Routing and Clouting

To fit the side members that support the side planks and protect the end-grain of the floor planks I had to route out some channels to accommodate the large washers for the bolts that support the axle-guides, and the nuts for the bolts that hold the upper straps for the sole-bar to headstock fixing.

I went along to Bitton today with a tool box containing my router, which I then put to work to make the channels.



I took rather longer than was necessary to mark out the positions and extent of the channels. A simple outline on one face of the timber would have been enough as I set the router's depth stop so I couldn't make the channels too deep. Simply marking the outline in one plane would have saved half the time or even more. You live and learn!

Once the channels were cut it was time to assemble the side-members to the sole-bars.



We had to drive the side to side tie bars right through so that their ends were flush with the sole-bar face on one side then fit that side's side-member. I put ratchet straps on again to pull the side-member down straight, then we drove the tie-bars back through to hold the side-member in place, making the tie-bar's other end flush with the other sole-bar.

The half-inch coach bolts went through easily enough and we tightened them up before moving to the other side where we repeated the process. This side was not so easy as the first one and we had to use a jack to force up the side-member a little so as to get the half-inch bolts in.



At last the side-members were in place and Ollie decided he wanted to see what the hockey-stick or J irons looked like in place. I took the piss because he's always leaping ahead to see what it will look like next - he did it again later with the buffers. However I had to get into the act by taking a photo of the J irons in place.



After tidying up the stuff we'd used to put the side-members in place we moved on to try out hanging a spring again. When we tried this before the spring leaves fouled the spring hangers, so Ollie got Andy to mill an eight-of-an-inch off the hangers and we set out to try hanging a spring again. We were perplexed when the spring still wouldn't go into place, until John came by and suggested that we try a different spring. We did, and it fit!



We were very pleased.

Ollie really had the bit between his teeth now and decided to install the inner straps that hold the sole-bars to the headstocks and at the same time support the buffer bodies. He'd got the gusset straps installed during the week, and now the whole wagon is taking shape.





Our next job is to install the axle-guide/W irons.

Of all our work what is most satisfying to me is that we've managed to salvage most of the original iron-work of the original wagon. Here is one of the iron straps that we have refurbished, John welded a new threaded part to the original strap that still has the maker's mark on it.



The wagon is taking shape now and soon we'll put it back on its wheels ready to be floored and the sides planked.

Axle Box
This is one of the axle boxes on the timber wagon.
You can see too the state the springs are in and the rust on the horn-guide. Where the horn-guides are bolted against the sole-bars they have rusted away by up to half their thickness, so it looks as though complete replacement is necessary.
We'll see when we strip them off the timber.
Also clearly visible are the spokes of the wheels. I think they are particularly elegant and, when it's finished, the wagon will be a fine addition to Avon Valley Railway's rolling stock.
I have spent another day ducking in and out of the carcase measuring and sketching so that we can reproduce as nearly as possible the structure that's there now.
I also plan to build a 5" gauge model of the wagon.
This will be my first attempt at a scratch-built model. I'm looking forward to it.

Another Renovation
This picture shows another wagon we're to renovate.
The whole wagon is timber construction and, as you can see, it's in a poor state.
We will have to completely rebuild it, saving what we can of the metal work. I doubt we'll be able to save any of the timber.
I've begun measuring it up to make drawings. When that is done we will be able to begin dismantling it, saving whatever we can for re-use.
I've been working on refurbishing the forge and I think we may need to use that for some of the metal work.