Roxey Mouldings ICI hopper part 8 - brace plates.

First up are two small end brace plates. These are each made up from 6 pieces, the angle plate and 5 little ribs. After bending the angle plate to suit the hopper end the ribs, 3 small inner and 2 smaller outer, can in theory be attached. However, they are much too big and need cutting down to size, I used a pair of Zuron track cutters to snip a section off the lower edge, then finished off with a file before soldering in place using 188 degree solder and my RSU.

In the photo above the upper brace plate has the 3 inner ribs only soldered in place. The etched holes are to locate the ribs in position, but are a tad too wide. The job is every bit as awkward as can be imagined...
This style of plate was used on the later wagons, the earlier wagons had deeper plates which lacked the 5 gussets.

Once the small brace plates were soldered onto the body (145 degree solder and my 25W Antex)  I turned my attention to the side brace plates. These just needed the rivets punching out, the outer edge folding over and soldering in place, again using 145 degree solder and my 25W iron;

Note the word 'pipe' written on the side, all of the ICI wagons, including those that ICI bought from John Summers, were vacuum braked, the brake pipe running through the brace plates on one side (the side with the brake wheel off-set to the right). Half of the plates on the kit have holes etched for this pipe, which obviously need  to be fitted on the same side (hence the writing), further confirming that the kit is for an ICI wagon not a Summers one as the Summers wagons were originally unfitted.

The next job is to fold up the trays that form the large end brace plates, and solder in two strengthening ribs (188 degree solder). These need holes drilling for the vacuum pipe, I used a pair of dividers to transfer the position of the holes from the plates already in place and drilled the trays first to .5mm, to check that the holes lined up with the trays placed on the wagon, then .8mm. I fail to understand why the side ribs and small end plates have holes etched for the vacuum pipe but not the end tray... I cut an offcut of plasticard to the required angle then used it to check that each tray sat at the correct angle;

The state of play so far;

This is now a very strong structure!

Paul.