Scalescenes cargo ship T030

[ikcdab]

I am going to build one of these next month in 4mm... This is the older 1960s ship, not the modern one.

The model will be improved by buying some ship modeller parts rather than making it all from paper and card. The instructions already suggest a solution for the handrails.

I plan to blitz this over one weekend with family involvement, so would like to have all the bits in hand ready.

Has anyone made one and if so, can suggest what additional parts to buy.

Navigation lights?

Anchor?

Mast fittings?

Life rings?

All suggestions gratefully received!

Ian

[fulton]

I printed one of these on to thin card some years ago, you have promted me to dig it out and make a start, thank you, also plan to replace some items with moulded ship parts.

[JamFjord]

Not built this one myself but I'd be interested to know how you got on, as I have ScaleScenes' Clyde Puffer in my list to build for a planned layout sometime in the future

[KeithMacdonald]

On 27/02/2023 at 14:37, JamFjord said:

Not built this one myself but I'd be interested to know how you got on, as I have ScaleScenes' Clyde Puffer in my list to build for a planned layout sometime in the future

 

I've built the Clyde Puffer, it was quite enjoyable and fairly easy. My only mistake (that I'm admitting to) was to use thinner card than recommended by ScaleScenes. Which means some parts looked a bit warped. But the next one will be easier and better with thicker card.

[JamFjord]

On 27/06/2023 at 22:00, KeithMacdonald said:

I've built the Clyde Puffer, it was quite enjoyable and fairly easy. My only mistake (that I'm admitting to) was to use thinner card than recommended by ScaleScenes. Which means some parts looked a bit warped. But the next one will be easier and better with thicker card.

 

Thanks, Keith - useful tip! Still not built it yet as there isn't much call for a Clyde Puffer in Powys...

[KeithMacdonald]

4 minutes ago, JamFjord said:

Thanks, Keith - useful tip! Still not built it yet as there isn't much call for a Clyde Puffer in Powys...

 

I reckon you could get away with it. 😀

 

Having been reared on tales of Para Handy and Vital Spark, for decades I'd had the mistaken idea the Puffers were unique to Scotland. Turns out I was wrong, and they ventured far and wide. Some being built in places like Newcastle, Hull, Thorne and Faversham. Then seeing service in many places, including a few places in Wales.

e,g,

VIC 62

Quote

One of the new "Improved VICs", she was with the Navy at Plymouth and Milford Haven until 1947

https://clydemaritime.co.uk/puffersandvics/VIC62.htm

 

and VIC 101

Quote

 

1945 Registered at Lowestoft. On naval duties at Crombie and Rosyth on the Forth until transferring to Plymouth in 1947 where she was converted to a water carrier for use at Devonport.

Sold to P Herbert of Bude, Cormwall in 1973. On 10th April 1974 she arrived at Thomas W Ward's Briton Ferry Yard at Giants Grave Wharf on the River Neath in South Wales for breaking up

 

 

https://clydemaritime.co.uk/puffersandvics/VIC101.htm

 

More here

https://clydemaritime.co.uk/puffersandvics/VIC_index.htm

 

I've got one moored alongside my HMS Hades Naval base in Plymouth. It's frequently seen loaded with dubious cargo on dubious duties under the misdirection of CPO Pertwee and Fatso Johnson.

 

[Pacific231G]

11 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

I reckon you could get away with it. 😀

 

Having been reared on tales of Para Handy and Vital Spark, for decades I'd had the mistaken idea the Puffers were unique to Scotland. Turns out I was wrong, and they ventured far and wide. Some being built in places like Newcastle, Hull, Thorne and Faversham. Then seeing service in many places, including a few places in Wales.

e,g,

VIC 62

https://clydemaritime.co.uk/puffersandvics/VIC62.htm

 

and VIC 101

 

https://clydemaritime.co.uk/puffersandvics/VIC101.htm

 

More here

https://clydemaritime.co.uk/puffersandvics/VIC_index.htm

 

I've got one moored alongside my HMS Hades Naval base in Plymouth. It's frequently seen loaded with dubious cargo on dubious duties under the misdirection of CPO Pertwee and Fatso Johnson.

 

 

You weren't that mistaken Keith. Although a few Clyde "puffers" did venture beyond their usual stamping grounds, they were only really typical of the inshore waters around Scotland though the larger "outside" boats up to 88 ft long (to fit the locks of the Crinnan Canal) were designed for the more open and rougher waters of the Hebrides.  There was at least one that plied the Bristol Channel but it was endlessly getting into trouble.

The RN based its 106 VICs (Victualling Inshore Craft) on them and those were used more widely even well beyond British waters (though many were bought by Scottish owners after the war) . However, although for a small quay or port elsewhere in Britain a puffer or VIC is possible, it isn't really typical. What's always been missing are the small raised quarter-deck coasters (steam or motor) larger than  a VIC at around 100-120 ft long (around 18" in 4mm scale) but still small enough to fit the sort of quay or harbour you might fit onto a layout and far more typical of the sort of vessel you would once find in any port or harbour around the British coast.

The Scalescenes coaster looks to be typical of the type developed in the Netherlands that were taken up by many British owners from the 1950s and built by many yards . At 60 cms in 00 it's a good size for a typical coaster of about 500 tons (I think there were regulations or duties that kicked in at 500 tons making coasters just under that size popular) but there were smaller coasters than that which still looked like proper seagoing ships with a full width navigation bridge (rather than just the puffer's tiny wheelhouse) lifeboats in davits,  a fairly large deckhouse with the galley, engine room entrance and accomodation for at least the master, mate and chief engineer on the quarter deck etc. (I think the Dutch type coasters had all their crew accomodation aft)

Some of the later 80ft long VICS do start to look like such small seagoing coasters

https://clydemaritime.co.uk/puffersandvics/Engesund (1).JPG

(though the "Engesund", formerly VIC93, had been lengthened from 80 to 106 ft and fitted with an oil engine)  but those available as kits seem to all be the smaller 66ft long  "Vital Spark" type that could fit in the Forth and Clyde Canal.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Pacific231G

[smithdavid]

On 29/12/2022 at 16:31, ikcdab said:

I am going to build one of these next month in 4mm... This is the older 1960s ship, not the modern one.

The model will be improved by buying some ship modeller parts rather than making it all from paper and card. The instructions already suggest a solution for the handrails.

I plan to blitz this over one weekend with family involvement, so would like to have all the bits in hand ready.

Has anyone made one and if so, can suggest what additional parts to buy.

Navigation lights?

Anchor?

Mast fittings?

Life rings?

All suggestions gratefully received!

Ian

Ian, sounds like an exciting project! For enhancing your 1960s ship model, consider adding navigation lights, anchors, mast fittings, and life rings for added realism. Checking with experienced ship modelers or specialty shops can provide specific recommendations tailored to your project. Happy building!

Edited December 30, 2023 by smithdavid