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Dapol 4F-031-048

6 Wheel Milk Tank West Park Dairy 7 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

Dapol's 6 Wheel Milk Tank model is a representation of the vehicles used by dairy companies to transport milk during the early 20th century. The model is based on the six wheel derivative that was introduced to replace the earlier four wheeled design, which proved unstable at speed.

The model is built in OO gauge and features a weathered finish, with a livery depicting West Park Dairy. It has a length of 94mm, a width of 33mm, and a height of 48mm. The model is designed to run on curves with a minimum radius of 1.

The model includes a range of details, including profiled wheels, accurately applied livery, highly detailed body moulding, and separately added ladders and rails. The coupling system is NEM/Tension lock, allowing for easy connection and disconnection of the model from other rolling stock.

The Dapol 6 Wheel Milk Tank model is a representation of the vehicles used during the British Railways Early Crest period, specifically from 1932 to 1948. This period saw the introduction of new milk tank wagons, which were designed to meet the growing demand for milk transportation.

The history of milk transportation in the UK dates back to the 19th century, when urban herds were kept in cities such as London. However, a cow plague in 1865 led to the decline of urban herds, and Express Dairies played a significant role in bringing milk from the countryside into towns and cities. The company's founder, George Barham, invented the milk churn, which was used until the 1930s when cylindrical bulk handling milk tanks were introduced.