1 Plank Wagon - Part 3 Fin

Well, I came up with some numbering and have applied it to the sides of the wagons in the manner postulated in Part 2.

The tarpaulin covered load has come out very well. The load is sculptured FIMO clay shaped as in the prototype photograph. The weave of a tarpaulin cloth was created by lightly pressing a very fine plastic mesh onto the clay. The idea being that when the actual tarpaulin cover is pressed onto it the weave would make an impression in the cover. However, this was not very successful.

The tarpaulin cover is the clever bit. What we need is something that represents canvas with its folds as it is draped over the load. What I discovered, whilst taking a break, is the silver foil packaging from a Kit-Kat bar. This is remarkably thin, almost like gold leaf. I thinly covered the clay with epoxy resin glue, laid the foil on the top of the clay (dull side up) and dabbed it into place around the load with a large, round, artist paint brush. The foil formed its own (N gauge) folds, as you can see from the photo. The trick is to use a very thin foil.

It was then painted grey and dry brushed with white pastel scrapes (when the paint was very slightly tacky) to highlight the folds and dull the paint.

There is no visible strapping over the load as these tarpaulins had eyelets near the canvas edge where rope tied it down to the solebars of the wagon (not modelled). SR lettering on the tarpaulin has also been omitted, let's say it has faded/rubbed away over time.

Here are the two wagons in the yard at Thornycroft. I thought that one more wagon making three in all would be enough for a train but I think now that I should go for the five originally proposed, which is still a short train compared to that in the prototype photo. Don't know what the load is but it surely is not vehicles, probably spare parts.

 David

To Part 1