Description

7mm O gauge Slaters Plastikard Charles Roberts Rectangular Tank Wagon Kit. this kit contains fine scale wheels and all the parts needed to assemble the wagon. Slaters Mek-Pak is recommended for use in assembling the kit.

Download kit instructions

History Notes

“Rectangular tar tanks appeared in the late 1880’s and were an important part of the railway scene carrying tar, pitch, heavy oils, etc., until gradually superseded by road transport from the 1930’s onwards. Some users did however continue with rail transport of these materials and Charles Roberts and Co. built tar tank wagons as late as 1946.

These vehicles were of 8, 10, 12 or 14 tons capacity and had either steel or wooden under frames. Until detailed records were uncovered it was commonly held that they were Generally painted black. But in actual fact grey and red wagons appeared in about equal numbers with black a poor third!

The kit represents the 8, or 12 ton version with a 15’0″ tank, built between 1895 and 1906. After this date the tanks were normally 15’9″ x 7’0 x 3’4″. Exceptions did of course exist and we know for example that the Emborough Stone Co. had one wagon, No.15 built in 1913 with a 15’0″ tank. These wagons ran almost everywhere in the country carrying oil, pitch and by-products from gas works.”

Online Models Ltd has learned that at least one example was still in operational use into the 90’s (but not necessarily operating on the national railway network.