MOD: Octan B-Double Tanker 3180

[AussieJimbo]

The B-Double is a common sight on Austrlian highways, delivering goods and fuel from capital cities to various regional centres and country towns. They are the smaller brothers of the massive road trains seen in the outback.

Whilst road trains can have up to four trailers _{(or even more, search youtube)} connected with dollies, the B-Double is a more restrained 2 trailer affair with the rear trailer connected to the one in front with a fifth-wheel arrangement. B-Doubles are also known as B-Trains in other parts of the world.

See wikipedia for more about these impressive machines:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_train#B-double

The idea for this MOD has been kicking around since I bought several 3180 sets to use as railway tanker wagons. It's primarily built from two 3180 sets but I used additional 3x2x2 cabinets, wheels and a roof piece from the additional 3180 sets, exhaust pipes from the big LEGO truck and long white tiles from the train station set.

I wanted to keep the look of the original set whilst adding all the extra axles and providing the extra accommodation in the cab for the long-haul truck driver.

I've chosen this Road Train photo from wikipedia for comparison and then the results of my labours.

Feedback and suggested tweaks welcome. I'd be interested in seeing what other liveries might be possible.

I hope you like it.

_{Click images for larger versions.}

:classic:

Edited December 18, 2010 by AussieJimbo

[pacc]

The Town truck brick blog has a truck like this and other truck inspiration.

This one is most common around here with a tanker truck instead of tractor unit.

I guess the a trailer with front wheels can just aswell be dragged by the original tanker/trailer combination making it 6 long,

but that may not be a legal combination. Look at your other parts and see if you can do a 3221 style truck with hood instead.

[lightningtiger]

Excellent creation 'AussieJimbo', the trailer sections are spot on, though the prime mover might need a little work....maybe you could copy the yellow Lego prime mover from this years range. Just order the extra parts from BL or a like.

In any case very good work and keep on trucking !

[AussieJimbo]

Thanks mate.

I was actually looking for a couple of those smaller windows that the yellow truck has but in white, I think that small change would help the look. Might see how many parts I'd need to do the big prime mover in Octan.

I'll also have my eye out during the holidays to see what's hauling the B-Double tankers.

:classic:

Hi pacc, that's an interesting combo with the trailer on a dolly. We don't see that very often down here.

Our regulations for B-Doubles specify the double rear wheels on the prime mover and triples on the trailers.

:classic:

Edited December 18, 2010 by AussieJimbo

[sens1992]

Very cool AussieJimbo! I really like the modified cab on the truck.

[buddy]

Great MOD! It is very realistic and accurate. I too particularly like the modified cab on the truck.

Very well done.

~buddy~

[Teazza]

Really nice! nice idea, nice truck and nice realization with your MOC!

I love special transport and special trucks, your is a very good idea!

[AussieJimbo]

Thanks Teazza, sens and buddy for your generous comments.

:-D

I understand the desire for a long-nose truck in this role (especially given the example pic) and I may give that a go later but I wanted to stick with the cab-over and extend it like the original factory might have done if they wanted to produce a bigger model without a complete re-design.

I'm pretty pleased with the way it came out, particularly the roof profile you get from the 3 roof pieces.

Next up may be a tri-axle dolly and another trailer so I can model a short road train. The example pic above has two sets of these behind the prime mover and then a B-Double behind that.

Teazza,

I love the Space Shuttle crawler, that's awesome. The oversize load carrier is great too. Reminds me of "Monster Moves".

:classic:

nice realization with your MOC!

I was wondering whether to call it a MOC or a MOD. Leant towards MOD for a few reasons.

First of all I've seen so many fantastic original creations on here that truly deserve the term MOC whereas this model still draws heavily on the creative inspiration of the original LEGO designer.

Secondly, the great majority of the pieces come from the original 3180 set. You could go out and buy two sets of 3180 and more or less build this (with a few extras as noted) so I see this as more of an extended alternate model of the original set.

What's your take on this?

:classic:

[XimenaPaulina]

Very nice MOD on the Octan Tanker Aussie Jimbo! I really like how you constructed the double tanker wagons which is very much accurate to the real one based on the reference pic. Changing the design of the truck was nice too, but IMO, you should've maximized the whole redesigning process by making the long-nosed front part. But still, it already looks great as it is. Good work on this one!

[Ralph_S]

I like road trains and yours is a very original modification of the original sets, AussieJimbo. I understand that you wanted to stick close to the original and stuck to a cab over engine design because of that, but I'm not so sure I like the three stacked roof pieces. It leaves a few funny gaps on the side and makes the cab so big that the tanks look a bit small IMO.

Other people have already mentioned that turning it into a long-nose truck would be nice, and I agree. I'd love to see this with a truck more along the lines of the new LEGO truck. If you feel you'd like to step a bit further away from the sets, I have a few suggestions.

One of the things common to road trains as far as I know them is the big bull bar on the front. There actually is a part for it, but it looks a bit clunky IMO and attaching it neatly might be difficult.

I'd try something with bars/ flex tube, some droid arms, and clips if I were to do it myself.

