Brass etch notes:

When removing any item with an Exatco knife please take care.  Cutting should be done on a self-healing mat using a few score marks rather than the cut once method.  Make sure that the brass is clean before soldering by using a brass cleaner like Tarnoff, very fine wet and dry sandpaper or using a fine wire brush in a Dremel to lightly polish the surface front and rear.  Depending on your skills some soldering is required but you could use superglue or Selley's water based KwikGrip to glue items on.  Really its up to you the modeller to decide your skill level.  It is assumed if you use solder you will also be fluxing the joints with Carr's Red label flux or equivalent.

Prototype notes:

Utilising the condemned underframes from surplus U vans in 1953/54; Newport Workshops commenced construction of 25 P vans to replace existing vans that dated from the late 1800's.  The vans were used to transport explosives from Deer Park to Laverton for the Army and general explosives industry.  The main consignee was Nobles (later ICI).  At Laverton the dangerous cargo was moved around on a special 2-foot tramway constructed solely for this purpose.

A second batch of vans were manufactured in 1958/59 and were numbered 26-45.  There were some minor differences between the first batch 1-25, such as side bracing and end bracing.  In the early 1960's a further batch of 6 vans 46-51 were constructed similar to the second batch to fill the required traffic needs.  The first batch was also fitted with roof ventilators, which were later removed, in the late 1960's.  Their distinctive paint scheme made them stand out from ordinary wagons in that the units were bright red with black underframes and were emblazed with the words 'EXPLOSIVES' in large yellow and black writing.

By the mid 1980's the 4 wheel wagons on the Victorian Railways were being withdrawn at an alarming rate and the P van was to fall the same fate.  Luckily there are some preserved for future generations and the Castlemaine and Maldon Society has a few examples of this unusual class.

Construction notes:

With a little care a very accurate model representing this class can be made with or without the vents in the roof. It is assumed that you will be assembling this kit using solder.  You can complete this kit using glues but you require an angle piece of plastic (not supplied) to butt up against the main edge of the van where the sides get folded around to meet each other.  Make sure that your soldering iron is cleaned prior to starting by removing any residue from previous sessions and that the etch is cleaned properly.

There are only 9 pieces to this kit if you build the standard version or 11 if building the ventilator type; it is up to the modeller to choose their era.  The parts themselves are numbered 1 to 6.

1. Remove part number 2 from the main etch.  Clean up any small tab ends that were holding it into the etch kit.  See photo 1 below.
   
   
   
   Pre tin the two ends (left and right) prior to doing the next step.
   
2. Using a pair of flat-jawed pliers bend the sides around (the fold lines are on the back of the etch) until a basic box shape is made.  Make sure that the top part of the side is level with the end piece's gable end and solder the side to the end. This is probably the hardest step in the entire kit.  If using KwikGrip instead of solder to join the ends together lay a small piece of right-angle styrene into the corner to give a better surface area for the glue to adhere.
   
3. Tin the top inside edges of the van around the roofline area.
   
4. Remove the roof piece (1) from the etch and with set of flat jawed pliers fold the roof end flaps and side flaps up.  Fold the roof down the centre so that the end flaps meet together along the centre fold line.
   
5. Trial fit the roof to make sure that it sits snugly down around the whole perimeter of the van roofline.  If fitting the torpedo vents (part no. 6 and centre vent (brass pin supplied) drill 2 small holes to accept the vents 1.5 feet in from the end of each side of the roof end and 1 in the centre.  Glue or solder the 2 torpedo vents to each other to form a 3 dimensional vent.  (Note the vents can be glue in last prior to painting if they are being fitted.)  Solder or glue the roof to the main van body.
   
6. Remove the 4 base to roof supports (item 5) and solder these vertically to base (4) whilst it is still inside the main etch.  Hold the supports with a pair of pliers to avoid burning fingers.  The finished item looks like a little dinning table when complete.  It is used to position the floor at the correct height at a later stage.  See photo 2 below.
   
   
   
   
7. Remove the base (4) with supports (5) from the etch and do a trial fit of the base into van and correct any problems with the fit if needed with a small file.  The base sits flat with the van side about 1mm above the side-bracing strap (when viewed from underneath).
   Use a small screwdriver to extract the base from the van.
   
8. Glue the weight provided (5/16 nut) to the base using either silicone or KwikGrip and leave to dry overnight.  If you feel it is too much use a smaller nut of equivalent weight you regard as right.  Photo 3 below
   
   
   
   
9. In each end of the van (LHS) approximately 8mm up from the base are 2 etched holes for the handrails.  Bend up the wire supplied and either glue or solder these into place.  You may leave these off if you require less detail or find it too fiddly to complete.  Also there should have been 2 holes for another set of handrails just above the shunter steps.  These were left out, as they would probably interfere with you putting the floor in at a later stage.  If you want to drill holes, they should be in the cross member just above the shunter steps.
   
   
10. Solder or glue the base into the van making sure that it sits about 1mm below the side bracing strap when viewed from underneath the van.  See photo 4 below
    
    
    
    
11. Cut only the tags holding the shunter step plates; and fold the step up at 90 degrees; solder this section.  The reason for leaving it in the etch is to aid assembly.
    
