Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs
Prototype Eras
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest
In the nineteenth century, milk was supplied to urban areas mainly by cows kept in urban herds even in the largest metropolitan areas such as London. These cows were kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions and in 1865 a cow plague swept London resulting in the extermination of all urban herds. Express Dairies grew from this moment on and was instrumental in bringing in milk from the country into the towns and cities.
The founder and chairman of Express Dairies, George Barham invented the milk churn which was the principal way of transporting milk until the 1930s at which time the growing demand and the advancement of sheet metal rolling techniques lead to the development of cylindrical bulk handling milk tanks. The first milk tanks had four wheels, but were found to be unstable at speed. However, a six wheel derivative was found to be very suitable and most of the earlier milk tankers were eventually converted.
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Dapol
4F-031-006
6 Wheel Milk Tank MWB Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-010
6 Wheel Milk Tank Express Dairy Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-016
6 Wheel Milk Tanker IMS 36 Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-038
6 Wheel Milk Tanker Co-op Milk Red Weathered
Dapol
A021
Milk Tank Unpainted
Dapol
4F-031-042
6 Wheel Milk Tank Unigate Creameries 70349 - Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-037
6 Wheel Milk Tanker Co-op Milk Red
Dapol
4F-031-034
6 Wheel Milk Tank IMS 39 Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-030
6 Wheel Milk Tank Co-op 165 Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-029
6 Wheel Milk Tank Co-op 165
Dapol
4F-031-028
6 Wheel Milk Tank SR United Dairies Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-027
6 Wheel Milk Tank SR United Dairies
Dapol
4F-031-026
6 Wheel Milk Tank CWS Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-025
6 Wheel Milk Tank CWS
Dapol
4F-031-022
6 Wheel Milk Tanker Co-Op 169 Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-020
6 Wheel Milk Tanker United Dairies Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-019
6 Wheel Milk Tanker United Dairies
Dapol
4F-031-018
6 Wheel Milk Tank Express Dairy 'E' - Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-017
6 Wheel Milk Tank Express Dairy 'E'
Dapol
4F-031-015
6 Wheel Milk Tanker IMS 36
Dapol
4F-031-011
6 Wheel Milk Tank Independent Milk Supplies
Dapol
4F-031-012
6 Wheel Milk Tank Independent Milk Supplies Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-009
6 Wheel Milk Tank Express Dairy
Dapol
4F-031-008
6 Wheel Milk Tanker IMS Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-007
6 Wheel Milk Tanker IMS
Dapol
4F-031-002
6 Wheel Milk Tank SR United Dairy Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-001
6 Wheel Milk Tank SR United Dairy
Dapol
4F-031-043
6 Wheel Milk Tank Co-op 162
Dapol
4F-031-044
6 Wheel Milk Tank Co-op 162 Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-045
6 Wheel Milk Tank Unigate Creameries 70342
Dapol
4F-031-046
6 Wheel Milk Tank Unigate Creameries 70342 Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-047
6 Wheel Milk Tank West Park Dairy 7
Dapol
4F-031-048
6 Wheel Milk Tank West Park Dairy 7 Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-136
6 Wheel Milk Tank Dark Star Brewing Co 30 - Weathered
Dapol
4F-031-135
6 Wheel Milk Tank Dark Star Brewing Co 30
Dapol
4F-031-129
6 Wheel Milk Tank Co-Op 167
The Dapol Milk Marketing Board 6 Wheel Milk Tanker is a model of a milk tanker wagon that represents the vehicles used by the Milk Marketing Board during the period of the Big Four railway companies.
The model is 94mm in length, 33mm in width, and 48mm in height. It features a highly detailed body moulding and accurately applied livery, with separately added details such as ladders and rails. The model also has NEM pockets with self-centring couplings for easy connection to other locomotives and wagons.
The model is designed to represent the six wheel derivative of the milk tank wagons, which became a standard design after the four wheel versions were found to be unstable at speed. The Milk Marketing Board 6 Wheel Milk Tanker is a representation of the vehicles used by the Milk Marketing Board, which was instrumental in bringing milk from rural areas into towns and cities following the abolition of urban dairy herds in the 19th century.
The model is built to represent the period from 1932 to 1948, during which time the use of milk tankers became widespread. The vehicles were typically owned by dairy companies and built by various railway companies, using the growing demand and advancements in sheet metal rolling techniques to develop more efficient and stable designs.