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Cambrian Models - Ownership change Autumn 2017


lochlongside
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Thanks to everyone who has expressed support as I take over Cambrian Models. All the machinery and moulds are now in Kent along with some kit components. We are now seeing how many complete kits we can make up and will start commissioning the moulding machines. Having taken stock of what was collected we have decided to postpone opening the new cambrianmodelrail.co.uk online shop until 1st November. See the website and sign up for the newsletter which will go out next week for further details. I am noting the comments about product development.

Graham Taylor. 

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Of the previously announced/mooted kits, the ones I have the most enthusiasm for are the LSWR 'new' brake van and the BR(S) 5-plank dropside - I know the later is a tad esoteric but also highly distinctive. I would also echo support for the LMS Sole/Haddock family.

 

Most useful plastic kit of the last few years by far though is the one piece open underframe - I've bought dozens for upgrading RTR tanks and scratchbuild/kitbash efforts and they seem to have been well received. Any chance of developing further variations of this (wooden frames, 12' wheelbase, 9' 6'' wheelbase, preferably with independent brakes)?

 

Best of luck with the new venture.

 

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

At this point I will give my praise on the service of the new owners of Cambrian Models. I ordered on Saturday via webshop and the package arrived safely here in Switzerland today! Excellent service and thank you. The webshop has a good structure and it deducted the VAT automatically, which is extremely handy! A praise again for the owners!

 

My only suggestion is that the webshop is kind of slow and it brings some bugs during the procedure of buying....it showed me that one item (the one chassis that I bought) that it was not available although it was because I checked it, but eventually it was all fine! I am sure that you know of these glitches and that the stability will improve  :angel: 

 

If possible in the near future please add better pictures of the products (also those pictures missing)...it helps us abroad.

 

I will be coming back again to get some goodies in the near future. Keep up the good work!

 

Kind Regards

Andreas

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

 

Great to see Cambrian models live on....I have many excellent Cambrian kits :-)

 

I would like to add to any comments about future production possibilities....

 

JXA Sheerness Steel scrap wagon.

PTA/JUA tipplers.

JSA steel hooded wagon.

YQA 'PARR'

 

cheers, ste.

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Rather than a completely new wagon, would it be feasible to do canopy/end assemblies for the covered carriers based on BBAs?

These are:-

BWA ( https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/B-tops-codes/BWA-covered-coil-carrier/ )

BIA  ( https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/B-tops-codes/BIA-covered-coil-carriers/ )

BXA ( https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/B-tops-codes/BXA-covered-coil-carriers/ )

As far as I can tell, the different TOPS codes reflect the internal cradle arrangements.

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The suggestion of the timber P would also allow the chassis to be used for the SPV. Either the chassis under the Bachmann plate or a new body mould. And the timber P could be used, with the ends chopped off for the runner wagons (just like the real thing).

 

If you are going to suggest new stuff, make sure it has maximum ability to spread the costs of the tooling over different wagons. The above is one under frame for 3 different wagons.

 

I know what I would like to see, but does anyone have practical suggestions like the one above that can have the toolings be used for more than one wagon?

 

Me? I await a coal fish, as the prices Hornby are after are making kits more attractive. Also I want the under frames for HAAs (and allow correct 14mm wheels). Also, a HTA for the EWS/DB modeller and a cut down body for the stone conversions (already got the bogies for this). And how about the different bogie box wagons, made from recycled tankers? These have been around since the channel tunnel was built and appear everywhere behind the class 66 even now.

 

 

Ps-forgot to add if the one piece under frames are to be extended, we need them for the dogfish and the catfish (both one of the more difficult ones to assemble) and the FTB6 bogies (BAA/BBA).

Edited by cheesysmith
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The suggestion of the timber P would also allow the chassis to be used for the SPV. Either the chassis under the Bachmann plate or a new body mould. And the timber P could be used, with the ends chopped off for the runner wagons (just like the real thing).

 

If you are going to suggest new stuff, make sure it has maximum ability to spread the costs of the tooling over different wagons. The above is one under frame for 3 different wagons.

 

I know what I would like to see, but does anyone have practical suggestions like the one above that can have the toolings be used for more than one wagon?

 

Me? I await a coal fish, as the prices Hornby are after are making kits more attractive. Also I want the under frames for HAAs (and allow correct 14mm wheels). Also, a HTA for the EWS/DB modeller and a cut down body for the stone conversions (already got the bogies for this). And how about the different bogie box wagons, made from recycled tankers? These have been around since the channel tunnel was built and appear everywhere behind the class 66 even now.

 

 

Ps-forgot to add if the one piece under frames are to be extended, we need them for the dogfish and the catfish (both one of the more difficult ones to assemble) and the FTB6 bogies (BAA/BBA).

