MODEL BUURT SPOOR
M.B.S. EL 101
Nineth model is M.B.S. LE 101 postal-baggage wagon.
In order to demonstrate the origin of these wooden postal baggage car, LE 101 should definitely not be missing from the M.B.S. rolling stock list.
It's the first postal baggage car built by the M.B.S. workshop, which met the demand.
M.B.S. LE 101 has been in service since October 9, 2022.
Beschrijving van post-bagagewagen M.B.S. EL 101
With the construction of Maas Buurt Spoorweg Mij. LE 101 postal baggage car was started
at the beginning of July 2022 in the M.B.S. workplace.
The request to have a self-built postal baggage car in the rolling stock list was thus met.
Except of LE 101, all M.B.S. postal baggage car were converted of series EL 101-106, this
postal baggage wagon shows the original version.
M.B.S. EL 101 has been put into service, as LE 101.
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M.B.S. series 101-104 was delivered in 1913, numbers 105 and 106 in 1916.
The name was previously LE 101-106, but after a number of years the letters were reversed.
L stands for Lettres (French for letters = post) and E for Expresse, indicating the freight department.
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A summary of these renovations: EL 101 left unchanged
EL 102 converted into a D V motor locomotive in 1938
EL 103 converted into a D IV motor locomotive in 1937
EL 104 in 1936 converted into a motor locomotive D III *
EL 105 in 1935 converted into a motor locomotive D II *
EL 106 in 1934 converted into a motor locomotive D I *
(* D I, D II and D III ran in varying combinations with the carriages AB 12, AB 13 and AB 14)
M.B.S. LE 102 in new condition on the factory site of Allan & Co at Rotterdam Kleiweg in 1913, shortly before delivery to the M.B.S.
The M.B.S. was still indicated with letters without the diamond shape around it and the letters L.E. had not yet been reversed
Below the second window from the left is the letterbox with a white envelope above it as a sign that people could offer post at stops
and stations
The probable reason why they first started converting with EL 106 to a motor locomotive is that if there are two postal baggage wagons would have been converted, the others would always continue to form a coherent series.
These postal baggage cars were ideal for these conversions, with the frame part between the two
The bogie pivots were only reinforced on EL 102 and EL 103 to support the heavy diesel engine and
generator without excessive deflections.
Partly for this reason, the frame of EL 101 was not used in the rebuilding of R.T.M. M 68 (1st) to M 67, it
would have to be constructed all over again.
With EL 106, EL 105 and EL 104, the diesel engine, generator and appendages were on a
separate sprung subframe.
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The aforementioned EL 101 ultimately remained unchanged, but it's suspected that the conversion
of a sixth motor locomotive to outplace all steam locomotives (this could have become the D VI in 1940) never was
carried out due to the outbreak of World War two.
We'll never know though.
The baggage compartment was 2/3 to the right of the center and the mail compartment 1/3 to the left.
On EL 106, EL 105 and EL 104, the postal compartment was converted to a cabin, with both entrance doors and the rear door of the baggage compartment remaining unchanged.
The postal side was characterized as the front and this is still the case with R.T.M. M 67 today.
EL 103 and EL 102 both had steering positions at the front and rear (the cabin was shorter than EL 104 - EL 106), they
were non short-coupled locomotives (at the M.B.S. they nicknamed them 'Trekkers').
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The postal compartment had a mailbox and two access doors on both sides, while the baggage compartment had a large sliding door on either side and a small one in the end wall.
The postal compartment also had a mail sorting facility, but no walk-through facility and the entire car was equipped with pressurized-gas lighting.
EL 101 was also sold to R.T.M. at Rotterdam in the first months of 1946 and arrived with all the other rolling
passenger stock of the M.B.S. at Rotterdam Handelsterrein.
It never went into service with an R.T.M. number and was re-gauged, the bogies were used on new build motor locomotive R.T.M. Scholekster with traction motors of decommissioned R.T.M. M 74 in 1954.
The old frame with its remains was eventually demolished in 1955, mutated on paper and removed.
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Technical data:
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* Length measured over the buffers: 10940 mm
* Body length: 10000 mm
* Wagon width: 2060 mm
* Car body height: 3250 mm
* Wheel position (axle distance in bogie): 1400 mm
* Truck position (distance between bogie stands): 6750 mm
* Wheel diameter: 700mm
* Weight including axles: 10920 kg
* Weight excluding axles: 9890 kg
* Load capacity: 10000 kg
* Load capacity: 10000 kg
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Commissioning: June 1913
Series: L.E. 101 - 104
Manufacturer: Allan & Co´s Rotterdam
M.B.S. EL 101 on the Handelsterrein in Rotterdam after arrival from Gennep, April 20, 1946.
