Here is the current state of my project to make a kit to construct the first wooden bodied "lowfit" wagon produced by British Railways in 1950. The body is cast in resin as were some of the brake shoes seen in the below picture. I am playing around with various axleguard arrangements and wheelsets in an attempt to work out the dimensions etc of hopefully etched axleguards to go with a combination of Slaters components from their milk tank and BR van kit. Slaters buffers, couplings and wheels will be specified. Based upon my success with the production of a 48DS kit this may take a while, I find the "productionising" of models very taxing indeed and greatly admire the likes of John Dale and his etched masterpieces.

The wheels in the right hand wagon belong to another model which I am emphatically NOT intending to tun into a kit, a Toad brake van.

Started a mere 4 years ago, and mainly built from sketches and measurements taken from the prototype at Bristol Industrial Museum during my lunch hour, this AA20 "Toad" has proved to be the most complicated thing that I have ever made a model of.

After a long period of inactivity, mainly caused by vacillation over how to model and fix the very prominent handrails of the prototype, I have just recently recommenced work to the point where I can now see that the end is in sight. This is just as well as I have a pile of other projects that require attention in the very near future. Completing this model will, I think, clear my "modellers block".

Here is a general view of the wagon as it is tonight 23rd January 2008. The most recent job completed (today) has been constructing the turned under sections of T strapping that link the solebars to the bodyside sections.

Here is the interior of the verandah with dummy sanding gear coming together.

This view shows the detail of the interior door and the inside of the side doors.

The largest area left to be completed are the footboards, for which I have made the four corner brackets in brass, which pretty faithfully replicate those of the prototype.

I am hoping to finish this model in the near future. To this end I even have the transfers from Peter Blackham ready to letter it once it is painted, it will be number W68741 in unfitted grey, the Toad used in the filming of the "Titfield Thunderbolt". I expect I will weather to give a slightly more "tired" appearance than it had in the film, which will hopefully make it look good next to the odd diesel hydraulic model.

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