I need a coal hopper for me new coal house. But all I can find are coal hoppers that are marked for the B&M in the “bluebird” colors. These are obviously not going to work. Are there any readily available that would be appropriate for a early 1930’s steam era New England layout?
Have you tried Accurail?
The Northern New England Color guide has five photographs of B&M hoppers. They are all painted black, some three bay and some two bay. For the 1930’s they would not have the big McGuinnis B&M logo, but just white reporting marks (BM). Just about any two or three bay hopper, painted black and decaled properly would look pretty good. Looking in my decal collection I find High Ball Graphics Set F147 Black 53’ Mill Gons, Champ HN-44 Boston & Maine White Lettering, and AccuCal 4 bay Boston&Maine Offset Side Hopper all would work.
Hmm. Internet is slow tonight. I thought this post was lost so I reposted just below. Sorry about that.
You may need to roll your own. The Athearn “blue bird” B&M hopper is not prototypical. The Northern New England Color Guide has five photographs of B&M hoppers, all painted black. They carry B&M reporting marks in white, and the intertwined BM McGuinnis logo. The McGuinnis logo only came in with McGuinnis in the 1950’s. For the 1930’s, any two or three bay hopper, painted black and decaled for the B&M would look appropriate. For paint, I would use dark gray auto primer in a spray can from the auto parts store. It looks black under layout lighting, covers anything and dries dead flat. Takes decal well too. Looking in my decal collection I find Highball Graphics MEC/B&M Set # F-147 Black 53’ Mill Gons, Champ HN-44 Boston & Maine White Lettering, and Acc-call Boston & Main 4 bay offset side hopper. All of these decal would work fine on any hopper model.
And, the Accu-cals claim to be for a four bay hopper, numbered 8000 to 8999, built 1929/1930 which is right in your time frame.
Happy kit bashing.
Stewart 55 ton U chanel hopper in B&M. #691-10755
Pete