Birds Eye Containers

[SteveyDee68]

Apparently trains of these used to run at GREAT YARMOUTH (not that I am modelling there!)

 

I’ve seen limited edition sets up for sale on eBay but at crazy prices …

 

Does anybody know of anyone making these as an accessory? I’m especially thinking card kit versions…

 

Have tried Google searching but just keep getting the same auction listings!!

 

 

Excuse the background - this is the container type in question (I acquired two, on a single wagon!!)

 

Any help much appreciated.

 

Steve S

Edited July 26, 2021 by SteveyDee68
Corrected location - and to make sense

[Steamport Southport]

TMC did them as a Bachmann limited edition

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Kier Hardy]

You will probably find that that is a AF container decorated as a AFP container, which is longer in length and so fictional in Birds Eye livery. The Birds Eye AFP containers saw further use with Macfisheries.

 

The AFP container was available as a whitemetal kit from Genesis if you want to be accurate.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by Kier Hardy
Duplicate image(s) to replace those lost.

[Halvarras]

I have a Mainline one - the technology of the day means the printing is a little fuzzy around the edges compared to that in the top pic (unless that one's Mainline too and I have a Friday afternoon rush job!)

[90164]

They also ran on Conflat B wagons which were longer length and apparently conversions of pipe wagons.

[Halvarras]

9 minutes ago, Kier Hardy said:

You will probably find that that is a AF container decorated as a AFP container, which is longer in length and so fictional in Birds Eye livery. The Birds Eye AFP containers saw further use with Macfisheries.

 

 

 

The Macfisheries containers were produced by Bachmann as a limited edition for Harburn Hobbies (ref. 37-975X), but will obviously be similarly fictional.

[Fat Controller]

3 hours ago, 90164 said:

They also ran on Conflat B wagons which were longer length and apparently conversions of pipe wagons.

Most were conversions of Pipe wagons, but a further 15 were converted from Flat ED wagons. There are photos of both types on p31 of 'Wagons of the Middle British Railways Era' by David Larkin. Curiously 'Hornby' modelled a Conflat B on a purpose-built underframe, but carrying a Freightliner box... The underframe was a very accurate representation of a 21t Minfit (MDV) one; they never did model one.

[hmrspaul]

https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/conflatbafp

[SRman]

6 hours ago, Neil Phillips said:

I have a Mainline one - the technology of the day means the printing is a little fuzzy around the edges compared to that in the top pic (unless that one's Mainline too and I have a Friday afternoon rush job!)

 

I have a couple of the old Mainline ones too, and even though I know they aren't accurate, they are rather nice.

[SteveyDee68]

8 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

TMC did them as a Bachmann limited edition

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

Thank you Jason @Steamport Southport for pointing me at this thread, where I discovered I had misremembered seeing the line of these wagons being at Ipswich as actually being at Great Yarmouth ... as I did a lot of Google research of images of Great Yarmouth (because of the famous "hole in the wall" photo of the class 04 emerging from between houses) and then of Ipswich, I can maybe be forgiven for mixing the two up in my mind.

 

Thank you to everybody else who has contributed, especially regarding the fact these are incorrect (argh!) and that the correct type is available from Genesis Kits ...

 

Except ... where exactly are Genesis Kits?! I find various references to them, and Hattons has four of their kits listed - but only as wishlist items! Do Genesis Kits still exist? Mention is made of someone (unnamed) making resin versions of the correct AFP type container available, for which @cctransuk has transfers...

 

Why is it that every can I select to open appears to be crammed full of worms?!

 

Steve S

 

PS

Interesting reading the grumbles about the prices rising from £29 to £34 and then £39 .... last set of three I saw on eBay was going for £59.99 BIN + p&p!!!

 

 

[Johann Marsbar]

They certainly never appeared on Ipswich Docks - the Birds-Eye plant was in Gt Yarmouth.

 

There is a very nice b/w arial photo on page 114 of "The Yarmouth Train" by Malcom White, which shows a long rake of them being top/tailed by a pair of 04 shunters on the Yarmouth Dock Tramway down by the Town Hall.

I've seen some colour photos of them on that line as well, but can't remember which publication they are in. It doesn't appear to be any of the other Malcolm White books I have.

