CONVERSIONS remain as important a part of rollingstock modelling as kit building and this one is fun to do. Conversions allow the modelling of differences within wagon types and to replicate conversions made by the railways themselves. Bachmann’s ‘OO’ gauge VDA van model provided the basis for several conversion projects including RLA/REA runner wagons and OTA timber carriers with the original VDA van ends. Until Bachmann offered that very type as a ready to run model.
One wagon which remains to be offered on the VDA van underframe is one of the ZCA ‘Sea Urchin’ ballast and spoil wagon types which were built on both the short brake lever type (200xxx number sequence) and the long brake lever type (210xxx number sequence) VDA underframes. It is worth noting that there was a batch of VDA vans equipped with experimental ‘Taperlink’ suspensions numbered 20100-099 which are quite different to the Bachmann model.
Variations exist within the various Sea Urchin wagons seemingly built on the same underframes. When researching the ZCA, be aware that similar wagons were built using the underframes of similar but different wagons, including VAA and VBA air braked vans together with former OAA, OBA and OCA open wagons, yet still coded ZCA Sea Urchin, making the use of reference photographs and records important.
Furthermore, the fleet was added to by EWS – the newer conversions being painted in EWS maroon livery and built on various ex-revenue wagons including SPAs and with different body details. The techniques in this article can be used to model any of the ZCA variants built after the first VDA van conversions.
The prototype
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LNER puts remaining ‘91s' into warm store
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Mk.1 Restaurant-Buffet (RBR) cars
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Powerscene
Our authoritative class-by-class review of newsworthy locomotive workings.
End for Freightliner Class 86/6s
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Service reductions as Covid cases increase
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East West Rail funding go-ahead
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Travellers-Fare with Hornby's Mk.1 Restaurant-Buffet car
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Class 92 revolution
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Bottling it!
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1990s ‘N' gauge Class 950
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