Here are some photos of the VDR refrigerator van produced by 3D printing by Marbelup Models.
The main decals were done by Westland Models and are available from them should you wish to have a VDR for yourself. Some of the tiny decals for load, tare, etc. were done at home on a laser printer using laser decal paper from local hobby shop. The laser printed decals sprayed with a Testors Decal Bonder which made them easier to apply as the laser decal film is extremely thin and fragile. I understand Westland Models will be including the smaller decals in their VDR sheet for future orders.
Prior to decalling, the model was airbrushed with Revell gloss white enamel, and Revell matt varnish used as a clear protective coat over the decals. The underframe is Revel No. 9 "Anthracite". The bogies are American Models Bettendorf style, with 3D-printed bolsters to convert them to narrow gauge.
The 3D-printed body of the VDR is printed in one piece, and printed upside down to obtain the optimum definition for the louvred sections. Some cleanup is required to roof as there is visible stepping and also remnant of the support structure from the 3D printing process. The lack of other detail on the roof makes the cleanup pretty easy. The exhaust pipe from the refigeration unit is vulnerable to damage while cleaning up the roof, so there is a spare printed on the underframe in case if gets broken (which it did on the test model). All the the details visible are included in the 3D printed body, apart from handrails and the brake pulls rods and their supports, which must be fabricated from brass wire and strip.
The 3D drawing was modified from that for the VD van, although the modifications were quite extensive as the roof of the VDR was raised to provide extra height inside the refrigerated compartment, presumably to allow for the thickness of the insulation material.
The bodywork for the refrigerator compartment was based on the somewhat derelict WVD van at the ARHS museum at Bassendean, although the WVD is slightly different in that the refrigeration equipment was mounted underneath the van rather than in the centre compartment of the VD. Little information was available on the appearance of the refrigeration equipment on the WVD, hence the choice of VDR for the model, as well as the lack of evidence that the WVD's carried the attractive advertising livery.
Some of the VDRs had a single door each side to the refrigerated compartment and Marbelup Models would consider producing the single door version if there is sufficient demand.
The main decals were done by Westland Models and are available from them should you wish to have a VDR for yourself. Some of the tiny decals for load, tare, etc. were done at home on a laser printer using laser decal paper from local hobby shop. The laser printed decals sprayed with a Testors Decal Bonder which made them easier to apply as the laser decal film is extremely thin and fragile. I understand Westland Models will be including the smaller decals in their VDR sheet for future orders.
Prior to decalling, the model was airbrushed with Revell gloss white enamel, and Revell matt varnish used as a clear protective coat over the decals. The underframe is Revel No. 9 "Anthracite". The bogies are American Models Bettendorf style, with 3D-printed bolsters to convert them to narrow gauge.
The 3D-printed body of the VDR is printed in one piece, and printed upside down to obtain the optimum definition for the louvred sections. Some cleanup is required to roof as there is visible stepping and also remnant of the support structure from the 3D printing process. The lack of other detail on the roof makes the cleanup pretty easy. The exhaust pipe from the refigeration unit is vulnerable to damage while cleaning up the roof, so there is a spare printed on the underframe in case if gets broken (which it did on the test model). All the the details visible are included in the 3D printed body, apart from handrails and the brake pulls rods and their supports, which must be fabricated from brass wire and strip.
