Pre-WWII commercial vehicles? (OO gauge)

[ejstubbs]

I'm looking for a source of pre-WWII commercial vehicles to dress a layout.  Things like a coal lorry, maybe a cattle lorry.  All the commercials I've found so far online seem to be firmly post-war/post-nationalisation.  The period I'm thinking of is roughly mid-thirties.

 

Is there a manufacturer out there who offers older vehicles, either ready-built or kits?

 

It's also possible that I am looking for the wrong thing, and the majority of smaller business would still be using Orson* for their transport.  In which case, are there any recommended manufacturers for items of that nature?

 

* As in Orson Kart.

[Fat Controller]

There was a manufacturer of plastic kits who did a couple pre WW2 commercials; sadly, the range was taken over by someone, who seems to have gone into a state of limbo. I'll not mention the name, for fear of releasing a torrent of comment.

Langley Models (http://www.langley-models.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_OO_Vehicle_Kits__lorries_trucks_farm_machinery__22.html) might have something- they certainly do Orsons of various types.

Inter-war commercials were fairly scarce, and memorable; my mother still remembers the identities of those seen in Burry Port during her teenage years in the 1930s.

[PhilJ W]

The EFE AEC is of a pre-war design as is the Base Toys Foden. However these are towards the 'heavy' end of the market and unlikely to be used for door to door coal deliveries where the likes of Ford or Bedford would prevail. Why not look at some of the military models from Eastern Europe though mostly in 1/72 scale many will fit into a 00 scale layout without being too obvious. The best one would be the GAZ AA lorry which was originally the Ford AA 2 ton lorry. The complete production line was sold to Russia about 1935 when it became obsolete in the west. It is basically a civilian lorry of the early 30's and will only need the steering wheel moved to the right.

[PhilJ W]

There was a manufacturer of plastic kits who did a couple pre WW2 commercials; sadly, the range was taken over by someone, who seems to have gone into a state of limbo. I'll not mention the name, for fear of releasing a torrent of comment.

Langley Models (http://www.langley-models.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_OO_Vehicle_Kits__lorries_trucks_farm_machinery__22.html) might have something- they certainly do Orsons of various types.

Inter-war commercials were fairly scarce, and memorable; my mother still remembers the identities of those seen in Burry Port during her teenage years in the 1930s.

You posted as I was posting my answer, the models you are speaking of are the Keil Kraft/Amerang models. They were good models in their day but now seem a bit crude and lacking in detail. The moulds were taken over by Knightwing who still produce the models in batches from time to time for 'stock', see their adverts to find out what is available.

[Fat Controller]

You posted as I was posting my answer, the models you are speaking of are the Keil Kraft/Amerang models. They were good models in their day but now seem a bit crude and lacking in detail. The moulds were taken over by Knightwing who still produce the models in batches from time to time for 'stock', see their adverts to find out what is available.

I was thinking of a certain other manufacturer ( the first and second words beginning with 'C') who used to do a couple of types..

[KalKat]

Like these ones?

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/coopercraft-/171803511572?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2800498b14

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coopercraft-4010-AEC-Monarch-Lorry-Chassis-Cab-Only-OO-Scale-/321497330539?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4adabbf36b

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-Coopercraft-AEC-Monarch-lorry-plastic-kits-4mm-scale-/111679000346?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1a00964f1a

 

E-bay is sometimes your friend

[LNWR lives on]

For Keil Kraft see Ebay. They are not the most detailed kits you will ever see but I think they are still more than useable

[Colin]

Check out the Oxford Diecast thread in Products - the new vehicle catalogue shows a couple of Austin 7 derived vans as planned new models. A bit light for what you want maybe, but a charming prototype which would look good on the station forecourt!

[PhilJ W]

The Coopercraft models are really atrocious. Of the two models (AEC and Bedford M type) the Bedford M type is the slightly better model but not by much. They are a good source of wheels, bodies etc. for scratch building but not much else. Another fairly good model is the Merit/Peco Thornycroft PB, but its been around for quite a few years now but can be tweaked to make a presentable model.

[grandadbob]

I'm looking for a source of pre-WWII commercial vehicles to dress a layout.  Things like a coal lorry, maybe a cattle lorry.  All the commercials I've found so far online seem to be firmly post-war/post-nationalisation.  The period I'm thinking of is roughly mid-thirties.

 

Is there a manufacturer out there who offers older vehicles, either ready-built or kits?

 

It's also possible that I am looking for the wrong thing, and the majority of smaller business would still be using Orson* for their transport.  In which case, are there any recommended manufacturers for items of that nature?

 

* As in Orson Kart.

 

My old firm (quite a large coal & builders merchant in the South) were definitely still using horse drawn vehicles in the thirties as well as petrol & steam wagons. Their last steamer went out of service in 1933. I have a photo of one horse drawn "coal lorry" dated 1931 that was the first of theirs to be fitted with pneumatic tyres to lighten the load for the horse.

[bigherb]

Don't forget steam wagons where more popular prewar.

[PhilJ W]

Don't forget steam wagons where more popular prewar.

Only up until the 1930 road traffic act. This effectively removed steam wagons from the roads as it taxed heavy goods vehicles on gross weight (vehicle + load).

