mevaman1

April 13

9 hours ago, Flood said:

From what I have seen the vent positions didn't change between any of the Mk2C TSOs, just the style of vent.

The positions of the vents on my model were based on the B.R drawing and photographs, measurement of an actual Mk2C would be completely accurate. In addition, I have made the access hatch slightly smaller than those on the Bachmann Mk2F coaches. Thinking about it there is no reason why they should be any different but I originally made it to the Bachmann size and when compared to photos it seemed too wide (in comparison to the door and window positions).

Excellent photos are on Flickr from Steve Jones, here is just one taster:

Taking the centre of the small centre-line disc as a datum point, the far left end in the photo above, my vent positions are as follows:

23.5mm (near edge in the above photo), 61.5mm (far edge), 91mm (near), 129mm (far), 158.5mm (near), 196.5mm (far)

I've re-spaced these to my original Airfix Mk2D to Mk2C conversion which are equi-spaced.

The vents are in line with the original vents positions when viewing across the roof width.

The circular plate at the nearest end on the roof is around 3 to 3.5mm diameter (it is in fact to thin plates together which is what Accurascale has modelled). The photo above still does not seem to have this plate on the centre-line as far as I can tell (due to the slight dip in the angle of the top but that may just be perspective).

So you now know as much as me folks, happy modelling.🙂

Edit: one thing I've just noticed, M5505 has a Western Region style train description board frame still in place in 1980. The real question is why did it ever have one in the first place as it was never due to go to the Western Region? The British Rail Mk2 Coaches book has a photo of M5498 with one of these frames as well. I guess that nobody had told Derby to stop fitting them.

Thanks so much Flood. You are a goldmine of information.

Andrew

April 8

Anyone know of source of Bachmann 47 nose footsteps? I have 2 missing on a recent eBay purchase. They don’t appear on the Bachmann spares site.

Any help much appreciated.

Andrew

April 7

Just bought another NSE FK. The boat train set were used on Waterloo - Salisburys I think as an additional set at the same time when the TC's were drafted in. It was declassified and eventually got broken down/mixed in with the other sets. Can anyone confirm this?

April 6

1 hour ago, classy52 said:

It doesn't, both sides of the box don't have the stripe but it is at the front and either side of the headlight box but doesn't connect with the front of the box via the sides...see photo's above from Goodnight Sweetheart.

Just had a look at the models on the AS website and you can see clearly the cantrail stripe does not flow from one side of the headlight box to the other, quite noticeable on the Freightliner green & DRS variants and this was the case on all Hattons 66's.

Edit: Basically there is a break in the cantrail stripe on both sides of the headlight box.

Ah yes - sorry, I can see it.

April 6

1 hour ago, classy52 said:

Just a minor thing, it appears Accurascale have inherited Hattons inability to wrap the Cantrail stripe around the top headlight box which is a shame whereas Bachmann has got this right on their Class 66 models.

Was hoping AS would correct this but unfortunately not the case.

Not sure what you mean. If you look at my photo the cantrail stripe runs around the headlight box on the Accurascale model.

April 6

37 minutes ago, big jim said:

indeed, that’s the first time I’ve seen it, didn’t see any proofs just wanted to wait until the loco came out!

have you got a pic of the next page too?

Here you go Jim.

April 6

Bachmann vs Accurascale comparison.

Obviously my Bacchy 66200 is weathered so you can’t compare colour. Exhaust ports are different sizes.

As Mick had already mentioned, the Accurascale silencer sits slightly higher.

April 6

Lovely to read the ‘Driver’s view’ section in the Locomotive Operator’s Manual.

Is the author Big Jim of this parish?

April 6

Mine has arrived.

Brilliantly packaged, superbly modelled, runs like a dream.

Thankyou again Accurascale for raising the bar.

This is a lovely model.

Andrew

April 4

More bodily harm on my wallet too. Having seen the boat train posts, I have bought more NSE FKs.

In Rail Express Modeller supplement 27 they show a boat train formation of GUV, 2b FK x 2, 2a FK, 2c FK, 2a FK, 2b FK x 2, 2a BFK. I have the GUV, a couple of Bachmann 2a FKs (dark blue!), 4 Accurascale 2b FKs and a Bachmann light blue 2a BFK. That means I only need a 2c FK.

Happy days.

March 25

1 hour ago, lyneux said:

Showcase 2027?

Very excited to see this.

Guy

Thanks Guy. That’s a good show to aim for. We’d love to come. We’ll stay in touch.

To get back on topic - we’ll be running Accurascale Mk 2bs and 2cs.

Andrew

March 25

10 hours ago, SouthernMafia said:

Great layout, saw it in Hornby mag and would love to see it in the flesh.

In light of the discussion around dark blue NSE Mk2As not being on the WoE if you need anyother complete rake for Reading drop me a PM! Though the picture of the Thames rake 'on hire' with the Mk1s is a tempting reason to keep hold of them.

Hi SouthernMafia. Thanks for the offer but we probably have enough NSE Mk 1s, 2as and 2bs to cover our needs. We are even considering running a ‘diverted’ boat train using the amazing 2b FKs.

Hopefully the layout will be ready to go

out in 2-3 years time.

Andrew

March 25

6 hours ago, Marke said:

The Dapol JHAs are heavy wagons which I found to have significant rolling resistance's because the wheels rub against the underside of the wagons chassis. I think many

n-gauge locomotives would struggle to move any largish rake and my Revolution 59 struggled with more than 6! But all is not lost - by adding very thin home made plastic card washers between each bogie and the bolsters (I.e. the pivot on the chassis to which the bogie attaches) I was able to get my JHAs to run very freely and silently. Despite the weight of these wagons, my Revolution 59 effortlessly handles a rake of 10 including around my layout including hauling them up a 1 in 40 gradient.

