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Rails announce SECR box van in OO


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On 07/03/2020 at 12:31, Oliver Rails said:

We had another great response to the latest batch of vans, thank you.

If there is sufficient demand we could look at another batch with a new set of running numbers. Would people be interested in this?

 

Yes, absolutely. But can you make it so people can pre-order on the site? I missed both the re-runs.

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Looks like we're being listened too. 

 

Rails have just announced a limited run 2 numbers over 3 liveries, Early SECR grey, Maunsell/SECR dark grey and early SR brown with the EARLY version of break gear of this van and a single version with experimental doors. 

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/groups/3034/se-cr-16-covered-goods-wagon

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On 15/05/2020 at 15:13, Watto1990 said:

Very interesting to see reference to a “two-year schedule” of “wagons, carriages and engines” there...

...... but a tad worrying that we're already thirteen months ( to the day, as it happens ) into those two-years and only one model's been announced / produced so far ; let's hope that time-frame's a little elastic.

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That's the manufacturer's view or hope or expectation, probably written some time ago. Rails may take a different view on how they take projects forward. Designers and consultants will work from that and we know they are not highly paid full-time design staff.

 

I think we've done pretty well. Two different (although related) prototypes. 

 

Additionally, this is not the manufacturer's main area of work and there could well be more lucrative contracts competing for capacity. At the moment and probably for the foreseeable future they're making PPE.

 

I think patience is useful. 

 

Alan 

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Well, now, unlike the Terrier, where my role was specific and occasional, this is something I have lived and breathed since inception.  

 

Alan's response is wise and insightful.

 

In the hope of reassuring the Honourable Member for Wickham Green, let's recap.  The first product took a long time to maturation.  It was a new application for a new technology and required development. It was a trial product.  Faced with its success, we had the challenge of scaling up everything involved in the process of producing this wagon to meet the needs of non-stop production for the minimum initial two-year period referred to in the on-line case-study. While doing so, a further batch of the van and the early condition version were natural follow-ons that we could get on with in the meantime.  This was the situation when Covid struck.

 

So, and here's the important bit, we are not 13 months into our 2-year deal, rather, we have not yet commenced the two-year initial production period referred to in this case-study.  No doubt we would have done by now (and there is a varied and interesting diet of stuff planned)  but for a certain virus.

 

Paragon and Dapol - the two manufacturing partners of Rails for this project - went on immediate lock-down in March.  They have since re-opened.  Paragon and Dapol have to contend with social distancing and PHE needs and this will affect their capacity. Add to this the fact that, when Paragon resumed limited production, it was devoted to PPE for the NHS.  I am still awaiting an indication as to when the machines we need can switch from PPE production. We simply have to wait.

 

Once we are back in production, the first thing you should see is the SE&CR/early SR version of the van.  At sometime after that, we'll be ready to start a 2-year run of new product. So, yes, that should be 2 years' worth of new product we haven't even hinted at yet. Wagons roll ....

 

Sorry that, ultimately, I can say no more than "watch this space", but at least be assured that something will appear in it at some stage!  

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This is rather speculative.  But IIRC Paragon (although not then named) were the only UK company with this printing technology.  It seems to be proving useful, so I would expect that within this timeframe either Paragon's capacity will increase or maybe other firms will invest in the machinery.

 

Alan

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On 18/05/2020 at 11:56, Edwardian said:

Well, now, unlike the Terrier, where my role was specific and occasional, this is something I have lived and breathed since inception.  

 

Alan's response is wise and insightful.

 

In the hope of reassuring the Honourable Member for Wickham Green, let's recap.  The first product took a long time to maturation.  It was a new application for a new technology and required development. It was a trial product.  Faced with its success, we had the challenge of scaling up everything involved in the process of producing this wagon to meet the needs of non-stop production for the minimum initial two-year period referred to in the on-line case-study. While doing so, a further batch of the van and the early condition version were natural follow-ons that we could get on with in the meantime.  This was the situation when Covid struck.

 

So, and here's the important bit, we are not 13 months into our 2-year deal, rather, we have not yet commenced the two-year initial production period referred to in this case-study.  No doubt we would have done by now (and there is a varied and interesting diet of stuff planned)  but for a certain virus.

 

Paragon and Dapol - the two manufacturing partners of Rails for this project - went on immediate lock-down in March.  They have since re-opened.  Paragon and Dapol have to contend with social distancing and PHE needs and this will affect their capacity. Add to this the fact that, when Paragon resumed limited production, it was devoted to PPE for the NHS.  I am still awaiting an indication as to when the machines we need can switch from PPE production. We simply have to wait.