Like all other M.B.S. materially it had suffered enormous war damage
A copy of the original Allan & Co overview drawing from 1912 by M.B.S. EL 101-106 was used to build the model.
M.B.S. EL 101 right rear at the depot site in Gennep, August 15, 1942.
Construction report of M.B.S. EL 101
Just as EL 102, M 67 and EL 104 and other self-built equipment have been built, work is being started on
cutting to size, aligning, adding ballast weight and assembling the frame.
The pivots have a slightly different mounting than the other equipment, this was done deliberately.
It is not possible to exchange bogies with the carriages, unlike the origin company.
EL 101 has adapted shorter coupling beams.
The frame beams are soldered together for further construction
The EL 101 frame already has the ballast weight in the middle for favorable driving characteristics plus both bogies pivot.
The next step is to temporarily install the bogies, although it is not yet entirely clear which type will be installed underneath.
The bogies that are now underneath are the original ones, once manufactured for the AB 14.
For better driving characteristics, AB 14 has standard LGB bogies, such as the bogie on the test track.
Fixed with axles
and put in place onto the test track.
The next step is to adjust the height of the frame relative to the track, so that the buffers also have the correct height.
The bumpers have already been mounted, as have the standing profiles that form the final structure.
When the cornice (these are the horizontal profiles that supports the roof) is in place, the standing profiles can be riveted to the frame, everything is still soldered.
A close-up of the old bogies of AB 14.
Because the driving characteristics of these bogies are unknown, they will not be mounted under EL 101.
EL 101 also has mounted axles in standard bogies, as the carriages also have.
The workshop has now installed the first planks.
This is the cargo side with a top door sliding to the right.
The (other) postal side has no passage.
The wagon floor will first be installed before the walls are further constructed.
The left side wall under construction with the Allan photo of the EL 102 behind it as a reference.
A quick summary shows that there are approximately 600 1mm bolt-nut connections on EL 101 to keep all the slats in place.
At the position of the fourth pillar from the left, a dividing wall will be placed between the postal compartment on the left and the luggage compartment on the right.
Again the left side wall without doors and windows on September 26, 2022.
The structure is, except for the rear right corner, ready for furnishing and finishing.
On the right side, all posts still need to be riveted to the frame.
Enough work, we're not there yet....
Installing the dividing wall between postal compartment and cargo space.
This partition wall had no door, just like the end wall of the postal department.
In the early days, an employee always rode along to handle the mail, who, together with the conductor, were the only ones who had access.
It was also possible to give postal parcels or post letters or cards.
For this purpose, there were mailboxes next to both entrance doors or you could hand your package over to the postal worker or conductor.
Clearly visible are the many heads of the 1mm bolts with which the planks are attached to the posts.
Placing the interior walls of the postal compartment, some comfort for the postal worker is desirable in the winter months.
In reality, this compartment was also double-walled, for the same reason.
In terms of design, the transition between the outside and inside walls will be finished with a wafer-thin slat, between which the doors will be placed.
The left door of the postal department ready to be mounted.
4 holes with M1 thread have already been pre-drilled on the inner wall to secure both hinges.
The first (left) door is hanging in place.
The parcel table is mounted against the end wall on the left behind the door, with the wheel for the parking brake on the right.
This screw brake was intended to allow the car to be braked, as it does not have its own brake air reservoir.
However, the wagon in train formation could be continuously braked from the traction vehicle.
And the right door shortly before hanging.
One of the things missing from the interior of the postal department was a small sink.
It has become my own interpretation based on what I could deduce from the drawing.
A separate back wall with a water reservoir above the sink with about 10 liters of water.
110 years ago, mentions such as "no drinking water" or the like were not used, water is water.
There must have been a regulation for regularly cleaning and filling this reservoir, but as with everything, the regulations deteriorated and the reservoir would have been empty most of the time.
After all, water, or in most cases, coffee could be obtained at any stop or station between Gennep and Venlo.
The Gennep - Venlo line section was the first operating area of LE 101-106, until the M.B.S. converted the first wagons into traction vehicles.
From 1938, the Gennep - Nijmegen line section was added for postal transport.
By then it was already a bit too late, also for the entire tram company, road transport with cars, buses and trucks gradually took over 'power'.​
The second photo shows the interior, in a light wood color with the fountain, to the left the screw brake and to the right against the partition wall the sorting area.
