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Oxfordrail - Adams Radial


John M Upton
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I think we can now forget any of the other folk who were working towards the radial actually producing it as Oxford are a long way ahead so will inevitably take the top cream off the market with everyone else in what has turned out to be a race likely to be at least a year to 18 months away (from now) going into full production.

At the moment Oxfordrail say they will have an EP by the end of the Q1 2015, however they have provided no proof of any progress made to date so anyone else planning one will have no idea how far or behind they are in order to make a decision.

 

We also do not know if there are any variants.

 

Admittedly Oxford Diecast do keep pretty much to schedule as far as their vehicles are concerned. I love there military stuff, ok it is not to the same high standards as Dragon, but it is not as pricy either and they perfect good enough for me.

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Just read all 22 pages...

 

...there are some very excitable people on here!

 

But 500+ post threads, frothing over cryptic clues, hmmmm......

Angus

It's a hobby, it's meant to be fun. 500 posts of harmless fun, so what?

 

Unpleasantness arises in this hobby, and others, when people start taking it too seriously.

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Well an Adams radial is no good to me at all but I am glad that one of the long sought after locos in wish lists is being produced (Whoever wins the race)

 

One thing that is good is they say more items will follow and not just locomotives, and as they are listening to railway modellers who knows what items they will produce next, they say they have a planned program so its sounds very much as though there is a business plan in place than this is a foray into the market

 

I wish them all the very best 

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It will be interesting to see where Kernow go with their suspected planned model of the Adams Radial. They had publicly stated that they would be announcing one new steam and one new diesel model at Warley and had been giving strong hints towards the Radial being the steam model. It may be that they will have another Cornish/Devonian steam outline model they can switch to, which would be good news for the modeller. I doubt they would be able to compete with Oxford's timescale as its unlikely their r&d is as advanced. So in many ways more interesting news, perhaps, to come at Warley.

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I suspect that most non-DCC exhibition layouts are built by older modelers who are reluctant to invest in the newer disruptive technologies. 

Apologies for taking this further off topic, but really this does need a response. At Railex last year I talked to a senior modeller, formerly of this parish, who was operating, with others, a largish DC layout. He pointed out that at exhibitions layouts often need to employ guest operators, and different DCC systems can invoke terrible problems for the less familiar.  After 17 years with Digitrax, I would be all at sea with other DCC throttles, probably at home with DC.

 

DC remains simple and predictable, and thus the visitor probably sees the layout's operation at its best, whoever is in the driving seat.

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Agreed Ian. I don't do DCC and my 'guest operator' at home is my 4-year-old grandson. He can handle DC quite happily, as can his younger brother on their Thomas layout.  

Whilst DCC may be taking things to a new level with sound etc, (I say taking as I don't regard it as having got there yet), it is no good if it makes the hobby unaffordable at the entry level.

 

 

Edit for typos

Edited by TheSignalEngineer
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Hi All,  In order to maximise sales one assumes the 3 Lyme Regis survivors will be the subject of most of the models offered as earlier locos can still be produced using these as a basis.  The different interpretations of the same basic design by the 4 different builders make some variants far more expensive to tool up for  The heavily rivetted, short tank Beyer Peacock batch of 12 being the worst followed by the short tank flush rivetted R Stephenson batch.  Even the length of the long tanks seems to vary, a true nightmare of possible variants.   The Bluebell loco itself has had a least 4 physical reincarnations since last on the EKR in 1946 not to mention all the varied liveries over the period until the present day.

 

     One in late SR Maunsell livery would be my choice especially if the Lyme Regis re-framed LSWR coaches, rebuilt in the mid 1930s, were to appear to complement the loco. Unfortunately the Bluebell loco was on the EKR at that time and neither of the Lyme Radials were an exact match.   Hornby already make a suitable Maunsell coach to portray the single coach used in pictures around 1959 and the loco at that time was in the condition shown  in the Oxfordrail publicity with lined black, late crest  BR livery.

              Regards all  adrianbs

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The issue of "complexity" with dcc systems is probably the reason why a number of layouts using the lenz system have multimaus handsets in use or available (if not a true Roco system that is) as they must be one of the simplest to operate a layout with and in my experience a quick run through of what to do and I can leave a new operator in charge without any problem.

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.....Disruptive technology is the way of the future.

 

 

Disruptive technology? You wanna get over to the MRJ 234 thread, some bu**ers been running EM wheels on P4 track, it's Armageddon over there! That's disruptive technology!

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Who said Oxfordrail had to provide proof of anything?

Roger

I did not say they had to provide proof. Merely stating that if someone else has one well on the ways, I doubt a simple announcement would deter them.

