Dapol 4F-031-028

6 Wheel Milk Tank SR United Dairies Weathered

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)

Manufacturer description

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.

Catalogue listing

Brand
Dapol
Product Code
4F-031-028
GTIN
5016927021580
RRP
£19.98
Release date
April 2023

Model details

Finish
Weathered
Height
48mm
Livery
United Dairies
Minimum radius curve
Radius 1
Coupling
NEM / Tension lock
Gauge
OO
Width
33mm
Coupling type
Tension lock
Chassis construction
Lightweight
Coupling mount
NEM pockets
Tooling date
2005
Scale
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)
Minimum radius
Radius 1

Prototype information

Wheel configuration
6-wheel
Operated by
Great Western Railway
London Midland & Scottish Railway
London & North Eastern Railway
Southern Railway
British Railways
Type of vehicle
Tank Wagon
In service until
1960s/ 1970s
Main duties
Milk Transport
Build dates
1932 to 1948
Builder
Various
(Tanks owned by dairies & chassis by railway companies)
Wheel arrangement
6-wheel
Built
1932 to 1948
Built by
Various (Tanks owned by dairies & chassis by railway companies)

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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.

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Weathered Whimsy