From the real thing to a model
I often get asked at shows where do I get my ideas from and have to explain that my models are based on the originals. When I first started this hobby I used drawings produced and sold by John Thompson and David Wray. These two expert draughtsmen had recorded numerous carts and waggons across the UK. Although both are now deceased their plans remain widely available for those who may be interested.
When I lived in north Wales I used to display my models with the Abergele Shire Horse Society. Sometimes in a barn that had been recently vacated by cattle as you can see in some of the photos below!
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Finding Subjects
Farmers would say to me "I have got a cart in my barn you should come and see it. That is how I started to produce my own scale drawings. I was lucky in that I had the necessary skills having learnt them whilst a schoolboy in Dynevor School in Swansea. I was a bit rusty but it soon came back with a bit of practice.
So how do I find things now? Well that is much more difficult than previously. Very few people are interested in preserving this important part of our social history. With the advent of tractors the horse and cart became redundant. Many carts were simply left to rot in the corner of a farmyard or cut up for firewood. Luckily there are a few private collectors who have an interest in this farming history and have preserved vehicles. In addition a number of museums have collections of vehicles and implements.
Keeping History Alive
I believe it is important to record this part of our social history and had this confirmed a couple of years ago. I displayed some models at a Ceredigion Young Farmers event and received a lot of interest. The organiser explained how important it was for young people to understand their heritage and many had little idea of way things had been before the tractor.
I learn of many carts and implements by word of mouth. Knowing where something is and gaining access are two different things. It can take six to eight months of negotiation to gain access. For some organisations it appears easier to say no than to say yes. It is much easier to deal with private individuals who share a common interest. Sometimes I hear of abandoned carts on derelict farms, access to derelict farms has to be treated cautiously although finding the landowner can be difficult.
How it's done
Having found my cart the next stage is detailed measurement. I make rough sketches of various components and the main structure.
I also take a number of photographs as an aid to the detail. One challenge is that the originals were not built from plans they were built by eye. When measuring it is not unusual to find that one side of a cart body will be one inch longer than the other side but will look straight. It is also not unusual to find yourself in awkward positions on a barn floor, in order to determine the underside construction.
Then it is onto the drawing board, usually a winter job! Using my sketches and photos I produce a scale drawing, plan, side elevation and end elevations.
No Short Cuts!
From this scale drawing I can then make my model. Everything has to be built from scratch. There are no bits available from model shops that help with the exception of chains and brass rivets that I can occasionally use to make bolts. Of course the nuts used are normally square as the originals were made by the local blacksmith. For my models I am usually working in 10 and 12 BA. The latter is challenging when making square nuts.
For me it is important to follow the original construction techniques. No glue was ever used in the originals. Wood joints were a tight fit often reinforced with wooden pegs or bolts. As I have stated previously I try to use the same timbers used in the originals such as Ash, Oak and Elm. The challenge is to reduce the wood to the required scale thickness. More challenging are Mortice and Tenon joints such as you see in the Harvest extension ladders on the model above. Having been doing this type of model making for a few years I am getting better at it!
