 | | Non-descript box. |  | | Underneath the tractor.... |  |  | | Tractor is powerful and has a towing hitch at the front. |  | | Under the cab, the engine can be serviced. |  | | It can carry heavy loads. |  | | Rear steering looks great. |
| The Goldhofer ballast trailer model by Conrad gave collectors an alternative to ballast trailers produced by the Dutch model maker Zon. This model is the six axle version in Schmidbauer colours and follows the previously introduced five axle version.
Packaging
The model was supplied in a plain white box with the model securely held within foam rubber. No instructions are supplied. The review model was undamaged.
Detail
At the front, the tractor unit is a four axle Mercedes Benz unit. It has a towing hitch both front and rear with the one at the front having a small plastic pin. The usual details are all present; orange beacon lights, wing mirrors (which have to be fixed on) and windscreen wipers. Front lamps are holes within the front bumper which would have looked better with lenses inserted. Inside the cab, seats and controls are modelled. Underneath, much of the chassis and driving gear is represented although the main prop shaft is missing. Surprisingly the rear two axle arrangements are plastic although these do not detract from the look of the model. The wheel hubs are also plastic. At the rear the mud flaps are plastic but look fine and behind the cab there is the fuel tank, radiator and other equipment, and it is all in metal.
Turning to the trailer, the underside is impressively detailed with each axle having floating cylinders and good tyres. A spare tyre is stowed under the deck. The main deck is textured and is painted brown to represent the wooden sections. A series of deck posts are provided which fix into holes on the deck. These are a very loose fit however so they tend to stand at a variety of angles and fall out easily. At the rear there are no light clusters as such, just painted on details.
Features
The tractor unit has linked steering on the front two axles although disappointingly a hard lock cannot be obtained as the tyres foul the mudguards. The cab tilts and reveals an engine underneath.
On the trailer each axle floats independently to provide suspension. The main feature is the linked steering on the rear four axles which works very well indeed. Another feature is that the first axle on the trailer can be raised and fixed out of service so it can be posed to save tyre wear when travelling unloaded. On the deck, the deck posts can be removed if required to provided a true flat deck.
Quality
Conrad have produced another good quality model. Casting details are very good, as is the paintwork and graphics. Plastic, where used, does not detract from the model.
Price
The model is reasonably priced and compares well to buying a trailer and tractor unit separately from other manufacturers of similar models.
Overall
For collectors looking for a heavy ballast trailer to pair up with a large mobile crane this model is ideal and offers a variety of posing opportunities. It can form part of a fleet when matched with other models in Schmidbauer colours (see models 40005 and 40117). It would be good if it were available in other liveries to go along with crane models produced in company colours.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 2006. It appeared at retailers in August 2006.
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|  | | Out of the box the model includes a bag containing the wing mirrors and deck deck posts. |  | | ....and the trailer. |  | | The first axle on the trailer can be raised out of service. |  | | The fuel tank is large as befits a heavy puller. |  | | Loaded up with ballast, the truck fulfils its purpose. |
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