Mica B

[Ben Lyons]

Does anyone have detail drawing of this van l am looking for the one with the full width vent across the end and with the enclosed buffers.ie the old hornby one.
I have applied to HMRS for drawings yet to come but believe this may not be the same vehicle as no vent seems not to be shown.
Thanks. Ben

[Ben Lyons]

A few of you must have been wondering what's happened about the Mica.
Well Dave and I have been busy with it over the last few months.
We are now able to supply a laser cut chassis and a CNC routered body
The chassis will come as a complete kit just leaving you to sort buffer heads and
some rodding The cost will be IRO £480-0
The body will be a part constructed but again will have all the parts.
This will cost IRO £200-00 at present.
Below I have added pictures of the first unfinished trial unit .
Please drop Dave or myself an E mail if you would like to put your name down for one

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[Ben Lyons]

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[Admin]

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[David Girling]

Hi Ben
Just a quick question that will have an obvious answer to most on here but I will ask anyway......I assume the chassis parts are slot and tab for silver-soldering?
Regards
David Girling

[Ben Lyons]

Hello David,
yes to tab and slot, yes and No to solder, Dave silver soldered his almost entirely then in filled with soft solder but had some distortion which he manager to get out, I'm sure Dave will add something on this. I then built the one in the picture and I limited the silver soldering by starting in the centre and work toward the corner I had a good result first time . I Silver soldered the corner joints and tacked along the long members then full across the buffer beam.
I hope this helps.

[Admin]

Silver soldering it all would be the "proper" way, but can lead to buckling if the middle is heated much more than the outside, which is what I have done. The solution which I have since used is to silver solder the headstocks, and continue into the ends of the solebars and longitudinals. Then soft solder the remainder. This ensures that the most heavily loaded parts, the ends, are very strong. The middle part should just be in tension and compression, so the soft soldered joints are only lightly loaded.
Dave.

[Matt Fowles]

Looks very smart gents.
Were they built on effectively a standard GWR van underframe (as much as there was such a thing- obviously a later diagram being vac braked Morton as opposed to DC)?

Can't stretch to one at the moment sadly but will be keeping an eye on progress.

[Admin]

Matt,
I've not come across an underframe quite like this before, whilst the members are fairly standard for GWR (angle for crossbearers and longitudes), the use of 5 tie rods to take the draft forces is unusual. Each crossbearer has a large cast spreader plate on each side of it to transmit the loads of the tie rods to each other. It may well have been used on other vehicles, but if so, I don't know what.
Mr Tourrets book will probably have the answer.
Dave.

[Matt Fowles]

There was something that I couldn't quite put my finger on and the tie rods were it. Thanks Dave.

I rather like the idea of a making the MICA derived Tevan- given the amount of tea drunk at the events I've attended it would seem quite appropriate...

[Ben Lyons]

I intend to do a least one as a tea van I will stretch the truth and letter it return to lyons tea given I a lyons that would seem only fair.

[Matt Fowles]

I hadn't made that connection Ben- that's got to be done!

[Alan Pollock]

A few of you must have been wondering what's happened about the Mica.
Well Dave and I have been busy with it over the last few months.
We are now able to supply a laser cut chassis and a CNC routered body
The chassis will come as a complete kit just leaving you to sort buffer heads and
some rodding The cost will be IRO £480-0
The body will be a part constructed but again will have all the parts.
This will cost IRO £200-00 at present.
Below I have added pictures of the first unfinished trial unit .
Please drop Dave or myself an E mail if you would like to put your name down for one

100_9923.JPG

Hi Ben

I think I've sent you an email about this I'm interested in this.

Thanks
Alan Pollock

[Ben Lyons]

Help does any one have a copy of railways in profile no 17 I'm told there's information on the GWR mica.
I can see the book on line but not to purchase ant help on the purchase of the book or perhaps someone might copy the said pages
Any help given would much appreciated as I'm trying to ensure the wagons under construction are correct
In relationship to the lettering ect.
Thanks

[Ben Lyons]

I know many of you have asked how's the mica project going. Well as you see Ive all but finish my 4 just the last decals to add.
John Catt has finished his 2 chassis and bodies and is now working to finish his roofs.
Hugh has a full kit and has made a start, and dave has a finished a chassis and has a full body kit to work on.
So by the next time we run next , hopefully we will have 8 as a set.
Dave and I have 4 kits left so if you fancy a nice build let one of us know.

[Ben Lyons]

bigger image

[Matt Fowles]

They look fantastic Ben, not that we'd expect anything less. Hopefully we get to see them at some point next year...