The model portrays an example of what is believed to be a standard design of SDJR brake vans of the 1880s and 1890s prior to the building of the 20-ton types. These vans show distinct independence of design, being quite unlike MR or LSWR brake vans of the same period, although there are some similarities to an early GWR design. Information on the prototypes can be gleaned from drawings such as Derby 86-2447 C and the excellent versions by Mike King and John Childs, and photographs of Nos, 20 and 34. The modeller has to be aware of the details that can vary from vehicle to vehicle as well as differences between drawings and photographs. Chimneys, buffers, handrails and number-plates are just some of the items that vary. By concentrating on a drawing rather than a photograph can lead to mistakes, so that is why this van has been number 21 instead of 20. I suppose somebody will now come across a photograph of brakevan No. 21, to reveal that it was nothing like the model I have constructed.

The floor was formed from 3mm plywood obtained from a Dolls House shop. The underframe was made up from strips of mahogany obtained from John Dutfield of Chelmsford and Cliff Barker of Barling. Cliff, who is building a large SDJR gauge 1 layout in his garden, took an interest in the building of this model and kindly cut up some wood for me on his bandsaw and cast the axleboxes in white-metal.

The footboards were cut from 1/16" plywood, pinned and Araldited to the brackets, which were made from small section brass strip, cut filed and soldered to shape, then pinned and glued to the sole-bars. The brake gear was fabricated from various brass strips, rods, nuts, wire and solder. Many bits were binned and new pieces attempted while trying to get things to look something like the real thing. You cannot see the brake gear clearly in the photograph, or the leaf springs, or the gaps between the leaves and the buckles, which is just as well. I purchased the sprung, etched-brass W-irons from Slaters. I recommend these to anyone modelling in Gauge 1 as fitted with Slaters' finescale wheels and axles; they work well and are straightforward to assemble.

The buffers are home-made, turned up from brass and steel. One had to be remade, but unfortunately the steel that I used turned out to be silver-steel which did not turn as sweetly as mild steel and did not do the cutting tool much good. The buffers are sprung, using springs purchased from John Flack. The coupling hooks were hacked, filed and soldered from steel bar and rod. I have my doubts whether they will stand up to a clumsy snatch-start.

The superstructure is based on a 1/16" plywood box, the sides and ends having been scribed to represent planks. Stripwood was used for the exterior framework, but this seemed to be too shallow. I laminated extra thicknesses of 1mm plywood on top. The iron strapping was made from card glued on using Resin-W. Small brass pins and Peco track pins from John Dutfield were glued into pre-drilled holes to represent bolt-heads. Grabhandles and lamp-irons were made up from brass wire and strip, also from John Dutfield.

I then noticed that the top edge of the bottom frame member of the side-0verandah panel was not as high as the similar member on the door. Neither was the lower edge of the end rafter straight as I had made it, but curved to follow the profile of the roof. This is what happens when you follow a drawing rather than a photograph, or pressing on by doing what you assume to be correct instead of double checking. Despite all advice from your friends to leave well alone because no-one will notice, you get hold of a hammer, chisel and knife to cut out the offending member and make new pieces. It worked, but it could have gone horribly wrong.

The roof was made from 1/16" ply, steamed over a kettle, bound with elastic bands round a bottle overnight to form the approximate curvature of the roof. The next day it was glued into position, elastic bands being used again to keep all glued surfaces in contact with each other. An old handkerchief, well laundered and ironed, was glued to the roof to represent canvas. Brass tube was soldered into a piece of brass turned to represent the profile of a stove and glued to the van floor before gluing the roof on. Afterwards I realised that I had probably put the chimney in the wrong place. I suspect it should have been located centrally on the roof.

Midland wagon grey, roof grey and weathered wood were the shades of paint used. I applied some old Deacadry lettering that I had left over from a previous model as I could not find the same style and size of lettering I needed in local art shops. Inevitably, I did not have sufficient ampersands and neither were there any small 0s available, so some bodging was necessary with white paint, brush and cocktail stick. The model could do with some weathering but I am unsure how best to do this.

It was a satisfying model to construct, although it took much longer than I had anticipated. Words like again and never come to mind, but given the enthusiasm and motivation, in time I shall have a go at building another model.

Dr. Jem Harrison

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