Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs
Prototype Era
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)
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-031-027
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-031-005
6 Wheel Milk Tank MMB
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
£18.50 at eBay (New)
DAPOL 4F-031-028 - 6 Wheel Milk Tank - SR UD Milk - Silver (Weathered) [NEW]
£25.66 at eBay (Used)
dapol 4f-031-028 sr ud milk tanker weathered looks barely used
Online offers are generated automatically based on brand name and product code, and may not necessarily be this precise item.
The Dapol 6 Wheel Milk Tanker in United Dairies livery is a model of a milk tanker wagon. The model is weathered, representing a worn and used condition. It is designed to be used on OO gauge model railways and has a minimum radius curve requirement of 1.
The model has a length of 94mm, a width of 33mm, and a height of 48mm. It features a six-wheel wheel arrangement and is fitted with NEM/Tension lock couplings, allowing it to be easily coupled to other models.
The milk tanker was a common sight on British railways from the 1930s to the 1940s, during the period known as the Big Four, when the railways were operated by the LNER, LMS, GWR, and SR.
The real-life milk tankers were used to transport milk from rural areas to urban centres, where it was processed and distributed to the public. The development of the milk tanker was a significant improvement on earlier methods of milk transportation, which involved the use of milk churns.
The model milk tanker is highly detailed, with profiled wheels, accurately applied livery, and separately added ladders and rails. It also features NEM pockets with self-centring couplings, making it easy to use on model railways.
The Dapol model is based on the six-wheel derivative of the milk tank wagon, which was found to be more stable at speed than its four-wheel predecessor. The model is a representation of the milk tankers used by various dairy companies and railway companies from 1932 to 1948.