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Miniatures Adventure => Railway Wargaming => Topic started by: matiec on 02 July 2015, 07:53:20 PM

Title: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: matiec on 02 July 2015, 07:53:20 PM
Have been looking at the various ideas and threads on options for 28mm trains. having checked out ebay and others I didn't seem to be able to find what I was looking for. A surprise trip to Carlisle biggest local City and I had a look in one of the cheaper toy shops...look what I found. These were £4.99 each so not a bad price. They do the train with tender and a train with carriage. Perfect scale (they are quoted as 1:55) and if you weren't fussy they could be used straight from the box. My plan is to paint them to make them look a bit older. The best thing if you are still hunting is I checked out the make elsewhere and you can get them on Amazon although I am not sure of the price. There is another post of the same train painted slightly further down in Railway Wargaming.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ti3uZNHFIiU/VY6jTBTtq2I/AAAAAAAACpc/-KOt6janoZ4/w936-h544-no/image.jpg)

Picture showing scale these are part finished Warlord 28mm BEF figures

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-sOHtuun-aGY/VY6jTNARsLI/AAAAAAAACpY/Se9mNegFn0Y/w1125-h393-no/image.jpg)
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: FramFramson on 03 July 2015, 04:10:09 AM
They look slightly more suited to Victorian gaming, but seems they'd work for early 20th century as well.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: Tym on 03 July 2015, 10:21:02 PM
Worked for me.  Have not seen the one with a tender. Thanks for the info.  I did cut the cow catcher off mine not difficult once you have dismantled the engine.  Will be interested to see how yours turns out.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: voltan on 04 July 2015, 08:01:29 AM
Can I ask which toy shop it was?  ;)
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: matiec on 04 July 2015, 08:11:04 AM
It is a funny shop in Carlisle called I think Home Plus. If you are in Carlsile it is bottom end of the Main Street almost opposite poundland and the main street entrance to TK max.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: voltan on 04 July 2015, 08:15:58 AM
Cheers, never heard of it but I know where you're on about, might go have a look assuming you've not bought the supply up  ;D
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: Yankeepedlar01 on 04 July 2015, 01:16:55 PM
You often see them in the toy sections of Garden Centres like Dobbies. I've also seen them in Charity Shops of Save the Children.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: voltan on 04 July 2015, 06:23:54 PM
Got the green ones, made the mistake of pressing the button on top.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: DrVesuvius on 04 July 2015, 06:25:10 PM
I highly recommend these, having bought a load for my Victorian-era GASLIGHT games.  2 Caveats though.

1)  Buying from the likes of Amazon or eBay you can get these very cheap, however it's a bit of a crapshoot as to what exact sets you get.  There are two different sets - tank engine & carriage is one, locomotive & tender is the other.  And there are three colour options - red, blue and green.  If buying from vendors who don't let you pick your colour, you might have to buy quite a few sets to get the right mixture of loco, tender + a couple of carriages in matching livery, if you're not planning a total repaint.  Also be advised the engines are also sold on their own, without the tender or carriage, so make sure you know exactly what you're ordering.

2) Railway purists will grimace at the locomotive.  It has a generally European appearance, but with an American-style cow-catcher on the front.  I'm no rail expert, but that just looks plumb wrong to me, and if you want something that looks more at home on British railways, some remodelling work will be required.

But that said, I love these little trains.  I think the carriage sizes are much more wargames friendly than those in the Poundland trainset.

Dr V
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: matiec on 04 July 2015, 11:12:58 PM
Glad you got some voltan, I couldn't resist getting two carriages though so I have ended up with three trains which is a bit excessive. Hunt now for some trucks to match.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: voltan on 05 July 2015, 03:56:58 PM
You can just say your station has a loco depot, as for trucks, i think I'll have to scratchbuild some flatbeds at some point.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: Yankeepedlar01 on 05 July 2015, 07:42:12 PM
Sets in a local Garden Centre at £5.99 each today ~
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh135/Yankeepedlar01/Pulp/FFA66929-0619-4D1B-8B57-2AFC69DFD40E_zpshhiow90w.jpg)
Three sets gives you this configuration and a second engine, an 0-4-0 tank engine ~
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh135/Yankeepedlar01/Pulp/7F956814-4167-429D-BA1D-CF2FB4812CE8_zpssyhfzpua.jpg)
More over on the Blog.
David
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: matiec on 05 July 2015, 08:50:49 PM
Anybody got any thoughts on track or trucks for these I was thinking I might scratch build the track ?
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: Heisler on 06 July 2015, 04:29:54 AM
I think I would go ahead and hand lay the track to match the stock trucks. I think that will be easier in the long run. Otherwise you might see what's available in S-scale. As long as you don't want/need turnouts laying your own track won't take long.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on 08 July 2015, 01:35:13 PM
Does the track in the Poundland set work for these?

Doug
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: voltan on 08 July 2015, 04:15:02 PM
I'd guess no, as the trains have different gauge wheels to the carriage and tender.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: matiec on 08 July 2015, 07:02:44 PM
 Just for info I have measured the wheels on the ones I bought. Firstly the wheels aren't flanged just flat for running on the floor etc. the train has wheels 30 mm apart centre to centre the carriage is 25 mm again centre to centre. So they are very much for show and they just need track which looks ok. I have an idea which if it works I'll post up.
Title: Re: VBCW Train Cheap Option......
Post by: Tym on 20 August 2015, 09:13:06 PM
Same train on the pound stretcher track. 

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