Where can I get a Railway Breakdown Crane? (Answered)

[Bob G]

I believe it is signal red, but you are correct to ask the question! I have had various attempts at getting this colour right.

It is also a colour that doesn't cover well in blocks, so lots of light spray applications is best, rather than a dollop of colour.

Of course, if it is black you want to paint it, I'd use a satin black aerosol.

[Safety Engineer]

Dapol did a CCT in engineers Red, Cheltenham Model Cenre did box vans and fish vans in engineers Red.
Martin

[Steven B]

The switch to red for breakdown trains was from 1959. The new 75t and 30t cranes were delivered in this colour.

As the Osborns' crane is a GWR if wouldn't have been repainted from black to red until an early 1960s overhaul.

There's a nice history of railway breakdown cranes here:
http://www.bdca.org.uk/modernisation.html

The 1959 red livery was originally meant to have black and straw coloured lining but many of the workshops didn't bother with the lining as the earlier cranes had too many rivets.

I think signal/buffer beam red is about the right shade but you're probably best matching it to you vans you have. Most paint ranges should have something suitable. If you're going to repaint a coach then I'd suggest a pre-1949 design, probably from the region you're modelling. The old 1980s generic coaches from Farish would be ideal if you don't want to attack a modern model.

The crane usually ran directly behind the locomotive with the vans following.

Steven B.

Steven B.

[mca0004]

I've got my train sorted. It's going to consist of a BR black crane, 2 vans I'll make from Peco kits, a Stove R brake van, & a LMS suburban brake coach I'll repaint.

Now the million dollar (or whatever your local currency is) question: What order will they run in? I'm thinking; loco-crane-van-van* is a must, but what's supposed to follow? *-coach-stove, or *-stove-coach?

[Bob G]

I'd keep the Stove R for the Condor. Its the wrong colour for a start.
There was a Tinsley Stove R in engineers red which you might like to get secondhand to go with the train, but I'd just go with one or two vans and a brake coach at the end.

Enjoy the dilemma!

Bob

[Steven B]

The suburban brake would provide accommodation for the guard, so no reason for the Stove R as well.

As it's a steam crane, you might also want to add a water tank wagon.


LMS RS 1054 50T Steam Crane by Nick Baxter, on Flickr


33038 at East Croydon - 16 January 1982 by John  Oram, on Flickr


Steven B.

[joe cassidy]

There was an article about breakdown cranes on pages 36-43 of the summer 1998 issue of "Model Rail".

There was also an article about building the Fleetline kit for a 15 ton GWR breakdown crane on pages 527-529 of the October 2002 issue of "Railway Modeller".

[icairns]

The Osborn's breakdown crane is an excellent model but comes with a price.

Some more cost effective ideas for a breakdown train can be found here:

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=50233.0

Ian

[Tonk66]

Can I just say a big thank you to all the members who posted to this thread a few weeks ago, it inspired me to pull out the Roco crane I had purchased on an impulse a few months back, spend alot of time trawling through pictures of cranes on the internet and then converting it to something passable on a mid-60's based layout. What became apparent was that there was many different varieties of cranes available and no one crane seemed to be the same as another, hence I could apply quite a bit of modellers licence to produce my interpretation of a Cowden Sheldon 30T steam crane, using plasticard and bits and pieces from the left over box. Overall I am happy with the results, although if I did another I would try to make the body of the crane sit slightly lower, and the front part of the roof broader. Finally a big thank you to both Cambridge Custom Transfers and Railtec for both their excellent service and the excellent products, that bring the model to life.

[Bigmac]

Can I just say a big thank you to all the members who posted to this thread a few weeks ago, it inspired me to pull out the Roco crane I had purchased on an impulse a few months back, spend alot of time trawling through pictures of cranes on the internet and then converting it to something passable on a mid-60's based layout. What became apparent was that there was many different varieties of cranes available and no one crane seemed to be the same as another, hence I could apply quite a bit of modellers licence to produce my interpretation of a Cowden Sheldon 30T steam crane, using plasticard and bits and pieces from the left over box. Overall I am happy with the results, although if I did another I would try to make the body of the crane sit slightly lower, and the front part of the roof broader. Finally a big thank you to both Cambridge Custom Transfers and Railtec for both their excellent service and the excellent products, that bring the model to life.

that looks excellent--well done.  Only prob--i need to re visit mine now!

[mca0004]

Look what arrived in the mail today.