Minerva O Gauge Gunpowder Wagon - Box Opening and Review

[manthony]

I can think of a few reasons that they may have made these vans smaller. I spent several years working for an explosives manufacturer here in the United States. I did all transportation arrangements. We manufactured a number of products that used gunpowder. Not one of those shipments ever completely filled the vault in 4 years. It was probably done for safety. Seven tonnes of gunpowder is a huge amount. Our in ground vaults never held more than one tonne, and were well spaced to avoid a "domino effect" should one accidentally ignite. If the shipment was by van, it would be the only items. By rail, the van had to be located in a specific spot within the train. By air was limited to certain Freight only flights, and always in and out of airports in non populated areas.

[davidbugler]

The '7T' marking is the maximum permitted weight of load. The idea of 'gross loaded weight' or GLW didn't come into general use until the 1960s. Before then most railway companies had a signwritten marking 'Load x Tons' or -- on the GWR -- 'To Carry x Tons' as well as the wagon's own tare weight in tons, hundredweight and occasionally quarters. BR saved a little time and money by just painting the permitted tonnage itself -- with more than half a million wagons to paint or repaint, that tended to add up.

[Kettenhund]

GWR gunpowder wagons were based on the classic Iron Mink vans of the early twentieth cntury. Iron Minks were of a lower profile than the standard wooden body Mink A's and the GPV's inherited their dimensions... The main difference being that Iron minks had framed metal doors matching their sheet metal bodies while the GPV's had wooden doors to remove a possible source of sparks, which you mentioned

Allthe best,
Ken..

[anthonybradford]

great review I don.t have any Minerva wagons but looking at this one I will be getting one or two from them soon Anthony

[melanierhianna]

Lovely. The sprung three links are quite common for three links in 1:76 scale too.

[carol.taylor]

Beautiful review of the "O" Gauge, larger the grade seems to gain far more detail.But it could have just that extra touch owing the extra size.Maybe i am thinking i'm being rather too picky.Fine model model anyway quite awesome to say the least, Personally ")" gauge is much more suitable for a garden laying out and running.Very impressed with the braking set up, wording detail so clearly to read to the naked eye, Than on "00"/"N", Cazz

[paulcopson]

Hello Jennifer, love the channel. Did you happen to go into Ian Allen shop when you visited Brum, well worth a visit.

[randallbyrd]

Looks awesome thank you for the review

[theavocetpannier]

haha I have one in 00 gauge by Dapol in a LNWR, one question though how does it compare to bigger brands such as Dapol?