Porcy Mane Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 (edited) Does anyone know if there are scale drawings for these vehicles other than those in BRM Annual or BRJ? I've got some drawings based on the Pressed Steel originals. When I say, "I've got", what I mean is I've just spent 10 minutes looking through the highly disorganised mess that is my filing system and can't find where they are. They would be difficult to scan as i) they are a bit bigger than A3 ii) my scanners screwed at the moment but when I find them (That may take some time!) I'll see what I can do. I'm fairly sure they appear in one of the diagram books. I think the drawing in the diagram book is wrong from the point of view that it shows the wrong number of panel divisions on the box sides. I wonder if there is still enough interest in these to warrant a more detailed up to date version. The fact that it was never in the public eye may have a bearing on this but the novelty value of a maybe limited run could be worth thinking about. I’ve got 25 of the things stashed under my bed. I’ve always fancied a full rake being tested behind a 47. The “silly” plan at the moment is resin cast the bodies (I’ve watched your demo Jon), then stick the Scalecraft stuff on eBay. It would be like a small lottery windfall the price they go for. Porcy Edited July 4, 2013 by Porcy Mane Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted July 4, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 4, 2013 Before the overhead went on we ran a small rake of these on Herculaneum Dock and it always ended with lots of questions. I have 2 or three and thanks to Mr Isherwwood they have RoadRailer in block capitals down the side. Anyone built the open version? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porcy Mane Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 (edited) Anyone built the open version? I can't remember if Tim Shackleton built an open version for his MRJ article??? but there is this: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&p=510220 P Edited July 4, 2013 by Porcy Mane Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 Before the overhead went on we ran a small rake of these on Herculaneum Dock and it always ended with lots of questions. I have 2 or three and thanks to Mr Isherwwood they have RoadRailer in block capitals down the side. Anyone built the open version? Regards, John Isherwood. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted December 24, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 24, 2015 Has anyone got a set of instructions for Set no 1 that they could scan and send me please? Thanks in advance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I wonder if there is still enough interest in these to warrant a more detailed up to date version. The fact that it was never in the public eye may have a bearing on this but the novelty value of a maybe limited run could be worth thinking about. It was tried again about twenty years ago with Trailertrain, it was used out of Melton Mowbray on Pedigree traffic at the same time as the Piggyback was being used/developed! It faded away! Mark Saunders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porcy Mane Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) Has anyone got a set of instructions for Set no 1 that they could scan and send me please? Also now having access to a few colour photographs it think that there may be a slight error in The CCT transfer sheet in that all the numbers on the production Roadrailer Boxes were red. It looks like only the 2 initial prototype boxes had black numbers. Also I've confirmed that the roof profile on the prototype boxes were slightly different to the production batch. Scalecraft RR's was based on the initial unmodified versions of the prototype boxes. P Edited December 24, 2015 by Porcy Mane Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted December 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 25, 2015 RoadrailerIns-1.jpg RoadrailerIns-2.jpg Also now having access to a few colour photographs it think that there may be a slight error in The CCT transfer sheet in that all the numbers on the production Roadrailer Boxes were red. It looks like only the 2 initial prototype boxes had black numbers. Also I've confirmed that the roof profile on the prototype boxes were slightly different to the production batch. Scalecraft RR's was based on the initial unmodified versions of the prototype boxes. P XmasSmile.png Fantastic Christmas present! Many thanks. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I wonder what happenned to the moulds? Would be nice to see it back in production. Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I wonder what happenned to the moulds? Would be nice to see it back in production. Stewart Didn't Peco take over production? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushVeteran Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Didn't Peco take over production? I think Peco marketed it as part of their range but it was actually designed and produced by Scalecraft. I think it would have to be produced as more of an RTR project to have any viability in today's market. The adaptor bogie would need to be more substantial to be able to be modelled with a weighted trailing load, which like the prototype, would add to the stability when running. Again I would ask the question what interest is there for it bearing in mind the prototype project got aborted for the more flexible BR Freightliner? This may be one for the smaller 'Cottage Industry' producers but I for one would be quite willing to support such a venture. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
decauville1126 Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Didn't Peco take over production? I too always thought that Peco handled trade distribution. Scalecraft produced many other plastic kits, most if not all of the click-together type. Google "Scalecraft Twickenham" and you'll find out some other info. Seems they had a fire circa 1968 which resulted in their demise. Wouldn't be too difficult to use an unbuilt set as masters for resin casting assuming nobody acquired the copyright and/or moulds. But as production methods have leapfrogged the intervening years, 3D printing might even be easier? Whichever way you look at it, sales are likely to be small and maybe just not worth the effort. Genesis Models do/did the adaptor bogie in whitemetal, so leaving aside the tractor unit it's just maybe the box trailers. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted December 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 25, 2015 I remember making one of these years ago. I would be interested in one or two. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porcy Mane Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 (edited) Wouldn't be too difficult to use an unbuilt set as masters for resin casting assuming nobody acquired the copyright and/or moulds. That was my plan to build a full rake but the Scalecraft RR mouldings really show their age & are not that accurate when compared to pressed steel drawings. The roof profile is a good bit out so the side panels are too high. Good in their day though and could give Airfix rolling stock kits a good run for their money. I bought my last two new ones from a model shop in Torquay in 1981. They still had a pre decimalisation price on the box so the shop must have had them in stock for years. Whichever way you look at it, sales are likely to be small and maybe just not worth the effort. I sometimes wonder if there is a large demand for them. Seeing what price they can achieve on ebay? