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UK versus US kits – different worlds, but can we learn anything?

A real Crab - this one is different to what is supplied in Chivers’ new kit.

ONE OF THE key projects in my big week o’ modelling is to build up the initial range of 4mm scale plastic kits from Chivers Finelines, which were released in a couple of instalments over the last few months. While I was knocking these up, I couldn’t help but make a few comparisons with some of the other recent kits that I have put together, which consisted, amongst other items, of a selection of vehicles from Rail Yard Models.

Now arguably, this is completely unfair. Ignoring the differences of scale (4mm versus 3.5mm) and country (UK versus USA), which I consider irrelevant for the purposes of comparison, the kits are clearly aimed at different markets, which is reflected in both the specification and price. But I’m going to continue anyway, as I have a point to make at the end of all of this.

So what do you get for your money?

Rail Yard Models supplies a one-piece quality resin body with superbly etched details, wheels, trucks, brass wire and transfers. The average price is around $40 (£21).

Chivers Finelines gives you a seven-piece well-moulded plastic body (with a choice of ends) with a slightly chunky plastic underframe, white metal buffers and a few etched details (depending on the kit). So far available are six Southern Region ballast carriers: a Tunny, Ling, two styles of Lamprey, a Crab and an eight-plank mineral. All utilise the same chassis and underframe tooling and retail for £6.00.

Both ranges are excellent value for what is supplied and both couldn’t be more different!

Now, the problem is that I’m cursed with the ‘finescale’ disease, and while I have no doubt that the Chivers kits will build up into perfectly serviceable ‘OO’ gauge wagons, those chunky underframe mouldings, and big floppy bearing holes, just don’t cut the mustard. That’s before you take into account that by the 1980s, which is my modelling period, that the Lampreys and Crabs et al were already sporting numerous detail differences between wagons of the same type – usually axleboxes, but also in underframe type too, with some having been given completely new clasp braking systems.

To represent these changes, and to upgrade the chassis into something that runs as well as it looks you’re going to need to spend a little bit more money. So it’s £1.50 for the sprung W-irons, £4.00 for wheels and bearings and lets say another £1.50 for couplings. Lots of other small details, wire, etc, are also required, but they all came from my scrap box, but to buy they might cost you another couple of quid.

Don’t forget you’re going to need to source transfers from somewhere, goodness knows where though, as no one produces them. Total then is around £15.00, which sounds about right for every Parkside, Cambrian, etc kit that I have ever built.

The real cost though is in time. It takes several hours to put together one of these kits, maybe as many as eight to ten in total, once painting and lettering is taken into account, which is possibly longer than the much more complex RYM products.

Worse is the type of work that is required, boring stuff like filing the cutouts for the new etched W-irons and rebuilding the springs/axleboxes, which makes me want to throw myself in a lake. If only the kit had been designed for both ‘OO’ gaugers and those that might want to go the etched route too. I’d pay an extra couple of pounds for that.

The RYM kit range, meanwhile, rarely requires extra bits other than the couplers of your choice to make it into a top quality model that will look great on your layout or in a display case. It goes together quick as well, having been designed to perfection. That $40 is already looking even better value.

I guess that both kits make you go out and purchase paint, so they are level on that count.

The final nail in the coffin regards the instructions. RYM gives you an incredibly well detailed CD that includes constructional pictures for every stage of the process and numerous prototype detail pictures, all in colour. It is truly one of those ‘one-stop shop’ style things that you hear so much about. Chivers gives you a photocopied sheet of A4 paper that gives little to no prototype information whatsoever.

To be fair, the instructions do give a reference, but how many of us are going to go out and buy the fourth volume of a History of Southern Railway Wagons, which probably rings in at £30 or thereabouts, just to build one or two wagon kits? That’s assuming it is still in print, because one of the magazine articles that is referred to dates from December 1984* – how easy is it going to be for every purchaser to get hold of that!

* I remember the issue well – it was the first model railway magazine I ever owned, and may explain my life long interest in railway wagons!

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. By the way, I’m not getting at Chivers. These are very welcome new products that fill important gaps in the range of available engineer’s vehicles, and I’m well aware that my chosen modelling route is in the minority. These kits will appeal to 95% or more of modellers; I just wish that they were designed to be a bit more inclusive of people looking to go that little bit further.

A proper review of the new Chivers vehicles will be in the next issue of RAIL EXPRESS Modeller.