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Heljan - OO - B-tank wagon


Gerald Henriksen
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  • 6 months later...
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Price is nothing like as bad as I feared it might be

 

Hope the droopy couplings issue prevalent on some previous Heljan wagons has been sorted

 

Cheers

 

Phil

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I was fairly disappointed with the 7mm version. So much so that having decided to buy three in United Molases livery I changed my mind on seeing one and decided to keep my money.

 

I've got my fingers crossed that the 4mm version will be a much closer approximation to the real thing. A couple of Esso liveried class A tanks and 'many' UM liveried class B tanks will go very nicely on the replacement for Longcarse West.

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General Q with "modern" private owner wagons

 

When did the changeover from the randomised "Company" numbering system to the more logical "ABCD 0 - WXYZ 99999" system happen ?

 

For example, with these from "3297" to "ESSO 43297" as shown on the yellow solebar plate 

 

I am assuming that it was with the widescale introduction of TOPS in the mid 70's ?

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General Q with "modern" private owner wagons

 

When did the changeover from the randomised "Company" numbering system to the more logical "ABCD 0 - WXYZ 99999" system happen ?

 

For example, with these from "3297" to "ESSO 43297" as shown on the yellow solebar plate 

 

I am assuming that it was with the widescale introduction of TOPS in the mid 70's ?

I think you're correct; TOPS required a unique number for each vehicle, whereas  previous 'systems' simply used the same blocks of numbers time and again. It also wasn't unknown for operators of small fleets to exaggerate their fleet size by numbering wagons as 100, 200 and 300, for example. Those who saw wagons so numbered might get the impression that the fleet, and hence the company, were much bigger than they actually were.

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  • 1 month later...

I think you're correct; TOPS required a unique number for each vehicle, whereas  previous 'systems' simply used the same blocks of numbers time and again. It also wasn't unknown for operators of small fleets to exaggerate their fleet size by numbering wagons as 100, 200 and 300, for example. Those who saw wagons so numbered might get the impression that the fleet, and hence the company, were much bigger than they actually were.

Sorry for going Off-Topic but did the number range really only incorporate 5 digit numbers? Of the 16T minerals there have been 600000 as far as I know and to me it seems unlikely that until the early 70s 50000 had been withdrawn, most being only 20 years old by then.

 

I look forward to the Heljan tankers as they conveniently fill a gap. 14T RCH tanks 20s to 40s with examples lasting until early 60s, Bachmann unfitted anchor mounted 40s to early 60s, Heljan vac-fitted anchor mounted early 60s until ? ( I guess mid-80s), Bachmann air-fitted 45t TTA and 100t TEA late 60s until the new millenium, Revolution trains Greenbrier 102t TEA from 2006.

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Sorry for going Off-Topic but did the number range really only incorporate 5 digit numbers? Of the 16T minerals there have been 600000 as far as I know and to me it seems unlikely that until the early 70s 50000 had been withdrawn, most being only 20 years old by then.

 

I look forward to the Heljan tankers as they conveniently fill a gap. 14T RCH tanks 20s to 40s with examples lasting until early 60s, Bachmann unfitted anchor mounted 40s to early 60s, Heljan vac-fitted anchor mounted early 60s until ? ( I guess mid-80s), Bachmann air-fitted 45t TTA and 100t TEA late 60s until the new millenium, Revolution trains Greenbrier 102t TEA from 2006.

 

There were several different number series in use on the TOPS system, but no duplication!

 

The PO numbering was either 4 or 5 digits with an owners prefix

 

BR was prefixed B for traffic or DB for Departmental

 

BR airbraked 6 figure with no prefix until transferred to departmental use the DC (avoided clash with DB) and a third character or each department

 

Ex pre nationalisation E, M, S or W with additional D for departmental

 

The UIC numbering system which now appears mandatory

 

Then M360XXX for ex PO wagons purchased by BR in the 1950's

 

Mark Saunders

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Does anyone know if mixed rakes of Esso B and TTA tank wagons ever operated? And if so, over what years? I have a lovely set of a dozen TTA's already but really couldn't stretch to another new rake of B's, as much as I like them.

