Oxford announce 12T Tank Wagons

[Dunsignalling]

46 minutes ago, SP Steve said:

For those of a nervous disposition then look away now!

 

Having ordered two of the Mobil variant I've decided to rework one of them into a Charles Roberts 14T variant (RCH Drawing 97 of 1911) ordered by BP and numbered 971-1020.

 

The 10' 6" wheelbase chassis as provided would save half the job and modelling in EM should mean it would be a simple case of dropping in replacement wheel sets - as is common with most projects that 'should' be easy, it isn't!

 

The axle length as provided by Oxford comes in at 26.3mm and in situ there is a little slop but replace with Alan Gibson EM sets with their axle length of 25.8mm and it precludes any sense of free running as the side play is just to great. The axle diameters thankfully are the same (2.0mm) so a swap of wheels is one option or fitting brass bearings is another - either way it isn't a plug n play situation.

 

Dismantling of the model revealed the following:

a) the filling hatch / manhole cover was not glued and simply pulls out (it may have had glue applied but if so it wasn't successful).

b) the two retaining 'ropes' are made of blackened wire attached to plastic retainers which simply pulled out from their sockets on the rear of the solebar.

c) the tank is retained with two screws under the chassis (remove couplings to access) and the end stanchions between the tank retaining baulk and headstock can be levered out from the headstock.

d) the tank retaining bands are metal and are a clip fit into sockets at the rear of the solebars.

e) after completing step C the diagonal stays will prevent the tank removal. These are made of plastic and were loose at the baulk end but the ends behind the solebar appeared to have been glued so breaking the stays was the only option in order to get the tank off.

f) the buffer heads are metal but on mine were very loose. The buffer housing uses a square peg to locate in the headstock and were easy to lever off.

g) after removing the tank it would appear that the tank ends are a plug fit to allow fitting of metals weights but are then glued into position

h) the bottom tank discharge valve is a plug fir into the chassis assembly and was easily removed.

 

So there you have it - how to devalue your model wagon in one fell swoop!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for that, I'd probably have got there eventually but would have created a lot more damage in the process.

 

John

[Gordon A]

You can either move the wheels out to EM gauge on the Oxford axles, or swap the wheels for EM wheels using the Oxford axles.

On their 6 wheeled GW brake van I swapped the 00 wheels for P4 wheels on the Oxford axles, which worked a treat.

 

Gordon A

[SP Steve]

On 22/08/2020 at 16:50, Gordon A said:

You can either move the wheels out to EM gauge on the Oxford axles, or swap the wheels for EM wheels using the Oxford axles.

On their 6 wheeled GW brake van I swapped the 00 wheels for P4 wheels on the Oxford axles, which worked a treat.

 

Gordon A

 

Brass bearings fitted without too much hassle - the profile of the Oxford wheel sets look a little chunky so EM split spoke sets fitted.

 

In the course of doing this I found that the saddles and end support bolsters are a plug fit and can be teased out by pushing on the pegs from underneath the chassis. For anyone so inclined then re-working as a cradle mounted tank would be quite a simple task (I did wonder if Oxford are thinking along the same lines for future releases).

 

The chassis is quite a nice item with brakes shoes lining up quite nicely with the EM wheels (for once the break levers will be left in situ) and it gives a good rendition of the openness of this type of chassis.

 

For anyone wishing to re-livery then the transfers are easy to remove with the use of methalated spirits as is the red paint on the headstocks etc.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by SP Steve

[PMP]

19 hours ago, Gordon A said:

I swapped the 00 wheels for P4 wheels on the Oxford axles, which worked a treat.

 

Gordon A

I’ve done the same thing using Gibson OO wheels on the Oxford axles to get better running and looks in OO, on their open wagons.

Edited August 23, 2020 by PMP

[Gordon A]

A better chassis than Bachmans attempt.

[Wickham Green too]

....... apart from Oxford's continuing to attempt to reinvent the wheel axle.

[Pteremy]

I have not seen one in the flesh yet - waiting for a different livery - but it does seem that Oxford have produced a decent model of an early tank wagon. Hopefully it will be a commercial success. And if so perhaps they will be tempted to use the experience to develop the later 'Air Ministry' tank wagons.