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolling-stock-Scalecraft-Roadrailer-Kit-No-1-OO-gauge-complete-kit-/111600734670?nma=true&si=3sbh%252B9t2ABGwemOkrWzTIbuWCzc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 There seems to be demand for one off locos like Bachmanns DP1, the Blue Pullman and the likes of specialist rolling such as the Inspection Saloons. Probably there is less perceived demand for the Roadrailer due to lack of publicity. Maybe if more punters were aware of it; it might start to appear in wish lists? A rake of ten might just luck spot on on a layout behind a class 31. e.g. http://www.eastanglianrailwayarchive.co.uk/Railways/Abandoned-Lines-and-Stations/i-SbRfHfZ Not only that. Any prospective manufacture would be building a wagon that would have automatic in built 3 point compensation. P Edited December 26, 2015 by Porcy Mane 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushVeteran Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 I will look at this try and get an up to date costing based on starting from scratch. It will be when I get involved with another product commission so wont be anytime soon. We already have access to the RTR dmu bogie so rest is pretty simple apart from the 'rocking' trailer wheels. The photograph in post #39 is interesting because it shows the prototype box van trailer at the rear of the train. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 The photograph in post #39 is interesting because it shows the prototype box van trailer at the rear of the train. .... one of the two prototype box van trailers ..... Regards, John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Also now having access to a few colour photographs it think that there may be a slight error in The CCT transfer sheet in that all the numbers on the production Roadrailer Boxes were red. It looks like only the 2 initial prototype boxes had black numbers. When I'm back home on Tuesday I will check my Roadrailer photos, but would welcome sight of the ones to which you have access. Any amendments that are needed to my Roadrailer transfer sheet will be made. Regards, John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 (edited) ISTR a contributor to the RM in the early 1960s by the name of SF Page made a train of these and produced an article about them. It may be worth searching through the Railway Modeller back-catalogue, possibly 1963-1964. Didn't Scalecraft also produce a kit of a cast concrete domestic type garage? Edited December 26, 2015 by roythebus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 ISTR a contributor to the RM in the early 1960s by the name of SF Page made a train of these and produced an article about them. It may be worth searching through the Railway Modeller back-catalogue, possibly 1963-1964. Didn't Scalecraft also produce a kit of a cast concrete domestic type garage? I also remember seeing this....I'll have to find it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 26, 2015 Until the Liverpool Overhead was added to the layout we ran four of the Road railers on Herculaneum Dock. I still have another complete kit to build. And, thanks to CCTransfers, they are lettered as Road railers. Baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted December 26, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2015 I wonder if there is still enough interest in these to warrant a more detailed up to date version. The fact that it was never in the public eye may have a bearing on this but the novelty value of a maybe limited run could be worth thinking about. About 2000 I went to wickhams and they had developed what looked like a road rail VDA van, which was kind of the opposite to road railer where road 'bogies' were attached to the vehicles for use on the road. I'm not sure what happened to it I've certainly not seen any pictures of it being mainline tested. Shame as I thought it had promise Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 It was tried again about twenty years ago with Trailertrain, it was used out of Melton Mowbray on Pedigree traffic at the same time as the Piggyback was being used/developed! It faded away! Mark Saunders Didn't 'TrailerTrain' also work on paper traffic from Aberdeen to Wolverton? All these 'amphibious' systems suffer from the draw-back of having to carry a lot more tare weight than their road or rail equivalents. On 'Road-Railer' stock, the underframe has to be robust enough to handle being hauled in a train, whilst 'truck on Flat Car' systems there is the weight of both road and rail chassis to be taken into account. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted December 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 26, 2015 (edited) ISTR a contributor to the RM in the early 1960s by the name of SF Page made a train of these and produced an article about them. It may be worth searching through the Railway Modeller back-catalogue, possibly 1963-1964. Perhaps you are referring to the article in Railway Modeller for 1961 December Pages 292 & 293? There is no author given for the article, which is rare for the RM. Edit to add This article makes reference to kits, but doesn't acknowledge who made them. So perhaps not available by then? Edited December 26, 2015 by kevinlms Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted December 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 26, 2015 .... one of the two prototype box van trailers ..... Regards, John Isherwood. Both of which can be seen together in an uncredited photo in RM December 1961 page 293. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted December 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 26, 2015 Perhaps you are referring to the article in Railway Modeller for 1961 December Pages 292 & 293? There is no author given for the article, which is rare for the RM. Edit to add This article makes reference to kits, but doesn't acknowledge who made them. So perhaps not available by then? These are all the references that I can find to Roadrailers in Railway Modeller: December 1961 - "The Roadrailer". No author attributed (generally this means it was written by CJF himself). 2 pages, 4 photographs and a hypothetical depot plan. March 1962 - "The Roadrailer", S F Page. One of the items in the Mixed Freight miscellany. Sydney F Page was a regular contributor to RM (and also to Meccano Magazine) at the time, usually with short articles and/or photos featuring his 00 gauge Longdon, Newborough and Easthyde Railway. September 1962 - "Putting the Roadrailer to work", S F Page. Using the Roadrailer kits on his layout. 2 pages, 3 photographs. October 1962 - "Roadrailer garage". Unattributed article (again probably by CJF) on scratchbuilding a model garage from card. 1 page, 1 sketch. September 1963 - "Speeding the freight". One unattributed and undated photo (possibly a BR official image) purporting to show a London - Edinburgh Roadrailer train. May 1964 - "Roadrailer hints", S F Page. Another Mixed Freight item. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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