Bachmann VEA project

[rob D2]

On 07/11/2021 at 10:07, WILLIAM said:

You might just scrape in according to the excellent ITSV resource.

 

http://www.ltsv.com/w_profile_028.php

Thanks - but I don’t actually want them too ! Can’t afford more wagons and I never saw these in action ……but they still look nice !

thanks for the link too, that’s a useful site there

[w124bob]

The only trouble I have now is the need to detail the two VIX ferry vans to act as barrier vehicles, they've been at the back of the queue almost since the first Bachmann pictures appeared. Yes I could have bought kits for the VEA but they have a habit of being put in the "to do" draw! Anyway here's some inspiration.

 

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, w124bob said:

The only trouble I have now is the need to detail the two VIX ferry vans to act as barrier vehicles, they've been at the back of the queue almost since the first Bachmann pictures appeared. Yes I could have bought kits for the VEA but they have a habit of being put in the "to do" draw! Anyway here's some inspiration.

 

I remember short rakes like this running as part of longer Speedlink workings on the Newcastle & Carlisle at this time. We used to live near the line to the 'Toon' side of Wylam, and would arrange riverside walks to coincide with the two evening Speedlinks. There were sometimes also short rakes of Gypsum hoppers from Newbiggin to Oxwellmains; I think I caught a glimpse of them in the early frames of the film.

[paul 27]

Did not see this coming Bachmann must have read my posts,

they have finaly released the vacumn version in three different

liveries early to late, just purchased three at a good discount price

just goes to show they can make models already supplied as kits

nice to see a new complete detailed wagon off the shelf now

Bachmann when are you going to make the BR Banana Van

to replace my old Dapol ones.

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by paul 27

[Covkid]

22 hours ago, paul 27 said:

Did not see this coming Bachmann must have read my posts, they have finally released the vacuum version in three different liveries early to late, just purchased three at a good discount price

Just goes to show they can make models already supplied as kits

nice to see a new complete detailed wagon off the shelf now

Bachmann when are you going to make the BR Banana Van to replace my old Dapol ones.

 

 

It does indeed show that some manufacturers can "pick low hanging fruit" - that is one description. 

The Vanwide in both vac and air braked versions has been waiting and waiting and waiting. So good on Barwell for eventually taking the bait.

 

The question in my mind is why the red box people persist in passing over the humble 21T hopper in BR forms.  They have ably proved what a delight the LNE "high brake handle" 21 tonner has been, and have also produced the 12' underframe for the RUDD TOPE and CLAM production, the TOPE being a cut down 21T hopper with a welded flat floor.  That surely would be a gamechanger for the company and as a companion to the LNE version.     

 

[JSpencer]

There seems to be very few photos of the models. Anyway after several postal difficulties, I finally received a pair.

 

And here we go. One comparing to the old Hornby version.... (the less said the better)  and another couple mixed with other vans and a class 33... just need those VIXs...

 

 

[KAR 120C]

I think the VEA is a great model and I’ve found excuses to buy one in each livery that Bachmann has produced.  However, I have a query regarding the bauxite version (no. 230034) which represents one of the wagons from amongst the first 50 that were converted from VEV vans.  In David Larkin’s book ‘Wagons of the Final British Rail Era’ he states that these first 50 VEA’s were painted maroon and certainly the Sonic N gauge models of these early conversions were produced in this colour.  However, the photos on Paul Bartlett’s site show the early wagons to be finished in what looks like brown, though the colour does look faded.  Meanwhile, the ltsv site states that the first 50 wagons were painted in ‘freight brown’, which I assume is another way of describing bauxite.  So, in short, can someone tell me were the first 50 VEA’s painted maroon or bauxite?!  Apologies if the maroon/bauxite issue has already been dealt with elsewhere.

[Fat Controller]

3 minutes ago, KAR 120C said:

I think the VEA is a great model and I’ve found excuses to buy one in each livery that Bachmann has produced.  However, I have a query regarding the bauxite version (no. 230034) which represents one of the wagons from amongst the first 50 that were converted from VEV vans.  In David Larkin’s book ‘Wagons of the Final British Rail Era’ he states that these first 50 VEA’s were painted maroon and certainly the Sonic N gauge models of these early conversions were produced in this colour.  However, the photos on Paul Bartlett’s site show the early wagons to be finished in what looks like brown, though the colour does look faded.  Meanwhile, the ltsv site states that the first 50 wagons were painted in ‘freight brown’, which I assume is another way of describing bauxite.  So, in short, can someone tell me were the first 50 VEA’s painted maroon or bauxite?!  Apologies if the maroon/bauxite issue has already been dealt with elsewhere.

My recollection is that they were painted a maroon colour, as were some other air-braked vans; however, the colour degraded very quickly to something resembling weathered bauxite/ Freight Brown.

