Saturday 27 June 2009

Triang Countryside Rubber Buildings and Scenic Items

Similarly to the posts on Merit Trees and Scenics below, these posts have already appeared over on the Hinton Hunter. I hadn't started Vintage Wargaming when they first appeared, so I feel it is appropriate to post them here as well. Apologies if you have seen them before.


If you are of a certain age, or have spent time looking at photographs in venerable wargaming books or magazines, the chances are you will have seen these buildings, the Triang Countryside series. To what Triang described as OO/HO gauge they were used by early wargamers and are fondly remembered. They are still available, like many things, on e-bay, at a cost; and often they will now have hardened or cracked - if you can find a mint, fully flexible example you are in luck. I have a number of these, all acquired in the last couple of years; they give a pleasing old school feel to a table.

I have added posts for each of the scenic items in this line from the 60s (and possibly even the 50s). I have illustrated each post with an enlarged image from a 1961 catalogue, together with photographs of the examples I have. They have an authentically "grotty" historical character and seem to get even better with age. Some are of limited use with Hinton Hunt figures - the factory, oil tank, gasholder, coal dump and terraced house come to mind here. In addition to the items I have pictured there was a range of embankments, cuuttings and tunnels. There were also some trees, which were listed but not illustrated in the catalogue I have. I haven't seen these and have no pictures of them.On the pictures of my church, you can see a crack which is the result of hardening. Some have also warped a little - my feeling is this adds to the "hovelly" feeling quite nicely.

Triang Countryside R.360 Windmill


Triang Countryside R.361 Church
















Triang Countryside R.362 Oast House


Triang Countryside R.363 Forge
















Triang Countryside R.364 Gasholder and R.372 Oil Tank


Triang Countryside R.365 Barn
















Triang Countryside R.366 Pair of Haystacks


Triang Countryside R.367 Thatched Cottage







Triang Countryside R.368 Inn


Triang Countryside R.369 Village Store


Triang Countryside R.370 Farm Cottage
















Triang Countryside R.371 Factory


Triang Countryside R.373 Coal Dump


Triang Countryside R.374 Vicarage



















Triang Countryside R.375 Terraced House


Triang Countryside R 377-380 Trees


Merit Trees and Accessories

Similarly to the posts on Triang Countryside Buildings, these posts have already appeared over on the Hinton Hunter. I hadn't started Vintage Wargaming when they first appeared, so I feel it is appropriate to post them here as well. Apologies if you have seen them before.

As well as the posts on Triang Countryside buildings range, I thought I would also add some information on Merit Trees and Railway Accessories, which were also used extensively by early wargamers. They were robust, well engineered and relatively easily available from model railway sources. They stand up well today for gaming use. I think the nearest current comparison for their trees I can come up with are those manufactured by Zvezda. I like these but find them fiddlier than the Merit ones. I know Pegasus do, e.g banana trees, but I haven't seen these.

Merit OO Gauge Trees:Alders

Merit OO Gauge Trees: Firs



Merit OO Gauge Trees: Poplars





Merit OO Gauge Trees: Hedges