Big Four Engineer Wagons

[Garethp8873]

Very recently I have noticed that although we have RTR Engineer Vehicles of the 50s onwards, why do we not have any of the Big Four era?

 

Although we have got kits of Big Four Engineer vehicles, to those of us who do not have much experience with kits, I feel this is rather disappointing. I for one would certainly love to have some GWR Tool Vans and Ballast Wagons on my layout.

 

The only two vehicles I have which are tool related are a GWR Iron Mink converted for Tool Use and a LMS Ballast wagon. Both of these vehicles are kit built. Considering how many different engineer vehicles there were in the Big Four era, I would hope that RTR companies would take a look at these and do something for the Big Four guys.

 

Garethp8873.

[westerner]

Can i suggest you have a go at The Chivers Big four ballast wagons. They are a joy to put together. I built one and at the next exhibition bought some more because they were that easy to put together. Wheels were Hornby and transfers from Cambridge Transfers.

[Guest stuartp]

Cambrian used to do a Starfish (GWR 10t), not sure if they still do. The LMS Sole and Haddock ballast wagons should be dead easy to do if you fancy scratchbuilding a body for the Ratio 10' RCH underframe, they're basically an open box 3 planks high with a couple of hinges on each side, often confused with Medfits in later years. Genesis do (did ?) a Herring ballast hopper in whitemetal.

[hmrspaul]

Making the assumption that others have done that this is about 4mm models (??)

 

Cambrian do plenty of the GWR departmental fleet http://www.cambrianmodels.co.uk/gwwagons.html

They (and someone else) have the Mermaid which was introduced by GWR about 1930. Cambrian also have the LMS Borail, SR Walrus and SECR ballast.

 

Ratio does a permanent way set http://www.scalerail.co.uk/ro575_permanent_way_set_4_wagons.html?category_id=70

 

As mentioned Chivers do suitable kits

 

Also, the pre-nat companies (and BR into the later 1950s) do not appear to have differentiated wagons between engineers and revenue as clearly as happened later (until EWS who put numerous engineers wagons back into revenue fleets). So the engineers wagons tended to be specialist and ordinary bolster wagons, opens, minerals etc were used widely by the engineers - often older examples, but they were not renumbered or have D added as pre-fix.

 

Paul Bartlett

[(The) Youth]

Parkside / chivers kits are will made with small amounts of flash on mouldings. Theres not much that can go wrong. If you can rewire a plug you can make a parkisde kit!

 

Cambrain kits are a bit more of advance level and Genesis are another level all together

 

A chivers kit would be a great way of getting into kit building and you can always say 'I built that'

 

 

[karabuni]

From Cambrian Models:

 

Thanks for the list , Paul.

 

The GWR Starfish has just been updated so that it has the headstock as part of the end, removing the need to trim (or use) the headstock on the underframe moulding. The buffer guides (bodies are now separate making it easier to fit cast/sprung buffers instead.

The SR 8 plank open has also just had this done, which will make it possible to bring out a 10ft wb kit using our one-piece underframe. The SR wagons were used as engineers' wagons, both in SR days (as cable wagons) and in BR times for various purposes.

 

The Mermaid is the vac. fitted BR type, although back-dating to GWR should be that difficult - at one time Branchlines did a set of castings to do it, but this was a long time ago.

 

The Bulleid-designed SR/BR 5 plank dropside used for PW materials is in our list as forthcoming.

 

Long-term there should be a kit for the GWR P22 ballast hopper of 1947 which was, I'm told, used on the S & D - so something for a 7F to haul perhaps. Also at some time, the LMS Sole & Haddock - these would have "one-piece" floors & solebars - which have a greater "overhang" beyond the wheelbase than Revenue 10 footers - they're longer overall (don't recall exact length) the LMS book's down in the workshop).

 

Barry,

Cambrian Models

[iak]

LMS Sole & Haddock would be very popular as they lasted a long time...

It is a good point mind about how this area need developing a bit - who else will take the plunge..

[karabuni]

"LMS Sole & Haddock - these have a greater "overhang" beyond the wheelbase than Revenue 10 footers - they're longer overall (don't recall exact length) the LMS book's down in the workshop)."

 

Looked in the book - they were 20' 8" over headstocks.

 

Barry

Cambrian Models

 

- see us at Scaleforum (Leatherhead) over the weekend.

[Fat Controller]

"LMS Sole & Haddock - these have a greater "overhang" beyond the wheelbase than Revenue 10 footers - they're longer overall (don't recall exact length) the LMS book's down in the workshop)."

 

Looked in the book - they were 20' 8" over headstocks.

 

Barry

Cambrian Models

 

- see us at Scaleforum (Leatherhead) over the weekend.

Didn't one of the two (the Sole) have the body finish slightly short of the headstocks?

[hmrspaul]

Didn't one of the two (the Sole) have the body finish slightly short of the headstocks?

 

Yes the Sole did see

"LMS & BR Sole Ballast wagons" (C#809885) – 62 photographs

http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c809885.html

 

But I think the point was that they are long compared to wagons on the RCH standard underframe of 17ft. 6in, over headstocks with a 10ft. wheelbase.

 

Photos of the Haddock here LMS Haddock - Sleeper wagon – 17 photographs

http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c186971.html

and in this collection

Departmental 4-wheel wagons – unusual – 61 photographs

SLUDGE, HADDOCK, STARFISH, LING, TUNNY, MINNOW and WHITING.

http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c438345.html

 

Paul Bartlett