RECTANK REVERIE

Just Like The Real Thing's latest kit impresses. 

I've spent a pleasant few days assembling one of the latest 7mm scale kits from Just Like The Real Thing, depicting the ex-War Department 'Rectank' flat wagon. Built during the First World War for the transport of tanks, many of these wagons were subsequently purchased by the various pre-Grouping British railway companies. Pressed into service carrying all sorts of commodities, many lasted well into the nationalisation era.

This is my first experience of a JLTRT kit, although I've heard plenty of praise for the locomotive and rolling stock kits from colleagues and readers over the years. Is the hype justified? If this kit is representative of the range, then absolutely YES!

The parts are superbly rendered, everything fits together with no hassle and you only need a small selection of tools. What's more, the whole thing has been assembled with a single tube of cyano glue - with not a soldering iron in sight. Almost everything is supplied, with a set of Slaters wheels, paints and transfers being required. Talking of which, I've just received a jolly nice set of transfers from Railtec Models, using some impressive-sounding new printing gear - I'm looking forward to trying them out.

Although the wagon was more-or-less complete after a couple of afternoons, a few more days will be spent on the painting and weathering and I'm thinking of scratch-building a set of wooden bolsters and a mock steel load. A full demo feature and appraisal will appear in issue 226 of Model Rail magazine, on sale 11 August.