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Oxford diecast... whats next?


BROADTRAIN1979
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On 30/01/2021 at 10:51, Dunsignalling said:

I learned to drive in my Dad's 1961 Series III Minx, White with red interior, bench front seat and column change. The one with the flared-out fins on the back and 1500 motor, which I think was the IIIb. It left me with an (as yet) unrequited yearning for a 1725cc Rapier....

 

Took me ages to get used to handbrakes in the middle.:jester:

 

John

My first car, in 1972, was a 1959 Hillman Minx convertible. It had overdrive in 3rd and 4th which was a column stick, however the gear change was a floor mounted selector, so individual front seats. It seems that Rootes used both column and floor mounted gear systems, depending on model type. My Minx also had an odd handbrake position, between the drivers seat and drivers door, not the easiest to locate.

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22 minutes ago, rembrow said:

My first car, in 1972, was a 1959 Hillman Minx convertible. It had overdrive in 3rd and 4th which was a column stick, however the gear change was a floor mounted selector, so individual front seats. It seems that Rootes used both column and floor mounted gear systems, depending on model type. My Minx also had an odd handbrake position, between the drivers seat and drivers door, not the easiest to locate.

Our Minx was nearly two years old when we got it, but IIRC, you specified which seat/gearchange you wanted when you ordered the car. Obviously the bench seat ruled out a floor change but you clearly got the outboard handbrake lever regardless! Sounds like overdrive would only be compatible with bucket seats/floor shift.

 

Better than the wobbly umbrella-handle thing on my mate's dad's Mk2 Consul, though.

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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10 minutes ago, rembrow said:

My Minx also had an odd handbrake position, between the drivers seat and drivers door, not the easiest to locate.

 

My first car in the mid 80s was my dad's 1972 Humber Sceptre III, the Hunter shape but with twin headlights and a more luxurious interior. I got it because the garage wouldn't give him a decent part exchange for it.  It is still the most fun car I have ever had.  I spent hours seeking out parts for it in scrappies.

 

I loved the handbrake being on the right as you could move into first gear at the same time as releasing the handbrake.  I ended up rebuilding the car after it was written off due to an electrical fire in a car alarm. I fitted a bored out Holbay engine and a revised gear box incorporating the earlier close ratio gearbox with a later overdrive to give fast acceleration whilst maintaining the top speed.  That car was fun and could give owners of VW Golfs a fright at traffic lights.  Friends always used to say that they could hear me coming, not because of the exhaust but the sound of the twin weber DCOE carbs sucking the air in through free flow oil air filters.  It used to grunt when accelerating.  Marriage came along in 1993 and it was a case of using my wife's newer Maestro or my maintenance heavy Sceptre, which, like all 70s cars was suffering from rust, so the Sceptre had to go.  It went to a fellow owner who was going to drop the mechanics into a better shell and use it for classic car rallying.

 

I miss that car and still look at online adverts for Sceptres, but I am in my sixties now and I don't think I could do all the work needed to replace that original one with one which would be as much fun, even if the parts were still available.

 

Memories

 

Roddy

 

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Goodness, Roddy!  I've almost learnt more about you from this post - about Oxford Diecast's latest release programme - than I did in years of contact as colleagues in the Scottish Office/Executive/Government!

 

John S

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Oxford provided an impromptu announcement of new info on 1/76 and 1/87 items yesterday on the OD Collectors Facebook Group. Trade announcement will be made just after the Bank Holiday weekend. Not a lot to get excited about, and nothing for O gauge or N gauge.

Edited by Mike Harvey
correction
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What I keep hoping for is some modern (post 1980) pickup trucks.

 

They’re everywhere on the roads, all makes - Ford, Toyota, VW, et al - and all cab formats - single, half, double.

 

Much more layout useful than yet another classic sports car or prestige saloon.

 

steve

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And I keep hoping they finally get the 1948 Dodge pickup out the showroom door.  Perfect for my Port Costa layout.  Other Ford, Chevy, GMC1946-54 pickups and vans would also be most welcome.

Edited by autocoach
correct information
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Just a quick question, not worth its own thread.

 

Please could someone measure the usable carrying length of the N gauge low-loader lorry trailer. Trying to work out if it will handle an aircraft fuselage.

 

Many thanks.

Edited by Tim R-T-C
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23 hours ago, Tim R-T-C said:

Just a quick question, not worth its own thread.

