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SR Van B (misnamed as Gangwayed Luggage Van)


gwrrob

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Though they have mis-named it- the gangwayed luggage van was the beast done by Triang, even before Triang-Hornby days. This is a Van B, ungangwayed bogie brake van, hardly ever seen as clean as the one in the photo.

I agree with you about the Siphon G- it's not even the useful one they produce, either...

In SR days, they probably wouldn't have wandered very far off-network; in BR days, they cropped up everywhere, with the last examples lasting into the 1980s.

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Though they have mis-named it- the gangwayed luggage van was the beast done by Triang, even before Triang-Hornby days. This is a Van B, ungangwayed bogie brake van, hardly ever seen as clean as the one in the photo.

I agree with you about the Siphon G- it's not even the useful one they produce, either...

In SR days, they probably wouldn't have wandered very far off-network; in BR days, they cropped up everywhere, with the last examples lasting into the 1980s.

 

Strangely enough, Hattons have named the BR liveried versions correctly! From their photos, the boxes of both versions appear to be correctly labelled.

 

They certainly do look very good, and a reasonable price by today's standards (I seem to think I paid a similar price for the 4-wheeled version when it first came out a few years ago).

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I for one am very pleased to see these excellent-looking models, in SR and BR colours. They will add a great deal of atmosphere to any number of scenes with Southern trains of the steam era in particular. Hornby are serving Southern modellers very well these days.

 

Rob

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Photos of prototypes here - as mentioned they don't do "clean" - Most (where the colour is identifiable) are in Blue. They lasted until early 1987 - some condemnation information published elsewhere that suggests they went earlier has been discussed on SEMG and is incorrect.

 

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/srguvandb

 

They do look nice models.

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I have been notified my Olive version is on the way. But I am wondering if any were re-painted to malachite. It would seem unlikely as they were built in 1936-38. the Hornby olive versions appear to be from the first order A927 numbered 350-399 with underframes built at Ashford and bodies at Eastleigh. The lot was completed in October 1938 (Mike King, An Illustrated History of Southern Coaches.)

 

Most references indicate they were not cleaned often either so by the period I model, 1946-47 the colour would be barely distinguishable and the roof a sooty dark grey. I will have to paint the window frames olive to match as this error on all of the pre-BR Hornby Maunsell coaches is repeated here.

 

Still a welcome addition to my private Padstow.

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What price the ex-Ratio Van B kit now? A nice kit but it definitely suffered from etched brass-itis!

The brass door hinges were a pain to fit (and persuade to stay fitted). Peco (owners of Ratio) didn't like supplying replacement etches either. I ended up making plastic replacements for the ones that disappeared.

I may just dump my two built-up kits and buy two of these.

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What price the ex-Ratio Van B kit now? A nice kit but it definitely suffered from etched brass-itis!

The brass door hinges were a pain to fit (and persuade to stay fitted). Peco (owners of Ratio) didn't like supplying replacement etches either. I ended up making plastic replacements for the ones that disappeared.

I may just dump my two built-up kits and buy two of these.

I'm with you. The Ratio kit builds up very nicely - but then looks lost without the brass handles which are beyond me. Moulded handles would have looked better than nothing! I've ordered both the SR versions now at Hattons. I also agree with those who feel the price - £23 - is surreal in 2012 for the quality apparently on offer.
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Cor! I looked at Hatton's site earlier while at work: the first BR green version had sold out (as mentioned in an earlier post) but the second ('A' numbered version) still had "more than 10 in stock". I thought I would place an order as soon as I got home. Looked at Hatton's site after 5:00pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) and all were gone! SR olive versions are both still showing "more than 10" though.

 

They do look good in the Hattons pics.

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I'm with you. The Ratio kit builds up very nicely - but then looks lost without the brass handles which are beyond me. Moulded handles would have looked better than nothing! I've ordered both the SR versions now at Hattons. I also agree with those who feel the price - £23 - is surreal in 2012 for the quality apparently on offer.

 

The Ratio kit builds into a nice model but is unnecessarily complicated, in my opinion. The separate brass door hinges, for example, could just as easily have been moulded on to the doors in plastic with no loss of detail or finesse. On the other hand, I still had to add the grilles behind the windows (from Blacksmith) because Ratio never included them in the first place!

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What price the ex-Ratio Van B kit now? A nice kit but it definitely suffered from etched brass-itis!

The brass door hinges were a pain to fit (and persuade to stay fitted). Peco (owners of Ratio) didn't like supplying replacement etches either. I ended up making plastic replacements for the ones that disappeared.

......

