The latest update on the Mink G by D.Phelps. Pictures supplied by R.Thacker.
At last, the rest of the timber to complete the wagon has arrived. As we had to have the roof beading and rainstrips specially made, we took the opportunity to have enough made for all our vans, including the Toad brake van, so that we only had to pay for the machine setting up time once [ the rainstrips are quite an odd shape].
Anyway, now we have the wood, we have made and painted the top boards for the ends and made the quarter boards as well. We are amazed at the amount of cutting, rebating, drilling and trial fitting we had to do around the various roof beams, angle irons, rivets etc. With the pace of progress increasing, thoughts are turning to our other wagons, probably a Mink A and an open.
Some of our wagons are pre 1920 so over a hundred years old. With the Fruit D and Mink G costing around £ 15,000 each and very little income from loco hire this year, lack of funds as well as labour will curtail our activities, so if you can help, in either department, please do. Just to illustrate the costs involved, as an example I include a breakdown for the machined wood that we have been waiting for, as follows:
- Vacuum pipe spacers £24
- Label clip backing boards £36
- Eight side and end boards £340
- Hardwood door heads/lintels £540
- Hardwood rainstrip £318
- Hardwood beading £303
