# A 'Mud Wagon'



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

I have started a model of a ‘Mud Wagon’ which I class as a small stagecoach, that was used on the somewhat poor Colorado roads, they were and are much more lightly built than the heavier Stagecoaches, and especially in winter; with either muddy or snowbound roads could travel the (bad) roads, hence the name ‘Mud wagon’ as these vehicles could deal with the conditions.

I started the body first – there is a side view available on the web of a ‘San Diego to Yuma’ Mud wagon and I used that making it wide enough for a couple of passengers; it is possible that they were 3 passengers wide but looking at my other horse drawn vehicles and finding that the track of them was said to be 5 foot 2 inches: using that I ended up with a 2 seat side by side version.

The body is all styrene card except the roof, and seat cushions etc., which are Sintra board. The styrene is mainly 1mm with lots of strips to replicate the framework; the luggage rack frame is 1mm barss wire glued together with the center horizontal rods being 1mm diameter plastic rod, that is easier to cut exactly to length.

The curved front boards are a 4 layer concoction, the intention being that the two center layers of aluminum will ‘hold’ the shape; of two layers of .004 aluminum can material and then two layers of 1/2mm planked styrene; the strapping is 1/mm thick black styrene top & bottom: completing it are the two pieces at the bottom of the sides which also assist in holding of the shape when it has been glued in position.

The rear (luggage) deck is plain 1mm thick styrene scribed and the strapping added as the front. The ‘chains' to assist in holding the deck up are pieces of wire with some lead foil wrapped round them to replicate the protective tube; this is from my dentist you if asked will give you plenty – they are the small pieces of very thin lead that are used as backing pieces for dental X rays; they have also been used for making the three pieces of ‘leather’ for the front of the open area below the drivers seat and the sides of the curved footrest as well. 

The chassis has been started – the wheels a are a combination of the front wheels are from Northeast Narrow Gauge, using the rear ones from their ‘commercial’ set, and the rear wheels are from a UK company – Hobbies, who make plastic wheels for their small range of Horse Drawn vehicles. I have added some hubs from bits of plastic tube so they have a common design.

The rest of the chassis is mainly Sintra board – from scrap, with some Plastruct ABS square tube for the axles. Again from the ‘web I found some information and isometric plans for a Mud Wagon (1932) and a Stagecoach as well (1946 this time) . From these I worked out a chassis (my version is much smaller) and it is going well.

Here are some photos of the body, and one of the chassis being built. 











Left hand side view The body alone is 7 and a half inches, by 2 and three eights inches wide - it is just a bit longer than my 'Surrey'. There will be a 4 mule team to pull it I think -they have not yet been ordered!











View of the roof - the seat cushions and backs have been fitted. 











Right hand side - the central strut has been made - it has not been fitted to allow better access to the interior.The canvas curtains are more of the small sheets of lead from the dentist. Roll them up around a piece of wire, having added the glue first. 

The glue is my usual glue - Evo-stik. 













The chassis and the central seat- which fits at the back of those central pillars.


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

As always the start of a great looking project. How many horses will be pulling the wagon.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Pete - 

To keep the total length down there will be 4 mules; they used up to 6; but that will make the whole ensemble a bit long!


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Very Nice, Cant wait to se it "rolling" I never heard of the mud wagon before either. Thanks for sharing!


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

"To keep the total length down there will be 4 mules; they used up to 6; but that will make the whole ensemble a bit long!" 

Peter; 

Great start! Your statement above evoked a memory of the 20 mule team Borax kits that were available when I was a child. Those kits were roughly HO scale (Don't hold me to that - haven't seen one in decades) but were about 24 inches long when assembled. Just imagine how long that kit would be in 1:24! 

Best, 
David Meashey


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Looking good!


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Woof....nice!!!! Keep the photos comin'.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Peter,

Good start on the wagon will be another great addition to your railroad.

Dave,

The 20 mule teams kits are still being made, they are 1/32 scale. Check this site http://www.muleteamkits.com/

Chuck


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Guys

The 20 mule team kit is 1/67 scale, sorry bout that.

Chuck


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

My ‘Mud Wagon’ is now almost complete, lacking the 4 mules for it, which have been bought, and in the ‘paint shop’ before having their harness fitted – quite a job in itself as all the straps will be times four. They have had some surgery – nothing too complicated – the ears have been repositioned, and a couple of tails have had the same done to them. They are to be painted either ‘Belgian Draft’ or blonde sorrel color – they look to be both the same! That color is a red or yellow brown color very like a deeper version of Palomino horses.

Our snow has gone, as we now have milder air off the Atlantic, and so it was time to go outside with the newly completed model for more photos, some of the results are below.

The vehicle has the center pole (to allow for a 4 mule team) made and also the ‘swingle trees’ for them as well – these are the pieces that go behind the horse (or mule), to keep the traces apart and getting in the way of the rear legs of the animal.

