Hornby VIX Ferry Vans. Detailing and the new Railtec Transfers (post #68).

[dasatcopthorne]

Hi Guys.

 

I am in the process of making a few alterations to four of the above after seeing someone else who did the same and posted photos on the old RMweb site.

 

I'll post a few piccies later of my efforts but in the meantime I have the problem of lettering them if I go for a full repaint which they really need.

 

Does anyone know of any transfers suitable for these vans.

 

I've done the usual search of the archive and found nothing. I've also mailed Cambridge Custom Transfers and he doesn't do any.

 

Any suggestions please?

 

Dave

Edited February 13, 2015 by dasatcopthorne

[bescotbeast]

Hi Guys.

 

I am in the process of making a few alterations to four of the above after seeing someone else who did the same and posted photos on the old RMweb site.

 

I'll post a few piccies later of my efforts but in the meantime I have the problem of lettering them if I go for a full repaint which they really need.

 

Does anyone know of any transfers suitable for these vans.

 

I've done the usual search of the archive and found nothing. I've also mailed Cambridge Custom Transfers and he doesn't do any.

 

Any suggestions please?

 

Dave

You're in the same boat as me, i've repainted 3 Hornby RIX vans but could not find any suitable transfers 

                                Simon

[jonhall]

I would think that John Peck of Precision Labels might be worth approaching, he may not do it, but seems willing to take commissions that then become part of his range. Assuming its the 'through to the continent by British Rail' version you want http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/hc16c217#hc16c217 I think I could probably work out what all the lettering ought to say, and he should already have the ferry anchors etch from the DB vans. The only problem is that he lays his sheets out very inefficiently and you often only get one wagon. It really needs Fox to take up the baton.

 

Jon

[Fat Controller]

I would think that John Peck of Precision Labels might be worth approaching, he may not do it, but seems willing to take commissions that then become part of his range. Assuming its the 'through to the continent by British Rail' version you want http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/hc16c217#hc16c217 I think I could probably work out what all the lettering ought to say, and he should already have the ferry anchors etch from the DB vans. The only problem is that he lays his sheets out very inefficiently and you often only get one wagon. It really needs Fox to take up the baton.

 

Jon

Railtec might also be able to help:-  http://www.railtec-models.com/index.php

I've got one (possibly two) of these to do, as well as some FS and SNCF ones; my hand-painted lettering doesn't bear close examination these days.

[BernardTPM]

As built they had 'Through to the Continent by British Railways' + the Rail freight 'box' symbol in 'Transport' typeface. Later this was modified to 'Through the the Continent by British Rail' + double arrow.

[Fat Controller]

If you need to replace the buffers, then I think S-Kits does them. He certainly does something that's very close.

[railtec-models]

Railtec might also be able to help:-  http://www.railtec-models.com/index.php

I've got one (possibly two) of these to do, as well as some FS and SNCF ones; my hand-painted lettering doesn't bear close examination these days.

 

Folks, we'd be happy to pursue this and add them to our range. So, at great risk of opening the flood gates, now is a good juncture at which to ask if there are specific markings / number ranges you'd like to see in the pack? Once we have a reasonable grasp of what people would find useful, getting this pack to market should be pretty straight-forward.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

Railtec Transfers

[PhilJ W]

I have four of these so any four different numbers will be ok.

[Metr0Land]

I have 3 to do.  Afraid you won't get rich on me, but at least you'll know there are buyers out here.  Numbers immaterial to me, I can go with the flow.

[Fat Controller]

Folks, we'd be happy to pursue this and add them to our range. So, at great risk of opening the flood gates, now is a good juncture at which to ask if there are specific markings / number ranges you'd like to see in the pack? Once we have a reasonable grasp of what people would find useful, getting this pack to market should be pretty straight-forward.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

Railtec Transfers

Anything would be nice for the BR ones; I'll have to do some research for type sizes for the others.

[jonhall]

I'll look up the correct lettering/numbering options this evening (or possibly tommorrow).

 

Jon

[dasatcopthorne]

Folks, we'd be happy to pursue this and add them to our range. So, at great risk of opening the flood gates, now is a good juncture at which to ask if there are specific markings / number ranges you'd like to see in the pack? Once we have a reasonable grasp of what people would find useful, getting this pack to market should be pretty straight-forward.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

Railtec Transfers

 

 

Hi Steve.

 

I am the Dave that emailed you direct. Thanks for your reply but it's probably best to continue the conversation here as I fell it would be of interest to a wider audience. I trust you agree.

