1960s fuel tankers

[George Woodcock]

Hello

 

    I wonder if any-one has any ideas of a source of  1/76 scale fuel tanker, either a 4 or 6 wheeler as used to deliver fuel to farms etc? Any help appreciated.

 

                                                                                            Cheers

 

                                                                                                         George

                                                                                                         

[shipbadger]

Interesting question.  I suppose a lot depends on the access available.  If you can get a milk lorry in to the yard you could presumably get a four wheel tanker in.  Where I live in Gloucestershire at least two firms offer delivery by 4x4 tankers (Unimogs).  Back in the sixties I presume something ex-armed forces would be used.  I have seen, I think from over the border in Herefordshire a Land Rover with a tank and slogans on the side offering deliveries to almost anywhere.

 

Road Transport Images do a 1200 gallon tank which could be mounted on a suitable (Bedford/Ford) four wheeler chassis.

 

Tony Comber

Edited May 22, 2018 by shipbadger

[PhilJ W]

Ex-military Bedford MK tankers as in the Airfix kit are commonly used  to deliver fuel to farms and major building sites.

[eastworld]

_{Base Toys have produced  few small tankers before.}

 

_Stu

Edited May 23, 2018 by eastworld

[Fat Controller]

_{Base Toys have produced  few small tankers before.}

 

_Stu

The loading hatches on the Base Toys ones look much too high, a bit like the ones one used to see on Albright and Wilson's phosphorus tanks. How about using a RTI tank on something like a Base Toys LAD-cabbed chassis?

[Clive Mortimore]

Ex-military Bedford MK tankers as in the Airfix kit are commonly used  to deliver fuel to farms and major building sites.

Hi Phil

 

I might be wrong but weren't Mks being built for the Army in the 60s? Would QL's or OYs be more fitting?

[Mike Storey]

I had one of these Matchbox tankers when a kid. Any good? You can often find them at boot fairs, swapmeets etc.

 

 

[Fat Controller]

Hi Phil

 

I might be wrong but weren't Mks being built for the Army in the 60s? Would QL's or OYs be more fitting?

There might be QLs, but more likely it would be the round-fronted Bedford (RL?), and the Commers and Fordsons of similar vintage.These would only be used in really inaccessible locations.

Most likely of all would be TKs (as per the model illustrated), Dodges or LAD-cabbed Leylands/Albions. I would link to the AEC Southall site, but it seems to have disappeared.

[mikeharvey22]

Adam Floyd’s excellent Flickr page has a selection. This link is to Austin ones, some with those large Base Toys filler hatches. Should be possible to put one together from RTI pieces or for other chassis using the Base Toys tank.

 

https://www.flickr.com/search/?ytcheck=1&new_session=1&text=austin%20tanker

[PhilJ W]

Hi Phil

 

I might be wrong but weren't Mks being built for the Army in the 60s? Would QL's or OYs be more fitting?

I didn't see any mention of period. Many MK's were de-mobbed from the late 80's onward following the end of the cold war.

[Kylestrome]

Base Toys models can make a good basis for extra detailing projects. Starting with the Leyland Comet National Benzole tanker I made a fairly generic vehicle by way of a few freelance modifications. This one is working out its last days in a West Highland backwater. The Esso logos were sourced from a sheet of slot racing car decals.

 

David

The road tanker as bought

 

 

[PatB]

From memory, the 4-wheel tankers which delivered to our local village (Shell IIRC) garage in the mid-70s were Mk1 Ford D-Series based. I think similar tankers also dealt with domestic heating oil deliveries in the area. I'm casting a dodgy memory back 45 years now though .

[Corbs]

There might be QLs, but more likely it would be the round-fronted Bedford (RL?), and the Commers and Fordsons of similar vintage.These would only be used in really inaccessible locations.

Most likely of all would be TKs (as per the model illustrated), Dodges or LAD-cabbed Leylands/Albions. I would link to the AEC Southall site, but it seems to have disappeared.

