GUNPOWDER WAGON

I DID have a gunpowder wagon - a Perfect World (I think) example with a pitched roof, but it got stolen.........................
Santa brought me a Swift Sixteen one in 2103 and it became the first build of 2014 (if you can call it a build............)

(Apologies for this poor quality picture - it's been "lifted" (with permission) form their Web Site and it was only a small one)
As you can see, there aren't many parts to the kit..............
It hardly needed any assembly: you have to clean up the bottom edge and remove the casting “flash” on the one-piece body and carry out a similar process with the corners and ends of the chassis. A Dremel or similar tool is ideal for this, but don’t go at it too much as it is possible to take too much off!

It’s a good idea to drill the holes for the hook couplings and get these bent to shape at this point. Once the top and chassis fit together properly, some 5 minute epoxy fixes the two together - a smear on each coupling hook fixes these too (but check you can get your coupling chain over the hook without fouling the body – it can be a tight fit).

The wheels and axles are Standard Swift Sixteen – a steel axle running in a brass tube glued to the mounts under the floor, with wheels pressed on. Don’t forget that the tube will need to be shortened for a 32mm gauge model, and the ends treated with a file to get rid of all the burrs from cutting. After this, a LITTLE glue in the MIDDLE of the tube will fit the wheels in place, following which the brake block unit can be glued into place to complete the assembly.

If I were building this kit again, I’d spray paint the body and chassis BEFORE assembly – it saves you having to have a steady hand! I’ve left the body in plain red, but there is a lot of detail which could be picked out by people with steadier hands and sharper eyes than mine.