I want to build a few different brake vans (and also some caboose), but I can't find a few simple lengths so that I can build them. I can find weights, or rosters, and sometimes even type names. Some interior pictures would be nice, too. Before you say check Google, I have. MANY times. And all that has led to is more project ideas that are incomplete because I can't find lenghts, widths and heights to go with the pictures. And I don't want the things you can find in kits. I want to build things that are different, at least different to what is in the US. I have all the Airfix kits of HO/OO cars. Now, I want to use some of those chassis to build other cars. Is there anyone who has any info on the British cars? Did they all use the same wheelbase/chassis?
And one more thing. Can anyone tell me the TYPE name of this caboose: http://cencalrails.railfan.net/up25232.jpg
I thought I had found it, but I was mistaken. And, does anyone make a kit of this type? I live in Laramie, and I like caboose, so I would like to build one of these.
Thanks!!
Edit: Whoops, hit post too soon and now can't get rid of it.
fomocomav I want to build a few different brake vans (and also some caboose), but I can't find a few simple lengths so that I can build them. I can find weights, or rosters, and sometimes even type names. Some interior pictures would be nice, too. Before you say check Google, I have. MANY times. And all that has led to is more project ideas that are incomplete because I can't find lenghts, widths and heights to go with the pictures. And I don't want the things you can find in kits. I want to build things that are different, at least different to what is in the US. I have all the Airfix kits of HO/OO cars. Now, I want to use some of those chassis to build other cars. Is there anyone who has any info on the British cars? Did they all use the same wheelbase/chassis? And one more thing. Can anyone tell me the TYPE name of this caboose: http://cencalrails.railfan.net/up25232.jpg I thought I had found it, but I was mistaken. And, does anyone make a kit of this type? I live in Laramie, and I like caboose, so I would like to build one of these. Thanks!!
It's a UP CA-5 caboose.
Centralia Car Shops made a CA-3 kit at one time, which was very similar.
Andre
British brake vans were vastly different from the US caboose. The only home comfort was a large coal fired stove in the center which was usually alight whatever the weather outside.
Different companies had differing designs,it depends what company you are interested in.The Airfix kit is a BR standard design from the 1950's which in turn was based on the LNER design of the 30's.Most companies used 4 wheel designs,to roughly the same dimensions,there was the odd 6 wheeler and even a double trucked version for express milk traffic on the SR-these were apparently built on old electric motor frames.
There was even a concrete version,cast completely from concrete which was apparently very drafty,wet and cold!
Steve
andrechapelon, thanks for the designation of the UP caboose! Now I know what to look for.
Steve, what you are telling me is that to build British cars, I'll be opening a whole DIFFERENT can of worms, then? Cool! I wouldn't want to make things easy on myself, now would I? More stuff to look up to pass the long nights on the rig.
Yep,you'll find it's a whole new ball game!
There are no books solely concerned with Brake Vans as far as I'm aware-most of the drawings,plans,photo's etc are in books that describe a particular companies stock and there are a lot of those,depending on the company you want to model,some are more popular than others.There are far more books about the GWR than say the Furness Railway.
Also don't forget that our kits over here are 4mm scale just a tad bigger than HO.
Steve,
I read all about why OO broke off from HO, and the scale differences. So far, I can only find 2 different kinds of brake vans in photos, the Airfix type and the Thomas the Tank brake van. I picked up a Hornby or Triang van, and I haven't built the Airfix kit yet. I built the saddle tank, and it came out pretty nice. I can't find interior photos, though. They are all from long shots, so I can't get up close. And books on British railways aren't prevalent over here. I've been to a place in Denver called Caboose Hobbies. More books than I can imagine ANYONE would ever need, but they are all US lines. I haven't checked eBay yet, but I am only just getting into UK stock. The Airfix kits SEEM pretty nice, especially when you take into account that almost NONE of their military stuff is worth a darn. And the saddle tank built very nicely. I can't obviously speak to accuracy.
Also, do you know where I can get interior photos of the backhoe from the Lowmac kit? My google-fu has produced NOTHING.
Are these books any good?: http://cgi.ebay.com/Book-History-British-Railway-Pictorial_W0QQitemZ310130280548QQihZ021QQcategoryZ378QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Fomocomay
The Airfix kits are ,as far as I'm concerned,are very accurate-I've built loads over the years and with weight added will run well.
The series was originally produced by Kitmaster from the late 50's on,then taken over by Airfix and now made by Dapol-just about every schoolboy of my generation will have built these kits-it was mandatory!
As to your Lowmac question,I have no idea-Lowmac incidentally means Low Machine wagon,we call our freight stock wagons over here-yes there were trucks as in the Thomas stories but these were specific vehicles such as a CCT-Covered Carriage Truck,similiar to a 40' box car.
The books you mention look OK there is one listed on wagons by D.Larkin-that should be good as he is an authority on the subject.
I'm surprised you have a job getting British books in the States,we have no problem with US ones here,I just recieved Frisco/Katy colour guide by Morning Sun from SPV
The book situation could just be that BR isn't as popular over here. I don't even find many US books at the normal book outlets. And I don't have a Borders Books nearby. Barnes and Noble just doesn't carry much in the way of transportation.
Thanks for pointing out the Dapol/Kitmaster link. Now I know where I can spend MORE money, and not just wait for Airfix auctions! But the Airfix boxes are just so cool! I love nice box art.
One of the wagons I want to build is a hearse wagon. Just something that isn't normally seen on store shelves, but won't test my scratchbuilding skills too much. I hope that Larkin covers one of those, too.
I'm saving up for a trip to the Isles, and I'm hoping I can talk my wife into checking out some RR equipment while we are there. And some WWII stuff, and some castles, and... you get the drift. Any tramsportation museum hints?
Dapols versions of these kits come in a plastic bag and nothing ressembling boxart.
They retail at around the £4 mark-maybe 6-7 dollars? at the present exchange rate.
I doubt the Larkin mentioned would cover a Hearse wagon as I'm pretty sure most of these rare creatures were pre-group company wagons.Coffins in BR days were usually carried in the brake compartments of passenger coaches-they are not carried at all now!Most Hearse wagons would have been withdrawn from service or converted to other uses by the start of the 2nd war in 1939.
As a little interest there was a dedicated funeral train that ran weekly from Waterloo Necropolis Station to Brookwood cemetary in Surry until the 2nd war-around 1941 Mr Goering's boys rearranged the station a bit(they put it in Waterloo Road,in bits) and it was'ent rebuilt.
The trains consisted of vans for coffins and coaches for the mourners and ran to a special station in the cemetary-Integrated transport-something this country has long since lost the art of.
Go to York Railway Museum,the National,and some of the bigger tourist lines,Bluebell,Severn Valley,North York Moors etc you may even find a hearse van at one!