[jonhall]

A little bit of film here https://www.britishpathe.com/video/its-cooler-by-train/query/peas

 

also some out takes https://www.britishpathe.com/video/selected-originals-its-cooler-by-train/query/peas

 

Jon

Edited July 11, 2021 by jonhall

[John Isherwood]

8 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Except ... where exactly are Genesis Kits?!

 

Gone the same way as the dinosaurs! It's a watch Ebay situation nowadays for these.

 

Resin AFUs - if you trace any, please let me know; I could use some.

 

The transfers are still available, though!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood,

https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm

[heavymetalwagons]

Got some genesis one's bit rough from what i remember couldn't tell if the sides go on the ends or vise verser a real pig to make!! 

Could you not butcher some normal ones to make right and then mould and cast your own 

There is a drawing for the afp container on the barrowmore site

[John Isherwood]

1 hour ago, heavymetalwagons said:

Got some genesis one's bit rough from what i remember couldn't tell if the sides go on the ends or vise verser a real pig to make!! 

Could you not butcher some normal ones to make right and then mould and cast your own 

There is a drawing for the afp container on the barrowmore site

 

I had no problems with the Genesis AFPs; my transfers were designed to fit them and the finished models look fine.

 

CJI.

[SteveyDee68]

On 11/07/2021 at 11:01, cctransuk said:

Gone the same way as the dinosaurs! It's a watch Ebay situation nowadays for these.

 

Well, at least that saves me trawling through the entire Small Suppliers forum in search of entries about them!  Would have been doing that today if it hadn't been for yet more job applications to complete... 

 

Surely with Mr Isherwood having transfers ready it is time for some intrepid resin caster or 3D printing genius to step into the breach and produce the AFP container now that Genesis has gone for a Burton?

 

I wonder - do you have other transfers available @cctransuk for the AFP container? Would that make it a more attractive proposition to produce?

 

(Wondering if I should investigate this resin casting malarky myself!)

 

Many thanks for the responses - the two examples I have are very bonny, and I shall enjoy running - eventually - a little train of them down the quayside of Burnstow Dock ...

 

On 11/07/2021 at 06:06, Johann Marsbar said:

They certainly never appeared on Ipswich Docks - the Birds-Eye plant was in Gt Yarmouth.

 

Thanks for that clarification, Johann - although I did say in my post directly before your own that I had got Ipswich and Great Yarmouth muddled up! 

 

On 11/07/2021 at 18:02, heavymetalwagons said:

There is a drawing for the afp container on the barrowmore site

 

Ah, that's useful to know! Going in search of drawings!

 

HOURS OF FUN - UNLESS YOU ARE WATCHING THE ENGLAND V ITALY MATCH!!!

Edited June 7, 2022 by SteveyDee68
Corrected layout reference

[Steamport Southport]

ISTR the remnants of the Genesis Kits range was available from Peters Spares for a while. I can't remember any containers though. I managed to pick up a couple of the SR snow ploughs and a few Blue Pullman parts. That was about two years ago.

 

The one item I wish was still available was the Ramp Wagon for the Warwells/Warflats. Surely there must be demand for those as well.

 

 

Jason

[Johann Marsbar]

On 11/07/2021 at 02:47, SteveyDee68 said:

 

Thank you Jason @Steamport Southport for pointing me at this thread, where I discovered I had misremembered seeing the line of these wagons being at Ipswich as actually being at Great Yarmouth ... as I did a lot of Google research of images of Great Yarmouth (because of the famous "hole in the wall" photo of the class 04 emerging from between houses) and then of Ipswich, I can maybe be forgiven for mixing the two up in my mind.

 

 

 

Actually the line to the Lower Yard and Ipswich Docks did pass between  a reasonably narrow gap down by Ranelagh Road crossing - though a lot wider than the one in Yarmouth....

 

 

What was at that stage (1978) an antique shop, on the right, was demolished soon after, which left a much larger gap up until the line closed completely. The wall on the left was the end of Reavells factory which is long gone now and has been replaced by a hotel.

 

 

[John Isherwood]

8 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

 

I wonder - do you have other transfers available @cctransuk for the AFP container? Would that make it a more attractive proposition to produce?

 

Yes - see my website at https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm

 

John Isherwood.

[Michael Hodgson]

  

9 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

ISTR the remnants of the Genesis Kits range was available from Peters Spares for a while. I can't remember any containers though. I managed to pick up a couple of the SR snow ploughs and a few Blue Pullman parts. That was about two years ago.