 

I see John Hall has offered to look up some details but meanwhile as a starter can I refer everyone to the following shot numbers on Paul Bartlett's Wagon site at     http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com search for VIX then take the VIX FerryVan subdirectory and check out these:

 

7, 34, 35, 44, 50, 61, 62 & 82.

 

There seems to be a variety or lettering and symbols within a general theme.

 

Personally I need to do 3 'brown' vans and one 'Railfreight'.

 

Perhaps those amongst us we can come up with the best set worth producing.

 

Cheers

 

Dave Smith

[Enterprisingwestern]

Some in this style for me if I can be so bold!

 

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/h1967460#hf8652f

 

Also Jon, no mention of your ventilator etches?

 

Mike.

[griffgriff]

How about leaving the number box blank?

[The Bigbee Line]

I'll have a couple of sets..

 

There maybe some synergy with the Ferry Opens?

 

Thats my two cents.....

[jonhall]

I am going to look these up, but I'm having a very busy week - moving Laboratories at work and I've acquired an enormous number of semi-built kits and books from a club members estate that I'm trying to sort out, give me a few days...

 

Jon

[Icknieldrobin]

I could use a couple of 'Through to the Continent' sets please. No's immaterial

 

Thanks in advance

 

Doug

[railtec-models]

How about leaving the number box blank?

 

It's one option, and we're certainly open to feedback. Only thing we'd volunteer on this note is that if we can make easy one-piece application transfers with the detail already filled in, thereby minimising time/hassle for modellers, would that be preferred? At least the feedback we hear from customers via the web site and at shows is that folks generally don't want the hassle of cutting out and lining up numbers, though in some cases it may be unavoidable. We'll watch with interest how this thread develops, and it may well make sense to release 2, 3 or even more similar packs in parallel. Obviously we need to be sensible and make sure that the time and development invested doesn't make a pack so specific that it would only ever meet the requirements of one modeller, but instead strike that happy balance.

 

Looking through Bartlett's images there are clearly multiple liveries (Railfreight, bauxite, Civil Link, etc) and naturally variations within those liveries. Perhaps a sensible question to ask is - would modellers tend to stick to one VIX livery? If we were to gradually release packs per livery, what we would want to avoid is forcing people down the route of having to buy multiple packs.

[jonhall]

I had a good look last night and these are a real minefield of differences, although I think we can probably help get to a set of transfers that have all of what's require, it may be that some modellers will need to chop up a 'standard' set to alter their individual positions.

 

I think when it comes to numbers I would prefer a few 'random' numbers on a sheet, but plus a few semi-made up numbers (i.e. B786___ )  with a set of individual digits to complete the number - its not too bad to make up a BR number from scratch, but these have UIC so the number panel read 21 RIV, 70 BR, 214 0 000-0 (later renumbered to 21 RIV, 70 BR 238 0 000-0 ).

 

I'll write up my thoughts, but no promise of when, but it should be this week.

 

Jon

[Enterprisingwestern]

Personally I'd prefer the numbers made up to save the faff, but I'd obviously go with the flow.

 

Mike.

[stewartingram]

It's one option, and we're certainly open to feedback. Only thing we'd volunteer on this note is that if we can make easy one-piece application transfers with the detail already filled in, thereby minimising time/hassle for modellers, would that be preferred? At least the feedback we hear from customers via the web site and at shows is that folks generally don't want the hassle of cutting out and lining up numbers, though in some cases it may be unavoidable. We'll watch with interest how this thread develops, and it may well make sense to release 2, 3 or even more similar packs in parallel. Obviously we need to be sensible and make sure that the time and development invested doesn't make a pack so specific that it would only ever meet the requirements of one modeller, but instead strike that happy balance.

 

Looking through Bartlett's images there are clearly multiple liveries (Railfreight, bauxite, Civil Link, etc) and naturally variations within those liveries. Perhaps a sensible question to ask is - would modellers tend to stick to one VIX livery? If we were to gradually release packs per livery, what we would want to avoid is forcing people down the route of having to buy multiple packs.

I've only 1 van, so made up numbers preferred, bauxite (early) livery.

 

Stewart

[CloggyDog]

I'd be in for 3-4 Bauxite/Freight Brown wagon's worth, suitable for the 1970s

[jonhall]

OK part one of a multi part answer- this covers the pre-RIV numbers.

 

I suspect that this shot is the official pressed steel portrait as I have seen it in several places, and have a similar photo with the door open on other BR publicity, this photo is form British Railways Eastern Region Magazine from October 1962.

