📢 Please take a minute to read this personal message from the creator of RailwayModels.uk

Dapol 4F-031-046

6 Wheel Milk Tank Unigate Creameries 70342 Weathered

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 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest

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

Model details

Prototype information

The Dapol 6 Wheel Milk Tank Unigate Creameries model, item 70342, is a weathered representation of a six-wheel milk tanker. It is part of the early British Railways period, specifically from 1932 to 1948. This model is based on the six-wheel derivative of the milk tank wagons that were developed in the 1930s.

The model measures 94mm in length, 33mm in width, and 48mm in height. It features profiled wheels, accurately applied livery, and highly detailed body moulding. The ladders and rails are separately added for added realism. The model also includes NEM pockets with self-centring couplings.

The milk tanker was a significant development in the dairy industry, replacing the traditional milk churns that were used until the 1930s. The six-wheel design was found to be more stable at speed than its four-wheel predecessor. The model is intended to represent the early days of milk transportation by rail, a period that saw the growth of companies such as Express Dairies, which played a key role in bringing milk from rural areas to urban centres.

The Unigate Creameries livery is accurately represented on this model, providing a realistic and authentic touch to any model railway layout. The model is designed to run on a minimum radius curve of 1, making it suitable for a variety of model railway setups.