Jump to content
 

Scalecraft Roadrailer


Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

Hi folk.

 

I came by these from a former club member a number of years ago. I have only recently rediscovered them when sorting through some boxes under my layout.

 

I have been trying to find out more information on the, a quick "Google" only came up with a brief mention on the Airfix Tribute Forum. all that stated was a bit about PECO and they are as rare as Rocking Horse Manure and fetch a fortune on ebay!!!

 

I have the following

 

3 x Trailers

2 x Tractor units

2 x rail connection(?) units

1 x unmade kit 3 (see picture below.

 

Here are pictures of what I have:

Tractor and trailer

 

post-7289-0-43823400-1333318407.jpg

 

post-7289-0-72809800-1333318422.jpg

 

Trailer and Rail unit

road wheels down

 

post-7289-0-59369700-1333318435.jpg

 

Rail wheels down

 

post-7289-0-09232400-1333319058.jpg

 

wheel arrangement

 

post-7289-0-98776500-1333318469.jpg

 

Unmade kit

 

post-7289-0-42701800-1333318492.jpg

 

Label stating made by Scalecraft. but looks to be marketed by Peco?

 

post-7289-0-55776900-1333318511.jpg

 

Label rear

 

post-7289-0-51654000-1333318551.jpg

 

Kit must be post 1971 as it is decimal

 

post-7289-0-01057900-1333318565.jpg

 

 

Any information on these kits/models would be appreciated. Has any one else got any? pictures?

Link to post
Share on other sites

The kits came out around the same time as the real thing (1962?). There was also an R-T-R version in the Triang-Minic Motorways range with road/rail track to match. The trailers were in the Peco catalogues for quite some time after the tractor unit and converter bogie sold out; I think into the 1980s, but these were almost certainly old stock.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

The unmade kit will probably be worth something to a collector but 'made up' models are not worth a lot. I recently purchased a made up tractor unit and two trailers together with a pair of made up Airfix lorries all for a fiver. There was also on the vendors stall one of the trailers converted to a OO9 van.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

There is a brief glimpse of a roadrailer 'in action' in one of the Pathe newsreel films. IIRC it is the one featuring the building of the flyovers at Barking in the early 1960's'. The train consisted of a class 24, an LMS parcels coach and and the adapter bogie with two roadrailer vans.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The unmade kit will probably be worth something to a collector but 'made up' models are not worth a lot. I recently purchased a made up tractor unit and two trailers together with a pair of made up Airfix lorries all for a fiver. There was also on the vendors stall one of the trailers converted to a OO9 van.

 

I sold mine for a lot more, as others have by describing them properly with good photos and in the correct section. Selling them in lots with other stuff, in the wrong catagory (Ebay) with poor photos and descriptions will depress prices. You will not make a fortune but there is a market for them from both collectors and modellers

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

My avatar is a 47 on a rake of Roadrailers, larger photo below:

 

post-5613-0-28051200-1333391409.jpg

 

Class 47 D1516 probably 18th April 1963

 

Hope it is some use.

 

David

 

PS This photo was also published in BRM of March 2009

Edited by DaveF
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

That's a nice shot Dave. What is written down the side of them? or is it a red stripe?

I think you will find that red stripe is the word "ROADRAILER".

 

There is a lot of information on the kits in an old "Model Railway Enthusiast" magazine from the 1990s. I will have to dig it out!

 

Ramrig, Sarahagain is quite right, it is Roadrailer on the side, in red.

 

The BRM articles show it more clearly if I remember correctly.

 

David

Link to post
Share on other sites

I wonder if anyone remembers what happened to the Roadrailer project, and wether anyone with the passing of the years now dares say out loud why that was.

 

The Design rights (The British Railway bits not C&O) were sold to an Austrailian Company. The BR roadrailer project was allowed to slowly die as folks with foresight saw that the Malcom Mclean designed Intermodal container was the way forward.

The last rail test run saw one of the couplings fail which some saw as the final excuse to drop Roadrailer...

Poor tare to load Ratio...

High Development costs...etc etc.

The two prototype trailers had to be modified after failing SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders) Inclination/gradient tests and the wheel hubs almost falling off due to wheel stud failure. The bodies also cracked heavily above the pivot mechanism. This all happened during their first road run from Scotland to Oxford before ever getting near a railway.

 

Porcy

 

Edited due to missing out words...

Edited by Porcy Mane
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Also they had a tendancy to change from rail to road mode en route and vice versa. I saw at one time a photograph of two gouges in a tarmac road where one had 'swapped mode' when behind a lorry! :O IIRC in every case the locking system was not applied properly.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 1 year later...

I wonder if there is still enough interest in these to warrant a more detailed up to date version. The fact that it was never in the public eye may have a bearing on this but the novelty value of a maybe limited run could be worth thinking about.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...