Lionheart Lynton & Barnstaple Models

[NeilHB]

Just announced on Facebook this morning, 7mm scale RTR models of the Lynton & Barnstaple Manning Wardles and suitable coaching stock to go with them:

 

 

 

 

 

First UK outline ready to run in 7mm narrow gauge, this is all rather exciting! 
 

They will be 0-16.5, but noted in the announcement that they are fully convertible to 0-14 for those modelling the correct gauge for the L&B.

 

Now to start saving for an L&B liveried set…

[PaulRhB]

Prototypes on show at the L&B gala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Room to be squeezed into O14

 

Removable cab roof 

 

Cranks are keyed

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by PaulRhB

[Robert Shrives]

A good and popular choice - just need to do a Lyd  in Southern and BR lined black . The coaches will be of use on many lines as well.  A few wagons to round out the stock list will help I am sure.

 

Robert     

[Ardglen]

This has seriously got my attention...

[PaulRhB]

3 hours ago, Robert Shrives said:

A good and popular choice - just need to do a Lyd  in Southern and BR lined black . The coaches will be of use on many lines as well.  A few wagons to round out the stock list will help I am sure.

 

Robert     

Or you can start building the Peco kits for them, you’ve got a year or so.   

OR25 L&B box van & OR24 L&B open wagon. 

[PaulRhB]

Joel & Richard had had a good day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by PaulRhB

[Kris]

Lovely looking models but I do wonder just how well they will sell as some of the Heljan models in 4mm seem to have hit the sales stands with good reductions 43%+.

[Andrew Young]

7 minutes ago, Kris said:

Lovely looking models but I do wonder just how well they will sell as some of the Heljan models in 4mm seem to have hit the sales stands with good reductions 43%+.

Might depend on whether they work reliably, or whether they fall apart and derail at the least provocation like the Heljan 009 ones do…

[Marshall5]

2 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Or you can start building the Peco kits for them, you’ve got a year or so.   

OR25 L&B box van & OR24 L&B open wagon. 

.....and Slaters do kits for 2 types of carriage and open/closed wagons.

Ray.

[mdvle]

1 hour ago, Kris said:

Lovely looking models but I do wonder just how well they will sell as some of the Heljan models in 4mm seem to have hit the sales stands with good reductions 43%+.

 

As always judging the success of a model based on discounting has the potential to be misleading - the manufacturer may have simple made far too many but still sold enough for it to be a success.

 

[009 micro modeller]

I wonder if this will kickstart a bit of wider interest in RTR 016.5, a bit like we’ve seen over the past few years in 009? I realise the market may perhaps not be as big but that applies when you compare the size of the 00 and 0 standard gauge markets as well.

[009 micro modeller]

2 hours ago, Kris said:

Lovely looking models but I do wonder just how well they will sell as some of the Heljan models in 4mm seem to have hit the sales stands with good reductions 43%+.

 

Not sure about this - after all, lots of people already choose to model in 016.5 even when equivalent items are available in 009 (or vice versa), yet both are fairly popular.

[Dunsignalling]

2 hours ago, Andrew Young said:

Might depend on whether they work reliably, or whether they fall apart and derail at the least provocation like the Heljan 009 ones do…

If they turn out as well as the Lionheart 7mm standard gauge products, there'll be no fear of sub-par performance.

 

Note the minimum radius of 2ft, though. Somewhat in excess of the biggest radius points Peco currently offer for O-16.5.

 

John

Edited September 25, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[Nearholmer]

38 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

I realise the market may perhaps not be as big

 

I've long thought there's a latent market, so that a r-t-r product would grow custom significantly.

 

Interesting first essay though, I would definitely have chosen a smaller loco, and one that could plausibly be used on more than one railway, but I guess these guys know what a huge fan club the L&B has.

[Andrew Young]

33 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

If they turn out as well as the Lionheart 7mm standard gauge products, there'll be no fear of sub-par performance.

 

Note the minimum radius of 2ft, though. Somewhat in excess of the biggest radius points Peco currently offer for O-16.5.

