John_Hughes Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I know Google is my friend (and a very good friend too, as it happens) but I still haven't been able to turn up any pictures of the prototype of the old Airfix meat van kit - lots of pictures of the model, but none of the real thing! Can anyone point me to any, please? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
66C Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Hi John Have a look at Paul Bartlett's Fotopic site: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net They are in there! Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Taz Posted November 9, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2009 Yes, Paul's site is always the first place to look for wagon photos. Specific section: http://gallery6801.f...et/c716425.html Cheers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John Isherwood Posted November 9, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 9, 2009 Yes, Paul's site is always the first place to look for wagon photos. Specific section: http://gallery6801.f...et/c716425.html Cheers. Be aware that these wagons, when first introdued, were painted passenger stock crimson (as in blood & custard) with yellow lettering. Regards, John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Be aware that these wagons, when first introdued, were painted passenger stock crimson (as in blood & custard) with yellow lettering. Regards, John Isherwood. There were also rather less of them than the ubiquity of the Airfix model might suggest- I believe there were a hundred of them, and another hundred of the insulated equivalent. Penny numbers indeed, when compared to the standard 12t van. Both types ended up in general service, the ventilated one receiving Freight Brown/Bauxite, the insulated one a thick coat of dirt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 There were also rather less of them than the ubiquity of the Airfix model might suggest- I believe there were a hundred of them, and another hundred of the insulated equivalent. Penny numbers indeed, when compared to the standard 12t van. Both types ended up in general service, the ventilated one receiving Freight Brown/Bauxite, the insulated one a thick coat of dirt. First of all, thanks to everyone for the very helpful replies. I'm in the middle of a kit-bash on one of these - the sides and ends are very decent, the doors ruined by the need to make them open to keep the kiddies happy, and the underframe is awful! Any idea when the ventilated vans started to be used for general freight? I'm guessing by the early 1960s? Thanks again to all! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 First of all, thanks to everyone for the very helpful replies. I'm in the middle of a kit-bash on one of these - the sides and ends are very decent, the doors ruined by the need to make them open to keep the kiddies happy, and the underframe is awful! Any idea when the ventilated vans started to be used for general freight? I'm guessing by the early 1960s? Thanks again to all! Possibly even earlier, as most meat traffic went over to either rail containers or road transport fairly early on. I can't think I ever saw one of the ventilated ones in anything apart from departmental use- Tonbridge had one in the goods yard until it was lifted- but I did see one of the insulated variety in one of the seasonal fertiliser trains that worked to the various branches around Carmarthen in about 1971. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigwelsh Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 If you read the text at the top of Paul's gallery http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c716425.html: Between 1952 and 1954 BR built 250 insulated and 150 fresh (ventilated) meat vans. The use for fresh meat appears to have ended during the early 1960s however the insulated vans continued in use into the 1970s. Although both rare and specialised in the late 1950s Airfix made a very good 4mm kit for the fresh meat van so every model layout had one! I certainly can't question the accuracy of this so I assume it to be correct given Paul's expertise in the area. Don Rowland also covered these wagons in his book "BR wagons, 1st 1/2 million". This will probably contain the lot and build numbers etc. 150 vs thousands of normals vans is indeed a big difference though! I have seen a previous bash of one using Parkside sides with the Airfix ends, it may have been pete_mcfarlane amongst his massive efforts in variety of wagon types! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 Thanks again to both! Much appreciated indeed. Despite there being such a small number of vans, the photos show interesting minor differences in the door detail and possibly in other areas which I haven't spotted yet. I don't think I ever saw one of these in the flesh - at least, not that I ever noticed - but I did feel like getting a bit of variety in the van fleet, and these do look quite different from most thanks to all those ventilator hoods at the ends! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Thanks again to both! Much appreciated indeed. Despite there being such a small number of vans, the photos show interesting minor differences in the door detail and possibly in other areas which I haven't spotted yet. I don't think I ever saw one of these in the flesh - at least, not that I ever noticed - but I did feel like getting a bit of variety in the van fleet, and these do look quite different from most thanks to all those ventilator hoods at the ends! At least one example had all but the top vent in each end removed, and the resultant gap plated over. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I have seen a previous bash of one using Parkside sides with the Airfix ends That might have been mine, which appeared a good 3-4 years ago on the old RMweb, representing one which had cascaded into ale traffic and lost the side grilles. I've still got it and it will one day appear on Roath, although I need to revisit the brake gear and possibly fit some springy W irons. Although these vehicles were rare they do seem to turn up from time to time in books if you keep an eye out - there's on within a painfully-modellable mixed freight in Profile of the Warships. There's also one in one of the Dave Larkin books which has had the three lower vents removed on the end - would be another interesting model. If anyone fancies measuring one then there's one down at Bodmin IIRC. Now, just to build several hundred 'normal' vans to balance this oddity out.... OMS - Nothing - In the library - Shhhhh Pix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 That's a very nice-looking model! Can I ask what you used for the underframe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium pete_mcfarlane Posted November 10, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 10, 2009 I have seen a previous bash of one using Parkside sides with the Airfix ends, it may have been pete_mcfarlane amongst his massive efforts in variety of wagon types! Not guilty Your Honour - though I do have one of the Airfix kits in my to do pile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 That's a very nice-looking model! Can I ask what you used for the underframe? The entire van, except the Airfix ends, is just a Parkside BR 12 tonner. Since the previous photos I've finished it off and also changed the brakegear to something slightly finer but what exactly escapes me! Whilst broswing for something else earlier one I found this in consist shot of it. OMS - Pix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 A bashing good job methinks.... And you can the bits from Parkside without getting the whole kit as well so there is no excuse... Mind those vans look splendid Pix B) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Possibly even earlier, as most meat traffic went over to either rail containers or road transport fairly early on. I can't think I ever saw one of the ventilated ones in anything apart from departmental use- Tonbridge had one in the goods yard until it was lifted- but I did see one of the insulated variety in one of the seasonal fertiliser trains that worked to the various branches around Carmarthen in about 1971. But, they are noticeable in train photographs - I couldn't easily find examples in the prototype magazines but they do seem suitable as stock for rural branchlines - No reason why a model village should n't include an abatoir. It is only in recent years (largely because of BSE and the setting up of the Meat Hygiene Agency) that abatoirs have become much rarer and larger. And they are not that rare - as shown by my managing to photograph several in revenue use in the late 1960s. The Ales were also less numerous, but I suspect that the lack of ventilation meant they were not found very suitable for use as 'ordinary' vans. Paul York Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hump Shunter Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 The only one I saw was this one: http://www.departmentals.com/photo/083315a but 1986 note, must have been one of the last survivors, albeit in internal use. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 The only one I saw was this one: http://www.departmentals.com/photo/083315a but 1986 note, must have been one of the last survivors, albeit in internal use. Andy Given the late date, it's in astonishingly good nick. Thanks for the photo! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hughes Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 ... and here's the body of mine after priming, underlaying with black and giving a top-coat of BR freight red or whatever you like to call it... ... following my preferred method of building the body first, attaching the roof afterwards ('cos it's easy to fasten it on from the inside) and finally adding the chassis, which will be from Parkside. The airbrush has missed a couple of areas, so that will need to be sorted, and I notice too that a couple of the stanchions have snapped off, and will need to be bodged back on once the chassis is in place, together with proper hinges to replace those cut off. Then at last the transfers and the final weathering. Looking promising at the moment I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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