B.R. CONFLAT A. WW 02 History. B.R. produced no fewer than six main types of conflat wagons between 1951 and 1958, with the most numerous being the conflat A, for which six different diagrams were issued. All had a common body length of 17ft 6ins with a wheelbase of 10ft and automatic vacuum brake fitted to all. The kit covers diagram 1/062 built in 1951/2 with split axlebox 2200 constructed, and diagram 1/067 built in 1955/6 with plate type axlebox 4500 constructed, these were all fitted with RCH type buffers and four shoe brakes. For the later diagram 1/069 which had oleo buffers and were eight shoe braked (Slaters conflat kit covers this diagram), but check your chosen wagon against a photo for the running number as it seems they were built not necessary to the issued diagram. Dia. 1/062 Lot 2266 400 built B735400 735799 1951 Swindon Lot 2323 500 built B735800 736299 1952 Swindon Lot 2493 800 built B736300 737099 1953 Swindon Lot 2500 500 built B737100 737599 1953 Swindon Dia. 1/067 Lot 2688 500 built B700000 700499 1955 Swindon Lot 2836 500 built B700500 700999 1956 Derby Lot 2837 500 built B701000 701499 1956 Derby Lot 2853 1000 built B701500 702499 1956 Ashford Lot 2854 1000 built B702500 703499 1956 Ashford Lot 2869 1000 built B703500 704499 1956 Swindon Livery of the wagons in steam period was wagon body Bauxite with solebars and all under black. Container Notes. The container not now supplied with the kit is a container type A built to lot 3/003 with all wooden design with tongue and grove side and ends. (container type A to diagram 3/001, which had pressed steel ends, is produced as a kit by Slaters) Lot and running Nos. for Diagram 3/003 containers. Lot 2335 530 built No. A681 to 1210B 1952 Wolverton Lot 2374 100 built No. A1211 to 1310B 1952 Eastleigh Lot 2958 400 built No. A2916 to 3313B 1956 Cowlairs Total built 1030. 1
Container Livery Livery of the containers when first introduced was BR carriage crimson with straw lettering, but this gave way towards the end of the 50s to BR bauxite with white lettering and the words BRITISH RAILWAYS being replaced with the arrow and the words DOOR TO DOOR to the right of the arrow on the door or side of the container, check against photos. Containers and their waterslide transfers can all be purchased on our website www.modelrailwaywagons.co.uk Ref. Books: - British Railways Wagons The First half million By Don Rowan. ISBN 07529 03780 British railways Goods wagons in Colour By Robert Hendry. ISBN 1 85780 094X British Railway wagons, open and hoppers By G. gamble ISBN 1 900298 06 6 Parts list. Etch. 2 x split pins. 2 x coupling springs. 4 x Links W/M castings 4 x axlebox (split) DW 01 2 x detail sets DW 16 1 x vac cylinder DW 29 4 x RCH buffer DW 26 1 x cross shaft DW 30 2 x side casting DW 27 2 x 10 brake shoe set DW 31 2 x end casting DW 28 4 x U brackets DW 32 2 x vac pipe DW 33a 2 x brake lever DW 34 Items needed to complete this kit. 2 x 3 1 3 hole disc wheel sets c/w bearings, Slater s ref 7122 or 3 1 spoke wheels Slater s ref 7121. Alternatively try our Welcome Turned insulated steel wheels c/w ball bearings ( M&M can supply these on request) All the above plus transfers are available from www.modelrailwaywagons.co.uk Hints and Tips In order to build this kit you may find the following tools useful. A pair of tin snips or a Stanley knife to cut out the brass parts; flat and round files and centre punch or rivetting tool; a bending jig or steel rules; a pair of long nose pliers; a good soldering iron; solder and flux. You will find use of a low melting point solder and the use of Carr s fluxes is recommended. 2
Kit building instructions, Cut from etches solebars (1), inner solebars (3), buffer beams (4), and the four inner crossbeams (5). Push out rivet detail on the outer solebars (2). Now bend above items in step one to form a shallow U channel (note the half-etched lines fold towards themselves). Solder solebars (2) to buffer beams (4) so they are 44mm apart (see drw 1) Now solder inner solebars (3), which are spaced away from outer solebars by the crossbeams (5) (as per drw 1). Now take the four diagonal chassis members (9) and fold to L shape, these fit between the buffer beams inner solebars and the crossbeams (see drw 1). Take the floor etch and solder to chassis assembly Now take the cast topsides and ends, file away if needed the rear of the chain box on the side castings to allow them to fit up against the solebars and floor. (see drw 3). Now take the end castings and fit to floor making sure that they fit between the side castings, if there is a gap then adjust the rear of the chain boxes to allow sides and ends to meet at the corners. (see drw 3a) Next fit the buffer castings to the buffer beams and the coupling pocket overlay castings where the coupling hook goes, and then attach the vac pipes.(see drw 3) Take the axleboxes; remove with a file a small amount of the mounting surface under the spring at the inner end to allow axlebox to align with the rivet detail on solebars. (see drw 4). Now take the axleboxes and fit the bearings which came with your chosen wheel sets, next fit wheel sets into axleboxes and then fit between solebars making sure they align with the rivet detail, also checking that all is square when all wheels are placed on a flat surface. Brake gear. Take the V hangers (etched) solder these to the rear of the solebars on the wagon centre line. Temporary fit the X shaft between the V hangers so that you can align the vac cylinder. Once vac cylinder is fitted remove the X shaft and slide on the brake shoe assemblies (one on each end of the X shaft), and also fit the cast brake safety straps, one on each end by brake shoe see drw. Refit X shaft and align brake shoes with the wheel sets and fix in place. (see drw 4). Now fix in place the cast brake safety straps which solder or glue to under floor. 3
Take the cast or etched brake handles (note they are different) the double crank one into the V hanger with two holes. On the single hole V hanger cut off the bottom crank on the cast brake handle then fit this in the single hole V hanger. Also fit the brake pin down bars these fit to wagon solebars to the right of the right hand W iron axlebox assy. see photos and drw 2 and 4. Next add the builders pates and load clips (W/M castings) these go onto the solebars (see drw 2) CONTAINER.( Not supplied in the kit) Drill 4 holes 1mm dia. 27mm up from the base on each corner of your chosen container. Now glue a shortened in length split pin into the holes. Paint container, letter and number it. Then when dry fit to completed wagon, centrally to floor. Now fix 4 lengths of chain from split pins to loops on wagon sides. For more accuracy the chain should have shackles see photo below for details. Complete shackles are available from Slater's. 4
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NB: Due to the kit now being supplied in a flat pack the container is no longer included, these can be purchased on our website www.modelrailwaywagons.co.uk in the Accessories section 7
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Conflat 4 Shoe Casting Sheet DW 1 x 4 DW 16 x 2 DW 26 x 4 DW 27 x 2 DW 28 x 2 DW 29 DW 30 DW 31 x 2 DW 32 x 4 DW 33a x 2 DW 34 x 2(now on the etch) 9