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Origins of the Hornby Ferry van?-


Guest Jack Benson
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Guest Jack Benson

R6159A.jpg.590ec0302541795c9ec5e9a618c28d31.jpg

 

Before we get serious with this model, may we ask if anyone knows the origin of the model, what is the prototype? Is there a common UIC type?

 

Thank you

 

Cheers and Stay Safe

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9 minutes ago, eastwestdivide said:

And that basic pattern of van was also used by many European railways, with variations.

Ferry-vans to similar designs were built for French, Belgian, Italian and Jugoslavian railways, from the end of the 1950s onwards. The number and size of vents varied, there being more on the Italian examples, in anticipation of loads of fresh produce. The common features were large sliding doors and a wheelbase of 8 metres.

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Railtec do the transfers for them and they really are very good. With a little bit of work the Hornby model comes up well with a few tweaks. Theres a pretty detailed thread on here with details of mods you can do:

Heres a pic of mine i did a couple of months back after varnishing20200425_150214.jpg.86c466ddcc0b8a96cc816fa2e2f6127a.jpg

Cheers

James

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24 minutes ago, Ken.W said:

believe the anchor symbol, top left, signifies conforms to the UIC standard


I believe that the anchor signifies that it is fitted with the necessary holding-down points etc for use on a train ferry. Not all UIC standards dictate compatibility with a train ferry so far as I know.

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23 minutes ago, Ken.W said:

 

I believe the anchor symbol, top left, signifies conforms to the UIC standard

The Anchor symbol denotes suitable for use on train ferries as they have the lugs for securing/chaining; vehicle fit to pass through the Channel Tunnel have a CT symbol.

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14 hours ago, Nearholmer said:


I believe that the anchor signifies that it is fitted with the necessary holding-down points etc for use on a train ferry. Not all UIC standards dictate compatibility with a train ferry so far as I know.

 

I think the holding down points and ramshorns are a bit of a red-herring, both features are common (universal? ) on continental wagons, and judging by the number of preservation wagon blogs who describe straightening bent-W irons, probably better for the wagon than BR practice of horse and capstan shunting with a chain through the W-iron.

 

In most film of the train ferry in operation I've seen, they used a chain over the buffers to hold down the wagons.

 

https://youtu.be/-augQnu_4Bk?t=350

 

I imagine the average British enthusiast/railwayman only saw these fittings on 'ferry' wagons, therefore believed them to be 'ferry' fittings.

 

Jon

Edited by jonhall
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3 hours ago, Nearholmer said:


I believe that the anchor signifies that it is fitted with the necessary holding-down points etc for use on a train ferry. Not all UIC standards dictate compatibility with a train ferry so far as I know.

 

Yes sorry, I meant in reference to train ferrys as the subject of this thread

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3 minutes ago, Mark Saunders said:

The last batch of BBA’s are partially ferry fitted with large eyes over each bogie and worked over on the train ferry and were transhipped in France, this changed when the Cargowaggon flats were built.

 

Why? Did they keep these fitments,  I would think this would be early 80s 

Your wagon knowledge always astounds me mark 

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What era is the current Hornby ferryvan.  I'm assuming early TOPS with VIX on it. To back date it to late 60s what else would be  needed  other than removing the TOPS code?

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30 minutes ago, russ p said:

What era is the current Hornby ferryvan.  I'm assuming early TOPS with VIX on it. To back date it to late 60s what else would be  needed  other than removing the TOPS code?

The earliest I can find is R738: (1970, Triang-Hornby)

IMG_2826_1024x1024.JPG?v=1555271630

 

Looks like it was introduced in 1970

 

A 1969 picture from Paul Bartlett:

https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/ef8652f

 

 

Edited by melmerby
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10 hours ago, russ p said:

What era is the current Hornby ferryvan.  I'm assuming early TOPS with VIX on it. To back date it to late 60s what else would be  needed  other than removing the TOPS code?

 

We covered this in a great deal of detail in the topic that James linked to earlier, 

 

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12 hours ago, melmerby said:

The earliest I can find is R738: (1970, Triang-Hornby)

 

Looks like it was introduced in 1970

 

Indeed it was. I bought my two as soon as they hit the local shop, a couple of weeks into my first term at university, so early October 1970.

Set straight to, carving off the spurious lump on the roof.

 

The Nim.

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45 minutes ago, wainwright1 said:

I seem to recall that this model took several years to get into production after it was first announced by Tri-ang-Hornby.

No mention of any delay in Pat Hammonds Story of Rovex Vol 2 - a pre production model is stated as being displayed at the 1970 Tri-ang Toy fair and was on sale in May 1970. There is a copy of the review in the Nov 1970 Model Railway Constructor stating the length, wheelbase, width and sliding doorway are exact 4mm scale, but "it is only a bare fraction out on the height and doorway height, a matter of 3mm (9in) at the most and this very slight difference is not noticeable." If the review was referring to the height above rail that will be due to T-H models having a higher than scale buffer beam.

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On 03/07/2020 at 23:42, melmerby said:

The earliest I can find is R738: (1970, Triang-Hornby)

 

Looks like it was introduced in 1970

I have examples of both R738 & R740 - don't know if there's any physical difference.

 

 

Quote

 

 

 

 

Edited by bartram108
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A scale drawing of the van was reproduced as part of Bartlett, Paul W. & Mann, T., (1984) Cross-Channel Ferry Wagons used on BR in Model Railway Constructor Annual 1985 pp 18 - 29, edited by Leigh, Chris.

 

The very first builds had plain doors https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/e6dc9caaa

 

Paul

 

Edited by hmrspaul
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On 17/07/2020 at 15:04, bartram108 said:

I have examples of both R738 & R740 - don't know if there's any physical difference.

 

 

The original BR livery version was in self coloured plastic as R738. For the 1980 catalogue it gained a paint finished body and that version is R740.

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