Modified Hornby O military Loads

[Bassettblowke]

Something I’ve been tinkering with for a while as always with a tight budget in mind, I try to source common all garden items and give them a tweak to add a bit of interest to my Vintage O gauge stock. So far it’s all been Hornby but in reality if it’s cheap it’s fair game, cheap invariably means substandard either through rust, missing pieces or damage. Anyway here we go any questions or critical comments please fire away. 

First up is a Torpedo load for a standard Hornby Bogie Timber wagon which was purchased as part of a pair for £8, the original colour was a gaudy yellow and green which was in poor condition this was stripped and repainted grey. The other one was in better condition and is being kept in original condition.

The torpedo is a pewter desk ornament etch primed and finished in black with a red warhead which signifies a practice warhead, I couldn’t imagine them being shipped around with a live warhead attached but I could be wrong.

[Bassettblowke]

Next up is a substitute load for the Timber wagon this one is a dismounted gun barrel, the good thing about Naval gun barrels is they came in a huge variety of sizes. I like to think of this one as a turn of the century 9.2inch Gun as fitted to armoured Cruisers and in later life used ashore as a heavy artillery piece and coastal defence gun, somewhat handily they were long lived and stayed in service until the 1950’s. It’s actually an Astra gun that had a broken diecast base this was placed in the scrap bin and a wooden shipping cradle made from off cuts of wood.

[Bassettblowke]

Third one up is a Trolley wagon, at the moment I can’t decide whether or not to repaint the wagon and the gun load or keep them as they are, here’s a picture of them as found. The gun is by Bullock and fits nicely in the well. Other potential candidates were Britain’s 4.7” Naval gun and the AA gun of which more later.

[Bassettblowke]

Cheapest of the cheap and my personal favourite the Matchbox Models of Yesteryear Crossley Tender these can be picked up for under a fiver a quick degrease and a respray and it’s ready to go. These will fit nicely on a flat.

[Bassettblowke]

More Matchbox an armoured car and the Generals staff car and an Atlas Wolesley Armoured car from the TIn Tin range, the Armoured cars tend be a tad pricey but if you keep an eye out for an unboxed example £10 should be enough, damaged even cheaper.

[Bassettblowke]

This 4.7” Naval gun was acquired cheaply because its shield had broken away, I personally prefer it minus the shield which tends to give it a more vintage look, the so called 2pdr AA gun looks nothing like a 2pdr which had a short barrel and large conical flash diffuser. However it bears a passable resemblance to a 3” AA gun. Broken they can be had for under £5, the elevating screw is the usual fault, I fix it in place with superglue, the elevating  facility is lost  but that is no great loss to me. And finally another Bullock gun which I consider a bit to big to be used. I had hopes the Britain’s 4.7” would fit in the well of the Trolley but sadly ‘‘twas a tad to long. And a Crescent Toys 18pdr field gun in gold paint this is destined for the dip and should provide a nice load when finished.

My favourite period is between the wars and these vehicles would have been seen on the streets during the unrest at the time of the General Strike and during the rebellion in Ireland and the subsequent civil war as well as presumably being shuttled around between depots and bases.

If the WW 2 conflict is more to your taste and you don’t mind modern products there is a multitude of choice from numerous manufacturers.

[brianusa]

Lionel also have several useful loads!

       Brian

 

 

[Bassettblowke]

I am a Lionel fan as well and have long sought a transformer load and I cannot ever recall seeing one in the UK. An upcoming  trip to Florida to meet up with my brother who takes a winters break there away from the cold Canadian winter hopefully will lead to at least one day of hunting Lionel.

PS   Bit of a bummer it appears Panama Beach and environs is a train shop desert.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Bassettblowke

[Bassettblowke]

Next we have a RN stores depot bogie Van  which started life as a LNER Van and then morphed into a scarlet LMS Van with corrugated effect paint work and hand painted LMS. Stripped and repainted in Grey.

[Bassettblowke]

Another candidate is this Hornby SR Flat but I am two minds about this one it might just get a revamp, A good scrub, coupling changeand a set of later plastic wheels

[bruce palmer]

 

Ive also been trying to collect *gun *loads , but despite digging in the Diecast dealers junk boxes at Sandown and elsewhere , haven't been too successful . However I have the Britains AA gun from a swop at Junior school ...a long time ago ..ditto a field gun . A recent find was a slightly older type gun from those bronzed pencil sharpners you sometimes see ..its about 0 scale .

 

Other military type loads are the *rocket pens*available off e Bay ..although I bought mine from the defunct Poundworld chain at a cheaper price . Sprayed grey they fit Hornby opens and resemble the WW2 Tallboy Bombs .

 

Talking of which , Ive still got Hornby wagon overlays for *Chillwell * shell filling factory wagons ..WW1 this time , that Michael badger made after discussions on this group . Michael seems to have vanished  by the way ..has anyone up to date contact details for him ?    Bruce

[Bassettblowke]

The Chilwell overlays are ideal for Leeds type wagons, I’ve yet to see a photograph that shows one with any sort of brake gear although invariably the censor has always scrubbed out the Chilwell they are easy to spot thanks to the interlocked C logo ( Chetwyn and Chilwell) and the NSFF No 6. I also have a selection of Michael Badgers Chilwell overlays which are on my to do list.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Bassettblowke

[CKPR]

Another possibility might be the original Dinky pre-war military vehicles  as these are mostly of late 1920s - early 1930s vehicle and equipment:

 6-wheeled lorry with field kitchen and water trailers

Vickers Medium tank

Vickers Light tank

Crossley  6-wheel recon. car

Searchlight lorry

3" AA gun

Light Dragon artillery tractor, limber and 18pdr gun

Austin 7 staff car

 

There are not as expensive as you might think as most of them bar the Medium tank and the trailers were put back into into production after the war until replaced by the classic 1950s Dinky military range.