[bigherb]

Only up until the 1930 road traffic act. This effectively removed steam wagons from the roads as it taxed heavy goods vehicles on gross weight (vehicle + load).

It did the heavy weights but Sentinels where still manufactured and sold till the fifties.

[davidbr]

Take a look at Road Transport Images.  Whilst a majority of their range is WW2 and after, there are a number that are from 1930 or thereabouts.  I was looking at their stand at Railex and noted the pre-war possibilities.  You will need to do some work on their website - start looking through the cabs which are dated, then you ad the bodies and so on.  Their stuff is too late for me but there are possibilities there for you.

 

There are one or two available from Scalelink, Langley is worth looking through.  Springside have some vehicles from the 1920s and 1930s.  

 

Finally, look for John Day Models.  There is a Tumblr page and the person to contact is Daryle Toney - d.toney@btinternet.com.

 

I hope you find something you want from this lot.

 

David

 

Just had a thought - steam lorries were still around in the 1930s and there are kits for several of them on the links above.

[brianusa]

If you're not too proud, there's always Dinky Toys!

 

Brian.

[teaky]

These are great little whitemetal kits.  Easy to assemble with a gel cyanoacrylate adhesive.

 

http://www.autocraft.plus.com/page33.html

 

Mainly cars but there are a few commercials in there including one flat bed that may give you the coal lorry you are looking for.  You could always scratch build a longer chassis and/or kitbash another manufacturer's back end onto an Autocraft cab.

[Bernard Lamb]

Unless I have missed it I see no mention of the Scammell Mechanical Horse. Common enough in railway and private liveries in the mid 1930s.

Models have been available from various sources but do not confuse with the more common post war version.

Bernard

[davidbr]

I sent for the John Day list last night and received a reply this morning which consists of a 3 page list and zip file of 142 images.  The range is very wide with a lot of cars but also a good spread of commercial vehicles.  For the pre-war era, there are about 20 commercials though not all are available - the list was only taken over last year, some are temporarily unavailable whilst others need to be re-mastered.

 

Of the 142 images, a handful are 'duplicates' in that they show two different views of the same vehicle but this still leaves more than 125 items.

 

In his response to my enquiry, Daryle also wrote, 'Most of the 1930's cars and vans (around 11) will be back into mould this year as I have now finished work on producing a nice separate wire wheel for mould, I know there's a niche in the market for these and they are a priority. There will also be some new figure scenes including a nice set of hereford cattle which are being worked on at the moment by a brilliant sculptor so I have high hopes for these.'.

 

Daryle Toney's email for enquiries is d.toney@btinternet.com  He asks for the subject line to say John Day Model Inquiry to avoid the email going into his spam box.

[ejstubbs]

For Keil Kraft see Ebay.

 

Wow, never thought there would be so many.  It looks like some of the Keil Kraft designs have been taken on by other manufacturers eg the Cadet glider, which I built twice in my youth - the second one after the first one had an unfortunate encounter with a football   I can still remember steaming the tissue on the balsa frame to tauten it, and the heady aroma of dope...

[PhilJ W]

Wow, never thought there would be so many.  It looks like some of the Keil Kraft designs have been taken on by other manufacturers eg the Cadet glider, which I built twice in my youth - the second one after the first one had an unfortunate encounter with a football   I can still remember steaming the tissue on the balsa frame to tauten it, and the heady aroma of dope...

They also made plastic kits.

[sandwich station]

Springside Models do a few kits that might answer your questions and also Langley's (already mentioned) do to.

 

Edit; Just seen that Springside has already been mentioned as well.

[davidbr]

After WW1, the army sold off a considerable number of it's motor vehicles and railway companies bought them in quantity.  By the 1930s, if any remained, they would be near the end of their life.  However, if you did want something like that, look at WD Models who do kits of Dennis, Thorneycroft and LCOG lorries cast in resin.

[Thane of Fife]

I was born post-war (just) and I can remember horse-drawn coal carts and milk floats. 

My grandfather was a coalman and retired about 1951 and never learnt to drive. His employers were just  begining to change over to lorries at that time.

 

I can remember seeing a horse-drawn refuse cart about this time in the South London area. 

 

I guess that fuel was in short supply during the war and local services used horses. They possibly continued to do so for a while until the carts were time expired.

 

Thane of fife

[PhilJ W]

I was born post-war (just) and I can remember horse-drawn coal carts and milk floats. 

My grandfather was a coalman and retired about 1951 and never learnt to drive. His employers were just  begining to change over to lorries at that time.

 

I can remember seeing a horse-drawn refuse cart about this time in the South London area. 

 

I guess that fuel was in short supply during the war and local services used horses. They possibly continued to do so for a while until the carts were time expired.

 

Thane of fife

Horse drawn vehicles were very common up until about 1960, even the Post Office had horse drawn vans up until the early 50's. Horse drawn vehicles lasted longer in cities and larger urban areas but in more rural areas where greater distances were involved motor vehicles began to replace the horse from the 1920's.

[petethemole]

Southampton Corporation used horse drawn carts for street sweeping until 1967. In 2007 there was a commemorative event at their former depot with a restored dustcart, a suitable borrowed horse and a plaque unveiling.

 

 

 

Pete