[Roughcast harling in 4mm]

1 hour ago, Wheatley said:

This is fine sandpaper painted. 

 

That looks the business - many thanks

[Roughcast harling in 4mm]

Any suggestions or examples of how to produce whitewashed roughcast harling in 4mm scale?

I want to reproduce the look of it over brick - not over rough stone.

I've seen a 2mm scale product (Wills I think) but nothing in 4mm

Thanks in advance for any suggestions - but would love to see photos too if possible....

[Railway Motors]

On 08/01/2022 at 18:12, Merfyn Jones said:

 

I think that a lot of people saw a few pictures of a trial livery in 1963 which has gained a bit of an 'urban myth' status.  It seems to have gained a name of stone, but I think it was a grey colour.  I have found just 3 pictures of the colour which was decided against and all subsequent repaints were yellow.  Unless some more pictures of it in general use can be found. 

Yellow did fade and a paint job from c1965 could be awaiting repaint by c1968+  . Trailers did not seem to get painted very often.

Hi Merfyn, regarding the ‘stone’ livery - could it be the grey coloured Scarabs that feature in the middle of this fantastic 1966 video about frieght handling in Sheffield? I love the way that the yards feature a mix of Yellow, grey as well as the older maroon and cream liveries all mixed together - as well as the ‘new’ Townsman. 

 

[Railway Motors]

6 minutes ago, Merfyn Jones said:

I'm sure you are right.  I have been through most of my photo collection this morning and find all the pictures of that type of trailer are with National Carriers, either in their own yellow livery or in the Rail Express Parcels contract livery of white and blue.

I guess they were built to replace the motley run down collection of B R trailers they inherited in 1968. The main difference to what went before was the upgrading from 3 to 5 tons with the double rear wheels and the side shutter doors.  I have a picture of one similar trailer with B R without the side doors and branded Railfreight, maybe a one off and towed by a Townsman.

The almost exclusive traction was the Ford D300 or D350 although I have one picture of a NCL livery Karrier Bantam with the 5ton trailer (so probably empty)

Nice kit, shame they are difficult to find now.  All the best with it.

 

I hope to be able to give some news shortly about the road vehicles of the railways.

Thanks Merfyn, that’s really helpful and thanks for taking the trouble to look through all your images too. Your model looks splendid BTW. The only other alternative livery image I found on the internet this morning was this one below. What would your best guess be for the earliest year the trailer would have had this rail freight livery? And what would your best guess explanation be for it’s existence?

[Railway Motors]

8 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

That looks like the Scammell Mechanical Horse coupling which came into use and was standardised by the big four railway companies. They were used with the Scammell three wheel mechanical horses and when they were withdrawn continued in use right up until the early eighties. They were used with the types of vehicles you mentioned above way back into the 'blood & custard' era so the yellow livery would be appropriate. 

Thanks Phil, you are right about the coupling which had been used for years for other trailers but I believe this particular style  of trailer body with the side roller door and sloping sides was only introduced sometime in the mid to late sixties. It may we’ll have been designed specifically and exclusively for NCL initially but I am just guessing that one.

[Railway Motors]

Can anyone tell me when these particular Tasker trailers were introduced and whether they were ever used with yellow rail freight livery? The earliest images I have found are either white express parcels livery or yellow National couriers livery. Also, what vehicles pulled them in their earliest years? I have seen Ford D but what about Karrie Bantams or Bedford TKs? I would like to make an authentic model for around 1966/67.  Any answers would be much appreciated.

[Cement Mixer Truck 1/76]

A simple conversion and repaint - base toys Commer cab and chassis plus a Herpa mixer body. Still some details and decals to add.

[Cement Mixer Truck 1/76]

Was never quite happy with my previous attempts so changed the 4 wheel Foden to a 6 wheeler and the 6 wheel Mickey Mouse Foden to an 8. I think they both look better for it...

[IXO 1/43 BMC FG + IXO Ford Et6 Pickfords, Bedford OYD British Railways]

Just about finished. I shortened the chassis. Scratchbuilt body with styrene and used model boat decking for the platform itself. The crane is a white metal kit from promod. Probably 1/50 but looks ok. Does anyone know of a source for 1/43 or 1/50 etched wipers? The ones with the original look rather toy like.

 

 

[IXO 1/43 BMC FG + IXO Ford Et6 Pickfords, Bedford OYD British Railways]

Work in Progress

[Loathe it to Love it - Lockdown Challenge]

As we face another gloomy lockdown I wondered whether anyone would be up for this little challenge? It all started with me when I wanted to practice some home decal making and a bit of weathering. I choose the model I liked least in my collection so that I wouldn't care about the results but after a little tinkering, it's now one of my favourites! So what about cheering-up one of your most loathed models and see what happens? Here is my before and after....

