There has been some mention on these pages in recent months of various bits of tinkering with Black Dog Mining wagons, starting with the creation of two 3-plank 6-foot wagons on the night of Narrow Gauge North and then some (unseen on the blog) tinkering after the 7mm NGA show.
However, something wasn't right, especially with the two wagons created on re-used underframes after Burton. These two underframes had seen several bodies, the 6 foot one was the basis of the 'Shifting Sands' chequerplate flat then a box van, the 5 foot one various flat wagons amongst others. The gained new Black Dog bodies in the form of a replacement chequerplate top and 2-plank open.
However, something wasn't quite right with just adding new bodies. Mention in an email conversation last week with Andrew Blackwell, present owner of my earlier Black Dog
conversions (narrowed down 6 foot 2-plank opens modelled as 'Tops' wagons with end handles) set me on a train of thought, especially as I started to
look through old photos of my work and perhaps actually appreciating what I had
done. This then led to some reconsideration of my fleet of Black Dog wagons and by Thursday morning (I had a day off) I had
actually pulled the two apart for reconsideration. The end result was a 5 foot version
of the narrowed (by 2mm) 'Tops' wagons and by narrowing and slightly shortening the body, the reconstruction of the 'Shifting Sands' chequerplate flat wagon - including fishing the original overlaid steel solebars from the
bin!
I think I realised that sticking bits together was easy, it's customising
and making them your own that is the fun part...
Colin
