An Airfix Brake Van
Every boy born between 1960 and 1980 will have made an Airfix model at some point in their childhood. As well as their fighting vehicle kits, Airfix also produced some model railway items, originally from the old Rosebud Kitmaster range, and later sold to Dapol Model Railways. Ironically, Airfix is now part of Hornby, famous of course for their ready-to-run railway models.
At the East Grinstead Model Railway Exhibition this weekend, I acquired a Dapol C038 Brake Van, a model of the LNER/BR 20-ton brake van. It’s an inexpensive kit and not particularly challenging to make. However, in time-honoured fashion, I wanted to make some minor modifications!
The model was put together in three sub-assemblies; the chassis, the van body, and the roof. Each was built according to the instructions. The chassis was then weighted by pouring Fluid Lead into the frame cavities.
The three parts were then primed using Halfords spray paints, the chassis in satin black, the van body is red oxide and the roof in grey. At present, the painted parts are awaiting the addition of a Train-Tech flashing red rear light, decals and weathering.