A Lister Autotruck in 1:24

[Ian-IoM]

Hi Ralph, this could be worth a look: http://www.railtruck.org/

The “Reference” and “Rail-Trucks” sections include scans of a lot of the original autotruck documentation and are well worth a rummage - there are quite a few drawings showing lubrication points, operating instructions, overall dimensions and weights (for shipping) and so on. It needs a while looking through advertising and lists of parts and prices to find the stuff directly useful for model making but it’s all quite interesting if you’re into that sort of thing.

There's also a history section, again with scans of original bumf.

(Btw, I took the overall dimensions for my model from this site, but the details are just filled in by guestimating from photos so it's the right size generally but a bit impressionistic in detail.)

Edit:
Re. when they first appeared, looking at a scan in the history section I found this: "After weeks of hard work, when 24 hour days seemed all too short, the first truck was completed and made its trial run on Easter Monday of 1926."

[Rockley Bottom]

Many thanks for the prompt reply and the information.

The date is just what I wanted to hear! As I model the late 1930 period so one or two would fit in well with a few ideas I have as a break from Smithies Yard.

Thanks Ralph

[Rockley Bottom]

Hi Ian

Just spent some " happy time" looking at the info on the auto-truck

I found hidden among the detals of the type of chassis details of the major sizes I hope these are going to be readable as like you I often model on the "look right is right" ruler.
Looking more and more interesting as a project.

May look into the use of the guided lorries on the hidden strip set into the road. I must research who made them as they were running on a special road surface. I think it had a magnetic strip in it

At the moment up to my eyes in resin casting mine tubs. .

Regards Ralph

[skylon]

Ian, superb work.

I struggle with plasticard, find it quite frustrating. These sort of results are an inspiration though. I will master it!

[PeterH]

Does anybody have links to drawings that would be useful in the construction of a Lister autotruck?

The autotruck came in about eight versions (standard platform, extended, short, even a sweeper/sprinkler). As well, shapes of the major subassemblies changed with time. And I came to realise that restorers today will put together subassemblies from different models from different dates, so what you see in many photos taken today does not match any original autotruck. I gave up trying to draw a plan. Your 'look is right' approach seems best here.

[DCRfan]

Hi

I have plenty of pictures of auto-trucks but cannot locate any plans .

Does anybody have links to drawings that would be useful in the construction of a Lister autotruck?

Regards Ralph.

I though I had some but they turned out to be an advert for a Greenwood & Batley battery 2 ton elevating platform truck - dimensions, specifications and scale drawing. Can post if you need them for your next project

[Rockley Bottom]

Hi Paul

Thanks for the offer.

I found some overall drawings that shows the major sizes of the Lister auto-trucks, I think that these will give me a close enough guide to make a good stab at a model , when I get round to it..


Regards Ralph.

[Ian-IoM]

Oh dear, I’m at it again – I seem to like fiddly repetitive tasks …

Needing a bit of mesh of some sort for the flywheel cover and not having anything to hand I decided to have a go at making something. Looking at the photos I think the original was perforated plate, so drill lots of holes in a bit of plasticard and Bob’s your uncle:

Mark out the pattern by scribing, then drill pilot holes with a 0.6mm drill bit:


Enlarge the holes with progressively larger bits then a tapered burr, then cut out and try in place:

Woo-hoo, the flywheel is visible through the holes

Yes, I Gnow I could have ordered some brass mesh from somewhere but I like doing this sort of thing and it’s probably easier to do than it sounds. The only tricky bit was marking out the centres reasonably accurately, once the pilot holes were drilled enlarging them was easy – a quick twirl of a drill bit in the fingers is enough, 'tis very thin plasticard.

[Glen A]

Wow. what neat work.
Nice result.

[Mark Goodwin]

Ian,

Looks very nice and you must have the patience of a saint. Still, if you can't buy it, you might as well make it. The method used for the hole centres is brilliant.
Kind regards
Mark

[Adrian]

G'day Ian

Just loved the way that you built that perforated plate. It looks good.

I really admire your perseverance (don't need patience if you enjoy the work) ..... just wish that I had some !

