Fowler B5 Armoured Road Train 3D print model

Intended for 3d print.

British armoured road and off-road train, used (sparingly) during the Second Boer War 1899-1902. The British Empire suffered logistical problems in the war, as the terrain in South Africa was difficult. Boer kommandos would raid vulnerable supply lines and evade reprisals. To combat this, the British commander Lord Roberts commissioned Fowler & Co in Leeds to build 6 armoured traction engines, along with 3 armoured wagons for each engine. The idea was to make the british supply lines less reliant on vulnerable rail lines, and make their convoys able to defend themselves against Boer raiding parties. The Fowler B5 Armoured Road Train could drive on regular roads, or even off-road to some extent assuming the terrain wasn't too hilly or forested. The armour - provided by Cammell Laird & Co - on the locomotive and wagons could withstand small-arms fire, while the wagons could carry soldiers and small cannons for defense. The locomotive was steam-powered and thus only required access to water and cheap fuel sources like wood, coke, coal or even dried dung for continued operation. The road train was slow by modern standards, capable of only up to 6 mph on flat surface.

The armoured wagons were generally open-roofed to provide air for passengers. But if needed, the side plates of the wagons could be folded inwards and down to provide a low, sloping roof for the wagon. Note that this version of the wagon is NOT included in this kit - instead there is a more conventional wagon with a high roof. In their standard configuration, the side plates had loopholes for passengers to see and shoot out of. Field guns could be stored inside the wagons, or towed by the train.

Of the six armoured trains ordered, four were ultimately delivered. By the time the Fowler B5 Armoured Road Trains reached South Africa, they were no longer required in their armoured form and was stripped of their plating.

What this kit includes

This kit includes a locomotive, four wagons and a Maxim machine gun. Note that there are several different versions of these parts included, detailed below.

• Locomotive, 28mm version. The locomotive and rear wheels are printed separately, and then assembled post-print. There is a locomotive version with fixed front wheels, and a locomotive versions with the front wheels printed separately. The version with fixed front wheels have steering chains attached, while the one with front wheels printed separately does not have steering chains but can turn the wheels left and right.

• Armoured wagon with armoured roof, 28mm version. The wagon has coupling which can attach to either the locomotive or other wagons, to form a train.

• Armoured wagon without armoured roof, 28mm version. Like above, but without roof.

• Armoured wagon without armoured roof and with open back doors, 28mm version. Like above, but also with its back doors opened. Troops and guns can be placed inside.

• Armoured wagon without roof or side plates, 28mm version. A more traditional open wagon which can carry troops, guns, or even goods.

• Locomotive, 6mm version. A reinforced version of the locomotive, for printing at smaller scales. The model prints as one piece, with no post-print assembly required.

• Armoured wagons, 6mm versions. Reinforced versions of all 4 wagons, for printing at smaller scales.

• Maxim Gun. The Maxim gun was originally released as an entirely separate kit, and includes many variants. There is a version on a wheeled mount, a version on a tripod, a version without mount et cetera. The Maxim guns can be used with their mounts/tripods, or attached to the locomotive and wagons as gun emplacements. See image gallery for a couple of examples. Note that I generally don't recommend that the Maxim guns be printed at sub-28mm scale.