More model ideas

[wombatofludham]

4 hours ago, The Black Hat said:

I think a 50 is coming but not from Cavalex. 

I doubt it is from Cavalex either. 

Didn't they have similar bogies to the Deltic and 37?  Mmm... 

[Philip Jackson]

I'd love to have a 4 car class 124 dmu set in BR blue and grey

[mdvle]

On 22/06/2021 at 16:17, reddragon said:

There are so many posts on here asking for revamps of locos already made, surely that simply dilutes demand or a business case? Most people will not buy a new loco just because its a bit better than the Bachmann / Hornby / Heljan version.

 

Yet with the Cavalex Class 56 one of the retailers has posted:

 

Quote

3 days in and this has proven to be one of the most popular preorders in such a short time that I’ve ever experienced.

 

I expect we will sell out of some versions before release

 

which would seem to indicate that there is a healthy market for an accurate, up to date, new version of some existing models.

[Clagsniffer]

How about a Propelling Control Vehicle (PCV)?

 

The replica railways models go for crazy money on eBay. A nice modern model with lights etc would be lovely! 

[The Black Hat]

19 hours ago, wombatofludham said:

I doubt it is from Cavalex either. 

Didn't they have similar bogies to the Deltic and 37?  Mmm... 

Thats exactly my thinking. Hence first statement.  

[atom3624]

Not mentioned before ... honest Guv ... but Class 37 needs it's bigger brother ... and to fill the gap between 37 and 55 - I mean Class 40.

Adding the 50 would be nice, but the Hornby one's pretty decent as it is.  Still, A/S go into details others just haven't so far, so it would be interesting.

 

EE had some interesting and frequently operated locomotives.

 

Al.

[wombatofludham]

On 22/06/2021 at 21:17, reddragon said:

There are so many posts on here asking for revamps of locos already made, surely that simply dilutes demand or a business case? Most people will not buy a new loco just because its a bit better than the Bachmann / Hornby / Heljan version.

 

 

Most of the calls for revamped existing models are targeted towards Hornby models and for a good reason - their lacklustre attitude towards their non-steam range.  Their main competitors, Bachmann and Heljan are using 21 or 22 pin DCC sockets and either making provision for a speaker or fitting them (bit of a mixed blessing but for those of us still wary of soldering near delicate electronics, a boon).  It's become the norm.  Hornby seem totally oblivious to the growth of DCC and DCC sound, sticking with 8 pin and making sound installation too difficult for anyone not an electronics engineer.  Then there's the livery choices.  Bachmann and Heljan recognise the "banger blue" years are becoming popular, as well as the previously thought of as golden egg laying "transition" period.  Hornby, as has been pointed out, have yet to issue a 31/4 in blue, a format in which they had a last hurrah hauling secondary long distance passenger services between the Midlands and East Anglia, on the Trans-Pennine and Western region internals.  Short loco hauled trains which would be immensely popular with space challenged modellers.  Yet Hornby ignore something which could be a sell out model, in favour of more celebrity one off liveries.  The 50s suffer the same bizarre attitude towards livery runs, and as for the 56, well given the news that Cavalex are nearly hitting sell out on some of their announced models, it does rather show Hornby as being complacent in the face of demand from the non-steam sector.

You could almost think they have someone at a senior level who is one of the older, more crusty anti-diesel modellers everyone encounters at exhibitions moaning at layouts set any time post 1968, advising them on their model release programme.

Thing is, when companies like Accurascale and Cavalex are investing serious money into high spec diesel models despite being relatively new to the market, picking off existing models with newer, better version, and Bachmann and Heljan are tooling up new diesel and electric models when they have shareholders to please, stuffed full of the latest electronics and in run of the mill liveries, you can't help but wonder who is the outlier here - are the newbies wasting valuable investment capital at a point where their business is developing, are the bigger boys urinating their shareholder's money up the lavatory wall chasing new features, so called "sales death" electrics and concentrating on "boring" liveries, or is Hornby asleep on the job?

[mdvle]

2 hours ago, atom3624 said:

Adding the 50 would be nice, but the Hornby one's pretty decent as it is.  Still, A/S go into details others just haven't so far, so it would be interesting.