The second suggestion has to do with how the wheels stick out from under the mudguards. The width of the vehicle including the wheels is 7 studs, but only the front wheels are properly covered by mudguards. All the other wheels have mudguards that are only 6 studs wide. The original set also has this and it just doesn't look right to me. (It's the reason why my own minifig scale trucks tend to have aft bodies or trailers that are 7 studs wide.) There is a fairly straightforward solution for it on these trailers: plate with door-rail. If you add a layer of those underneath the white tiles that make up the mudguards now it raises the tanks slightly (reducing the height difference between the tanks and the cab) and means you have better-looking mudguards.

Either way, it's already quite a nice model as is.

Cheers,

Ralph

[AussieJimbo]

Hi Raplh and KDM,

I'm glad you like it.

I will be going ahead with a long nose truck similar to the LEGO/TRU one. It's actually only one plate lower than my one but that will make a positive difference against the scale of the tanker trailers.

Doesn't mean I'll be breaking down the original though. ;-)

One of the things common to road trains as far as I know them is the big bull bar on the front. There actually is a part for it, but it looks a bit clunky IMO and attaching it neatly might be difficult.

I'd try something with bars/ flex tube, some droid arms, and clips if I were to do it myself.

That's a good idea. I think I've got a bit of grey pneumatic somewhere. Will see how the parts fall.

The second suggestion has to do with how the wheels stick out from under the mudguards.

...

There is a fairly straightforward solution for it on these trailers: plate with door-rail. If you add a layer of those underneath the white tiles that make up the mudguards now it raises the tanks slightly (reducing the height difference between the tanks and the cab) and means you have better-looking mudguards.

I don't mind the lack of overhang too much but I like your solution. Don't think I've got the bricks to do it though.

I like road trains

Well you'll like what I've been up to today.

I couldn't let it rest at a B-Double.

Photos tomorrow evening.

:classic:

Edited December 19, 2010 by AussieJimbo

[ACCURATEin]

I'm currently watching a show about road trains right this very second.

Nice work!

[AussieJimbo]

Cheers ACCURATEin.

Didn't get around to the photos of the road train, hopefully tomorrow. Instead I've been working on a long nose truck design as suggested.

It's loosely based on the LEGO/TRU truck because I don't have the pieces to replicate it in the colours I want. Still needs a bit of tweaking but I think it's going to work out.

:classic:

Edited December 20, 2010 by AussieJimbo

[lostdriveway]

Once again love your work AussieJimbo!

[freeedrik]

Nice truck! I think some as connection between the two tanks really would make the whole truck look so much better

[AussieJimbo]

Thanks LDW, I appreciate your generous comments.

I've been playing with the new truck trying to get it right but was missing pieces I needed.

Picked up a few sets today with a 3 for 2 deal to rectify that but starting to run a bit low on time in the run up to X-mas.

The road train is now 124 stud long at last measure and models the reference pic at the top of the page. The prime mover doesn't quite hit the mark yet but is now 2 studs lower (excluding a couple of lights) which brings into proportion with the tankers.

I also found a nice reference image for a tri-axle dolly that come together really nicely in the LEGO model. Sticks out a bit from the tanker but it looks so much better than a dual-axel dolly.

Not sure now if I'll finish the prime mover and get photos done before the holidays but if not, thanks to all who've commented and have a merry Xmas.

Nice truck!

Cheers mate.

I think some as connection between the two tanks really would make the whole truck look so much better

Yep, that's how I connect the tri-axle converter dollies to the previous trailers in the road train.

Picked up a couple of horse float sets today for two more having scounged a couple from my farm sets. Love those curvy white panels, will have to do something interesting with those later.

:classic:

[lightningtiger]

Well, merry Christmas to you too 'AJ', can't wait to see this roadtrain.....those living outside of the land of Oz would not have seen these in their country - yours should impress !

You know one thing is missing.....a depot for off loading the tankers !

Just and idea......keep on trucking !

[AussieJimbo]

Well, merry Christmas to you too 'AJ', can't wait to see this roadtrain.....those living outside of the land of Oz would not have seen these in their country - yours should impress !

I hope so. I'm going to search out some videos of them in action.

You know one thing is missing.....a depot for off loading the tankers !

Yeah, I'll have to do something.

Ultimately I'd like to do a rail-road transfer facility with fuel storage so I can drop off fuel from the refinery by rail for later collection by road takers.

At the moment though I can only do a storage tank in Zurg purple or Farm brown, maybe I can make that work somehow.

:classic:

[5150 Lego]

Very impressive moc. I've been wanting to do a B-Double trailer moc for quite some time but haven't gotten around to doing it. I recently recieved the new Lego delivery truck (my apoligies, the set number escapes me at this time) and have been considering makiing a b-double out of it. Anyhow, again, very nice moc.

[lowbike1]

I too particularly like the modified cab on the truck.

Very well done.

~buddy~

x2

[AussieJimbo]

Thanks 5150 and lowbike.

Glad you like the original prime mover design. In response to the feedback though, I've also had a go at a long nose truck which I'll post in a new thread for my Octan Road Train.

Edited January 10, 2011 by AussieJimbo