Thanks Marke. Our JHAs have also been modified with washers to stop the rubbing. They are heavy wagons and will provide a good test for the 59.

March 24

Newvaddon Parkway is having one of these beauties in Aggregates Industries livery. We plan for it to haul 15 Dapol JHAs up and down the bank on the branch line. Dapol and Farish 66s can’t handle them!

March 24

1 hour ago, Flood said:

Further to my previous post I have found the following photo on Flickr, copyright David Rostance

The Mk2 coaches certainly look to be painted NSE dark blue but further investigation reveals a Mk1 TSO and a Mk1 BSK. As all the remaining BSKs were vacuum braked, and all the NSE Mk1 TSOs were also vacuum braked, this is obviously a Thames rake being used as a fill in. The Mk2 TSOs being vacuum braked Mk2Z, ex Kings Lynn sets, and the Mk2A FK being one of the many converted to vacuum brakes back in 1976/77.

Hi Flood.

Many thanks for the info. Our Club are currently rebuilding Reading and we need Oxford-Padd and West Country sets. I am safe to assume that I can mix the blues.

I am also conscious that I can only run the Mk 1s with vacuum braked Mk 2s.

For my home layout I want to run Mule sets so will stick with the lighter blue 2as, 2bs and 2cs (TSOT).

Here are photos of Reading before we dismantled it. We bought it from a lovely man who recently passed away. We are going to rebuild it as an exhibition layout.

Andrew

March 24

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

The Mk2a used alongside the Mk2b on both WR services and later Waterloo-Exeter were always WR allocated and went from Blue/Grey to early (lighter blue) NSE to darker NSE blue. They were based at Laira/Eastleigh. I presume the Kings Lynn Mk2a sets went to Paddington for the Thames & Chiltern fleet to replace the NSE Mk1s there (and also perhaps to Northampton-Euston cobbler sets?). I can’t speak for differences in the dark blue colour on the prototypes, unless down to where they were painted? Ilford perhaps for the Anglia ones?

Thanks for the info brushman. I am happy to mix the dark Bachmann 2as with the light Accurascale 2bs.

March 24

OK - what is the reason for the different dark blue colours on the Mk 2as? I thought that the dark blue sets were cascaded off the Kings Lynn services. However, this could be conjecture.

Andrew

March 23

I have received a pair of blue/grey TSOs. They are sublime. Probably the best coaches I have ever bought.

I am loving the WR destination boards.

Andrew

March 23

5 hours ago, SouthernMafia said:

This is something of a similar solution to my problem! I have both dark blue and light blue rakes, and dark blue FKs for the boat train. Unfortunately the Bachmann 2A FKs just do not match in any way to the new Accurascale light blue 2B FKs (colour, stripe proportion, ride height etc) so they're going for a complete rake of Accurascale 2B FKs, which was correct for the Waterloo- Southampton boat trains (I was trying to be cheap by using some 2As)

The light blue 2A TSOs sit well next to the Accurascale 2Bs, so happy with them in one rake. The dark blues will then sit within their own rake, so will likely have to repaint the 2C TSOT when that arrives so it is a better match.

I ‘m not sure about the boat trains as far as NSE blue is concerned. However, if you look at the YouTube clips by Old Oak and John Byne you will see dark and light blue NSE coaches mixed in the same rakes.

Andrew

March 22

Back in stock at Accurascale. I’ve just bought a pair of TSOs in blue/grey to bolster my WR sets. They were a bargain with the multi-coach discount.

I am well chuffed!

March 17

1 hour ago, The Fatadder said:

At Ally Pally yesterday I painted and fitted the ModelU crew, (after a quick wander over to Revolution to make sure Mr Hale was painted correctly). So just waiting on the sound upgrade kit now to finish it off.

Took a few attempts to refit the interior before Cav mentioned getting the bulkhead in front of the screw and then pushing in.

Looking good.

That broken aerial needs to be replaced. I also have a broken aerial on my 56120. I use black painted toothbrush bristles. These are great for exhibition locos.

Andrew

March 16

47 minutes ago, tlm said:

56043 arrived with a missing buffer beam step. I notified Cavalex, and Alex responded with a spare by return. Great comms and first class customer service.

I agree. Alex and the team are brilliant as regards Customer Service. They are also real enthusiasts and great to talk to.

I am very much looking forward to the 60s and Bardon PHAs that I have ordered.

Andrew

March 16

Is anyone using Gaugemaster model GMC-HH handheld feedback controllers with their Accurascale 37s?

I have a small exhibition layout that uses these. However, I gather that the advice is not to use them with locos using the latest ESU circuit boards.

Before I go out and buy Gaugemaster non feedback controllers, I wanted to double check.

Andrew

February 12

Thanks Ian and Iain.

Having spoken to Iain at Southampton Show and, having seen your latest advice, we are probably going to opt for ITrain.

Andrew

February 12

Just kicking off this topic again.

We (Redruth MRC) are going to run a large exhibition layout with 110 points, 30 3 aspect signals and 16 uncouplers. We need route setting and train block detection (chiefly to allow the signals to operate prototypically).

We have purchased a Roco z21 10820, a Yamorc YD8116 and a Yamorc YD6016ES-CS to get us started. We plan to build a small test layout so that we can get used to the system.

We are now some 2.5 years after the last post in this chat and wonder how itrain compares with train controller now.

Any advice much appreciated.

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