James Day
Guano Corner Rly - Runs weekly - Guano permitting
Today my long awaited Bachmann Thomas The Tank Engine Ice Cream Wagon finally arrived. This was a 'new' item in 2015, but has only just reached the shops. Three more versions on the same tooling - GWR, Sodor Fuit and Explosives are part of the new items for the range in 2016, so I look forward to seeing these .....eventually!
This is the first new rolling stock tooling since the goods brake van arrived in late 2011 and the first new tooling of any sort since Toby The Tram.
It shares the same chassis as all the other 4 wheeled goods stock and reassuringly is supplied with the blocks to allow the coupling to be mounted at the LGB/Playmobil coupling height. (These were not supplied with Toby). Another bonus is that the van will fit back into the expanded polystyrene box tray, once the lower height couplings are in place. With some earlier stock a lot of messy carving was needed before it would fit back in!
It is supplied with the smaller of the two Bachamnn TTE style couplings, plus a spare, but these all have the horibly large hook that Bachmann use so much in this range. My first job will be to replace those with proper LGB couplings that I have found to be easier to couple and uncouple and whole lot more reliable.
Proportiionately it is in keeping with the tank wagon and marginally higher than the goods brake, but like these items it is clearly built to a different scale to the cavernous open goods wagons, which seem to dwarf everything else in the range!
It is a nice moulding, with a vertically planked sides and dummy sliding door moulded on the sides. These features look pre-nationalisation to me, but I am no expert. The ends however are corrugated, with a single centrally mounted vent at each end. Very Hornby Dublo/Wrenn BR Standard Ventilated Van!
The roof has curved rain strips over each door and as you examine it, you realise that the whole body and roof moulding is in one peice! Very neatly done without any glaringly obvious compromises to acheive this economy. Nice work Bachmann!
I had originally planned to buy a few of these to paint in single colours to bulk out my TTE freight train, however given that three more are in the pipeline, I just need to sit tight and wait for the others.
The Ice Cream 'Wagon' (note that it is a wagon, not a van!) is available from our usual UK stockists from between £56 and £66, so shop around. Get in quick before it melts!
James
This is the first new rolling stock tooling since the goods brake van arrived in late 2011 and the first new tooling of any sort since Toby The Tram.
It shares the same chassis as all the other 4 wheeled goods stock and reassuringly is supplied with the blocks to allow the coupling to be mounted at the LGB/Playmobil coupling height. (These were not supplied with Toby). Another bonus is that the van will fit back into the expanded polystyrene box tray, once the lower height couplings are in place. With some earlier stock a lot of messy carving was needed before it would fit back in!
It is supplied with the smaller of the two Bachamnn TTE style couplings, plus a spare, but these all have the horibly large hook that Bachmann use so much in this range. My first job will be to replace those with proper LGB couplings that I have found to be easier to couple and uncouple and whole lot more reliable.
Proportiionately it is in keeping with the tank wagon and marginally higher than the goods brake, but like these items it is clearly built to a different scale to the cavernous open goods wagons, which seem to dwarf everything else in the range!
It is a nice moulding, with a vertically planked sides and dummy sliding door moulded on the sides. These features look pre-nationalisation to me, but I am no expert. The ends however are corrugated, with a single centrally mounted vent at each end. Very Hornby Dublo/Wrenn BR Standard Ventilated Van!
The roof has curved rain strips over each door and as you examine it, you realise that the whole body and roof moulding is in one peice! Very neatly done without any glaringly obvious compromises to acheive this economy. Nice work Bachmann!
I had originally planned to buy a few of these to paint in single colours to bulk out my TTE freight train, however given that three more are in the pipeline, I just need to sit tight and wait for the others.
The Ice Cream 'Wagon' (note that it is a wagon, not a van!) is available from our usual UK stockists from between £56 and £66, so shop around. Get in quick before it melts!
James
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