer! Rather than re-type everything here is a passage from the initial post that seems relevant here too:

There is a rather good write up of the concept here and it was also reported contemporaneously in Commerical Motor magazine at launch in 1986, and later when expanding the service in 1987 here and here. Equally useful for the modeller are Paul Bartlett’s inevitable photos.

This is where that ‘spare’ fifth container was heading - but initially it was difficult to find a donor model to canobolise or rebuild as the Scania and Volvo lorries involved. A fruitless search did however turn up a Forg Cargo that I thought was the right period and had a similar presence. This example is just a ‘tractor’ I ordered from Coppermine Miniatures - with a scratch built frame on the back.

Assembly was straight forward, only my additional parts making it tricky. I modifed the 3D parts a touch by assembling the steering slightly turned in, and sanded flats on the tyres so it sits nicely on a flat surface with that characteristic poise of a heavy road vehicle. Painted in various enamels using my airbrush (!) and careful masking the result has rewarded that patience. Decals from the N Gauge Society sheet for the VDA wagon. Headlights and rear lights added in gloss colours after a satin lacquer. Glazing, a night mare, cut from sheets of clear packing material. I even included a tax disc in the cab, and some paper number plates I drew up on the computer. It doesn’t really stand close scrutiny but in reality it’s more than neat enough to feel part of the scene…

…or even part of the story - seen here taking a container to a customer near Denton Road. You see this project isn’t about how I cut styrene or painted plastic - it has been an expression of my genuine interest for this brave experiment, each step moving closer to telling the story in miniature. I’ve enjoyed the problem solving, design work, custom modelling, scratch building and kit bashing. All ‘tools of the trade’ and each an opportunity for mindful practice. The result wasn’t needed quickly, the journey was more important. Perhaps this little story has given you some ideas? My next project - some RNAD containers for an OBA - but that can wait until I feel it’s time to fire up the laptop once more. Until next time, more soon…

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