 

John

John,

Agree about the quality that should result. One thing though… The Peco O-16.5 points are frog angle 12 degrees, radius 610mm. That’s about 2ft radius by my reckoning… so your comments about going through Peco points might be slightly wide of the mark. 
Andrew

Edited September 25, 2021 by Andrew Young

[Dunsignalling]

Just now, Andrew Young said:

John,

The Peco O-16.5 points are frog angle 12 degrees, radius 610mm. That’s about 2ft radius by my reckoning… so your comments about going through Peco points might be slightly wise of the mark. 
Andrew

Longest ones I could find were listed as 457mm, I clearly didn't dig deep enough....

 

John

[Andrew Young]

4 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Longest ones I could find were listed as 457mm, I clearly didn't dig deep enough....

 

John

No problem. The info I quoted is for the standard O-16.5 points from Peco’s own website. Reckon they’re probably be close to their limit mind. 

Edited September 25, 2021 by Andrew Young

[Nearholmer]

6 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Longest ones I could find were listed as 457mm,

 

You sure you're not looking at 009?

 

They only make three points for 0-16.5: L and R at 610mm (2ft); and Y at 914mm (3ft).

[PaulRhB]

15 minutes ago, Andrew Young said:

John,

Agree about the quality that should result. One thing though… The Peco O-16.5 points are frog angle 12 degrees, radius 610mm. That’s about 2ft radius by my reckoning… so your comments about going through Peco points might be slightly wide of the mark. 
Andrew

Richard said they were designed for the Peco points as he designed those.

He said the rtr market will use those so it had to accommodate them  

[Dunsignalling]

4 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

 

You sure you're not looking at 009?

 

They only make three points for 0-16.5: L and R at 610mm (2ft); and Y at 914mm (3ft).

 I think I might have, on trying it again, selecting "Narrow Gauge" on Peco's website appears to default to "OO9 first". I'm guessing I didn't spot the scale selection boxes first time.

 

Either way, I reckon this announcement brings forward my long-overdue sort-out of a large quantity of OO models that rarely see the outsides of their boxes to create space and funds for a couple of these and something for them to pull.  

 

John

Edited September 26, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[tophski]

13 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Or you can start building the Peco kits for them, you’ve got a year or so.   

OR25 L&B box van & OR24 L&B open wagon. 

Also I will be scaling up my 009 versions of the Howard Box Vans, 12/13, 24, 23, Howard opens, and all the Scenic L&B items I currently produce. Just got to try and get hold of those couplings to match!

Great news for L&B modelers, and 7mm modelers, and me, now I have no excuse not to have a 7mm shunting plank.....

 

Cheers

 

Chris T B

[009 micro modeller]

10 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

and one that could plausibly be used on more than one railway

 

It worked OK with the 009 ones. I wonder if some of them are being bought by standard gauge modellers who like them because of the link to the Southern Railway.

[PaulRhB]

23 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

It worked OK with the 009 ones. I wonder if some of them are being bought by standard gauge modellers who like them because of the link to the Southern Railway.

I bumped into a really nice couple on the train yesterday and he had added a 009 L&B line to his layout and the photo he showed me was stunning. 

[Marshall5]

Richard knows his business and must be confident that there is a strong market for the L&B models.  However, if I was putting my toe into the O16.5 water for the first time I might have gone for something more generic, say, a Quarry Hunslet or even a WW1 Baldwin.  I do hope Lionheart's venture is a success and leads to a greater interest in O16.5 as it has all the advantages of 7mm without taking up as much space as s.g. would.

Ray.

[fezza]

A few years ago there was a bit of a craze in the UK for 0n30 modelling prompted by Bachmann's ready to run models. On that basis I think there is a market for 0 scale narrow gauge rtr. Much may depend on whether other manufacturers see an opportunity and whether an L and B Baldwin ever appears.

 

Many would say its the ideal scale for narrow gauge in the home - I have some 009 and enjoy it but had this been available a few years ago I would have gone for 7mm scale .

 

The surprise here is that they have started off with a large complex engine to test the 7mm market. Glyn Valley would have been easier starting point and Bachmann already do an 0 scale trench Baldwin (albeit with some inaccuracies).