 

Which partially explains what is happening.

 

Yes, many people are happy for a variety of different reasons with the existing offerings of various models, but for others those models have faults/limitations that make them either only tolerable or worse unacceptable.

 

You feel Hornby's Class 50 is pretty decent, and that's fine and a valid opinion.  But myself (and others) find Hornby's Class 50 has significant errors that make it unacceptable.

 

And that is what is driving the current run of new (hopefully accurate - yes there are concerns on at least one of them) versions of the Class 37, 45, 47, 55, 56 and likely more to come.

[atom3624]

I started my interest in railways probably 'in the pram' being pushed along the local high street by my mum - seeing Black 5's and 8F's trundle over the bridge and driver waving.

A few years later my heart was set on the Princess Elizabeth - Triang - then a couple of months later was gutted when I found out just how BAD it was dimensionally ...

 

Nearly everything 'modern' (post 2000 shall we say) looks brilliant in comparison - as it should.

Standards and anticipated standards have changed.

 

As you rightly say, this is going through 'the next phase', and long should it continue!!

Next we'll have cameras inside and will be able to 'drive from inside the cab', who knows ...

 

Al.

[reddragon]

2 hours ago, wombatofludham said:

Most of the calls for revamped existing models are targeted towards Hornby models and for a good reason - their lacklustre attitude towards their non-steam range.  Their main competitors, Bachmann and Heljan are using 21 or 22 pin DCC sockets and either making provision for a speaker or fitting them (bit of a mixed blessing but for those of us still wary of soldering near delicate electronics, a boon).  It's become the norm.  Hornby seem totally oblivious to the growth of DCC and DCC sound, sticking with 8 pin and making sound installation too difficult for anyone not an electronics engineer.  Then there's the livery choices.  Bachmann and Heljan recognise the "banger blue" years are becoming popular, as well as the previously thought of as golden egg laying "transition" period.  Hornby, as has been pointed out, have yet to issue a 31/4 in blue, a format in which they had a last hurrah hauling secondary long distance passenger services between the Midlands and East Anglia, on the Trans-Pennine and Western region internals.  Short loco hauled trains which would be immensely popular with space challenged modellers.  Yet Hornby ignore something which could be a sell out model, in favour of more celebrity one off liveries.  The 50s suffer the same bizarre attitude towards livery runs, and as for the 56, well given the news that Cavalex are nearly hitting sell out on some of their announced models, it does rather show Hornby as being complacent in the face of demand from the non-steam sector.

You could almost think they have someone at a senior level who is one of the older, more crusty anti-diesel modellers everyone encounters at exhibitions moaning at layouts set any time post 1968, advising them on their model release programme.

Thing is, when companies like Accurascale and Cavalex are investing serious money into high spec diesel models despite being relatively new to the market, picking off existing models with newer, better version, and Bachmann and Heljan are tooling up new diesel and electric models when they have shareholders to please, stuffed full of the latest electronics and in run of the mill liveries, you can't help but wonder who is the outlier here - are the newbies wasting valuable investment capital at a point where their business is developing, are the bigger boys urinating their shareholder's money up the lavatory wall chasing new features, so called "sales death" electrics and concentrating on "boring" liveries, or is Hornby asleep on the job?

I agree 100%. Hornby seem stuck on making steam locos and are unable to produce the diesels in the liveries we want. Like why no FGW HSTs to coincide with their demise? That was a gold mine wasted!

 

I admit to mostly abandoning Hornby due in main to their appalling delivery policies. I have an Accurascale 37 & 55 on order to replace my Lima versions and will go for a good 50, but still, why no Bulleid CC Class 70 or on track plant?

[TravisM]

As Accurascale have yet to produce a loco, the jury will be out on it’s performance and details until one arrives, though given the quality of their wagons, I’m sure I will sleep soundly.

 

Can you just imagine the uproar if Accurascale announced everything people were demanding?  A Class 40, 50, Bulleid CC Class 70 with all their detail differences?  I think they’ve bitten off enough they can chew for now.

