Hi Mayhem,
Thank you for your photographs of Stolt Rialto it was a pity that I was not at Donnington during your visit.

I do not build from kits, I much prefer my own subject matter, such as Stolt Rialto which I believe is the only model of the ship in existence. It was modelled from photographs in a shipping publication about 4 years ago, it was fortunate that the dimensions were given and I was able to build to a scale of 1/80. I researched liquid gas carriers and their operation, this helped me enormously in the construction. The white tanks contain LPG and are refrigerated to keep the gas in liquid form down to minus 17c. The gas in the main hold is LNG natural gas which is kept at a massive minus 146c. The refrigerator is between the two white tanks and is possibly the largest unit manufactured today. If you look between the two white tanks towards the bow you will see two heat exchanger exhausts the heat from these would heat a block of flats. At the opposite end of the to white tanks is the control system for the refrigeration, this could not be seen on your photographs due to the position of the ship on the stand. Last year when the ship was on exhibition a representative of Stolt Line came from London to photograph the model and apart from the actual builders this was the only other known model in existence.

The model was scratch built, the bow section and stern section were carved from seasoned pine and in between planked. The model sails under 4 channel radio control it contains 3 6volt 7amp h/r batteries a geared motor drives a 5 bladed prop slow rotation for a scale speed with high torque. It is fully illuminated at dusk sailing when I think it looks its best with decks illuminated and navigation lights on. The only purchased items were the stantions and life boats which are aft. As a point of interest I am currently building a centre island 1948 Shell deep hulled crude oil tanker which I hope to finish this coming spring I will keep you posted

Arthur Reynolds