More likely to be TTBs.

 

Griff

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Does anyone know if mixed rakes of Esso B and TTA tank wagons ever operated? And if so, over what years? I have a lovely set of a dozen TTA's already but really couldn't stretch to another new rake of B's, as much as I like them.

Hi Chris

 

The early 45 ton GLW wagons were vacuum or dual braked so did run with the 35 tonners until they were converted to air brake only.

 

 

More likely to be TTBs.

 

Griff

Hi Griff

 

Is a TTB dual braked? Still can't (won't, more likely) get my head around these TOPS codes.

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Hi Chris

 

The early 45 ton GLW wagons were vacuum or dual braked so did run with the 35 tonners until they were converted to air brake only.

 

 

Hi Griff

 

Is a TTB dual braked? Still can't (won't, more likely) get my head around these TOPS codes.

TTB is Air Brake, Vacuum Pipe.

 

Below is a list of brake types used in the TOPS system, taken from an old 1978 Working Manual for you to get your head around.

 

post-7146-0-57743300-1470049495_thumb.jpg

 

Paul J.

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Found this photo of what appears to be an A and B in the same rake 

http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrs2308.htm

Nice one Chris .... confirms that the Fawley-Bomford trains were diverted off the Oxford - Worcester route and on to Oxford - Banbury after 1963

 

Cheers

 

Phil

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Nice one Chris .... confirms that the Fawley-Bomford trains were diverted off the Oxford - Worcester route and on to Oxford - Banbury after 1963CheersPhil

That may help me with this image I have from 1967.

p686436704-4.jpg

D6533 ( later 33115 ) still without a yellow warning panel and D6541 (later 33023 ) head a block oil tanker train through Banbury. The reason for so many people on or near the track is unknown. 

The negative is dated 5/3/67, however the day before 7029 'Clun Castle' worked a railtour through Banbury so I suspect the actual date is 4/3/67.

Photographer unknown.

 

http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com/p651056644/haad064c#haad064c

Edited by acg5324
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  • 2 months later...

That may help me with this image I have from 1967.

p686436704-4.jpg

D6533 ( later 33115 ) still without a yellow warning panel and D6541 (later 33023 ) head a block oil tanker train through Banbury. The reason for so many people on or near the track is unknown. 

The negative is dated 5/3/67, however the day before 7029 'Clun Castle' worked a railtour through Banbury so I suspect the actual date is 4/3/67.

Photographer unknown.

 

http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com/p651056644/haad064c#haad064c

The answer to why there are so many people on the track is on the RHS- there's a brake-van special stopped there.

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What to do with my old Airfix B-tanks?

 

Oh! I know...

 

https://flic.kr/p/pc8UHc

https://flic.kr/p/oX5uRa

 

There are some good pictures of the A tanks in this train too, if you explore the rest of the set.

There's one Class A tank in those photos- 4127. If you look, you'll see that the end of the tank barrel is level with the headstock, whilst the ones on the Class B tanks are set back,

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The answer to why there are so many people on the track is on the RHS- there's a brake-van special stopped there.

 I'm not so sure, I think the brake vans are in their stabling siding, which is on an incline so the van can free-wheel onto a train just before it departs.

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There's one Class A tank in those photos- 4127. If you look, you'll see that the end of the tank barrel is level with the headstock, whilst the ones on the Class B tanks are set back,

Indeed, I was drawing attention to the fact it was a mixed rake of B and A tanks, which someone was enquiring about further up.

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  • 1 month later...

I simply cannot find a swear word strong enough but which is acceptable. That is awful

 

Second thoughts – it might be a suitable addition to some people’s Hornby Christmas train sets. Is the box printed in an authentic B-tank livery?

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