WHL Engineers Wagons - Hake

The HAKE was one of the WHL's interesting and unusual engineers' wagons in the mid to late 80s. Gavin Judd has a few good pictures which can be found on the UK Rolling Stock album, including a photo of one at Fort William:

http://ukrailrollingstock.fotopic.net/p36854749.html

After a discussion on modelling another ballast wagon, the SEAL, on the RMWeb forum, Paul Bartlett has posted a set of Hake photos on his excellent BR Wagon Photos website here:

http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c1597684.html

So my plan for this wagon is to use the more recent issue of the Parkside Grampus kit (the one with the option for the air-braked Rudd version). The ends and suspension of the Hake are quite different to any of the options in the kit, so I plan to use the FAT25 suspension (axleguards, springs etc) from a Cambrian OTA kit, and to modify the Rudd ends from the Parkside Grampus kit. I did think about using a Hornby Rudd chassis to save time, but it would have to be modified so much that it probably wouldn't be worth the effort.

Here's the start of the process - Grampus sides and ends being prepared.

Last night I rough cut all the bracing off the Rudd end and (after the photo) sanded and filed it flush, repeating for the other end. On the right of the picture, you can see the original (left) and rudd style ends on the sprue and the rough cut end for the model below.

Next I'll use the end detail photo on Paul B's website to build a representation of the bracing on the ends, and then I can assemble the wagon body. More on this as things progress...