 

The S-type is the civilian 2WD version that uses the same cab as the RL. It was offered in petrol and diesel variants.

 

 

The RL is the 4x4 army version which were mostly petrol engined. Note how the headlights have been moved down to maintain a similar height. The green goddess fire pumps are also based on the same platform.

 

Edited May 24, 2018 by Corbs

[petethemole]

An ex-BP RL, Cleveland O series and an Esso S type:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&q=bedford+ql+tanker&chips=q:bedford+ql+tanker,online_chips:petrol+tanker&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_oJXmg57bAhXLCMAKHUnoD3cQ4lYIMSgL&biw=1476&bih=713&dpr=1.25#imgrc=GAuM3nwazQskxM:&spf=1527153980388

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dscn8785/8563805693/

 

http://www.na3t.org/road/photo/VS00617

 

I found several other civilian O series tankers on the web. The Oxford Die-cast military OY taker is a water bowser but could be converted to the fuel tanker variant with extra filling hatches and other fittings. WD surplus examples of these may have come into civvy use but I can't find a photo.

[George Woodcock]

_Hello

 

   _{Thanks for the advice and info. Based on my memories of the mid sixties when I worked on a farm the best bets are the Leyland, Albion, Bedford TK and Ford versions. The old army trucks may have still been about but not in my part of the world. A local farmer used a good many old army trucks for hauling bales and bulk grain but he was an exception. I will keep a lookout for the Base Toys model and see what I can cobble up. As an aside I have to say all of the vehicles mentioned with the possible exception Of the Bedford TK were bloody awful things to drive as I had the mis-fortune to do so in the early 70s. most people who wax lyrical about old vehicles, especially trucks, never had to do it for a living. Any other suggestions of course are welcome and once again thanks for all your help.}

 

                                                                                 _Cheers

 

                                                                                         _George  

[jcb 3c]

I've never seen a 4x4 tanker used for routine fuel oil deliveries . Too little payload and too much maintenance and  fuel consumption. Not saying they don't exist but certainly not  very common.

Seen plenty of 4x4's on construction sites but even there they delivered around the site only and were supplied by normal road going tankers.

 

Farms that  are big enough for bulk fuel deliveries would have a reasonable access track.

So yes I agree  the routine British distribution trucks Bedford TK's , various Leylands , Ford D's etc would look the part for the 60's.  The shorter more manouverable four wheelers being favoured .

[Clive Mortimore]

Hi George

 

Road Transport Images do tank bodies

2500 gallon

1200 gallon

 

You could use a Base Toys chassis and cab as these will be cheaper than a Road Transport Images combination.

[BernardTPM]

I had one of these Matchbox tankers when a kid. Any good? You can often find them at boot fairs, swapmeets etc.

 

Good for H0 scale, but too small for 4mm scale.

[shipbadger]

I've never seen a 4x4 tanker used for routine fuel oil deliveries . Too little payload and too much maintenance and  fuel consumption. Not saying they don't exist but certainly not  very common.

There you go, one of Hobbs Bros Unimogs.  They've had several over the years.  Gloucestershire has many narrow lanes and even developed a 'mini' fire engine based on a US pick up at one point.

 

Tony Comber

[Corbs]

I was speaking to a chap last week who used to do fuel deliveries from Tiverton Junction back in the 1960s (I think) - he said he started out on AECs and Bedford S-Types and then later went to Scanias - when his son asked him why he didn't drive a nice new Scania like his friend's father did, his reply was 'Lad, I would rather drive an old AEC for £2 a week than a new Scania for £1 a week!'

 

He also said that it was disappointing when the incoming deliveries switched from rail to road as with rail tankers there was always a bit extra that found its way into the staff's vehicles!

Edited June 18, 2018 by Corbs

[Gordon A]

Coopercraft?

 

Gordon A

[PhilJ W]

Coopercraft?

 

Gordon A

Actually the Coopercraft tank is not to bad, its the rest of the kit that is awful.