I decided that there ought to be some luggage for the rack on the roof – so some was made from scraps of Sintra board and Styrene and painted up. The rear boot also has a cover made for it that is removable, at the same time a couple of rolled tarpaulins were also made; all are from a heavyweight aluminum foil. As a result the rear boot tarpaulin holds its shape.










1 mule almost complete, one started and two to go, then the harness - from aluminum foil is to be made. The Mules (which are from the Safari model horse range - same size as Schliech) are placed in position, and in front are some of the smaller pieces of luggage. Missing are a side step for the driver (& guard( to clamber up) they have now been made and fitted - scale 6" square (pop can) foil with a glue bit at right angles two panels down from the top of the sides of the front seat.










A slightly higher viewpoint - you can now see the 'luggage' 












Higher still and moving round to the back - note the (removable) tarpaulin on the rear boot. The first step for the driver can also be seen. 











A better view of the luggage - note the handbrake - the step is made from a small staple and a bit of styrene., and it is glued to a wire crossbar The yellow tapered bit is where the whipple tree, that holds the swingle trees fits. The 'canvas curtains are dentists X Ray lead foil, as are the differently colored straps.











Back down to 'ground level'; the 2 mules are in the 'as bought' color.











Here is the luggage and the rear boot tarpaulin off its location. 





























Finally 3 photos of the Mud Wagon and its larger cousin the Stagecoach - this is the Papo one that I had bought earlier, and is a bit larger as I think they were in their respective full size versions. Posed in front of my blacksmith shop.


Both vehicles will accept the Prieser size figures though you need a pair of tweezers to get them in! 


Enjoy!


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Fabulous, Peter..... A real work of patience and art.... 

Marvelous...


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 





The 4 mules that I had re-painted for my ‘Mud Wagon’ have all received their harness and a base had been made for the entire ensemble to be glued to – that makes it much easier to move around – 4 animals + the mud wagon are a bit of a handful with all the harness as well.





The strapping has been made from strips of aluminum food trays – marked out in two widths (2mm and 3.75mm) with a pair of spring dividers, and cut with a Stanley knife: that leaves a sharp edge, flatten it with the edge of the handle of a modeling knife , (I use a scalpel so the handle is a nice width to do it), keeping the sharp edge to the handle a couple of ‘pull throughs’ will suffice to smooth the sharp edge down. Then gently straighten out the now curved strips, using some gentle drawing through your fingers!





The strips are roughened up and painted, whilst they are drying I made a couple of sizes of rings that are used with the two widths to fit them: these are made from fuse wire being .020 and .030 thick; wrap the wire round some tube with the end trapped inside the tube and then cut them off and true them up – they may need some careful reductions in size for the larger ones.





All mules have as horse/mule collars that, with the traces are the method of transferring their pull to the wagon they are being used with. The traces are fixed to the collars and they also keep the reins in position en route to the driver. There is another style as well that uses breast straps, instead of collars but that seems to be for lighter use, my lighter vehicles use that style. 





The web provided the diagrams of what was needed (look under ‘US Army horse drawn equipment – here is the link http://www.lovettartillery.com/US_A...pment_.htm 





for some assistance – I find it to be a very good site, scroll down past the gun diagrams for the horse drawn diagrams. The collar base was found there and cut from .020 styrene in two parts and joined at the base before fitting to the mules; then the collar itself was made from Sintra board strips bent to shape and glued down over the base – it is fitted towards the upper edge. Over those go the ‘hames’ which have all the rings fitted to them – the ‘hames’ themselves I have made from 1mm diameter wire; they ought to be tapered but I claim ‘modelers license’, these are an early design for my purpose ! Making them was a useful exercise in 3D thinking! The rings are made with a pair of round nosed pliers from 1/2mm brass wire, and are glued into pre-drilled holes , the upper ends can be left as trimmed up or fitted with small spheres - to replicate them I used several layers of glue, building them up in stages.





The harness can now be fitted – four times! When complete the bits that allow the mules to pull (they have marvelous names for these pieces - each mule has a swingletree, and those are fitted to a whiffletree, that is fixed to a cross bar on the vehicle and for the front mules that set is fitted to a long projecting shaft (called a tongue). All have three rings loops fitted to each – more rings and wire bits! The American names may be slightly different, but are quite close.





Here are some photos taken with a bit too much sun but they give a good impression of the work involved. When all have their main harness fitted they were fixed, with the wagon to the base, (colored to roughly match my ‘road’, and the final parts which were the long reins. Those are joined together above the rumps of each animal so the driver has only 4 reins to holds for control – two in each hand.






































Enjoy!


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Very cool model ! I can't even begin to image what it was like riding cross-county any distance in something like that, musta been something mighty uncomfortable, especially in heat, dust, summer rain or as you said, the resulting mud.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Really nice work! Looks great!


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

You are a true master Peter. There aren't many who would go to the level of detail that you do. Beautiful work.

Doc


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