Constructing 5″ Gauge Wagons

With drawings specifically produced for modellers, and many diagrams in the text, it is an essential read not just for those modelling in the large scales but anyone who wishes to make accurate models of wagons.

The author began his modelling in 4 mm/ft and was co-owner of a well known range of wagon kits and helped to build a number of layouts which were highly regarded on the exhibition scene. He switched to 5 inch gauge modelling after visiting a ground level layout and seeing accurately modelled rolling stock operated in a realistic manner. He has written many articles for the magazines serving this area of railway modelling and until recently had a business supplying kits and components for 5 inch gauge wagons. This book is therefore the distillation of many years of study of wagons and modelling them as accurately as possible, even down to working vacuum brakes. Doug's philosophy is wherever possible to build models in the same was as the prototypes were built, and to this end he provides readers with detailed descriptions of items such as brake gear, underframe construction and the wagon door operating mechanisms, information which is needed by modellers whatever scale they are working in, as well as those restoring full size vehicles. His aim is to have people ask about the models "Is that a model or is it the real thing?"

The book covers open wagons, mineral wagons, vans and brake vans, mainly those built between 1923 and the end of the traditional wagon on British Railways. With 320 pages, over 900 prototype, model and construction photographs, many diagrams in the text and some three dozen separate large scale drawings of wagons, it provides an invaluable reference.

Chapters cover: Introduction; Background; Choice of materials; Components; Wagon brake gear; Choice of wagons (127pp); Wagon construction (107pp); The mystery of the vacuum brake; Whether or not (to weather wagons); Bibliography; Index.

You may download the pre-publication leaflet about the book here.