WORKBENCH TESTED
PARKSIDE BR 13T HOPPER WAGON KIT
George Dent trials the first new Parkside wagon kit since the range was acquired by Peco.
Workbench– TESTED
PHOTOGRAPHY: GEORGE DENT
Iconfessed last month to having something of an obsession with building wagons, and the former Parkside Dundas range of plastic kits makes up a large proportion of my ‘OO’ freight fleet. Now produced by Peco, they have gradually been repackaged into attractive plastic cartons and have found their way into a greater number of model shops, thanks to Peco’s increased reach.
This all-new kit was announced some time ago but, thanks to Covid-19, supplies have been intermittent until recently. While the kit’s subject appealed to my fixation with mineral wagons, I was also curious to find out how it would compare with Parkside kits from the pre-Peco era.
Unpacking the parts, initial impressions were favourable, with the addition of waterslide transfers being a welcome uplift from pre-Peco days. Produced by Modelmaster UK, the decal sheets provide ready-made number panels for three different wagons, plus a customisable set for further number permutations. There are also SAND and IRON ORE legends, although there are no ‘HOP 13’ markings for the post-1964 era. neat and tidy, with impressive definition and relief, while lengths of fine wire and plastic rod are supplied for the handrails and brake cross-shaft. Metal three-hole disc wheels are supplied but, after a few test runs, they were discarded. They don’t look too bad, but the wheels supplied with all six of the kits I’d bought were not conducive to smooth running – causing the wagons to ‘wobble’ when in motion. Parkside kits used to be supplied with high-quality Romford wheels, although they’re currently unavailable.