Continuing the Year of the Horse, I’ve dug out a 3D-printed LB&SCR D53/271 horsebox from my “indulgence box”. It will run in a short train of Victorian horseboxes that I’m putting together for a bit of light-hearted, out-of-period running.
The print is available from Oak Hill Works (with whom I have no connection). It was designed by Linny, whose RM thread is here. The photo shows what you get. The missing buffer was later found stuck to the sticky interior.
I’m out of my depth with this foreign stock, so thanks to those who have helped with information. I gather that 191 D53 horseboxes were built from 1871-1891, with variations. Here is one of the early builds, No. 130 of 1874 with original buffers and grease axleboxes. There’s a list of the D53 build dates on the Brighton Circle's website.
And here is No. 74 built 1894 with later details. The blanked window is actually in the horse’s compartment. If I understand correctly, some early builds had frosted glazing here - but the light scared the horses, so these windows were painted over, filled in, or replaced with sliding shutters (sources seem to differ). In later days the blanked windows disappeared completely under new panelling.
The print was still a bit tacky despite two years in storage. So I followed Linny’s advice and cleaned it with a wash of Isopropyl Alcohol, which helped.
It’s a good print in my view. I’m allergic to stepping, but the only evidence of that was on the roof (and buffer faces) and looks worse than it is.
Thirty minutes with a grade 280 sanding pad got rid of it.
A few pips along the footboards also needed filing. The printed grab rails by the door may raise eyebrows, but on the prototype they did sit at an angle close to the body.
The coupling mounts were of no use to me, so had to be removed. Not a prospect I relished as the brake shoes were in the way and 3D printed materials can break in unpredictable ways.
But using various tools at awkward angles I managed to get the mounts removed within an hour. The brake pipes were damaged in the process, so these were cut off.
The kit has finely printed short grab handles at one end, and longer ones at the other end. This matches a drawing and some photos, but No 130 pictured earlier has short handles at both ends. The longer printed handles were a bit wonky anyway, so I replaced them with shorter ones from 0.33 brass wire. Replacement pipes from the spares box.
Then it was primed – including the insides as I prefer to seal these new materials about which we still don’t know much.
The kit comes with a separate print of the Westinghouse brake (adopted by the LB&SCR ca. 1877) and centre brake shoes. There is no floor or interior, which means you can see the track through the glazing. So I fashioned a compartment wall and bits of floor with lead for weight. 14 mm Mansell wheels from Wizard Models.
I divided the floor in two - makes it easier to get inside for repairs if need be. Lead was fitted both above and below the floor. There is no room for bearings, the pinpoint axles go directly in printed holes. TBH I was sceptical about that, but it rolls well enough.
The photo of No. 130 shows a bit of visible pipework (?) for the Westinghouse brake under the body, so I fashioned some brass rod to indicate it, curtailed behind the wheels to clear the axles.
LB&SCR mahogany was new to me. This is 3/4 Vallejo 70.814 Burnt Red and 1/4 70.984 Flat Brown.
I gave it a black wash, a little dry-brushing with neat Burnt Red, and two coats of Vallejo Satin varnish. Had some dust and hair issues, you just can’t find good staff these days 😊
I couldn’t find commercially available lettering for LB&SCR coaching stock (is that really so?). But I had an old HMRS Pressfix sheet of goods stock lettering for SR & constituents, with LB&SCR lettering that more or less matched the size seen on period horseboxes.
If I understand correctly, “Southern Style” Vol 2 indicates that horsebox lettering was either white or gold (thanks, Nick). The photo of No. 130 suggests gold to me. So I coloured the HMRS letters with a yellow marker and a dark wash. It’s just warm yellow, but if I drink two whisky and squint hard everything looks a bit golden.
I made some safety chains. 51L have an etch for screw-links (sprayed black here) which includes small safety hooks.
I linked the hooks to fine chain from Cambrian Models with a strand of cable wire (looped, twisted, cut). Another twisted wire strand was used to mount the chain in the bufferbeam.
In retrospect, the chain is probably a bit too fine for this purpose.
There are still certain compromises with 3D prints of course (e.g. the roof is a bit thick). But from my outsiders’ perspective I think the print captures the prototype well, and I now have a quickie horsebox from the lovely LB&SCR.
But hang on, how would this Westinghouse-braked vehicle work on the GWR and other vacuum fitted lines? Perhaps I need to add through-fitted vacuum pipes. Something to investigate.
Maybe I should also replace the buffers with a newer type. With that I could perhaps stretch the timeframe into the 1900s. Always something more to do!