Demountable Debatable 2 (mini blog)

Tanks Tied Tight

Readers with prodigious memories may recollect that fbb has a collection of OO gauge tank wagons starting with the first in 1938 and continuing to the present day. He has models like the above - which is preserved at a heritage railway.

Tank wagons of this vintage were, effectively, large tin cans tied tightly onto a railway wagon chassis. They were not bolted on because of the danger of leaks where the bolts protruded from the tank.

In the picture above you can see the means of securing the tin can. So old tank wagons were technically "demountable". Indeed often the tank was owned by the supplier of its inflammable contents whilst the wagon was the property of the railway company.

But unloading and loading was a time consuming process often using manual pumps.

Tankers For Towed Travelling

One option was to load a road tanker into a wagon ...

... but this was cumbersome. But here is one on a train.

A better idea was to have a tank which could be unloaded from the wagon and placed on a flatbed lorry trailer, just like the containers from last Tuesday's blog.

The modern version of this is a tank "wrapped" in a frame 20ft long and loaded, like modern containers, onto a flatbed wagon.

In his collection, fbb has a Hornby model of a sixty foot wagon loaded with three tanker containers - a bit like this.

But demountable tank wagons go back a long way, almost to the start of British Railways in 1948.

A tank in a simple cradle was lashed to the BR lorry for delivery from goods yard to customer. Lorries were small back then, so the tanks could not be as big as the wagon's footprint or the poor lorry would fail to haul them!

So here is an on-line solution ...

... two small tanks on the wagon ... OR ...

... one bigger can as in the advert poster above.  Here are two more.

Now fbb had never heard of these early demountable tanks until he spotted an advertisement for Ellis Clark Trains (picture below, Albert left, Ellis right).

Diminutive Demountable!

And there it is. The tanks were mainly used by breweries, so could have extra holes in them as most beer does not explode or burn ferociously. So there is an end inspection hatch in some variants.

In the case of Albert's model, the tank is available separately so you could have one on a road flatbed adorning your layout.

The above is a poor graphic because it lacks the holding chains; but then it would, wouldn't it as it is not being held on wagon or truck.

But you would need a set of chains unless the tank were to be plonked on the ground awaiting collection.

Oh, the anguish of a modern railway modeller!

Here is a close look at those exquisite chains and tightening thingeys.

Stunning!

You could buy the same wagon with a propellor thereupon ...

... just the sort of load seen on many a quiet country branch line! (???)

Which all leaves fbb with a dilemma. Should he buy a little red tank for his collection. The detail is fantastic, the tank sits on a diecast metal wagon with full brake gear.

But this tiny model costs £40. Plus P & P, of course! OUCH!

An anguished decision is needed.

Maybe some retailers will discount the £40? Sadly Rails of Sheffield is NOT advertising a discounted price. But fbb will look carefully elsewhere.

Bit what about one of these?

The tank carries cement and are used on railways in the Republic of Ireland. Here is a real one.

Here the decision is much easier. The manufacturer only sells them in packs of THREE at £110. fbb has decided that this con, making him pay for wagons he doesn't want, makes them uncollectible.

So there is likely to be a gap in his collection. 

But is the Republic of Ireland part of his collection anyway? It is part of the British Isles, after all. It is even more anguish for the elderly modeller and collector of tank wagons.

Talking of anguish; how is First Bus doing in Cornwall?

 Next First Kernow blog : Friday 2nd May