By Steve Kesterton

Being a 'new convert' to 5" gauge from 2' gauge (a tad big for the garden) and wanting a couple of wagons for our Maxitrak 'Coronation' to pull along our short garden line, I invested in 2 RoR unsprung chassis in March 2003.

The chassis promptly arrived, very well packaged (although 'Postie' had a bit of trouble getting them through the letterbox !!). Construction of the bodies then began.

I chose 10mm exterior plywood as the main material - its readily available, simple to cut, lightweight and strong. Having looked at a few websites, the best approach appeared to be to make a simple box and strengthen it internally. I paid a visit to the local timber yard and returned with the plywood and some lengths of 2" x 1" timber.

My first decision was how to make the foot rests as our garden line is at ground level. People had suggested the use of copper tubing put through holes drilled in the body, but I wanted something a bit easier for a 6 year old to park their feet on !! I decided to make the base of the bodies wider than the chassis to incorporate foot rests the length of each wagon. Out with the toolbox and cutting commenced - each base was cut 6" wider than the chassis to allow for a 3" wide footrest each side. Holes were drilled in the bases to match the holes at the corners of the chassis for fixing later on. Sides and ends were cut out using a power saw. Each bodyside panel was framed at the bottom and ends with timber, to which the ends were attached. The plywood boxes were then fixed onto the base. A further bit of timber was attached to each side and end inside the box 1" from the top. This was to fit the seat onto at a later point

Once the glue had dried completely, all holes were filled, followed by a session with the power sander to make everything smooth and tidy. Each body was washed off with a damp cloth to remove any dust before painting commenced.

Wilkinsons exterior grey paint was used for the main body colour - each body receiving 3 coats - I wanted to make sure my hard work would last !! At last my plywood creations were starting to resemble wagons. I quite enjoy painting, so it was time to get out the masking tape and black paint to add some 'extra authenticity'. Each panel was initially masked round the edges, followed by 2 vertical panels on each side. These were painted matt black. Next, diagonal lines were masked and painted on each bodyside to resemble cross bracing. Wagon numbers were cut-out and added from vinyl. Once the black lines had been completed to my satisfaction, it was time for 3 coats of yacht varnish over each body to protect the paintwork against knocks and the weather.

Between coats of varnish, attention turned to the seats. Plywood panels were cut to fit on the frames which had earlier been affixed to the insides of each body. A trip to the local market saw us return with some 2" thick foam and imitation leather material (very trendy !!). With the help of my wife, our next door neighbours and a staple gun, the foam was cut and glued onto the plywood. Then the material was carefully wrapped around the foam and stapled to the underneath of the plywood.

With the last coat of varnish finally dry, each body was bolted firmly to its chassis through the 4 corner holes. The seat cushions were put in place, the wagons coupled up and connected to the loco. Slowly the first train set off along our garden line - WHAT FUN !! A bonus was that both children could sit on one wagon at the same time, whilst Mum or Dad do the driving sat on the other one!!

Although simple to build, the design has proved to be robust in use. Children and adults can get on and off easily and the wagons run very freely. Being of plywood construction, they are not overly heavy, so are easily carried into the shed at the end of a running session. The box construction allows for storage of couplings, etc. inside the wagons so nothing goes missing (usually !!). I was initially a bit concerned about the lack of springing on the chassis, but no derailments have occurred and the foam leather seats provide quite a comfy ride.

I'm more than happy to answer any queries, etc. about all aspects of our 5" line - I can be contacted at:

steve@kestertons.freeserve.co.uk