Andlan Models NS WGR BLV Louvre van kit in HO scale. Price in text.
Website: https://www.andianmodels.com
Contact: andian.models@gmail.com
Andlan Models have produced an HO scale New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) BLV Louvre van kit, king post version, in association with Stephen Johnson Models, at a cost of $90.00. This kit is only available through Andlan Models. This kit is a polyurethane 3D-mastered body with brass detailing parts, including wheels, scale Kadee® whisker couplers and 3D-mastered bogie sideframes.
The references for the construction of the NSWGR BLV king post version are;
• Andlan Models NSWGR BLV king post assembly instructions,
• Stephen Johnson Models Thow Archbar bogie assembly Instructions and
• NSWGR General Arrangement drawing numbers 11735 and 10986.
The BLV louvred van is a 36'0” foot variant of the Thow composite underframe, with standard Archbar bogies, with a 5'6” wheelbase. The NSWGR General Arrangement drawing No.11735 provides detailed information.
The BLV had Turton buffers increasing the overall length to 39'9”, 9ft wide over the transoms and fitted with three 5'0” by 6'2” double doors each side, giving access to separate ventilated compartments with a corrugated shade roof. Average weight was 13 tons, 16 cwt with a carrying capacity of 16 tons, later upgraded to 18 tons. Ritchie Brothers were contracted to supply twenty BLV Vans in 1909. Later in 1910 a contract was issued for a further 30 vans.
The kit
The kit comes in a box with a photo on the lid of a BLV with screw link couplings.
On opening the kit, I found poiyurethane ends, sides, roof, shade roof and underbody all wrapped separately in tissue paper. Packed between them was cotton wadding and foam rubber.
Included are printed instructions (with colour photos) for assembiy of the van.
The Thow Archbar bogies consist of the wheels, brass parts, M2 bolts, Kadee® whisker couplers, waisted bearings, polyurethane bogie sides and Archbar bogie frames. These are all bagged and identified with printed assembly instructions, including photos from Stephen Johnson Models.
Construction
The assembly instructions are numbered, with construction being straightforward. When fitting the roof, I