Cheers

[DCRfan]

Looking through some pictures I have on disk this morning I found this one of an Royal NZ Air Force secret weapon - a nice side view of a Lister complete with Air Force roundel marking



With the De Havilland Devons in the background this must be between 1948 and 1981. Presumably it was for flight line deliveries.

[Rockley Bottom]

Great picture Paul.

Like the rest, I think the plate with the holes is a great piece of work. I think I would have used the wife's tea strainer and cut out the mesh from that. I have collected mesh from several sieves in a range of sizes for the time when a model demands some.

Ralph

[Ian-IoM]

Thanks all,

I did think of the tea strainer Ralph, but I think Kathryn might have noticed that there were more leaves in her tea than usual

Nice piccy Paul, I thought I had put the rear wheels on my model too far forward after reading a reference to them being placed as far back as possible to put plenty of weight on the single driving wheel, but looking at the pic I think they are about right after all.

Anyhoo, basic painting done now:



There's still a bit of detailing and weathering to do, and it looks like I should think about a new cutting mat sometime

[Colin Peake]

Wow!!

That looks bloomin' fantastic Ian... green might be a little light though

Colin

[Rockley Bottom]

That is a great model, and a very good finish. Is it air brush or just brush?
I like the colour.

I have several cutting board in the same condition, even though I tried to keep one clean just for cutting, Did not work

Ralph

[Broadoak]

You have done a super job Ian.

It looks better than the real thing.

[Ian-IoM]

Thanks folk

It's just brush painted with enamels at the moment, with a light wash of muck colour on the green bits. (The green is the remains of a tin left over from the crane challenge.)

Remembering my attempt at figure sculpting, with enamel paint on Fimo going all tacky, I tried giving the back wheels (the only Fimo bits on the truck) a couple of coats of thinned pva to see if this would seal the Fimo and stop the reaction with the paint - so far it seems to have worked.

Btw, while on the subject the driver figure I made first doesn't feel tacky any more, so perhaps enamel on Fimo is ok as long as you don't mind waiting six months for the paint to dry

[Mark Goodwin]

Ian,

You probably know this already - have you tried using acrylics (water based) on Fimo ? I'm not a chemist, but some of the solvents/VOCs used in enamel paints may react with the Fimo. Paints from Games Workshop and/or Vallejo are excellent.

Just an idea,
Regards
Mark

[Ian-IoM]

Thanks Mark, I do have a set of cheap acrylics but they dry a bit shiny and I’m not totally happy with them, I should get a decent make like you mention and experiment a bit. To be honest I’m not that confident when it comes to painting and for this model I decided to stick with what I’m familiar with, only the back wheels are Fimo and I didn’t want to make a mess of it after all that fiddly plasticard bashing

[PeterH]

Hi Ian:

I've been following your posts, and am pleased that the truck has turned out really great. I'm impressed that you can drill a grid of holes and have them all turn out looking even.

[Mark Goodwin]

Ian,

With this museum standard of construction, it's always best to go with tried and tested methods. I was initially reluctant to try acrylics as I believed that something that was water soluable could not possibly be as hard as "enamel".

Spanish manufacturer "Vallejo" now have an acrylic/polyurethane primer that's water soluable and is a dream to work with and both durable and hardwearing - it also comes in black - making priming and painting of tyres a single coat (if not shading).

Your autotruck is a beautiful rendition of the original.
Kind regards
Mark

[Ian Roberts]

Ian,

What a brilliant model. It'll look great on your dockside. Can't wait to see the driver!
On the matter of painting Fimo, I've never had trouble using model grade acrylics like Humbrol. I've found them hard wearing and flexible. I've also found it's a good idea to cast tyres in black Fimo. The residue of talc that I use for a release agent gives them a naturally scuffed and dusty appearance.

[Ian-IoM]

Thanks folk,

Just a small update - I've glued the bits together and added a few control linkages / pipes:


The back of the engine is based on a piccy of an LD1 but I seemed to be running out of space so it's partly just made up to fit. There should be a few more pipes and things about but it's getting to the stage where it would be frustratingly fiddly to add more detail, and I don't really think it's necessary. The finish stilll looks a bit flat though, so just a touch more weathering and I'll declare it done.

[Rockley Bottom]

Thank you for the new pictures, they add alot of information about the controls etc.

You can be proud of the final result.

Ralph