 

 

So for clarity I'll talk about each 'panel' on the side from left to right and the diagonals don't count, so Panel 1 has a diagonal across it bottom left to top right, panel 2 has a ventilator in the top etc...

 

The 4 corners all have a white rectangle and a white pentagon wraped around the corner post, this is pretty much standard for ferry wagons of this era - I *might* be able to find dimensions. From a transfer designers  point of view, please split this vertically into two so that the side face and end face are two different transfers - I've done several of these on German wagons and a 90° bend in a transfer is a sure fire way of it lifting. 

 

Top of panel 1 is the ferry anchor - I'm not sure if thus has changed over time, but this is the more or less current artwork

 

 

Bottom of panel 1 from the top

This is the loaded speed chart - this is different in the current regs - I'll try and explain how, but you might want to wait as I think I have a really good example to scan latter...

 

top line A B C is correct

Middle line Remove the box with 'S' in it. Divide the number box by 3 columns (under the letters) the number to go in each is 17t, 21t, 25t

bottom line change the box with 'SS' to a single 'S' Divide the number box by 3 columns (under the letters) the number to go in each is 17t, 21t, 25t (as above)

 

 

 

Next up Tare weight  correct value for VIX=15.140kg

 

Floor area logo correct value for VIX=28.0m²

 

There is a standard D plate on the solebar, but it has a GB78xxxx number not the usual Bxxxxxx number.

 

Panel 2 from the top

'BRITISH RAILWAYS' (split by the vent opening Y)

'HARWICH-ZEEBRUGGE ROUTE ONLY' (I have no idea why this restriction is present, or if others were dedicated to Dover Dunkirque)

'20T' (there might be a decimal in smaller font bottom aligned, but if there is I can't read it. 

'B786873'

 

no lettering on panels 3,4,5 or the door, or 6, 7, 8,

 

Panel 9 'XP' (unboxed)

 

Panel 10 RIV in a box near the top. Later paints have the 'St' as well (which indicated that it is a standard UIC design - in this case UIC ORE type 3)

there is something at the bottom of the panel but I can't read it.

 

Then we have the only example I can find of a flying crate railfreight logo van, with boxed lettering as well - this from railfreight sale leaflet probably c1964 there seems to be one either side in the same ex-works livery - I wonder if this is the second batch (Ashford? ) official portrait?

 

 

corners and panel 1 as before

 

panel 2 has the same 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' location, but with a four line 'boxed' panel

'Hfs' (the UIC equivalent of a TOPS code)

'FERRY VAN'

'20T' 'tare 36-xx' - I can't quite read

'GB787110'

 

plus an XP box

 

no lettering on panels 3,4,5, 6, 7, 8, or 9

 

The door has the flying crate logo (do you have this? ) above 'Through to the Continent by British Railways'

 

Panel 10 has a data box visible in the nearer van next door tare 14-10 above what is presumably the standard BR maintainance info panel of the time.

 

On the solebar appears to be the length over buffers logo   correct value for VIX=need to look up

 

 

and the wheelbase logo   correct value for VIX=need to look up.  the text I can read seems to be 26'3" so both logos might in fact might be the same info in metric and imperial.

 

more to follow on the first UIC numbering (but still in Brown) then the Flame red/grey version.

 

Jon

Edited August 13, 2014 by jonhall

[dasatcopthorne]

Guys.

 

As the originator of the thread, here's what I would prefer some from photo 2 above.

 

I would like to see 'pre-made' van numbers, say a selection of six and then some additional digits to change numbers if required.

 

I would like the wording on the doors, (Through to the C....') etc. But with the word 'Railways' as well at the later version 'Rail'.

 

If only one version, I would prefer later vans lettered 'British Rail' having the wording on panel 2 without boxes round them.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

ps. Jon. Thanks for all the hard work on this.

[jonhall]

A little more on flying crate version

 

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/hF8652F#h6fd82781 shows the same version of the livery, but probably post-ferry use, in panel 10 the wheelbase is now shown 'W B 26'3" '

 

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/hF8652F#hf8652f again flying crate but this time with the boxed lettering painted out and the first RIV number painted over the top. I should really look up the renumbering date but if someone has it to hand it would help c1968 rings bells?

 

Nice close view of the lettering on the doors, I suspect the typeface changed to Transport at the same time as the double arrows appeared (i.e. after this livery) http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan/hF8652F#h66d6c5ca The posters are a temporary thing .... British Bogs to Baghdad - sadly not.

 

Jon