 

The one item I wish was still available was the Ramp Wagon for the Warwells/Warflats. Surely there must be demand for those as well.

 

 

Jason

A 3D-printed version is available, and not just the usual body only but complete with wheels and couplings.   

Also producing Warwells, Warflats, and Rectanks.

 

However shipping is rather expensive because manufacturer is in Oz.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303988391708

 

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Michael Hodgson

[dave260457]

Just as a point of interest, I used to work in the Drawing Office which was two floors above and in the end of the Reavells building shown in the Ranelagh Road Level Crossing photo shown earlier in this thread. I had many enjoyable times watching,hearing and, yes,actually feeling the trains using that crossing. The rumble was especially loud when the Class 37’s used to go down the branch.  But, oh dear, couldn’t,t you tell how impatient the car drivers were getting if it was a long train, lol.

Regards

David

[Halvarras]

Just remembered that I have this Instamatic photo taken at Oxford on 17/2/73 showing Class 46 185 with a Birds Eye container right behind the loco and another further along. In case it's of interest......

[SteveyDee68]

On 10/07/2021 at 22:15, Fat Controller said:

Curiously 'Hornby' modelled a Conflat B on a purpose-built underframe, but carrying a Freightliner box... The underframe was a very accurate representation of a 21t Minfit (MDV) one; they never did model one.

Apologies to drag an old topic up, but: 

 

(a) does that mean that the old Hornby “Conflat B” (inaccurately labelled as a Conflat A) is actually correct length?

 

(b) is the MDV (21t Minfit) underframe correct for the body?

 

If the answer to (a) is yes and (b) is no, can anybody point me at a suitable underframe (or kit) to put underneath the bodywork?

 

Since first raising the subject of Birds Eye Containers, I’ve now acquired (at sensible, not-Gostude-like prices) a rake of five of these “Conflat B” wagons which, if they can take two containers each as per the original train, will look the part trundling down my quayside. Of course, I could simply leave the underframes “as is” and mount pairs of AFP containers onto each wagon…

 

But despite searching in the interim, nobody seems to be producing these particular types of container! AF and B containers, even meat containers can be found, but not the elusive AFP!

 

If anybody can inform me, I’d be grateful!

 

HOURS OF FUN!

[John Isherwood]

8 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Apologies to drag an old topic up, but: 

 

(a) does that mean that the old Hornby “Conflat B” (inaccurately labelled as a Conflat A) is actually correct length?

 

(b) is the MDV (21t Minfit) underframe correct for the body?

 

If the answer to (a) is yes and (b) is no, can anybody point me at a suitable underframe (or kit) to put underneath the bodywork?

 

Since first raising the subject of Birds Eye Containers, I’ve now acquired (at sensible, not-Gostude-like prices) a rake of five of these “Conflat B” wagons which, if they can take two containers each as per the original train, will look the part trundling down my quayside. Of course, I could simply leave the underframes “as is” and mount pairs of AFP containers onto each wagon…

 

But despite searching in the interim, nobody seems to be producing these particular types of container! AF and B containers, even meat containers can be found, but not the elusive AFP!

 

If anybody can inform me, I’d be grateful!

 

HOURS OF FUN!

 

To the best of my knowledge, no-one currently produces AFP containers in 4mm. scale.

 

Genesis Kits produced a whitemetal kit - no longer available - and correct transfers are available from me.

 

John Isherwood,

Cambridge Custom Transfers

[45568]

9 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Apologies to drag an old topic up, but: 

 

(a) does that mean that the old Hornby “Conflat B” (inaccurately labelled as a Conflat A) is actually correct length?

 

(b) is the MDV (21t Minfit) underframe correct for the body?

 

If the answer to (a) is yes and (b) is no, can anybody point me at a suitable underframe (or kit) to put underneath the bodywork?

 

Since first raising the subject of Birds Eye Containers, I’ve now acquired (at sensible, not-Gostude-like prices) a rake of five of these “Conflat B” wagons which, if they can take two containers each as per the original train, will look the part trundling down my quayside. Of course, I could simply leave the underframes “as is” and mount pairs of AFP containers onto each wagon…

 

But despite searching in the interim, nobody seems to be producing these particular types of container! AF and B containers, even meat containers can be found, but not the elusive AFP!

 

If anybody can inform me, I’d be grateful!

 

HOURS OF FUN!

I was not aware of the Conflat B by Hornby, any chance of a pic. and part # etc. please?

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.