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THE MELLOR BROTHERS WIN ON AGGREGATE

  
     
 

    
   
 

    
  The River View Transport Cafe yard plays host to this four axled Foden S80 tipper in Tilcon colours, constructed from a converted white metal kit cab by Motorway of Stroud mounted on a Davric plastic kit chassis and tipper body.  
 

    
   
 

    
  Passing Brocklecote is this Volvo FM tipper truck in the markings of Barnwood based Keyway plant hire. The tipping body is scratchbuilt and the cab on the eight wheeled plastic chassis was converted from a Lledo Volvo FH cut down by 1mm with parts adhered by Araldite. This particular vehicle was the first of its type operated by Keyway.  
 

    
   
 

    
  Six months later the same vehicle is in need of a good clean as it avoids a pothole puddle at Brocklecote. Founded in 1963, Barnwood based construction firm Keyway is now owned by Eamonn McGurk who also owns Gloucester City Football Club.  
 

    
  he April 2009 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition featured this articulated gravel tipper in the markings of Moreton C. Cullimore on the Mellor Brother's recently acquired Layby Diorama. Also presented as works in progress were three other Cullimore vehicles - a cement mixer with scratchbuilt brass and plastic components, a small two axle tipper lorry with a resin Commer cab and interior, scratchbuilt chassis and body and brass section axles and a larger four axle Foden lorry with a distinctive ribbed D-section Neville tipping body built from an Apple I-pod Nano case.  
 

    
  The April 2009 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition featured this articulated gravel tipper in the markings of Moreton C. Cullimore on the Mellor Brother's recently acquired Layby Diorama.

The tandem axle twin wheeled Scammell all steel tipper trailer was later converted to tri axle super single running gear.  However, even in this modified form it would not have survived long enough to meet Moreton C. Cullimore's "Count Smorltork", an ERF ECK 6x2 tractor with a German built MAN engine under a custom made cab.  This was converted from a European die cast MAN 6x2 R161D with a brass chassis to allow for super detailing.  A similar unit has been built from resin and brass to replicate one of the many ERF tractors owned by Harold Read of Mitcheldean.

The character Count Smorltork can be found in Charles Dickens  novel The Pickwick Papers - an apt choice as the story also features the Royal Hop Pole Hotel in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.  Dickens describes Count Smorltork as a "well-whiskered individual in a foreign uniform" who was one of Mrs Leo Hunter's guests at her fete champetre. She informs Mr Pickwick that he is a famous foreigner who is "gathering materials for his great work on England."  Apparently Rochester-based Dickens modelled Smorltork on Count Puckler-Muskau ( 1785 - 1871 ) and Professor Freidrich von Raumer, both of whom published books on their tours of England.

Also presented as works in progress were three other Cullimore vehicles - a cement mixer with scratchbuilt brass and plastic components, a small two axle tipper lorry with a resin Commer cab and interior, scratchbuilt chassis and body and brass section axles and a larger four axle Foden lorry with a distinctive ribbed D-section Neville tipping body built from an Apple I-pod Nano case.

  
 

    
   
 

    
  In line with the Mellor Brother's aim of building a comprehensive collection of the vehicles of the Moreton C. Cullimore fleet, work is steadily continuing on "Mr Slasher" , a concrete mixer on a Leyland Constructor chassis built with an extra rear axle and a lengthened Langley Cruiser tractor kit.  At the rear of the cab a gantry carries the cooler header tank and exhaust silencer assembly.  Brake fluid reservoirs are mounted alongside. The mixer barrel and superstructure are sourced from children's toys using sections of other drums scaled and joined together with all hydraulic power units and water tanks scratch built.  This model will be complimented by complex ladders and platforms being built from solder assembled brass rod.  Parts from Carama mixers are being used to engineer discharge chutes and other details.

Ironically, despite concrete mixers being used to build structures, Dicken's "Mr Slasher" is not only a character in "The Pickwick Papers" so obscure that he is only mentioned by others but his business is -as a pre-anaesthetic surgeon - is taking people apart:

A heavy footstep was heard upon the stairs, and Jack Hopkins presented himself. He wore a black velvet waist-coat, with thunder-and-lightning buttons; and a blue striped shirt, with a white false collar.