[Dunsignalling]

3 hours ago, Pteremy said:

I have not seen one in the flesh yet - waiting for a different livery - but it does seem that Oxford have produced a decent model of an early tank wagon. Hopefully it will be a commercial success. And if so perhaps they will be tempted to use the experience to develop the later 'Air Ministry' tank wagons.

Bear in mind, though, that wagons of this type remained in use into the 1960s, Shell/BP in particular seemed oblivious to the age of their wagons, so long as they didn't leak and the wheels went round.

 

However, it does look like Oxford's initial emphasis will be on pre-war liveries.

 

John

[Pteremy]

Yes, indeed, one reason that I think it was a good choice to produce. They already have a much more modern design (somewhere) in production.  But after that taking on the Air Ministry tank wagons, one of RTR's big gaps, would I think be a logical and commercial thing to do.

[hmrspaul]

11 hours ago, Pteremy said:

taking on the Air Ministry tank wagons, one of RTR's big gaps, would I think be a logical and commercial thing to do.

Preferable to encourage Dapol to do one? They have all the research done for the 7mm version already. 

 

Paul

[26power]

On 23/07/2020 at 15:45, MartinTrucks said:

Yes indeed!

The RRP is £18.95 so not much of a reduction from Hattons.  Rails are offering them on pre-order for £15.95.

 

RRP on Oxford Rail site is shown as £21.95.

 

On 23/01/2018 at 09:41, Garethp8873 said:

Oxford have announced the 12t Tank Wagon as part of their 2018 range. So far six examples have been presented.

 

- OR76TK2001 Mobil No64 12 Ton Tank wagon

- OR76TK2002 Carless Naptha No10 Fuel Oil Tank Wagon 12 Ton

- OR76TK2003 British Bitumen Colfix’No 56 12 Ton Tank wagon

- OR76TK2004 Benzol and By Products No1000 12 Ton Tank wagon

- OR76TK2005 Fisons Sulphuric Acid No31 12 Ton Tank wagon

- OR76TK2006 Graham’s Golden Lager No113 12 Ton Tank wagon

 

Illustrated with pictures of models on website are the above 6, in the same order:

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/mobil-no64-12-ton-tank-wagon-or76tk2001

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/carless-naptha-no10-fuel-oil-tank-wagon-12-ton-or76tk2002

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/british-bitumen-colfixno-56-12-ton-tank-wagon-or76tk2003

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/benzol-and-by-products-no1000-12-ton-tank-wagon-or76tk2004

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/fisons-sulphuric-acid-no31-12-ton-tank-wagon-or76tk2005

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/grahams-golden-lager-no113-12-ton-tank-wagon-or76tk2006

 

Just as a graphic is:

OR76TK2007.  Oxford Rail PO Tank Wagon BP No 1061.

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/po-tank-wagon-bp-no-1061-or76tk2007

 

Unfortunately they do not seem to group products by type of vehicle, or even wagons/coaches locos.  Therefore hope these links are of assistance.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Just going slightly OT, which of the Bachmann or Oxford, if either, is the best/nearest chassis for the Hornby Dublo tanks. I can't get get my head round the old 12/14 ton tank wagon variations!

 

Mike.

[Pteremy]

13 hours ago, hmrspaul said:

Preferable to encourage Dapol to do one? They have all the research done for the 7mm version already. 

 

Paul

Possibly. To be honest I don't really associate Dapol with 2020 standard wagons. Too many wagons of distant vintage or generic design, for my era of interest at any rate. But if they have done a good job of a 7mm version then I would be in the market for a few scaled down versions. I know that some of the others they have scaled down, the Bolster E for example, have gone down well. 

[markw]

I found this photo of the Shell Mex & BP version

[Porcy Mane]

5 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

Oxford, if either, is the best/nearest chassis for the Hornby Dublo tanks. I can't get get my head round the old 12/14 ton tank wagon variations!