[Bassettblowke]

The two tanks are particularly appealing,  sadly I haven’t yet managed to get my grubby mitts on either one, it’s odd how when you are searching for a particular item hoard’s of other stuff springs up to tempt you and shift your focus.

[CKPR]

Without breaking the bank, I've managed to acquire all of these bar the trailers and the Vickers Medium - you'll see refurbished post-war models (apparently this is kosher in Dinky collecting circles) on offer at every toy and train fair.  The light tanks can be obtained for £15-20, but you're looking at £100+ for the medium tank. I realised that I was drifting into Dinky Toy collecting when I started to buy the 1950s ones as well, so the latter were donated en masse to a local charity shop !

Edited November 23, 2019 by CKPR

[Compound2632]

I'm intrigued by the wagons seen in the photos posted by @Bassettblowke, specifically those marked NSFF CHILWELL. These are presumably wagons for internal use. They appear to be ex-Midland vehicles. In the first photo we see a 5-plank open to D299 and in the second, a couple of covered goods wagons to D357. They've evidently been re-painted as well as re-lettered, as the ironwork is black, quite unlike Midland practice.

 

Is anything known of the rolling stock used at Chilwell? 

[Bassettblowke]

I think you are right in surmising the Chilwell stock was for internal use the size of the facility was on a huge scale and dedicated stock for moving munitions and other sundry items would make sense. The sheds themselves were vast, fortunately on the IWM site there are quite a few good quality photographs which show this. The factory was visited by the King and various other dignitaries and an official photographer documented the work being carried out there on at least two occasions. I’ve also seen  photographs of loaded trains in the departure sidings but couldn’t make out the markings although someone with a more discerning eye may well be able to identify the type. All the wagons in the pictures appear to be in very good condition so I wonder if they were ordered new when the factory was established from scratch from the Midland Railway who were the preeminent Railway in the local area. 

Ive also seen other pictures showing wagons from other companies (NE and GWR) in the sheds so I may be wrong, the last photograph I think shows work in progress on the sidings and some recently discovered film footage is also to be found if my memory serves me right on a Nottinghamshire Heritage website. The IWM photo library would be my first port of call.

Edited November 23, 2019 by Bassettblowke

[Bassettblowke]

One of my favourite set of photographs  which would be ideal for a finescale modeller the detail is exceptional, British 12” Railway howitzers  these were purpose made unlike others which were improvised using existing wagons

[Bassettblowke]

 tanks with the sponsons in shipping mode to keep with in the loading gauge,  the gun mounting doesn’t appear to be that sophisticated  also of note the nickname HMS Iron Duke painted on the front and Two ROD Locomotives one of which has come to grief.

Edited November 23, 2019 by Bassettblowke

[Bassettblowke]

This one is Marklin, not mine sad to say a tad beyond my pocket but very nice all the same

[Bassettblowke]

Further thoughts on Chilwell, the shell filling factory was established as a direct result of the shortage of shells being supplied  to the Army in France in 1915. The factory was established in great haste and in short order was producing the lions share of shells destined for the western front. Unfortunately the Somme offensive or fortunately if you were on the receiving end revealed a large percentage of duds. This was not necessarily Chilwell’s fault as they only filled the shells and didn’t make the fuses.

one of my Grandfathers anecdotes from his time on Vimy Ridge with 2nd Div trench mortars was the Germans putting up a large sign enquiring if the British would like their bombs back as none had gone off.

[Bassettblowke]

Another Marklin  military wagon just the job now the nights have closed in

[bruce palmer]

 Found another load yesterday at the Reading G 0 trade show ...we had our *Leeds * repro stall there ....but it cost me a bomb .....

 

 

Actually a 7mm scale version of the *tallboy * WW2 bomb in resin ...an ideal wagon load . It was on the Radley Models stall ..a test shot I think as they are still working on the trailer for it . Cost me a fiver ,not sure if its listed on their website yet ......Bruce.

[Bassettblowke]

15 hours ago, bruce palmer said:

 ..but it cost me a bomb .....

 Brings to mind the small toy bomb from my childhood which had a nose cone you unscrewed and placed a cap inside, that’s the sort of cap  that fitted in the cap gun that would probably get you arrested or even worse shot in this day and age. Mine wasn’t a cowboy gun mine was a Luger and a very passable albeit small imitation of the real thing it was too.

A good job it’s the trains that stuck in my mind and not the bombs and guns.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Bassettblowke

[bruce palmer]

looks good ...but not quite the same as the ones i remember from my childhood ...unlike the Dinkies and the Hornby M1 set these have not survived in my possession  until the present day . However they continued to be available in plastic and I picked up a couple at Sandown ..a quick spray of Wilkinsons enamel primer over the awful yellow plastic and they form a nice load for the *Chillwell * wagons . Those of you who get to NAROGG will have seen them  .   Bruce