Ruston Bucyrus 19-RB Rope Shovel

Presented here is the 1:76th scale Bucyrus 19 RB rope shovel from Corgi. This is the first in a series of oldtimer OO guage construction models in the trackside series which are a perfect addition to any railroad diorama.

Due to the size, the undercarriage is a single piece static casting although the casting does include plenty of detail including the drive and idler wheels with the bottom rollers. The large flat surfaced pads look a touch overscale but this is not really a problem.

The upper structure rotates through 360 degrees and has panel detailing cast into the surface, including the cabin door which has glazed windows, as does the front of the cab. The curved roof is basic with the mounting point for the pulley block and a small exhaust stack.

Two non functional winches have been modelled at the heart of the structure with a single piece of rope used to connect the boom and dipper. While this is not correct to the full sized machine, it does allow the boom and dipper to be positioned which is a good compromise on a small model.

It is interesting that the production model is different from the prototype images that were released, with a much simpler cast non functional shovel and this is a pity as the prototype looked more detailed in this area. Overall, this is a good piece for any railroad diorama and it will be released in an alternate livery as well as other boom configurations.