RMweb Premium Ramrig Posted April 1, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 Hi folk. I came by these from a former club member a number of years ago. I have only recently rediscovered them when sorting through some boxes under my layout. I have been trying to find out more information on the, a quick "Google" only came up with a brief mention on the Airfix Tribute Forum. all that stated was a bit about PECO and they are as rare as Rocking Horse Manure and fetch a fortune on ebay!!! I have the following 3 x Trailers 2 x Tractor units 2 x rail connection(?) units 1 x unmade kit 3 (see picture below. Here are pictures of what I have: Tractor and trailer Trailer and Rail unit road wheels down Rail wheels down wheel arrangement Unmade kit Label stating made by Scalecraft. but looks to be marketed by Peco? Label rear Kit must be post 1971 as it is decimal Any information on these kits/models would be appreciated. Has any one else got any? pictures? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 (edited) More info in MRJ No 147. Kevin Martin Edit Follow up info in MRJ No. 149. Edited April 2, 2012 by kevinlms Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 The kits came out around the same time as the real thing (1962?). There was also an R-T-R version in the Triang-Minic Motorways range with road/rail track to match. The trailers were in the Peco catalogues for quite some time after the tractor unit and converter bogie sold out; I think into the 1980s, but these were almost certainly old stock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 The unmade kit will probably be worth something to a collector but 'made up' models are not worth a lot. I recently purchased a made up tractor unit and two trailers together with a pair of made up Airfix lorries all for a fiver. There was also on the vendors stall one of the trailers converted to a OO9 van. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicky W Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 We featured the Roadrailer in a previous BRM Annual, and, if my memory serves me right, they were also covered in MRJ not so long ago? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 There is a brief glimpse of a roadrailer 'in action' in one of the Pathe newsreel films. IIRC it is the one featuring the building of the flyovers at Barking in the early 1960's'. The train consisted of a class 24, an LMS parcels coach and and the adapter bogie with two roadrailer vans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 The unmade kit will probably be worth something to a collector but 'made up' models are not worth a lot. I recently purchased a made up tractor unit and two trailers together with a pair of made up Airfix lorries all for a fiver. There was also on the vendors stall one of the trailers converted to a OO9 van. I sold mine for a lot more, as others have by describing them properly with good photos and in the correct section. Selling them in lots with other stuff, in the wrong catagory (Ebay) with poor photos and descriptions will depress prices. You will not make a fortune but there is a market for them from both collectors and modellers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ramrig Posted April 2, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 More info in MRJ No 147. Kevin Martin Edit Follow up info in MRJ No. 149. How long ago was this published? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2, 2012 (edited) My avatar is a 47 on a rake of Roadrailers, larger photo below: Class 47 D1516 probably 18th April 1963 Hope it is some use. David PS This photo was also published in BRM of March 2009 Edited April 2, 2012 by DaveF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ramrig Posted April 2, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 That's a nice shot Dave. What is written down the side of them? or is it a red stripe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I think you will find that red stripe is the word "ROADRAILER". There is a lot of information on the kits in an old "Model Railway Enthusiast" magazine from the 1990s. I will have to dig it out! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 I purchased mine at a swapmeet, I already have some unmade models as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2, 2012 That's a nice shot Dave. What is written down the side of them? or is it a red stripe? I think you will find that red stripe is the word "ROADRAILER". There is a lot of information on the kits in an old "Model Railway Enthusiast" magazine from the 1990s. I will have to dig it out! Ramrig, Sarahagain is quite right, it is Roadrailer on the side, in red. The BRM articles show it more clearly if I remember correctly. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 How long ago was this published? MRJ No. 147 27 November 2003 & 149 19 February 2004. Kevin Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John Isherwood Posted April 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2012 That's a nice shot Dave. What is written down the side of them? or is it a red stripe? See Sheet BL20 @ http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/products.htm . Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adanapress Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I wonder if anyone remembers what happened to the Roadrailer project, and wether anyone with the passing of the years now dares say out loud why that was. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porcy Mane Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 (edited) I wonder if anyone remembers what happened to the Roadrailer project, and wether anyone with the passing of the years now dares say out loud why that was. The Design rights (The British Railway bits not C&O) were sold to an Austrailian Company. The BR roadrailer project was allowed to slowly die as folks with foresight saw that the Malcom Mclean designed Intermodal container was the way forward. The last rail test run saw one of the couplings fail which some saw as the final excuse to drop Roadrailer... Poor tare to load Ratio... High Development costs...etc etc. The two prototype trailers had to be modified after failing SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders) Inclination/gradient tests and the wheel hubs almost falling off due to wheel stud failure. The bodies also cracked heavily above the pivot mechanism. This all happened during their first road run from Scotland to Oxford before ever getting near a railway. Porcy Edited due to missing out words... Edited April 3, 2012 by Porcy Mane 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushType4 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Poor tare to load Ratio... High Development costs...etc etc. Not much change in the last fifty years there.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I recall they were well covered in the contempory "Railway Modeller's". Mick Nicholson. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted April 3, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 3, 2012 Also they had a tendancy to change from rail to road mode en route and vice versa. I saw at one time a photograph of two gouges in a tarmac road where one had 'swapped mode' when behind a lorry! IIRC in every case the locking system was not applied properly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armchair Modeller Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Shame they didn't develop the concept for passengers instead of freight............ .......oh sorry - that was the Leyland National 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 The PECO catalogue of 1968 has this. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Does anyone know if there are scale drawings for these vehicles other than those in BRM Annual or BRJ? regards Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I'm fairly sure they appear in one of the diagram books. Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushVeteran Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I wonder if there is still enough interest in these to warrant a more detailed up to date version. The fact that it was never in the public eye may have a bearing on this but the novelty value of a maybe limited run could be worth thinking about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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