Wagon Loads, part 1

Quick and simple "how to" on adding a couple of loads to your wagons

Completed wagons on New Bourneville.

This is a very easy way of adding authentic loads to your HO Scale wagons, but also adding interest to the switching and running of your model railway, this little project can easily be completed in an evening, listening to music or the radio etc, I have seen artificial wooden loads on layouts that have been made out of plastic, and can't see the point, they look like plastic so a big "TIP" is use the real thing "wood" it's available and free!

Gathering your materials

Lets get started

Completing the loads

Conclusion

So lets get on with the project...

Gathering your materials

Most of you will have access to small twigs and branches from your garden, if not a walk to a small park or wood will provide you with all you will need for this project.

The biggest tip is to remember scale, not to have huge over scale logs for the load, unless of course you are using "trees" for a load, (shown for this project also)

I have a small stock of cut up twigs and branches that I have roughly cut to 120/150'' scale feet, of various widths, again checking on the size re scale etc.

Branches

"nothing beats the real thing"

Let's get started.

After you have chosen the wagons that you wish add your loads to, the next job is a little fiddy, you will need to measure the inside width of the wagon, and start to cut the twigs and branches to size, you will need a pair of secateurs, a modelling knife will not be man enough to cut some of the twigs!

It's at this stage you need to decide if the loads you are making will stay fixed in your wagons, or be removed, allowing you to use the wagon for more than one job on your model railway, and also switching probably, by un-loading or loading your wagons, either in your fiddle yard or an area on your model railway.

Starting point

Completing the loads

The image below shows both wagons loaded, , it's just a simple job of adding the branches using PVA white glue to secure the "logs" together

Loaded Wagons

If you are going to make a re-moveable load then you will need to measure the inside of your wagon, cut a base (I used green under floor foam) then position your "logs" carefully making sure that you stay within the base that you have cut, I painted the base brown, to hide the green foam, you should end up with something like this

wagon load

I added a large plastic drawing pin to the middle of the base, this allowed me to add height to the centre, which will make it easier to lift the load out if needed.

Conclusion

This has been a very enjoyable little project, and will add to the on New Bourneville, allowing me to have special wagons, deciated for the Lumber yard area on the layout, and all for FREE..

I hope that have found this project helpfull, and hope that you will try it for yourself, you don't have to model an American Railroad, this will work on any layout, also you don't have to have a Lumber yard or Sawmill, these wagons could just be part of a goods train.

Some of you might have noticed that the 40'' foot wagon used in this project started un-weathered, and by the end had been weathered, I covered the weathering of this wagon during the drying time of the logs.

Check out more Hints & tips on the New Bourneville website

Finished Project