[Ballest trucks and trailers]

A final few details added

[Ballest trucks and trailers]

On 13/09/2020 at 21:04, Merfyn Jones said:

 

A couple of shots of one of the preserved ones which may help with yours. They show the correct fleet number if you wish to renumber it.

 

Thanks to your photos I’ve had a go at re-modelling the back of the truck. I haven’t got around to re-numbering yet but I think it is an improvement. With my limited skills I couldn’t replicate all the detail but I think it now has more of the flavour of the original. Thanks again.

[Ballest trucks and trailers]

Finally found time to modify a Trackside Foden Balleat Truck as well as ceate a suitable trailer. The original model is rather toy-like but i've always liked the quality of the paintwork and lining which is otherwise so hard to reproduce. As well as changing the Ballest body, window pillars were filed, rear window created and RTI wheels fitted. Just some wing mirrors to add still. 

[Front loader in 1:76]

On 03/01/2012 at 19:23, grandadbob said:

Hello Tim,

 

 

Can't help with a model but here's a (poor) scan of a slide I took in 1969 of a Neal Pelican that was formerly used for coal by the firm I worked for & then used for aggregates after they sold their coal business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe a project for a kitbash/scratchbuild?-I keep thinking about it then chicken out!

 

 

Regards

 

Bob

I came across this thread and hadn’t seen the Neal Pelican front loder before. I had it in mind to have a go at recreating it at some point based on the Oxford Diecast Fordson. Finally got around to it using a lot of styrene bits and pieces but really pleased with the result. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

 

[Take one Foden and one Coles crane]

Having seen some photos of the original I couldn’t resist creating this mobile crane by bringing together a cannibalised trackside Coles crane with an RTI Foden cab, some old airfix bits and some styrene. 

[Coal lorry]

Here is one example I produced from RTI cab and Base Toy chassis/body with a few additions - A 1958 Bedford

[Front loader in 1:76]

I was looking for a front shovel loader for a long time. Finally bought a Wiking HO scale model but with a new larger cab I think it looks in keeping with 1.76 sca;e

[Cement Mixer Truck 1/76]

Had another go with a RTI cab and chassis plus a mixer from a 1/87 Herpa Mercedes - shortened to fit. My favourite Foden this time

[Cement Mixer Truck 1/76]

Getting there...

[Cement Mixer Truck 1/76]

3 hours ago, phil gollin said:

.

 

That looks remarkably good.   Could you tell us which Base Toys chassis and Kibri cement mixer lorry you used as "donors" ?

 

.

Thank you - ebay purchases - Kibri Mercedes Cement Mixer and Base Toys Thames Trader (shortened)

[Cement Mixer Truck 1/76]

Inspired to come up with something myself. Nothing glued together yet but comprises of:

Foden cab from RTI, Base toys chassis and a Kibri 1/87 body. Was worried about the scale of the body but I think it just about works

[Bachmann FFA/FGA early container flats]

2 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

A five-wagon set would be: FGA, FFA, FFA, FFA, FGA; FGA (Outer) wagons have conventional draw-gear on one end, and a bar (semi-fixed) coupling at the other. The FFA (inner) wagons have bar-couplings at both ends, and thus couldn't be coupler to the buffer-fitted end of the FGA. The photo I've seen of the wagons on ship had all four roads loaded; presumably 4-set, 5-set, 5-set and 4-set, the outer roads being shorter.

Addenda: having looked at the video, I think you're correct about the 'conventional' containers. I suspect they might just travel as far as Dunkerque, there being transhipped on to SNCF wagons. I hadn't heard of this with containers, though I knew cattle wagons did this. It solves a little mystery for me, as I had often wondered why BR 4-ton containers had metric particulars for weight and size, long before this became the norm.

I suppose what I'm really trying to ascertain is what the set might have looked like going from London to Dover. It sounds like it might have been two 4's and two 5's together and then just split at Dover to go on the Ferry, rather than a short working? 

[Bachmann FFA/FGA early container flats]

I'm coming back to the subject of the 5 (or 4?) set Freightliner Service to Paris in the late sixties featured in these two great little videos 

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/london-paris-freightliner-service-inaugurated-at-s

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/freight-liner-trains/query/freight+train

They still leave me with a few questions:

Was it a 5 or 4 set?

If it was a 5, would it have been two sets of outers and one inner? Or two outers and three inners?

Is it likely to have travelled from London to Dover as just a 5 (or 4) set?

Tantalisingly, on the second video, the Frieghtliner set is unloaded coupled to a number of traditional conflat type wagons. Might this have travelled as a mixed set between London and the coast?

Any thoughts?

 

[Magnorail moving car system]

Would love to see if anyone could get a Scammell Scarab working using this system. I've seen it achieved on this site using Faller System and even a RC version, but with my limited modelling skills this looks a much easier option.