 

If you're talking the plastic dublo Chlorine & TSL tanks the answer is neither, as the prototypes used longer wheelbase chassis.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Porcy Mane

[Fat Controller]

3 hours ago, Porcy Mane said:

 

If you're talking the plastic dublo Chlorine & TSL tanks the answer is neither, as the prototypes used longer wheelbase chassis.

 

 

John Isherwood, of Cambridge Custom Transfers, did some rebuilds of these, possibly using the former Airfix 'ESSO' tank underframe, which were posted on here at some point. He does the transfers for them, as you might imagine.

[TheSignalEngineer]

On 24/08/2020 at 22:14, Dunsignalling said:

Bear in mind, though, that wagons of this type remained in use into the 1960s, Shell/BP in particular seemed oblivious to the age of their wagons, so long as they didn't leak and the wheels went round.

 

However, it does look like Oxford's initial emphasis will be on pre-war liveries.

 

John

Midland Tar Distillers had some wagons like these. They were in use at least until the early 1960s, some lasting long enough to get the same type of lettering as on the Hornby one. 

Their wagons did get around quite a lot, being photographed not only by the main works at Oldbury, but at Watford and Hull. The Oxford type of tank was recorded at Leighton Buzzard along with  similar one on wooden underframe c1962. 

One with the 1950s style lettering would save me a job.

(Exit wishlisting mode).

[Mark Saunders]

My Mobil one has arrived and really looks nice!

[Porcy Mane]

35 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Midland Tar Distillers had some wagons like these.

 

 

 Sort of like this: (Tank next to engine with the later mod of cutting back the lower end baulks and the frame racking plate with I'm rather glad Oxford have omitted).

 

 LMS Stanier 8F 2-8-0 at Leighton Buzzard by Andy, on Flickr

 

Charles Roberts had a number of virtually identical tanks that were on hire to Shell/BP and used at least till the end of steam.

Edited August 26, 2020 by Porcy Mane

[SP Steve]

32 minutes ago, Porcy Mane said:

 

Sort of like this: (Tank next to engine with the later mod of cutting back the lower end baulks and the frame racking plate with I'm rather glad Oxford have omitted).

 

 

Not so sure it was a later modification - all steel framed RCH drawings that I've seen up until 1927 have a racking plate.

 

The number of holes varied but they all seem to have one with only wooden framed vehicles and the later 1927 variants (with a revised layout for the frame members) not being so equipped.

 

I'm not saying there were none to the same layout as the Oxford item but generally I would have thought there would be more vehicles in service with than without.

Edited August 26, 2020 by SP Steve

[SP Steve]

1 hour ago, Mark Saunders said:

 

My Mobil one has arrived and really looks nice!

 

One of mine looked like that for a little while before the carnage set in!

[Enterprisingwestern]

4 hours ago, Porcy Mane said:

 

If you're talking the plastic dublo Chlorine & TSL tanks the answer is neither, as the prototypes used longer wheelbase chassis.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Fat Controller said:

John Isherwood, of Cambridge Custom Transfers, did some rebuilds of these, possibly using the former Airfix 'ESSO' tank underframe, which were posted on here at some point. He does the transfers for them, as you might imagine.

 

I was only looking for an easyish way out, I've decided life's too short at my age!

 

Mike.

[TheSignalEngineer]

41 minutes ago, Porcy Mane said:

Sort of like this: (Tank next to engine with the later mod of cutting back the lower end baulks and the frame racking plate with I'm rather glad Oxford have omitted).

That's the one I was thinking of.

[57xx]

15 hours ago, 26power said:

Just as a graphic is:

OR76TK2007.  Oxford Rail PO Tank Wagon BP No 1061.

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail/products/po-tank-wagon-bp-no-1061-or76tk2007

 

Any idea what era that livery is for?

[26power]

14 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

Any idea what era that livery is for?

I don’t know about era but I think maybe about the same as other liveries?  Which I think is pre WW2?  
 

By the way, this more recent post from markw  seems to suggest “Shell” on one side and “BP” on the other - the wagon number is the same on both vehicles, I.e. different names on different sides.  markw also refers to a Shell Mex & BP version (singular).

 

8 hours ago, markw said:

I found this photo of the Shell Mex & BP version