[McC]

33 minutes ago, jools1959 said:

As Accurascale have yet to produce a loco, the jury will be out on it’s performance and details until one arrives, though given the quality of their wagons, I’m sure I will sleep soundly.

Our first locomotive (the Metro Vickers  A class) is now in hand - full reveal next week with stock following by rail  

[simon47603]

As Accurscale are producing Wagons based on the Coal and Steel Industries. How about the GEC/Stephenson Shunting Locomotives. Built for British Steel and the National Coal Board, plus an example for ICI. Still in use at Steel Plants across the the UK, Llanwern and Port Talbot for example. With plenty of Liveries to work on. Could be a winner.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEC_Stephenson_locomotive

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by simon47603

[atom3624]

Every model railway manufacturer 'worth their salt' has had a go at the Class 08 series of locomotives .... how about an all-encompassing A/S approach to the 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13, etc variations.

 

Wrenn,  Tri-ang,  Hornby,  Lima,  Bachmann have produced a few models, to name a few.

 

Could be interesting?  !!

 

AL.

[Wickham Green too]

6 hours ago, atom3624 said:

....... an all-encompassing A/S approach to the 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13, etc variations. .....

Please don't give anyone ideas of producing the L.M.S. ( class 11 ) variant with components in common with any of the others : the smaller wheels cannot be ignored !

[The Ghost of IKB]

6 hours ago, atom3624 said:

Every model railway manufacturer 'worth their salt' has had a go at the Class 08 series of locomotives .... how about an all-encompassing A/S approach to the 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13, etc variations.

 

Wrenn,  Tri-ang,  Hornby,  Lima,  Bachmann have produced a few models, to name a few.

 

Could be interesting?  !!

 

AL.

Why bother? The Hornby model is excellant and any improvements will be subtle. Not enough to get owners to trade in and so sales would be limited.  How many would want a class13?  However, the 40, 31 and 50 models can all be significantly upgraded, to the point that people would upgrade to a new model. 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by The Ghost of IKB

[TomScrut]

4 hours ago, The Ghost of IKB said:

The Hornby model is excellant and any improvements will be subtle.

 

And TBH the Bachmann one isn't bad. As in good enough that if Hornby don't do the livery you want but they do you'd be happy.

 

Would be good to see an 08 with full on lighting but I think shunters aren't necessarily big game really either. I expect on layouts with a lot of bigger locos on they don't get much use other than looking nice at the side.

[TravisM]

On 26/06/2021 at 17:17, Wickham Green too said:

Please don't give anyone ideas of producing the L.M.S. ( class 11 ) variant with components in common with any of the others : the smaller wheels cannot be ignored !

Heljan are doing a Class 11 on behalf of Model Rail magazine, so you can cross that one off.

[Wickham Green too]

Hmmmmm .............. the C.I.E. 'D' class had 4'0'' wheels ........... hmmmm .............................

[reddragon]

On 26/06/2021 at 17:17, Wickham Green too said:

Please don't give anyone ideas of producing the L.M.S. ( class 11 ) variant with components in common with any of the others : the smaller wheels cannot be ignored !

Class 11/12 via Kernow

 

http://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk/pg/167/Project-Class-11-12

[Trainsandtravel]

I personally would like to see some modern image multiple units. Both diesel and electric. 
Currently at the top of my list is for a high quality model of the class 220/221 voyager. 
I think that another nice addition would be for one of Vivarails units that have been converted from old D-stock. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Trainsandtravel

[TomScrut]

8 hours ago, Trainsandtravel said:

Currently at the top of my list is for a high quality model of the class 220/221 voyager. 

 

I'd definitely be keen for an XC Voyager.

[Tugs]

3 hours ago, TomScrut said:

 

I'd definitely be keen for an XC Voyager.

 

Me too!

[Shoey]

8 hours ago, Tugs said:

 

Me too!

And me!

[Downer]

Reading this thread one might get the idea only diesels and electrics are wanted. But having announced the Manor, I’m hoping Accurascale will also eventually offer more steam locomotives.  There are still important holes to fill in all regions.