Converted Tanker

[markoteal]

A little while ago I was thinking the soon to be built brewery on my line (well its operating in my mind, you just can't see it! ) needed a large tanker to move its beer down the CHLR to the Southern junction - where it can be pumped across to a standard gauge tanker and then taken up the smoke to the various Ale Houses the brewery supplies - well that was the back story

So I looked around and being fairly new to 16mm, I thought I'd have a go at bashing something rather than scratch building

I'd noticed these online on the old t'ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-G-Scale-G ... 1366925074?

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Well, with free P&P at that price, even if I dropped a right thingy ma-jig, I wasn't losing the crown jewels - so I paid my money and few days it turned up - it was a bit bigger than I imagined and its sold as G Scale - anyway against the Little John loco it looked quite good and those of you with Accucraft locos will find it fits alongside quite nicely.

So to work - firstly I ordered some 32mm wheels with the extra long axles to fit into the swivelling bogies

Next the buffer and coupling needed adapting to something more in line with what I use -the LGB hooks and loops were taken off and a simple hook was developed at each end so chains can be attached from the loco/next wagon etc

Then its a case of painting - the tank element is easily dismantle from the chassis and is formed of 3 parts - these were taken off, primed and then sprayed in a similar blue to the brewery logo I had developed.

The chassis was also painted and weathered (I also did the tank and all the fittings like the framing and ladder etc) - then on the computer I developed some new mini signs and notices etc more pertinant to the tanker carrying wine or beer instead of chemicals

And this is what we ended up with:-

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Out on line

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and a close up of the new chemical symbol I developed

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Overall i'm pleased with what was a simple conversion and it opened my eyes to the opportunities of bashing other 45mm items - you always have to check whether the chassis arrangement will allow you to fit 32 mm wheels but for most wagons its easy - I'm now looking at getting a couple of long flat bed wages for my winter kindling wood flows!

Cheers



Mark

[philipy]

That weathering is beautiful, love the rust on the strapping.

[ge_rik]

Nicely done!

Rik

[Peter Butler]

Brilliant conversion Mark, great find. Impressive paintwork and finish too!

[LNR]

I can only second all of the above. Bashing can be a lot of fun.
Grant.

[tom_tom_go]

Pa, pale ale - love it