    
12. Next remove the complete shunter step from the etch by cutting through at the very apex of the steps.  The little 1mm lug at the top of the edge is then bent back and acts as a guide for positioning into the end of the van prior to soldering or gluing.  Using a small block of wood as a support position the shunter step into the lower 2 holes provided in the end of the van and solder into position (see photo).
    
    
13. Using the North Eastern 'T' shaped timber supplied trim it to the following configuration.  Laying the 'T' piece on its top, shave a 1/3 of the length back to the end at a 45 degree angle.  See diagram 1 (below) as an aid.  The braces are the length of the brass etched braces in the van ends (approx 5 feet)
     
    
    
14. Glue the 4 braces made onto the ends of the van (where the 2 vertical etched ones are proud of the surface, i.e. either side of the coupler) using KwikGrip.
    
15. Glue the 2 torpedo vents into the roof if modelling this era as well as the brass pin supplied into the central hole you drilled earlier after trimming off excess length of the pin first.

 The under frame:

 Next job is to shorten and modify a Peco NR121 underframe (available separate). 

1. Cut the underframe in half.  Photo 5.
   
2. Remove the coupler pockets.  Photo 6 (note you can leave the buffers on if you wish).
   
3. Remove the brake rigging except the brake shoes and the risers they are supported by.  Photo 7.
   
4. Trim the hand brake lever that runs across one of the axle boxes.  Photo 8.
   
5. Remove underframe portion behind the brake shoe riser until the first cut you did to separate the frame into 2 halves.  Photo 9.
   
6. Position the 2 halves of the underframe onto the base of the van with the brake blocks pointing away from the van centre.  The buffers, if still attached to the underframe, will be touching each other in the middle.
   
7. Using the 'H' shaped plastic beam supplied fit a piece (2.5 ft) long between the frame halves so that they match up with the existing frame sides forming one continuous side frame.  Make sure that the wheels; frame sides and fill in pieces are square to each other and the van before applying glue to set them in this position.  To aid lining up of the axles and wheels a small piece of track should be placed on the wheel sets to help align them.  Photo 6 shows an underframe minus the P van for clarity.
   
8. Fit Micro-Trains couplers to base of van.  You may need to remove some underframe material to get them at the desired height.  Please use a proper Micro-Trains height gauge to coupler height.
   
9. A handbrake was not supplied as it was felt that it would be easily broken off the model with constant handling.  If you do want one cut a piece of 10 x 10 thou styrene and glue this from the centre of the van's underframe, projecting at a slight angle up to and above the right-hand axle box spring.  See photo 10 for placement.
   

Above: Photos 10,11and 12 showing various members of the class.  Photo 13 showing one of the kits made up and weathered.

Paint scheme:

The van is painted gloss bright red all over the sides ends and roof (Humbrol no. 19).  The underframe is painted matt black as well as the shunter steps.  In the late 1970's, early 1980's the shunter steps were painted white.  On the hand brake side a 9" square white patch was painted onto the vans end and side to aid shunters as to what side the drop down lever was on.  Use a '00' or '000' paintbrush to paint on the white patch.

Decal info: The decals supplied in this kit are on a super thin film and should be treated with great care.

Why spend hours making your latest model only to realise that if you had taken a bit of extra care with the decaling stage you would have ended up with the perfect finish?  Follow the directions, plan your approach to the model and take your time.

For best results decals should always be applied to a glossy surface to stop the silvering effect that shows through on matt painted surfaces.  The silvering that you see under some decals means that only part of the decal is actually adhering to the surface and could breakaway at anytime.  Apply gloss paint/spray or a clear gloss coating over your model before applying your selected decals.

Carefully cut out as close as possible around the decal from the sheet, and using tweezers or brush, dip the transfer into luke warm water.  A small saucer is ideal for this.  After about 3 secs under water drag the decal, still attached to the backing paper, to the side of the saucer and clear of the waterline.  Paint the model in the general area of the decal with a decal setting solution and a bit of water with a brush.

As the water in the backing paper bleeds through to the decal glue above it, it softens.  Use your wet brush test to see if the decal will move slightly on the backing sheet, if so it is now ready to lay down on the model.  If it still doesn't move, give it a bit more time or drag some fresh water up over the decal and retest every 10 seconds as per the above directions.

Using tweezers, brush or cotton wool bud lay the decal in the general area where you want it to go and then gently assist it off the backing paper with a brush dipped in water.  Position the decal in the correct spot on your model and apply further setting solution or water as you think it is needed.  Once positioned correctly draw excess water/setting solution away from the decal using a moistened cotton wool bud.  Don't move the decal once you put decal setting solution down.  The wrinkling you see will disappear once the solution and water evaporates.

Once dry wipe any water or setting solution watermarks away with fresh water.  When this is dry, paint the model in a clear coating of your choice be it matt, satin or gloss and weather it to your liking.

Recommended setting solutions:- Micro Sol, Solvaset or equivalent products.

The longer 'EXPLOSIVES' decals are for the ends of the wagon and the shorter ones are for the side.  Use the prototype photos above as an aid to position them.  Fit the class letter and number to your wagon as per photos.

Finishing: Overcoat the wagon with a suitable protective clear coat and weather it to your liking.

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