Here's the photo that Paul B points to. Quite a difference from the one above, and still different from the kit cab as it looks as though the sides cut in. What needs to be done then is to add the bump bar on the front and move the headlights from front-mount to mudguard mount. The wheels in the kit look a little small to my eyes, but as can be seen here, they wouldn't look out of place on a Morris 1000.
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ReplyDeleteBecause the Coopercraft kit is for a very early 1930's AEC. See this site: http://www.trucksplanet.com/catalog/model.php?id=467
ReplyDeleteAs Paul says the photo you've posted is a latter model. The Mk 1 had a very short life, 1931 to 33 I think, and that photo of GN9787 is the only one I've seen of a Mk 1 with a straight windscreen - though I have seen it on early Mammoths and of course it was a feature of the well known Matador (and in fact the trucksplanet site includes a photo of a Mammoth Minor with cabside beading http://www.trucksplanet.com/catalog/model.php?id=535 but without the split windscreen. of course it is possible that the split screens were replaced during service. And then you'll note that unlike the Coopercraft model GN9787 has cab side front panels that are angled inwards.
DeleteI suspect that during this period individual lorries coming out of the factory with the same model designation could look very different from one another.
I have to admit by the way that my interest in this was sparked by trying to identify an abandoned AEC lorry in a photo of Llanrahaiadr Mochnant goods yard
I wish more blogs let you edit comments. I never did close that bracket. An off the wall comment would be to consider converting it to a Thornycroft like the Gas Light & Coke one here http://www3.hants.gov.uk/thornycroft/lorries-2/road-haulage-1933.htm but I would suggest that if you want to model a typical lorry that might have survived into the 50s then ditch the rectangular split windscreen, sand off the beading, file out the windscreen to that characteristic AEC face and then deepen the side windows to match.
DeleteI'm going to get all esoteric now. Does it matter? I mean most people won't realise that the kit isn't of a specific prototype, so it won't spoil the illusion for them. I only know because it happens to coincide with a particular bit of research I was doing for my own layout. But on the other-hand aren't we very cavalier about how we model road vehicles, and how often does that make us feel that a layout is indefinably not quite right?
I know what you mean about editing James - hence my deleted post above (due to typos).
DeleteIts still a nice little kit despite being of a generic AEC, and possibly a little overscale? Two sit in my display cabinet although I probably will never use them on a layout.
Paul, I'm beginning to think about the possibility of using it as the basis of a Mammoth rather than a Monarch, but I'm also quite serious that it resembles that Thornycroft and it wouldn't need much work to make it resemble one. I'm still prepared to accept the RTI philosophy that most lorry chassis and bodywork is generic..
DeleteThere's a photo of a solid tyred 1930 Mammoth 4 wheeler in 'British Lorries 1930 - 1992' which has a straight cab front, no angled windscreen. AEC must have gone through quite a number of cab designs in a short period. I see what you mean about the (rather nice) Thornycroft, a conversion does look fairly straightforward.
DeleteI've just remembered the one I built was for Potters Patch. As it was a very small layout, I cut the chassis down and made a new lowside body out of wood-embossed plastic sheet. It was parked to one side of the transfer shed, loaded with pipes. Not wanting to waste it, the tank was placed on a plinth behind the making shed. If you're interested I could send you a couple of pictures.
ReplyDeleteChris OD