Technique of the month

Secure those loads

Modern-style fabric retaining straps are employed to secure all manner of commodities on freight wagons and lorries. This can be recreated with thin strips of insulation tape, with a colour chosen to suit your prototype. Fix the ends of the tape to the wagon’s mounting points (or an approximation of where they’re likely to be) with a tiny drop of cyano glue, applied with a cocktail stick. Once cured, trim the tape, take up the slack and fix the other end of the strap. (GD)

Product: Black insulation tape Availability: DIY or hardware stores

Place the strips into position, sticky side down. Take up the slack, but avoid stretching the tape excessively, or it will put pressure on the bond. Note if the wagon features strap locating points.

Lay a strip of tape onto a clean cutting mat. With a sharp scalpel and a steel rule, cut the tape into thin strips. For this ‘OO’ wagon, I’ve created strips 1.5mm wide.

This Bachmann BDA features moulded ratchet strap mounting points on the solebars, to which the tape can be glued with a drop of cyano adhesive.