[brushman47544]

3 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

My recollection is that they were painted a maroon colour, as were some other air-braked vans; however, the colour degraded very quickly to something resembling weathered bauxite/ Freight Brown.

 

I too have a vague recollection that - in my case the first OAAs - were a darker red colour than the traditional bauxite/brown. The end of this OAA on Paul Bartlett's site https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/broaa/e3fba9ec5 hints at it but with the weathering who knows.

Edited May 27, 2022 by brushman47544
Post correct link

[KAR 120C]

On 27/05/2022 at 12:09, Fat Controller said:

My recollection is that they were painted a maroon colour, as were some other air-braked vans; however, the colour degraded very quickly to something resembling weathered bauxite/ Freight Brown.

 

On 27/05/2022 at 15:28, brushman47544 said:

 

I too have a vague recollection that - in my case the first OAAs - were a darker red colour than the traditional bauxite/brown. The end of this OAA on Paul Bartlett's site https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/broaa/e3fba9ec5 hints at it but with the weathering who knows.

Thanks both for your replies.  I’m pretty sure David Larkin said something about the maroon fading to a colour resembling Freight Brown though naturally I can’t find where I read it!

 

I’ve gone back and had a look at a magazine review of Bachmann’s bauxite VEA and the colour wasn’t flagged up by the reviewer as an issue.  I’ve also read three reviews of Dapol’s O gauge version, also in bauxite, but again no mention of the colour being wrong.

 

So, what’s the right answer - maroon or brown?  I suppose it could be argued that in the great scheme of things it doesn’t matter but having spent £34.00 on one of these wagons it would be nice to know for certain that the manufacture has got the colour right. ☹️

Edited May 29, 2022 by KAR 120C

[brushman47544]

18 hours ago, KAR 120C said:

So, what’s the right answer - maroon or brown?  

 

This OAA looks very much like maroon https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/O/OAA-dropside-open-wagons/i-VCTDTND/A

 

Ignore - I didn't see the photo dates from 2006. But the previous Paul Bartlett photo I linked to is contemporary.

Edited May 30, 2022 by brushman47544
clarify date of photo

[Dungrange]

45 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

 

This OAA looks very much like maroon https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/O/OAA-dropside-open-wagons/i-VCTDTND/A

 

But that photograph was taken on 31 July 2006 and would therefore be EWS livery.

[KAR 120C]

And just to muddy the water a lot more the following quote is taken from an article by Tim Shackleton in the July issue of Hornby magazine regarding the paint colour to be used on some Prestwin bulk powder hopper wagon conversions:

 

“Equally big variations were obvious in the shade of BR Freight Stock Red (‘bauxite’ to us modellers) - prototype observation suggested it veered from orange to a rich chocolate and all shades in between.”

My emphasis.

 

I’ve never heard of Freight Stock Red before or that it was, apparently, the official term for bauxite.  Has anyone else? 

 

[hmrspaul]

FSR was a variable colour up to the 1960s because it could be 'hand' mix and the mixes had ranges of weights. Even in those distant days there were three ways of applying paint recognised in the instructions and these are likely to have produced different shades. Bringing Prestwins in makes it even more complex because they, like the more common Presflo, had separate painting instructions with an additional undercoat so red/grey/red. 

 

And yes although one slovenly BR document uses the term bauxite the official term was freight stock red, but it isn't one colour. 

 

Maroon was the colour being used on VAA, VBA, VDA so VEA should have been maroon as well. But this isn't going to be known to a magazine reviewer - they would have been children if they existed at all 45 years ago and the manufacturer's are looking at colour photos, often mine, and copying them. Unfortunately my earliest VEA isn't until 1981 and the early batch was getting old by then. Look at the VDA and how they alter colour quite quickly. 

 

Paul

 

Edited May 30, 2022 by hmrspaul

[KAR 120C]

On 30/05/2022 at 17:19, hmrspaul said:

FSR was a variable colour up to the 1960s because it could be 'hand' mix and the mixes had ranges of weights. Even in those distant days there were three ways of applying paint recognised in the instructions and these are likely to have produced different shades. Bringing Prestwins in makes it even more complex because they, like the more common Presflo, had separate painting instructions with an additional undercoat so red/grey/red. 

 

And yes although one slovenly BR document uses the term bauxite the official term was freight stock red, but it isn't one colour. 

 

Maroon was the colour being used on VAA, VBA, VDA so VEA should have been maroon as well. But this isn't going to be known to a magazine reviewer - they would have been children if they existed at all 45 years ago and the manufacturer's are looking at colour photos, often mine, and copying them. Unfortunately my earliest VEA isn't until 1981 and the early batch was getting old by then. Look at the VDA and how they alter colour quite quickly. 

 

Paul

 

Thank you for your clarification/confirmation Paul.  Now we have that perhaps Bachmann could ensure that any future releases of the early VEA’s are in the correct colour - maroon.