HCB Commer K1 water tender ladder.

[Paul_C]

I'm looking for somebody who builds in white metal to make a KFB Commer K1 water tender ladder. None of the major retailers have produced anything similar so it's down to a scratchbuild. I already have the water tender completed but sadly due to illness that model maker could not take on the second project. 

 

Any ideas would be most welcomed.

 

Paul Cornish.

[mikeharvey22]

Paul

 

I think you are more likely to find someone who will scratch build in plastic, or possibly brass. White metal is more a casting metal which requires a master to be made and a mould created from the master made in plastic or brass. The HCB K1 and other similar Commer/HCB appliances used by Kent evolved over the 1950s from slam door lockers, to roller shutters to bigger cabs. Ladder technology also evolved and the early wooden laddered ones acquired various aluminium designs, which were reputed to be heavy to handle.

 

 

I think there is scope for doing a 3D printed design that copes with the design changes.

[jcb 3c]

Always liked the look of these  Commers , there is a good set of photos of the Kent Commers on the Romar site -

http://www.romar.org.uk/page180.html

Edited October 20, 2018 by jcb 3c

[mikeharvey22]

Always liked the look of these  Commers , there is a good set of photos of the Kent Commers on the Romar site -

http://www.romar.org.uk/page180.html

 

The Romar site is a goldmine for good quality photos of many brigades' appliances. The South East England ones are most comprehensive. The page linked reminds me just how many bodybuilders Kent tried on the early Commers, before settling on HCB as the main supplier.

Edited October 21, 2018 by mikeharvey22

[Paul_C]

Thanks for the replies, I know this is a pretty specialist and unusual topic in it's own entirety but it's the era and locality that I'm working on so needs must. I never do things the easy way. The obvious solution would be Oxford Diecast releasing a model of it, that would be the answer to my prayers, if only.

 

Paul C. 

[Paul_C]

After a gap of almost six years I'm posting this today just to show the results of my searching and patience. I've experienced a few false starts with this but having waited almost ten years a diecast model is now in the making. It has been a lengthy journey but the rewards are now forthcoming.

 

The pattern has been made and it has now moved onto the painting/finishing stage. The ladder is the final piece of the jigsaw as another pattern has to be drafted up for this. Hopefully in a few weeks time I will have a cracking looking model to compliment Brian McCulloch's fire station.

 

Paul.

[TM2201A]

Lovely stuff,  various Commer chassis were used a lot by smaller brigades in the UK and other exports.

[Les Bird]

Not the same as yours but a good model. It's from Atlas and lettered Suffolk and Ipswich Fire Brigade. It claims to be 1/72 but is clearly 1/76. Purchased on ebay some years ago.

Edited May 9 by Les Bird

[Paul_C]

Les,

 

I think the real one is in the Ipswich Transport Museum and there are a few clips of it on various sites including YouTube. I do have this model as well but the Water Tender for my layout is a Commer Whitson body made from a Fire Brigade Models kit. It was built by Clarke Tait who lives in Scotland. Once I have this latest model (WrL) all finished and decked out I will be able to recreate an old B & W photo that was part of my research. The model is now on its way back to the pattern maker as he is going to do a pattern for the ladder.

 

As far as I am aware this type of ladder does not exist in 1/76 scale. 

 

Paul.

 

  

[Mike Harvey]

Looking very impressive Paul. Sorry my efforts never matured in 1/76, but at least I ended up with 4 different versions in N.

[Paul_C]

Mike, this has been a very difficult and drawn out path as it was always going to be a big ask. I thought that it was a diecast body shell but it is not as it isn't a production model as such. Paul Slade explained it all to me the other day and it is now clear.

 

The mass produced ones are apparently made in China and they are produced in batches so modern technology is applied. This one of mine is a one off so it is hand built. I could have had a master built and produced a whole run of them but that would have cost thousands and required me to set up as a business. No thanks 🤔. It should look pretty good when everything is finished on it. Once the painting is tidied up and finalised it should sit nicely alongside the WrT.

 

They are now going to make a pattern for the 45ft Merryweather ladder so a pretty accurate version of that should emerge shortly. That will enhance the overall visual appearance greatly.

 

Paul. 

[Johann Marsbar]

On 09/05/2024 at 17:31, Les Bird said:

Not the same as yours but a good model. It's from Atlas and lettered Suffolk and Ipswich Fire Brigade. It claims to be 1/72 but is clearly 1/76. Purchased on ebay some years ago.

 

KRT 920 is over on the left of this photo taken at the end of February.......

 

 

Atlas also produced a model of our Dennis, PBJ 338, as I've got one of those on my layout!

[Paul_C]

Hi Johann,

 

Do I take it you’re connected with the Ipswich museum then?

 

Paul.

[Johann Marsbar]

5 hours ago, Paul_C said:

Hi Johann,

 

Do I take it you’re connected with the Ipswich museum then?

 

Paul.

 

Yes - That photo was taken during our "Winter Work Programme" that rearranged some of the display areas in the museum and on the fire engine side brought our low height Bedford TK (originally Needham Market based) in from storage for exhibition and made room for the 1912 Shand Mason steamer (also ex Needham) which has since arrived from the "Food Museum" at Stowmarket.