 

Please could someone measure the usable carrying length of the N gauge low-loader lorry trailer. Trying to work out if it will handle an aircraft fuselage.

 

Many thanks.

Image from the Oxford website.

 

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/9369/0011/products/NVOL4007Size_993x376.jpg?v=1600714935

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On 19/06/2021 at 17:50, ianmacc said:

For globe 253 largely read globe 252.

 

Reasons understandable but really gone off the boil recently.

 

 

Ditto for 254 vs 253.

 

At least some useful new colour schemes and good to see the plain white Ford cargo back in stock as it’s a useful item. 
 

This is an interesting new tooling though….

14F1D1AF-F825-4707-BF22-B4A45F539B8F.png

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Figure size is easy  and not variable .Measure its head .Not its head and hat or hair just head size .An adult human should be roughly 7.5 times the head size .It can vary a bit but not much .This  is the basic skeletal form ,the wire armature etc .Its the same proportion for any scale . Children vary as growing ,head is larger etc.If you want a 1/36 figure then sort out its height ,divide by 36,divide by 7.5 to get ist head size  and start sculpting .Anatomy is quite precise as is nature unless it all starts going wrong ie dwarfism .

A figure is only accurate if its in proportion .If not it is  a caricature.So measure any figures head not its height .You will be shocked.

PS I want some  more Yank trucks please from Oxford .

Edited by friscopete
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I would rather like a Triumph Dolomite...but not the 70's rot box you're thinking of!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Dolomite_(1934–1940)

 

In my opinion one of the prettiest cars made pre war and I bet most of you didn't know they made cars pre war. Oh, and pray you don't break that grill; they are mazak of all things!

 

The first car in Britain to have hydraulic brakes was a Triumph and only one survives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_13/35

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1 hour ago, Madreddog said:

I would rather like a Triumph Dolomite...but not the 70's rot box you're thinking of!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Dolomite_(1934–1940)

 

In my opinion one of the prettiest cars made pre war and I bet most of you didn't know they made cars pre war. Oh, and pray you don't break that grill; they are mazak of all things!

 

The first car in Britain to have hydraulic brakes was a Triumph and only one survives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_13/35

The Triumph Company went into receivership in 1939 and the factory was destroyed in the blitz. Virtually all that was left was the name which was purchased by the Standard motor company in the late 40's.

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That was the premises acquired by Standard after WW2 and IIRC was a wartime shadow factory. The original Triumph works was a former spinning mill in Priory Street and this was the one that burnt down.

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8 hours ago, The Black Hat said:

A couple of TVRs might be nice. 

I can see why as they would be attractive little models but I really would hope they are way down the list as a railway modeller as they are niche vehicles and there are masses of workaday vehicles missing from the range that need tacking first 

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I always think the "exotica" is better suited to the 1:43 range which takes it firmly into display cabinet territory. I don't think cars in 1:76 really fit into that, though PSVs do.

 

My definition of exotica is arrived at by asking the question "would two of them on a layout require the concoction of an excuse?"

 

John

 

 

Edited by Dunsignalling
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1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

My definition of exotica is arrived at by asking the question "would two of them on a layout require the concoction of an excuse?"

 

Mine too.  A case in point, Oxford's Ford Sierra Cosworth.  A bread and butter Sapphire would have been infinitely more useful, could have been sold in more colour variations and I suspect the individual releases would sell better as people would buy multiples.  Oxford to their credit are much better than some other manufacturers at avoiding too much exotica, but their 1980s cars are disappointingly upmarket.  On that subject, the painted-on silver sunroof is a customer option which I for one would be happy to forgo on future releases of the Vauxhall Cavalier...

Edited by 64F
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Regarding “Exotica” I think there’s two levels. Ferrari Aston Martin TVR et al have very restricted application on the average model railway. Even having a single example is pushing it. 
 

The other examples being given are the performance versions of cars such as fords or prestige marques such as BMW Mercedes JLR etc.  Slightly less workaday but perfectly passable as long as not every vehicle is one! 
 

A good way to display exotica is a dealer or show environment of course.

 

Me at Monk Bar Model Shop a couple of years ago “I love the model of the Jensen 541R but could never justify one of those”. Only a few hundred made. Lo and behold a few days later I saw one in York being run around casually at the park and ride lol! So I guess really anything can be justified!

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