I had a correspondence with Barry about the possibility of using the Timber wagon underframe for Plate wagons. The slight problem is that they were looking at the purpose-built, Diagram 1/420, sort, rather than a 'Plate' derived one. The 1/420 had the same overall length, but a slight difference in wheelbase; this might be accommodated by having pairs of axleguards with attached solebars, with a slight offset. Fitted one way, they'd be 'Timbers', and the other, Plates. The latter, of course, then leads to possibilities of 'Plaice', wire and plate coil wagons etc.

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I had a correspondence with Barry about the possibility of using the Timber wagon underframe for Plate wagons. The slight problem is that they were looking at the purpose-built, Diagram 1/420, sort, rather than a 'Plate' derived one. The 1/420 had the same overall length, but a slight difference in wheelbase; this might be accommodated by having pairs of axleguards with attached solebars, with a slight offset. Fitted one way, they'd be 'Timbers', and the other, Plates. The latter, of course, then leads to possibilities of 'Plaice', wire and plate coil wagons etc.

 

Exactly, one under frame mould for several different wagons. A new mould isn't cheap, so making one mould tooling that can be used for different wagons makes more chance of getting what we want.

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Exactly, one under frame mould for several different wagons. A new mould isn't cheap, so making one mould tooling that can be used for different wagons makes more chance of getting what we want.

This was the possible solution for achieving two different wheelbases (attached picture). Solebars would have been different to suit the particular prototype.

 

One-piece underframes: the mould fits under the injection nozzle vertically, which limits its length, so underframes cannot be much longer than the LSWR one. The Sole/Haddock might just go on the mould, but not Dogfish/Catfish.

 

BAA/BBA (FBT6) bogies: these would have been turned into one-piece, but the mould for these has the detail on one side of the mould, and the cavity on the other. Most of the other older bogies (e.g. Y25, Turbot & Gloucester) had the detail in the bottom of the cavity, allowing them to be used on the on-piece bogie mould without complete re-tooling.

 

Graham Taylor, the new Cambrian owner, is hoping to introduce some new kits, and I may be doing the tooling for one or more next year.

 

Barry,

(ex-Cambrian Models, now deangoods.co.uk)

post-1085-0-57776100-1513510271_thumb.png

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Actually producing the long promised Timber "P" would be brilliant ...............then an VB 8-shoe plate

This would be financially disastrous with TMC/Bachmann bringing out PLATES, including BR style VB. The one possibility would be the LNER 8-shoe underframe for a PLATE used on some TIMBER P (which is a very different to a TIMBER). Both the TIMBERS were restricted in use and short-lived, would they be so popular.

 

Now a HADDOCK and SOLE is a good suggestion. Long lives, widely used and not needed in rakes.

 

Paul

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  • 1 month later...

I heard from a retailer today that Cambrian is looking at the feasibility of supplying wheels and bearings with the kits. I also looked at some of the 'Parkside from Peco' range in the new packaging, and noticed they are still supplied with wheels and bearings. The current supplier seems to be Alan Gibson.

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  • RMweb Gold

Thanks for all the suggestions for new kits. It will be hard to come up with priorities. Common components where possible do help.

 

One piece underframes and bogies may ease construction but they are not necessarily a cost saving in production as they take longer to produce due to putting together and taking apart the more complicated mould. Also  failure in one part of the moulding is a failure for the whole structure whereas with separate solebars and floor it is only a failure of 1/3 of the components needed and sometimes spare parts can be salvaged for further use. However it does depend on the mould. At the moment I can mould C43 Gloucester solebars more quickly and consistently than C35 RCH steel. I also reckon I can do both and their respective floors quicker and more consistently then C91 one piece underframes and their associated brakegear (still 3 mouldings in total even if 2 are much smaller) but it may be that I will speed up on the latter as I do more. I know that the extra work is partly reflected in the extra price. The C110 hopper one piece underframe is a pain that only works on the limits of the technology we use and I have 2 failures for every successful moulding produced. Again I may get better as time goes on. Barry has been a great help with advice and in the last month I have increased rates of production but are still playing catch up from the time in October when little was produced during the time of the business transfer. We are also experiencing higher demand than the average over the last few years which is why some kits are still out of stock.

 

We hope to produce a new kit with Barry's help to be available in the summer. Details will be announced in our next newsletter later this month. You can sign up on the website at www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk  

 

It is true that we have had a request from one retailer to supply kits with wheels on the same basis as that traditionally done by Parkside (which PECO seems to be continuing). We will be conducting a trial with them over the next couple of months. We would welcome comments either here and/or via the contact form on the website.

 

Graham Taylor

Cambrian Model Rail

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