 

Once we are back in production, the first thing you should see is the SE&CR/early SR version of the van.  At sometime after that, we'll be ready to start a 2-year run of new product. So, yes, that should be 2 years' worth of new product we haven't even hinted at yet. Wagons roll ....

 

Sorry that, ultimately, I can say no more than "watch this space", but at least be assured that something will appear in it at some stage!  

This chimes with my general life philosophy; something or other will happen sooner or later to someone or other somewhere or other in some way or other somehow or other.  This, along with the country code, are acceptable ways to cope with life...

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  • 4 weeks later...
36 minutes ago, No Decorum said:

That’s a pretty broad hint. I had been wondering, especially as my piggy bank has already been emptied.

 

Well, it's for Oliver to make the announcement in due course as to when they are expected, and I don't think Rails yet have the schedule for the rest of the process and delivery, but the units are printed and I signed off on the artwork this morning, so I guess it won't be too much longer.  Thanks to everyone for their patience.  

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12 hours ago, JSpencer said:

 

Unless they increase production so I can order some, they won't be emptying my piggy bank in hurry.

It’s odd, isn’t it? Rails has used 3D printing to produce a small number of an unusual prototype, only to be swamped by demand. Meanwhile, Oxford takes the conventional route for a pre-grouping van. Interest in pre-grouping is growing. Which of them has judged the market correctly?

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12 hours ago, JSpencer said:

 

Unless they increase production so I can order some, they won't be emptying my piggy bank in hurry.

 

We knew from the late condition version that they went faster than hot cakes.  Yours is question for Rails, but the two SR versions still appear on the website, which suggests they might be available.

 

2 minutes ago, No Decorum said:

It’s odd, isn’t it? Rails has used 3D printing to produce a small number of an unusual prototype, only to be swamped by demand. Meanwhile, Oxford takes the conventional route for a pre-grouping van. Interest in pre-grouping is growing. Which of them has judged the market correctly?

 

It would be good to see more pre-Grouping equipment of all types in manufacturers' catalogues. Some of this could potentially and realistically be done via traditional injection moulding, but much will never be viable unless 3D-printed, so, I suspect, both approaches will remain necessary.

 

My personal view is that I hope the Oxford van sells well; anything that encourages manufacturers to broaden the choice of subject is welcome.  

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1 hour ago, Edwardian said:

 

We knew from the late condition version that they went faster than hot cakes.  Yours is question for Rails, but the two SR versions still appear on the website, which suggests they might be available.

 

 

It would be good to see more pre-Grouping equipment of all types in manufacturers' catalogues. Some of this could potentially and realistically be done via traditional injection moulding, but much will never be viable unless 3D-printed, so, I suspect, both approaches will remain necessary.

 

My personal view is that I hope the Oxford van sells well; anything that encourages manufacturers to broaden the choice of subject is welcome.  

 

When you put the SR ones in the basket, it asks you to remove them as no longer available.

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1 hour ago, No Decorum said:

It’s odd, isn’t it? Rails has used 3D printing to produce a small number of an unusual prototype, only to be swamped by demand. Meanwhile, Oxford takes the conventional route for a pre-grouping van. Interest in pre-grouping is growing. Which of them has judged the market correctly?

TBH my enthusiasm for Oxford's offering waned in the light of the research/execution debate in the GER 10T thread.

Plus other stuff that I've read of their fidelity.

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12 minutes ago, JSpencer said:

 

When you put the SR ones in the basket, it asks you to remove them as no longer available.

 

Sorry to hear that. 

 

These were conceived as short runs, and I don't think anyone could have anticipated the level of demand or how quickly they would go; we're talking mere hours for a substantial portion of them to go.

 

11 minutes ago, truffy said:

TBH my enthusiasm for Oxford's offering waned in the light of the research/execution debate in the GER 10T thread.

Plus other stuff that I've read of their fidelity.

 

Interesting. I haven't kept up. It was just within my period of interest, depending, IIRC, on the length and I had hoped that Oxford would produce its first accurate item steam age goods stock with this (actually, the Warwell was OK? Bit late for me). I'll comment no further here but go and see for myself. EDIT: I note that Oxford committed a solecism by including brake push rods in the CAD, but that is acknowledged and will be remedied.  So, poor research but corrected. These things happen. I haven't noticed any other 'red flags' with regard to this product, so I'm not sure there are grounds to give the GER 10T the black spot!  Open mind and optimism seems more appropriate, sorry to disagree. 

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27 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

sorry to disagree. 

No disagreement, really. You went further into the thread than I did. Once the comments on research/execution were raised, I lost interest. I haven't really been into the OR forum since then...until today, just as a refresher.

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