chertsey chopper

I think that concludes my question John thanks, I will order a set from you ... much obliged... jules

The top frame is Triang size letters, the lower are the Kitmaster/standard size smaller letters...which are yours John?

Thanks John, I had a look on the website. Are the transfers on the sheet exactly the same size as the Triang Pullman letters please? thanks...Jules

How did you make your kitchen car Gibbo? This one’s one of three I’ve made so far. You need the doors from the driving cars and file fit them into recesses filed in the correct space in the trailer car. The window strips are made from plant label sticks which are edge filed to fit the nice apertures Triang supplied, the windows cut out and filed to shape. Clear plastic was cut for the windows. there is a partition and kitchen area with corridor inside the coach as well.

Hi, I’m constructing Blue Pullman Kitchen cars for my eight car set and I’d like to know if there is a supplier who makes the “ Pullman “ transfers... and yes, I do have transfers from various suppliers but they are all based on the same size letters that were on Kitmaster manufactured cars, and these are smaller in height. I realise that Triang did make stuff that was not true to scale as have others but having looked at pictures of the prototypes it appears the Triang letters were oversize. Do I then remove all the Triang letters and replace them with scale? what do others say?

You could also try DJH in Consett Co.Durham. They only stopped making kit number K27 a couple of years ago. I built my H15 from a DJH kit. However, that was a Maunsell H15, with 8 wheel Bogie Tender and I'm not sure how different in design it was to the Urie. Jules

Have a look in the Mainline Wagons...there's a few which have been on buy-it-now for some time. Perhaps someone should tell the seller the price AIN'T right! Even if he thinks they are mint boxed! £24.95 for a Crossfields Tank wagon!!! Perhaps he doesn't want to sell them...must have cost more than the asking price in re-listing? and they've been round several times in the past few months. You can pick them up at train fairs for £6.50 max. I've sold loads of mint boxed Mainline Tank Wagons and never got more than six or seven quid for any of them. As for the Autocoach....I sold a Mint Boxed example earlier this year and I thought I'd done well to get around a tenner for it. Jules

When one considers the lifespan of production they must've got a fair bit right to have been copied for so long but then certain shortcuts and detail imperfections have always been around because of ease of production, scale representation of detail and making the most from a run to name but a few, but overall I have always been pleased with the result and the prices have continued to reflect keen interest in Mainline models still. Thanks for the added reading material too... jules

Thanks Richard, I shall have to get those books by the sound of it as there must be some stuff definitely pertaining to me. Anyway...I'm going to attempt to download some piccies of what's been happening on Chopper's workbench vis-a-vis wagon restorations... Don't those old white Type3 Hornby Esso Tanks look better in black?! Note the Romford wheel bearings were used and replacement Hornby Wheelsets...spoked for the small tanks and three hole discs for the type B big tankers. Jules

All of the 20 tonners I have are the 1960's (to present day Dapol) Airfix Type B Kitbuilt wagons that I've either renovated and re-wheeled, or built myself from the box of bits. The other wagons are made up of RTR Dapol/Mainline 14 Ton models and Triang/Hornby's 3rd Type Esso wagon with cross-stays circa '74. These are made up of re-wheeled chassis from 50's to more recent (usually metal, some with early couplings but all with Romford pin-point bearings and new wheel-sets)which run really well. I've stripped them, sprayed them black and used the plain white Esso roundells, one white star and individual running numbers to give them a fifties look. The Black tankers are some of the ones yet to be renovated, they're a 'work-in-progress...I am going to download some newer pictures to show what I've been doing to date quite soon. Jules

Thanks for your replies so far, and would it be fair to say that the rakes of tankers would be made up of different weights...i.e., 14 and 20 tonners in the same train? One could also imagine period livery overlaps appearing in some rakes as painting would most likely have been done in batches, and would I be more right than wrong to assume that some odd assortments would have been seen on the rails quite often? jules

Can anyone point me in the right direction regarding Mainline/Dapol runs of 14 ton Tank Wagons please? There have been many tankers produced over the years but I find the Mainline types particularly appealing and very collectable. The question is how realistic and accurate are they as representations of real tank traffic subjects? Is it possible that the same pattern of prototype tank wagons produced as models closely resembled the full size variants that were actually produced (which works and where were they made?)for the various companies liveries of United Molasses/Esso/BP/National/National Benzole, Crosfields and ICI to name some of the many? Are the Airfix type B 20 tonners more accurate? I have been searching but not found much literature on the subject so far. Any info would be greatly appreciated... Thanks...jules

Keep it to yourself....or they'll ALL be wantin' one!!! ooooeeerr missus, 'ere comes anuvver Brighton Belle!

"Quite foolish" would appear to be slightly understating the obvious. That guy must've had a serious brainf#@t. jules

If a Class 66 engine bay looks anything like that then I think it's best left covered up! Looks a bit like vandalism to me and a waste of a good model. I'd buy it for £10.00 and chuck a new body on it if I wasn't modelling steam. Jules