Heljan GUV

[clarky]

I had my first chance to hold a completed Heljan GUV on the Tower stall at Reading yesterday

It was a red one..................not God's own BR Blue...............but what a lovely job it is!

G

 

[clarky]

Just wondering whether it's possible to weather one heavily enough to make it realistic!!

A mate of mine who worked on GUV overhauls at BREL Glasgow sia dthat they had to change all the glass, because it was too engrained with dirt to clean!

 

[clarky]

I had a call from Tower yesterday.

My GUVs are being delivered on the 30th!

I might just about get the first of my two JLRT CCTs finished by then!

I spent all last weekend cleaning the castings up.

Everything is lined up and ready to build now!

G

 

[lancer1027]

Look forward to seeing some pics of the builds then soon.

Rob

 

[clarky]

Ready to go..................Almost.

 

[40126]

Looking forward to this build, Clarky

Steve

 

[flexible_coupling]

Were the GUV's and CCT's primarily deployed for newspaper and parcels/mail traffic? Were there any other interesting regular duties?

 

[clarky]

Both the BR MK1 based vehicles (CCT - 4 Wheeled and GUV - Bogied) were for general (primarily, but not totally) parcels use really, rather than milk which had stopped being moved in churns by the time of nationalisation. Both types had end doors to allow road vehicles to be end loaded onto them too. Many of both types later had the footsteps removed to allow parcels and bags of mail loaded into BRUTES (BR Universal Trolly Equipment) to be carried. Some of the GUVs were later branded for Newspapers and some were fitted with end gangways. Keith Parkin's book "BR Mk1 Coaches" gives lots more detail.

Hope this helps.

Graeme

 

[clarky]

First CCT well on the way now.

A little bit of filling still needed - buffer springs, couplers, window security bars and footsteps to fit.

I'm going to fit them after a visit to the paint shop.

I used Brian's photos of the underframe on his build to get the brake rigging right. There is no way that I could ever have done this from the instructions provided in the kit.

 

[clarky]

I hade a lovely afternoon out on Friday and went to Gaugemaster in Arundel (or more precicesly, Ford Station) and also to Alton Model Centre.

I bought lots of paints, Plastikard, a book "Looking Back at Peaks" and two wagons.

A Slaters 20t BR Brake Van and a Parkside Dundas Blue Spot Van, to be built as a Special Parcels Van (Possibly No E87029, but not sure yet!)

I don't think this one will take long!

 

[lancer1027]

Graeme the CCT looks very nice . I wish i had gone with the JLTRT one because the time , effort and extra bits needed to make the Model Express one into something like was just not worth it. Still you live and learn.

I would like to see a couple of close ups of your westerns. And the Heljan GUV

Oh and is there any nice pics of 23 and/or D186 in the peak book. If there is it might be worth me getting a copy.

Rob

 

[clarky]

Hi Rob.

I've had another look through the Peak book and I can't find either 23 or 186.

Lots of lovely photos though.

There's an end-on pic of ex wks blue 23 in Rail Photo Archive and a couple of pics of 186 (one blue and one green) on Rail Online if you haven't already seen them.

I'll take some more close ups of the Westerns and the Heljan GUVs when the GUVs arrive tomorrow.

The JLRT CCT is a really lovely kit that goes together beautifully, but the instructions are a little vague and the castings take a lot of cleaning up!

All in all its worth it though. I got two at Reading.

Nearly finished the Parkside SPV.

Makes a nice model too.

Graeme

 

[40126]

Hi Graeme Merrry xmas

Have you a pic of E87029 to go from ?. The one off Paul Bartlett's site.

Steve

 

[clarky]

Here you go!

http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brfish/e3b49bea7

Southall 1970.

Graeme

 

[clarky]

Not sure about the brake rigging though!

I might need to reconsider that one and do BR gear rather than LNER.

G

 

[40126]

Think, if I get another SPV, It will be this one......

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brfish/h3B49BEA7#h3e013bfa

Steve

 

[clarky]

Excellent pic!

 

[clarky]

The GUVs arrived this morning.

Actually, the photos don't come close to doing them justice.

It makes them look a bit too plastic, which they don't at all in reality!

They even have separate "real" chains on the vehicle ends.

They really are a lovely model.

Graeme

 

[clarky]

SPV Progress.

Slow, but getting there!

 

[lancer1027]

All looking good Graeme. Still no sign of western pics though.

Where did you get the little bedford vans from. I could do with a couple of those myself.

Oh BTW the GUV looks quite nice.

Rob