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

Anyone like to comment on the Mainlne BP Tank wagon for £30.00? !!!! buy-it-now?...NOOOOO! I DON'T THINK SOOOO! There's some other joker selling some others for £16.00 and prices like that. I collect alot of those but I'll not pay stupid money for them. Jules

And to you too!!!

That price doesn't surprise me Mike, prices at certain events in different areas do vary quite alot. I got about £5.00 average each when I sold my ready-made Kitmasters on ebay three or four years ago, however the unmade kits in boxes went for much more. The motor bogies, I had two in boxes...and the interiors went at a Train Fair stall I did at an Ian Shave event in Slough. My Triang Blue Midland Pullman consisted of the two playworn motor cars one better than the other, and three "centre" cars which were all in fair condition and as none of it was boxed the lot went for about £128.00 IIRC on ebay back in 2003. Current valuations are iffy as most seem to think it wise to get shot of them because of the so-called imminence of a supposed new model about which there is much speculation, not to mention their performance on modern track that needs some wheel grinding or swapping work to make them really GO!. Recently Hornby tested the waters with the Class47 Dionysus pulling the new sets but they didn't exactly set the world alight as they can be picked up for £80-£90.00 for the lot. As for the replacement for R555? who knows? jules

It is concievable that at least the track may have been bought around the same time as the Pullman set, or within a few years always presuming it was new at the time...as it breaks down something like this... The first batch of Blue Midland Pullmans had Blue front ends and were made in 1963-67. The next type produced had yellow fronted ends and were made in 68-0n and the last type were grey-blue livery in 72. I think the last ones produced were around 74 and one or more earlier liveries were IIRC repeated at least once in the interim years. Lines Brothers, the company that owned Rovex in which Triang was manufacturing Trains broke up and the train manufacturing side was sold off to a company called Dunbee Combex Marx in '71. Airfix were around then, and from the mid to late seventies started manufacturing ready to run trains but with a much higher detail level. Rosebud, acquired by Airfix in 1962 had already been making the Blue Pullman in kit form, under the name of Kitmaster which could be motorised by Kitmaster motor bogies. This was and is regarded by some as superior, especially as they made the kitchen cars. Prices for these are usually higher as they are highly sought by collectors but usually as unmade, in their original boxes. Hope that helps. Il Grifone has given the values but more info can be obtained by reading Ramsay's catalogue. Jules