"`You're late, Jack?' said Mr. Benjamin Allen.

"`Been detained at Bartholomew's,' replied Hopkins.

"`Anything new?'

" No, nothing particular. Rather a good accident brought into the casualty ward."

"`What was that, Sir?" inquired Mr. Pickwick.

"`Only a man fallen out of a four pair of stairs' window; but it's a very fair case very fair case indeed."

"`Do you mean that the patient is in a fair way to recover?" inquired Mr. Pickwick.

"`No,' replied Hopkins, carelessly. "No, I should rather say he wouldn't. There must be a splendid operation though, tomorrow magnificent sight if Slasher does it.'

"'You consider Mr. Slasher a good operator?' said Mr. Pickwick.

"`Best alive,' replied Hopkins. `Took a boy's leg out of the socket last week boy ate five apples and a gingerbread cake exactly two minutes after it was all over, boy said he wouldn't lie there to be made game of; and 'he'd tell his mother if they didn't begin.'

"'Dear me!' said Mr. Pickwick, astonished.

 

  
 

    
  Also presented as works in progress were three other Cullimore vehicles - a cement mixer with scratchbuilt brass and plastic components, a small two axle tipper lorry with a resin Commer cab and interior, scratchbuilt chassis and body and brass section axles and a larger four axle Foden lorry with a distinctive ribbed D-section Neville tipping body built from an i-pod box.  
 

    
  Although Moreton C. Cullimore's HGVs are today individually named after Dickensian characters, 1950 vintage Commer QX TS3 - registered as NFH 342 and seen as work in progress in the two images below and then as a finished article - predates this practice whilst retaining the fleet's two tone Apple and Brunswick green livery.  The exact measurements for this largely resin and plasticard model were scaled down from the manufacturer's brochure to produce a pair of chassis side members with road spring profile cut accordingly.  The springs were all detailed with axle locations filed out and U sections inserted. Having passed both axle rods through square section brass tube, the replica Commer wheels were secured to each end.  The chassis top frame was then cut out and side frames joined to the edges while the cab exterior was due to be located on to the previously mounted cab interior but only glued once the wheel arches were centralised.  The tipping body was fashioned from a Base Toy unit and would ultimately be mounted at the correct height and detailed.  
 

    
  Also presented as works in progress were three other Cullimore vehicles - a cement mixer with scratchbuilt brass and plastic components, a small two axle tipper lorry with a resin Commer cab and interior, scratchbuilt chassis and body and brass section axles and a larger four axle Foden lorry with a distinctive ribbed D-section Neville tipping body built from an i-pod box.  
 

    
  Also presented as works in progress were three other Cullimore vehicles - a cement mixer with scratchbuilt brass and plastic components, a small two axle tipper lorry with a resin Commer cab and interior, scratchbuilt chassis and body and brass section axles and a larger four axle Foden lorry with a distinctive ribbed D-section Neville tipping body built from an i-pod box.  
 

    
Although Moreton C. Cullimore's HGVs are today individually named after Dickensian characters, 1950 vintage Commer QX TS3 - registered as NFH 342 and seen as work in progress in the two images below and then as a finished article - predates this practice whilst retaining the fleet's two tone Apple and Brunswick green livery. The exact measurements for this largely resin and plasticard model were scaled down from the manufacturer's brochure to produce a pair of chassis side members with road spring profile cut accordingly. The springs were all detailed with axle locations filed out and U sections inserted. Having passed both axle rods through square section brass tube, the replica Commer wheels were secured to each end. The chassis top frame was then cut out and side frames joined to the edges while the cab exterior was due to be located on to the previously mounted cab interior but only glued once the wheel arches were centralised. The tipping body was fashioned from a Base Toy unit and would ultimately be mounted at the correct height and detailed.


Bridging the gap between the smaller Commer QX above and 8 wheeled Foden S below is this Foden S20, also dating from Moreton C. Cullimore's pre-Dickensian era of the 1960s onward.