 

In addition to the Ratio plastic-and-etch kit for the Van B, there was also the old etched-and-cast kit from Chivers Finelines. Not the world's easiest, I acquired one in the late 1990s as a comparison to the Ratio kit. They are both very much of their era - where the Chivers kit scores is on the weight of the finished model; the Ratio kit is as light as a feather.

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where the Chivers kit scores is on the weight of the finished model; the Ratio kit is as light as a feather.

 

(Rivet quantity & quality... mode on)

You also didn't have to faff on correcting the door planking with the Chivers kit.

(Rivet quantity & quality... mode off)

 

Porcy

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Hmm, I wonder if there were any at Railex on the weekend and I missed them.. Oh well, get one at Wigan.

 

They do look rather good and the equal of the Van C, probably wont get down to the £12 you could pick those up for though!

 

I hope the window bars aren't moulded in though i'll probably end up with Shawplan laserglaze and etched bars anyway. Even when filthy it does make a difference seeing the relief in the light through the window.

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Would these have been seen on the GW mainline ?

In SR days, they probably wouldn't have wandered very far off-network; in BR days, they cropped up everywhere, with the last examples lasting into the 1980s.

 

I wondered about that too. Would they perhaps have appeared in the trains formed of SR loco and stock in BR days along the Dawlish sea wall so diagrammed to retain SR crews route knowledge for diversions?

 

The model does look superb in the Hattons photos. I got my BR(SR) green one from Kernow MRC - ordered this morning and already despatched. Excellent service as usual.

 

Hopefully a BR Blue one will follow next year - or better still one covered in road dirt. It would be one model where overdoing the weathering would be difficult!

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Good news (for me!): I ordered one of each of the BR green versions from Rails and they just came into stock. :)

 

As for weathering, I weathered the Ratio one to within an inch of its life; the windows are almost opaque with the dirt (except the guard's droplights) but one can still see that there are grilles behind them wit hthe light shining through, so it is a worthwhile addition. I should add that I recently repainted my Ratio one into a better shade of BR(S) green so it now means I have to weather it all over again ... except for the windows!

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Would they perhaps have appeared in the trains formed of SR loco and stock in BR days along the Dawlish sea wall so diagrammed to retain SR crews route knowledge for diversions?

 

My understanding is that it was just locos and crews exchanged, not the stock. At one time the SR light Pacific employed on WR trains worked an Exeter - Paignton train as far as Newton Abbot and a Goodrington Sands - Plymouth service over the banks. There is more about this in "The Okehampton Line" by John Nicholas and George Reeve [irwell Press].

 

Chris

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The Ratio model is pretty good, I have a couple made up and even managed to spring the bogeys!

 

Mind you, I eagerly await the arrival of the BR (S) version!

 

£23 is not even the price of a pub meal for 2 these days!!!

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I have been notified my Olive version is on the way. But I am wondering if any were re-painted to malachite. It would seem unlikely as they were built in 1936-38. the Hornby olive versions appear to be from the first order A927 numbered 350-399 with underframes built at Ashford and bodies at Eastleigh. The lot was completed in October 1938 (Mike King, An Illustrated History of Southern Coaches.)

 

Most references indicate they were not cleaned often either so by the period I model, 1946-47 the colour would be barely distinguishable and the roof a sooty dark grey. I will have to paint the window frames olive to match as this error on all of the pre-BR Hornby Maunsell coaches is repeated here.

 

Still a welcome addition to my private Padstow.

 

Erm.... Initally at least, Maunsell liveried coaches did have varnished window frames as demonstrated by 1336 (built 1930), 1309 (built 1935) & 6575 (built 1929) on the Bluebell although by the time 6686 was constructed (also 1935), the varnished window frames were limited to the guards van section (the passenger doors appear to be metal framed). Thus I would suggest Hornby probably have got it right regarding the window frames on the Olive liveried examples.

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In addition to the Ratio plastic-and-etch kit for the Van B, there was also the old etched-and-cast kit from Chivers Finelines.

 

Oh yes - I think I've got two of those, which will still get built for the pleasure of it. Won't stop me getting a couple of Hornby ones though.

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Not round here, might be able to do it at Wetherspoons I guess.

 

2 thai curries last night, £6 each and 2 drinks at over a fiver for two so last nights bill came to just under £30.

 

Unless of course you aren't drinking.

 

I think Guinness in the local is now over £3 a pint and most places are now charging 45p for a dash of lime!!!!!

 

So yes, its not even the price of a pub meal for two.

 

I daren't eat out down Padstow these days!!!!

 

Fish and chips here from the chippy is over a fiver now! :O Padstow you wont see much change out of a tenner in some places !

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