MV310 (4) Bulk container tipping trailer - N GAUGE -
Picture includes illustration of model when complete
Model comes in kit form and requires construction and painting.
Contains parts to make one trailer which can be posed 'tipping' or 'flat'.
Background:
Following the 1960’s introduction of containerisation, industry has been constantly striving to make transportation of bulk goods more cost effective particularly where goods are being moved from silo to silo. The 30-foot ISO container offered optimum weight-for-space low cost value and is now commonplace. In more recent years both 20ft and 40ft Bulk-containers have been introduced but these remain less popular.
During this period purpose built semi-trailers for hauling ISO Containers have existed, some incorporating a container tipping facility to aid discharging the bulk-container load. These trailers are based on flatbeds but stripped to the bare bones to keep axle-weights to the minimum and include a special tilting space-frame to which the container is locked. The trailers are also fitted with a single hydraulic ram at the front, to tip the container allowing the product to discharge from the rear letter box by gravity into a special load collector-box. The hydraulics is powered by the tractor unit (articulated truck) which remains attached during this tipping activity. Back at the other end the product passes through a rotary valve, and is pumped using a high volume of air through large discharge pipes and into the silo. This equipment is often a free standing unit mounted on a pallet and moved into place using a small forklift truck or rolled in on casters
The model :
We have deliberately kept the trailer model as simple as possible whilst offering the visual flexibility of allowing the trailer to be displayed with and without container and also with the container fully tipped. We have made the load-collector and pumping equipment free-standing and available as a separate kit (ref M16), complete with hoses to show connected to our Skirted Bulk-silos, also sold separately in kit form ref M15). The trailer has been designed with triple axles, landing gear and hydraulic equipment simulation, sized to accept a 1:148 scale 30ft Bulk-container which is not included. Tractor units are also sold separately.