Bridging the gap between the smaller Commer QX above and 8 wheeled Foden S below is this Foden S20, also dating from Moreton C. Cullimore's pre-Dickensian era of the 1960s onward.

  Moreton C. Cullimore's "Major Pawkins" - seen as work in progress in the three pictures below - was formed around a rebuilt Corgi Trackside Guy Big J 8x4 tipper with the front section constructed from brass sections soldered together to locate the front axle.  The Foden S39 cab was sourced - rather expensively as it turned out - from Impy and the Neville body formed from the cut down I-pod case by overlaying individual micro strips grouped in threes. These body sections were joined together and could be replaced when necessary. Fuel tank, batteries and twin exterior mounted tipping rams were also added.  
 

    
  Moreton C. Cullimore's "Major Pawkins" - seen as work in progress in the three pictures below - was formed around a rebuilt Corgi Trackside Guy Big J 8x4 tipper with the front section constructed from brass sections soldered together to locate the front axle. The Foden S39 cab was sourced - rather expensively as it turned out - from Impy and the Neville body formed from the cut down I-pod case by overlaying individual micro strips grouped in threes. These body sections were joined together and could be replaced when necessary. Fuel tank, batteries and twin exterior mounted tipping rams were also added.  
 

    
  Moreton C. Cullimore's "Major Pawkins" - seen as work in progress in the three pictures below - was formed around a rebuilt Corgi Trackside Guy Big J 8x4 tipper with the front section constructed from brass sections soldered together to locate the front axle. The Foden S39 cab was sourced - rather expensively as it turned out - from Impy and the Neville body formed from the cut down I-pod case by overlaying individual micro strips grouped in threes. These body sections were joined together and could be replaced when necessary. Fuel tank, batteries and twin exterior mounted tipping rams were also added.  
 

    
  Moreton C. Cullimore's "Major Pawkins" - seen as work in progress in the three pictures below - was formed around a rebuilt Corgi Trackside Guy Big J 8x4 tipper with the front section constructed from brass sections soldered together to locate the front axle. The Foden S39 cab was sourced - rather expensively as it turned out - from Impy and the Neville body formed from the cut down I-pod case by overlaying individual micro strips grouped in threes. These body sections were joined together and could be replaced when necessary. Fuel tank, batteries and twin exterior mounted tipping rams were also added.  
 

    
  In Charles Dicken's 1842 novel "Martin Chuzzlewit" Major Pawkins was the proprietor of a New York boarding house.  The completed model is seen below.  
 

    
In Charles Dicken's 1842 novel "Martin Chuzzlewit" Major Pawkins was the proprietor of a New York boarding house. The completed model is seen below.


In Charles Dicken's 1842 novel "Martin Chuzzlewit" Major Pawkins was the proprietor of a New York boarding house. The completed model is seen below.

  Representing aggregate haulage west of the Severn at the April 2009 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition was this ERF LV 8x2 tipper - illustrated above and below - in the two tone blue livery of John Parsons of Newent. Converted from a Corgi Trackside tractor unit, the wheel arches and lower section of the cab were scratch built to relocte the front axle. The Guy chassis was also restructured using brass sections to locate and mount the cab whilst the tipper body was scratch built on a former Carama box van.  
 
    
  Representing aggregate haulage west of the Severn at the April 2009 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition was this ERF LV 8x2 tipper - illustrated above and below - in the two tone blue livery of John Parsons of Newent.  Converted from a Corgi Trackside tractor unit, the wheel arches and lower section of the cab were scratch built to relocte the front axle.  The Guy chassis was also restructured  using brass sections to locate and mount the cab whilst the tipper body was scratch built on a former Carama box van.  
 
    
  Representing aggregate haulage west of the Severn at the April 2009 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition was this ERF LV 8x2 tipper - illustrated above and below - in the two tone blue livery of John Parsons of Newent. Converted from a Corgi Trackside tractor unit, the wheel arches and lower section of the cab were scratch built to relocte the front axle. The Guy chassis was also restructured using brass sections to locate and mount the cab whilst the tipper body was scratch built on a former Carama box van.