MOBIL Fuel Tanker

A Kitbashed MOBIL Fuel Tanker to match the 1970 era. 
The main purpose of this smaller capacity tanker is to transport Fuel from the Aliwal North Mobil Depot to Service Stations in the area.

Engen Petroleum is a South African oil and gas company. Until 1990, it was part of Mobil Oil. In 1993, it changed the brand name into Engen. The company is present in over 20 countries and export products to over 30 more countries, mostly in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

Engen has a refinery in Durban that has a nameplate capacity of 135,000 barrels per day and operates approximately 1,500 service stations across sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean Islands. Engen operates its own transport fleet with approximately 180 bulk fuel tankers.

Today, Engen Petroleum is active in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Ghana, Gabon, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mauritius, Reunion and Congo-Kinshasa.

                     Before:

IVECO chassis modification, cut off rear axle 
and chassis.

                     After:

Now only, am I happy with this effort, 
100% complete.

Extended the chassis and fitted the drive axle.

Extended the chassis, fitted drive axle and fuel 
storage tank. To fit the Fuel hoses, Dome covers 
and Ladder. (Needing a second drive axle).

To fit the Fuel hoses, Dome covers and Ladder.

To fit the Fuel hoses, Dome covers and Ladder.

Fitted appropriate dome covers and fuel hose. 
Materials used: Flusin S effervescent canister 
(brushed aluminium finish), print media decals, 
16 mm Ega Trunking lid, thin black sleeved 
stranded wire (represents fuel hose) and a thin 

white plastic tube to house the fuel hose....

Almost finished model...

Made and fitted the access ladder...
(about two hours labour)

Made and fitted the access ladder...
(about two hours labour)

In the mean time... added the Fuel 
cantilever plumbing and rubber 
fill hoses at the Mobil Depot.

In the mean time... added the Fuel 

cantilever plumbing and rubber 

fill hoses at the Mobil Depot.

Fitted an extra drive axle to this approximately 
20,000 liter / 5285 gallon Tanker.

.

Fitted the fuel dispenser, inlet and outlet 
valve box and an extra drive axle.

Fitted the Rear Under-run Protection Device 
(RUPD)

Mud guard in place - to be sanded and off she 
goes to the paint shop.

Not too shabby looking. More sanding and then 
back to the paint shop.

Now only am I happy with this 
first attempt, 99.95% complete.
A wee bit too shiny for the 
Layout...

Muddy water and dust weathering.

Classic 1947 Model Motorcycles

Assembled these two tiny 1:87 scale Classic 1947 model Motorcycles.

1 x Classic 1947 Motorcycle with the Fuel/oil
Service Tank Side Car (5 pieces),
1 x Classic 1947 Motorcycle (3 pieces)

The matchbox was placed there for
scale reference purposes.

More-or-less the finished product. Spray painted 
with Satin Black and brush touched up with 
Metallic Silver for Handlebars, Rims, 
Engine, chrome detail and Exhaust pipes.
Red for the tail lights & Umber matte 
to represent the leather seats. 

More-or-less the finished product.

So very tiny...

Single Axle Trailer

A Kitbashed one ton single axle trailer in HO scale; built from an underutilized, wrong scale, a very bad replica of a very small Matchbox Bedford horsebox truck.

Cut up into sections.

This "chassis" will be the new chassis
of my single axle trailer.

Test fitting the different scratch built
and re-purposed parts.

Test fitting the different scratch built and 
re-purposed parts - 4,5 meter long flatbed 
with a super sturdy white metal chassis.

Test fitting the different scratch built 
and re-purposed parts.

The newly assembled and Roadworthy
single axle trailer.

All the proportions look fine...

All the proportions look fine...

All the proportions look fine...

Added the reflectors and a load.

Behind a Ford "Mighty"
Super Pickup F350 

Made and fitted a working,
realistic Jockey Wheel 
on this trailer.

HO scale Garbage Bags

HO scale Garbage Bags - Box with some office waste, twigs and two Municipal black refuse bags.

Steel Cable Sling

How to make a realistic looking steel cable sling in HO scale.

My HO sling is approximately 32mm (1¼") in length - in full scale (scale 1:1) it would measure up to approximately 2,781m (9'1½"), 17 ton rated capacity for a 25mm (1") cable.

Material list:

Acculon Tigertail - the thinnest you can get. LINK TO: Acculon Tigertail

A pair of small hard wire cutters.

A pair of small needle nose pliers or tweezers.

Bostik Blits Stick gel.

A measuring ruler / scale ruler.

Acculon Tigertail - completed the first loop.

The completed sling.

The completed sling. Touch up the joins 
with Metal Silver paint.

Spreader bar with two steel cable slings.

An off cut very thin piece of 

Printed Circuit Board

was used to resemble the 

yellow Spreader bar.

Handy information regarding Slings.

Handy information regarding Slings.

Donkey Cart

A scratch built donkey cart (HO scale) 
First new project for 2015. A South African Layout is NOT complete without a donkey cart - please bear in mind that these donkey carts are built by local farm workers with limited skills, materials and tools, mostly from scrap, recycled materials. 
(My model donkey cart, excluding the donkeys and the pole, is approximately 18 mm wide x 20 mm long x 16 mm high, scale 1:87)

A typical South African rural scene.
A South African Layout is NOT complete without a donkey cart.

The example (scale 1:1) - real life image
of South African Donkeys and Cart.

The wooden chassis and pole.

Measuring proportions.

The almost finished model.

I have "dropped the suspension" of this donkey cart to get the proportions right.

Donkey cart model with "dropped suspension"

I have lowered the side and rear panels as well,
now I am more-or-less satisfied.

My Dalmatian is monitoring the situation.

In America you call these modifications to a motor car - "Chopping and Channeling"

and in Gauteng, South Africa on the West Rand they call it - "ge-chip, ge-tune en ge-drop" LOL

In Mier, Northern Cape, South Africa.

Chained Load

Chained tractor load (HO scale)...