[Doug]

Since the acquisition of the exLima tools there has been a steady demand for the return of the 6 wheel milk tankers, a demand which Hornby are now pleased to have addressed. Soon to be available will be three 6 wheeled milk tankers using some of the tooling which was obtained when Hornby purchased certain assets of Lima. However, Hornby have completely retooled the chassis using a GWR design pattern and incorporating NEM pockets fitted with Hornby couplings.

The three milk tankers (Express Dairy, United Dairies and Aplin & Barrett Ltd.) will be available in September at a suggested retail price of approximately £6.75.

"These new wagons are a real addition to the Hornby range and will prove to be a very popular part of the Hornby wagon range." said Simon Kohler, "and will no doubt continue to be as more liveries are released over time."

 

[dwb]

QUOTE incorporating NEM pockets

That's an excellent move. As I understand it many of these 6 wheelers survived well into the '50s unlike 7 plank PO wagons which having been taken over by the government in 1939 were pretty much beyond use by 1948. I am open to being corrected on that point.

My only other question is, "Were there milk trains in west Yorkshire? I mean were there cows and stuff or was it just coal, tanks, oil... " If there were I'll be changing my decision on "kits only" for wagons and buying one or three and then fitting Kadees.

David

 

[John Webb]

David,
It was very likely that there were milk tank trains serving cities such as Leeds and Bradford. See Mooving Milk for a summary of milk tank traffic history.

About the same time as the above topic was first posted, there was someone on Pat Hammond's MRE site who was gathering info about milk traffic whith the intention of publishing something on it, but I've heard no more about it.

Regards,
John

 

[Gary]

According to the info in the link below 6 wheel tank wagons survived until the 1960's:-

Tank Wagon Design

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[dwb]

Thanks for the links. I have a copy of "BR General Parcels Rolling Stock" by David Larkin published Bradford Barton 1978. ISBN 0 85153 320 5. This has almost 20 photos of milk tank wagons most of which were taken in 1970. By that time wagons were to found anywhere on the system regardless of the region in which they were originally built. I think there's definitely going to be some of these wagons appearing on my railway.

David

 

[mikelhh]

My understanding is these were normally added to passenger trains. I don't run passenger coaches, but I can imagine a few empties, at least, finding their way into my yard. Thanks Doug.

Mike

 

[7113]

QUOTE (mikelhh @ 21 Aug 2007, 02:34) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>My understanding is these were normally added to passenger trains.

Yes they were frequently to be found marshalled in express passenger trains, but could often be found in complete trains as well. If my memory serves me correctly it was milk traffic that kept the Culmstock(?) branch open for years after it's sell by date. So you could have your GW 0-4-2T trundling along with three or four of these in tow.

Regards

 

[John]

Dear All,

There are a couple of pages and photos related to the running of Milk Tanks on the Southern on the SEmG Website

 

[mikelhh]

QUOTE (BRITHO @ 22 Aug 2007, 02:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Yes they were frequently to be found marshalled in express passenger trains, but could often be found in complete trains as well. If my memory serves me correctly it was milk traffic that kept the Culmstock(?) branch open for years after it's sell by date. So you could have your GW 0-4-2T trundling along with three or four of these in tow.

Regards

Lovely! That's even better news

Thanks John.

Mike

 

[Richard Johnson]

For those wanting to check on milk tankers there are some excellent photos on Paul Bartletts Photopic site
http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/

The Milk Tanker photos were posted quite a while ago, so if you don't want to scroll through the lists then just type the word ** Milk ** into the search box

regards

Richard

 

[geoffrey figgins]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 27 Aug 2007, 05:44) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>For those wanting to check on milk tankers there are some excellent photos on Paul Bartletts Photopic site
http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/

The Milk Tanker photos were posted quite a while ago, so if you don't want to scroll through the lists then just type the word ** Milk ** into the search box

regards

Richard

 

[pcc4199]

Why three axles on milk tankers?

Andy

 

[spongebob]

Presumably to keep the axle weight down, milk tankers were glass lined IIRC and presumably as a consequence quite a bit heavier than oil or fuel tankers to begin with.

 

[Richard Johnson]

You asked: Why three axles on milk tankers?

Weight may have been an issue but I don't think that was significant. The 6 wheel chassis was manily as they needed a smoother ride at higher speed - milk tankers were frequent additions to passenger trains and were therefore fitted from the beginning with longer chassis / vacuum brakes / suspension appropriate to higher speed / larger wheels than conventional 4 wheel stock.

Richard

 

[John Webb]

In addition to tankers attached to passenger trains, the 'block' milk trains were also run at passenger train speeds to ensure prompt delivery and minimum transit time for the milk. So smooth running was essential.

Some milk tanks were stainless steel as well as the glass-lined steel ones.

Regards,
John Webb

 

[spongebob]

The high speed running thing was going to be my other guess

 

[King Edward 1st]

i have ordered a pack of six for £30

 

[Wizard in Oz]

It appears from the photographs of the "newly tooled" chassis of the Hornby milk tankers that the brake blocks are NOT in line with the wheels - i.e. like the previous Lima versions but unlike the current (rather expensive) Dapol version. Can anyone confirm if thisis the case?

 

[Richard Johnson]

Agrees - but at least the tank isn't perched high above the chassis like the (expensive) and (Wrong) Dapol version!

Shame Hornby did it as a GWR chassis.

Richard

 

[PaulG]

QUOTE (King Edward 1st @ 2 Sep 2007, 08:27) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i have ordered a pack of six for £30

From another group, I understand milk tankers remained private owner until the end of operations.

In East Anglia the dairy at Ilford was owned by United Dairies so presumably, the milk tank flow from Halsworth and North Elmham would be in their vehicles only and not in an Express Dairies vehicle.

Any thoughts on alternate running numbers for the Horny UD vehicle?

Regards
Paul