Saturday 1 February 2014

28mm Trains for Wargamers part 1


Poop Poop...says the runaway train.. Has Shed Wars turned its attention to model railways?

When I embarked on my VBCW project one of the things that appealed was the opportunity to lay down a railway track as part of the scenery. However like all good wargamers things have to be done on a budget so last weekend I trawled the internet looking up and reviewing cheap toy train sets.

In the end I think I might have struck gold as the picture below might testify.

The figures in the picture are 28mm -  I would hazard a guess that the train is around 1/72 scale based on the size of the door into the train cab. Yes its a cheap and nasty train but it only cost £7.99 on ebay including postage.



For this princely sum you get two coal tenders, the locomotive and a large tanker. Plus of course track - 4 straights and 8 curves



All the bits laid out - I intend to convert the tanker it into an armoured wagon complete with turrets - in a very heath robinson style.



The company that makes these trains seems to be called Train Familiar - Rail Car Series- pictures of both front and reverse side of boxes shown.






I also found this box set (below)- much more complete with box cars and passenger carriages. I have found prices of these varying from £79 to £19.

Basing the fact that it has a similar loco and coal tender in the picture I assumed that they were the same scale. So I went out a bought my self a box !

Hopefully they are the same scale ! - Ill confirm soon




I also found this one but no sign of a retailer.



So a bit of work to do - the rains need repainting, the track boards need building (including a bridge) and I need to start thinking about the layout.

All the best

Eric

12 comments:

  1. I will be looking for a cheap 1/72nd scale TRAIN for my 20mm Arab revolt Game. This looks like just the thing.... Thanks for sharing I shall keep my eye out.

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  2. For some reason trains always make for nice terrain. Looking forward to this. I'm pretty envious that you can manage so many projects and manage to play games with them.

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    1. Thank you - THE US

      Projects are always good fun and gamming is essential - no point in having all this stuff and never playing with it.

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  3. Nice find, I'm sure it will paint up well

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  4. Good buy; the rolling stock is a bit european in style - but will make a good basis for an armoured train. The problem I find with sets like that is there is never enough straight sections.

    I made up some railway sections using some cheap accessories, Hornby 00/H0 track and rolling stock at picked up at local Toy&train fairs.

    In use for a game here
    http://ww2tanksalot.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/attack-on-supply-depot.html

    -- Allan

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    1. I have ordered a larger box sert for ££189 which should have enough track so I can lay out a double section across my table.

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    2. Sorry should have said £18.99

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  5. Suggestion: With a little work, salvage the wheels and couplers from the 2nd coal tender. Build a simple flatcar platform and attach the remaining wheels and couplers to the bottom...new train car. Flatcars are great because you can put anything on it...jeeps, Anti-tank guns, boxes, barrels, lumber, soldiers sitting on boxes and etc.

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    Replies
    1. Great idea - I have some more wagons on the way

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