Another a new set of releases from Rumney Models to report on.
The ‘headline act’ this time round is a pair of kits for
RCH 1927 tank wagon underframes. They are available with either 10’ (B.75) or 9’ (B.76) wheelbase and are £14 each. These are suitable for tank wagons built from around 1927 until the last of the Air Ministry tanks were built in the mid 1940s. The obvious current starting point for a body is the Bachmann cradle mounted tank wagon. These chassis don’t include any detailing for the body such as ladders.
Oil Tank 1.JPG
To complement the above chassis and for those wishing to upgrade the Bachmann cradle mounted tank wagon model without resorting to building a new underframe there is a
detailing kit (B.113 - £4.50). This includes two sets of different ladders, brake levers, brake lever guards, tie bars, valve wheel, tank straps and outside solebar crosshead tie down brackets. There are sufficient parts for 2 wagons.
Oil Tank 5.JPG
Having sorted out a casting shortage the BR version of my
sprung plate freight bogies are now available. There are two types with either oil (G.01) or roller bearing (G.02) journals. Both types are £12 for a pair. They feature etched sideframes and bolster with cast whitemetal bolster springs and journals.
The new items for are rounded off with yet more wagon spring and axlebox castings.
The 5 leaf spring is now available with an LMS sloping platefront axlebox and the 6 leaf springs with RCH 2 part (perfect for the new tank wagon chassis), LMS sloping platefront (good for pre 1927 tank wagons) and LNER welded (16T minerals) axleboxes. There are also springs and axleboxes for GWR and LMS Stanier brake vans. The GWR brake van springs are the later swing link variety and come with either RCH or BR 2 part heavy duty axleboxes (10” journals). These are suitable for diagrams AA.15 (last batch), AA.19, AA.20, AA.21 and AA.23. All are £3 for a set of 4. For more information and product codes on the castings
see my website.
I had hoped to have added GWR and LMS milk tank springs and axleboxes to the catalogue this time round but I have practically sold out of those that I ordered and so will add them once I have plenty of stocks (in short I didn’t order enough!). Keep an eye on the website but I would hope to have them for the Portsmouth exhibition in November. I will have a very limited number for sale at Scaleforum for those who are quick.
United Dairies milk tank plates in both 4mm and 7mm scales are now back in stock.
Finally a little vague market research...
When I originally did my sprung coach bogies the idea was to do them as complete bogie kits with sideframes and detail castings. Time and a lack of ability to do the master for castings put paid to the idea and they appeared just as sprung subframes. Recently I have revisited the idea and have done the etches and masters for the BR coach bogie.
BR Coach Bogie 1.JPG
The etches cover the original single bolster, standard and heavy duty double bolster bogies as well as the revised versions of the double bolster bogies (the bolsters on the double bolster designs were tweaked early on). They can be built as either riveted or welded bogies and feature two different types of spring stop. Master have been printed for the lighter springs and BR1 axleboxes (used on single and standard double bolster bogies) and heavier springs and BR2 axleboxes used on the heavy duty double bolster bogies as well as the bolster springs. In short a pretty comprehensive kit.
BR Coach Bogie 2.JPG
They aren’t necessarily quick (the test build took about 6 hours to put one bogie together) and if you want full length rakes this sort of thing isn’t going to be for you but they do look rather lovely.
So what I’m pondering with all this is whether there is actually a market for these bogies and if so what would the market be prepared to pay? I’m not convinced with the former and I expect the later is only about what they would cost to put in a bag but having done them I thought I’d see if there was any interest? If there isn’t enough interest they won’t be released.
I hope to see some of you at Scaleforum next weekend,
Justin