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1919 Garrett & Sons Steam Road Tractor "Pendle Princess"

Plastheniker
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Plastheniker Established Member

Plastheniker

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Hi,

Besides the 1/16 Steam Roller the unforgotten manufacturer Bandai made a kit of the 1919 Garrett & Sons Steam Road Tractor Pendle Princess.

The Steam Roller was shown here http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234928567-116-steam-roller-by-bandai/

I suppose I built my model 30 or even 35 years ago. My memories of the build are almost completely gone. Nevertheless I am sure that building it was a pleasure, because Bandai kits were really outstanding.

I know that in England there is a very strong interest in all kinds of vintage steam vehicles.

Therefore probably many of you will know the original vehicle.

For those who don't, however, this short information:

Up to the thirties steam trucks and steam road tractors were a common sight at least on European roads.

One of the most renowned English manufacturers of steam vehicles was Richard Garrett & Sons Ltd., Leiston, Suffolk. Their 1919 road tractor, initially built for pulling trailers of a brickyard, later converted into a showman's tractor and equipped with a current generator, was preserved by the English enthusiast Tom Varley and displayed at his Museum of Steam. There it was nicknamed Pendle Princess. After Tom Varley's death Bandai purchased the vehicle and made this kit.

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sinnerboy Very Obsessed Member

sinnerboy

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that Is superb, fella :clap:

have one of those in the loft ( one of my first stash buys, along with the Bandai Fire Engine....Beaties early eighties ?? )

may have to get on & build it, looks a beauty!¬

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eng Very Obsessed Member

eng

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Oh wow, this brings back childhood memories! I remember looking in awe at my Dad's build of this kit that sat on the cabinet in our dining room when I was a youngster.

Still a lovely kit now by the looks of it, what a beautiful build.

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bobster Established Member

bobster

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That is superb! I was given this kit years ago by one my Aunties. I had never built such a large kit at that point, but loved every minute of the build and this kit probably left the seed of modelling which has grown again lately. I practiced many new techniques to me to complete the model. It is a shame l left the model at my parents house as it bit the dust some point.

Again, it looks brillant!

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Plastheniker Established Member

Plastheniker

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Thanks for your comments!

Indeed, it is a very attractive model, but being honest I have to give credit for 99% of the appearance to the kit.

In the seventies I built six 1/16 Bandai kits and I was delighted by their perfection. Despite my very limited skills and the very limited means in those days (f. e. no airbrush) they still do not look too bad.

For me it is incomprehensible that Bandai refuses to use or to sell the still existing moulds.

That looks brilliant. When you look back on kits made this long ago, how do you view them, bearing in mind all you've learned in the subsequent years?

Often it is not only a question of improved skills. A modeler's life in the sixties/seventies was not that easy: e. g. no airbrush (as mentioned above), no super glue, no BMF, only few modeling tools, and of course no search engines. Nevertheless I never improve a finished model. I keep these old models for nostalgic reasons. Maybe I place them into a spot of the cabinet where the light is not too bright....

However if such an old model is really too poor I dismantle it either for my parts box or for building it a second time (if I am still interested and the kit is OOP).

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Thunderjug Established Member

Thunderjug

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That is fantastic. Tom Varley was my Uncle and I remember him having a made up kit in a display case that Bandi had given him as a thank you. She was used as the wedding (car) when Toms son was married many years ago I seem to remember. Tom died a good few years back now and the collection was sold according to my late father. I think she is now in the hands of a collector near Scarborough

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Bengalensis Very Obsessed Member

Bengalensis

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It's a very well finished and great looking model, even more so considering it's a long time since it was built. Well done!

I'm quite tempted by one of those Bandai steam tractor kits myself. Sooner or later I will have to get one.

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Plastheniker Established Member

Plastheniker

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Thanks for the further comments!

I showed the model some time ago in an American car and truck forum and didn’t expect much attention. I thought the interest in steam engines is very British. I was completely surprised, however, by the response by American modelers. There seems to be a similar enthusiasm in the U.S.A.; maybe there are more preserved farm than commercial engines.

Wonderful model Jurgen, I have one in the stash as well.

This might interest you.

http://www.longshopmuseum.co.uk/

Thanks for the link. I followed it and found a lot of interesting information. The further links listed there lead to some other sites that are worth to be visited, too.

That is fantastic. Tom Varley was my Uncle and I remember him having a made up kit in a display case that Bandi had given him as a thank you. She was used as the wedding (car) when Toms son was married many years ago I seem to remember. Tom died a good few years back now and the collection was sold according to my late father. I think she is now in the hands of a collector near Scarborough

That is really amazing!
As a German proverb says: The world is a village (Die Welt ist ein Dorf).
Thanks for your PM that gave the information that Bandai made the kit long before your uncle died. I think designing this fantastic kit outside Japan makes Bandai’s achievement even bigger.

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lordairgtar New Member

lordairgtar

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Thanks for the further comments!

I showed the model some time ago in an American car and truck forum and didn’t expect much attention. I thought the interest in steam engines is very British. I was completely surprised, however, by the response by American modelers. There seems to be a similar enthusiasm in the U.S.A.; maybe there are more preserved farm than commercial engines.

There is, especially amongst the more rural areas like I live in. Here in Wisconsin we have a town that has a big event called a Thresheree. All the old tractors, oil engines, steam traction...all get displayed and operated.

Also one show from Ohio in the USA.

http://www.nationalthreshers.com/

A lot of these old steam traction engines were sent off to the breakers as scrap tp fuel the wartime need for iron and steel for WWII

Even my uncle and a few friends restore old gas tractors, plus my grandfather operated an old Rumley Oil Pull well into the 60s. That ran on fuel but resembled the old traction steam engines it was derived from.

Edited by lordairgtar
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