This isn't because of lack of availability. Pat Hammond tells us that 64,000 of the things were produced between 1976 and 1982. There are loads out there. In my case, I happened to be buying a few bits at a preserved railway, and wanted to up the spend a little. There was a van, and I added it to the pile. About 45 years after I first looked at one!
Now, I like unusual vehicles. I also like sausages. This ought to be perfect for me, and indeed, I'm very happy with my buy.
The underframe, with a sliding centre axle, is pretty clever. Hornby doesn't get the kudos they deserve for this sort of thing. This is a remarkably unusual wagon, and making it work on first-radius curves, in a way that could be assembled in a factory, must have taxed the designers.
The model looks, to modern eyes, pretty basic, but I bet a train of them would be fantastic on a layout. Mind you, only 12 were built, so it won't be a very long train!
There's a good thread on RMweb covering kit building an impressive model. Yes, I'd like to build the kit, but no, I don't have time.
There's also the ever useful Hornby Railways Collectors Club website.
4 comments:
I love this van. I've had one as long as I can remember, and I agree that centre axle was just genius.
That kit looks interesting; do you have any idea how to contact the designer given I've never had an account on RMWeb (I really don't want to get sucked into another modelling forum -- no offence to RMWeb)
You don't need an account - about half the people looking at content don't have one. This might help though - https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/sausages-rail-palethorpes-van-oo-gauge
Sausages are grand things, however the van has them beat.
I know a couple of people on Thingiverse/Shapeways offer various 6w coaches stretched to fit this chassis - I bought a chassis only to find I'd ordered a non-stretched coach, so it was a bit of a wash!
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