This piece of furniture, consisting of 25 sorting compartments, is also an interpretation of what I could deduce from the drawing.​
There were mailboxes on the left and right of the postal department.
These were provided with a square stamp by the postal worker, indicating that it was discovered in a rail vehicle.
In Gennep or Venlo this mail was transferred to the Post Office for further distribution.
Sending a letter by tram was generally faster than the usual way via the post office.
However, not all tram companies had this luxury.
The only door in the end wall has also been made movable.
Because EL 101 is built in great detail, all doors are made movable.
Although there are windows in both departments, an open door gives a better look into the interior.
In the photo below one of the sliding doors is in the making.
It is important that the frame of the door is absolutely square, otherwise the door will get stuck on the guide rail.
It is made of 2x2mm H-profile where the top and bottom profiles slide on a T-profile.
Furthermore, all other items, such as door stops, handles, hook locks, etc. only come onto the wagon when both sliding doors slide properly onto it's guide rail.
The left photo shows the inside of the left sliding door with its lock.
This lock is a hook that falls over a pin and is secured with a small spring.
This is the same for both sliding doors.
In the photo on the left and below a close-up of this hook.
The 1mm shaft slides through the door and is tensioned on the inside with a spring, so that the sliding door remains locked.
EL 101 has the first layer of varnish put on.
The interior is ready and the roof is ready for finishing.
The postal compartment will have an additional ceiling.
Furthermore, all handles, air and steam pipes, couplings, screw brakes, steps, various rivets, two compressed gas lamps, reinforcing triangles and buffers will still have to be installed.
All missing parts have been mounted and the painter has started the very patient painting work.
First the bottom side (see photo), followed by the first layer of clear lacquer for some unvarnished wooden parts.
The posts are then painted brown.
Once that is done, the second layer of clear coat follows.
The postal department will have a ceiling, the baggage department will not.
When the entire car is ready, the roof can be put on...
but we are still a long way from that.
The brown paint for the posts had to be ordered new, the old paint had not been stored airtight after the previous use at the R.T.M. M67.
This is the same with enamel paints from Humbrol and Revell. Over time, a layer of hardened paint is created along the sealing edge of the pots, through which air can flow.
That is one of the reasons why there is only 14 ml of paint in it.
A close-up view of the postal department or, if you prefer, postal compartment.
The wagon number at the top left, with the original number that the wagon received in 1913 when it was put into service is painted
by hand on the wood.
beneath the window on the right is the mailbox again, indicated by a white envelope with a red wax seal.
This is also present in Allan's factory photo, although it is difficult to see.
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Below is a detailed view of the baggage department, with the wagon number again at the same height.
In the middle of the sliding door the letters of the company: Maas Buurt Spoorweg.
Later these were framed with a diamond shape, personally I prefer it without the frame...
As mentioned earlier, the roof is already ready for installation.
We are now waiting for the brown paint for the uprights.
M.B.S. L.E. 101 is nearing completion, the wagon has now been painted and the bogies underneath are mounted with the correct axles.
The bogies were originally fitted with two standard L.G.B. bogies were budgeted, but the coupling outriggers of these bogies had to be shortened by 25mm.
Unfortunately, the self-build bogies from our own workshop cannot be assembled with these TL45 axles, as two axle ends of which are shortened electrically via the bogie frame.
The last minor things are being updated, if not already this has been done.
The bogies have been exchanged with those showed underneath for trouble-free performance.
The photo was taken shortly before the roof was glued on...
Sanding the roof.
The roofs of carriages and freight wagons were covered with tarpaulin until the 1930s.
This thick linen tarpaulin, consisting as much as possible of one piece, was smeared with linseed oil after which dried and sieved white (= yellow) sand was sprinkled on top as a waterproof layer. After drying, the roof was coated with linseed oil or waterproof varnish again and sometimes sanded again.
Varnishing or covering with linseed oil was repeated a few times so that the roof was completely waterproof.
The cloth was folded over at the edges and covered with a slat.
On carriages, this bar was fairly large and shaped in a more or less quarter-round profile.
The fact that the roofs appear so light in color in old photos is due to this method.
Because LE 101 was built and was put into service in the condition in which it was delivered new to the M.B.S., the roof was also made in this sand color.
The state of completion of M.B.S. L.E. 101.
The postal baggage car is now ready and delivered with a commissioning date of 09-10-2022.
This construction project has now been completed.