When I got my office and workshop completed last year I placed most of my shelf queens on the window sill in full view so that they are a constant reminder that they need finishing.

One of those is quite a blast from the past, those with long memories will remember my building this NER V4 brake van back in 2017. I got so far with it and for some reason as sometimes happens, it was popped on one side.

With the bit between my teeth, on Friday evening I picked it up and realised that all it needed to complete it was the fitting of the brake gear, guard irons and couplings. I am pleased to say that I knew exactly where the missing bits for it were and a couple of hours last night saw it complete.

It does need a good scrub before it gets painted but it’s now ready for a blast of primer when I do the road van.

The V4 brake van came on in leaps and bounds over the weekend at home.

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – interior details

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – interior details

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – interior details

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – interior details

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – Brake fittings

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – Brake fittings

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – Interior details

Having taken the photos above I realised that the screw for the brake column could really do with being a bit longer so I used the piece of studding left from shortening the screw to hold the seat/locker in.

Those that are still awake will note the hasp and staple fitted since the earlier photos

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – Interior details

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – interior locker screw fitting for removal for painting

The long seat on one side is soldered in place, the one at the other side is screwed in from below allowing the floor and all the fittings to be fixed in after painting.

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – exterior details

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van – exterior details

The only things left to fit are the brakes but sadly I think that I will need to temporarily remove one or both W Irons at one end because the wheel is rubbing and if I don’t do it now it will only short when I try to run it.

I think that I have got to the bottom of why the 3’7″ wheels don’t fit. Jim certainly did discover the error but what I had forgotten was that I wasn’t using a production etch. Sometime ago when I planned the second Birdcage Van with side cotes I asked Jim if he had any scrap etches that contained the wooden duckets from the V4 kit. He duly let me have some and while making up the two V1/3 vans I idly cleaned and folded up the remainder of the etches that Jim has sent to which I added the missing bit’s from my V4 kit not really thinking too much about why the etches had been scrap in the first place because there was nothing obvious to see. Upon checking last night,  the production etches have cuts outs to clear the wheels.

In between doing bits and pieces on the Kirk coaches I have been making slow progress on the V4 brake van.

I have been fortunate to have been given access to a couple of GA’s by fellow member Dave, which show a hearth and heat shielding around the area where the stove sits.

A raid of the scrap etch box yielded this – the hole in the bottom it where the stove will bolt down.

7mm scale Brake van interior details

And me, being me couldn’t resist making the coat hook to go with a lamp iron that hung to either side of the chimney.

7mm Scale coat Hook

7mm Scale coat Hook

Now I mentioned that I have two GA’s and this is where life gets a little odd. One of them shows 3’7″ wheels which is what Jim recommends in the kit and the other shows 3’1″ wheels. Even more odd is the fact that when trying to fit the 3’7″ wheels they rub on the underside of the solebars. Plan B is to try some 3’1″ wheels and check out the ride height.

Last night saw more small steps – quite literally in that I made up the rather nifty etched steps for the Tevan

Parkside Tevan Steps

Then I did a bit more on the V4 brake van getting the floor cut and fitted ready for soldering in once I have fitted the brake gear etc. – I made the floor from a scrap etched part and I have yet to decide whether to fill the holes with rod or leave them. – There are only 5 and they are less than a mm in diameter and will they be seen with the roof on, I doubt it.

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van

I also made a couple of inserts for above the veranda which once soldered in place will increase the gluing area for sticking the roof on once painted.

Connoisseur NER V4 Brake Van

Due to recovering from minor surgery, I haven’t felt like venturing into the workshop since early February and apart from a bit done on the Kirk coaches a couple of weekends ago I haven’t done any modelling at all.

Last night I ventured forth and got stuck in with the NER V4 brake van again. I added the remaining corner patches, the guard irons across the door ways and added the foot boards. I had done the roof at the last session that I did but forgot to take any photos of it.

I think that apart from the brakes and remaining handrails that fit into the end posts all the brass work on the outside is complete so whitemetal fittings next.

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van

As on the other NER brake vans I made a replacement for the cast chimney from tube.

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van

Connoiseur NER Diagram V4 Brake Van