 

Likewise Some buyers will doubtless wait until a very advanced stage before choosing which one to buy, others might order both and then cancel one.

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Just picked up on this thread and pleased to see another good Southern prototype in the pipeline. A very handsome and attractive locomotive to model which will fit in well with the other pre-grouping models that have already been released or are on their way. I travelled behind the preserved one on the Bluebell quite a few times and it will be nice to feature this on a layout with other locos which were operating on the line in the 1960's/70's/80's, such as the Terriers, C class, E4 and the visiting J52, Caley Single and T9.

I do not know if anyone has picked up earlier on the potential liveries for these models, but off the top of my head, without consulting any reference sources I think the following are possible: 

1. LSWR - Adams

2. LSWR - Drummond

3. Southern - Lined Maunsell green

4. Southern - Lined Mausell black

5. EKR - Was it green or possibly blue ?

6. Southern - Bullied malachite with sunshine lettering

7. Southern - Bullied unlined black with sunshine lettering

8. British Railways - Malachite with sunshine lettering

9 British Railways - Unlined black with sunshine lettering

10. British Railways - Lined black with early logo

11  British Railways - Lined black with late logo

Some may have been on models I have might seen, so may not be authentic. No doubt some of the experts will be able to comment further.

 

With the external body and mechanical differences between the different examples, including chimneys, as well as the livery options, there must be considerable potential for the model producers to make a good number of models hopefully at a competitive price, Plus as there will soon be a very varied range of LSWR locos available, perhaps we can also look forward to seeing some appropriate coaches to match ?

 

Mind you, the bank balance is likely to implode by then.

RB

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Please forgive if someone else has raised the following thoughts in the massive thread length-

-

 

It is obviously very interesting and pleasing for modellers to see new entrants to the model rail manufacture and supply chain. (locos in particular) However on the face of it it seems strange to me that this is now happening given the very restricted supply of "skilled nimble fingers" in China--a limited capacity there according to all indications.

How can a greater number of suppliers with a growing number of models--with presumably smaller run volumes per item help?

 

Ed

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Please forgive if someone else has raised the following thoughts in the massive thread length-

-

 

It is obviously very interesting and pleasing for modellers to see new entrants to the model rail manufacture and supply chain. (locos in particular) However on the face of it it seems strange to me that this is now happening given the very restricted supply of "skilled nimble fingers" in China--a limited capacity there according to all indications.

How can a greater number of suppliers with a growing number of models--with presumably smaller run volumes per item help?

 

Ed

Thousands of toy / model companies in China mate.

More than 50 that produce model railway items that I know of.

 

Some are more experienced than others, but they learn quickly, and although prices are now going ballistic again ( not including. Next years further price rises) they are still cheaper to manufacture ( for now).

 

I don't think Oxford will have a problem getting a factory to produce for them at a price and quality that makes it cost effective to do so.

 

Cheers

Dave

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Agreed Ian. I don't do DCC and my 'guest operator' at home is my 4-year-old grandson. He can handle DC quite happily, as can his younger brother on their Thomas layout.  

Whilst DCC may be taking things to a new level with sound etc, (I say taking as I don't regard it as having got there yet), it is no good of it makes the hobby unaffordable at the entry level.

You'll probably find that the 4-y-o picks up DCC better than the grown ups! :jester:

 

Cheers,

Mick

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You'll probably find that the 4-y-o picks up DCC better than the grown ups! :jester:

 

Cheers,

Mick

He probably will, he has already been working in the computer suite at school.

 

Still, come Armageddon I will build a battery and use my variable resistor controller to run my Hornby Dublo locos when all of the DCC chips have been fried.

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When I was doing shows for the club, it was always great fun to let the kids have a go. It was delightful to see them (girls and boys) use DCC (NCE) with just a few instructions about direction and speed. They seem to take to it very naturally.

 

John

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Please forgive if someone else has raised the following thoughts in the massive thread length-

-

 

It is obviously very interesting and pleasing for modellers to see new entrants to the model rail manufacture and supply chain. (locos in particular) However on the face of it it seems strange to me that this is now happening given the very restricted supply of "skilled nimble fingers" in China--a limited capacity there according to all indications.

How can a greater number of suppliers with a growing number of models--with presumably smaller run volumes per item help?

 

Ed

Oxford have their own factory in China so are in a better position than some other better known model railway manufacturers.

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Apart from have having an Adams boiler, 30583 was the only one of the thee with original style frames, single slide bars and the original smaller diameter wheels on the radial axle. Even if it was in the best condition of the three, it was closest to its original condition.

The "original" small diameter wheels were only fitted to one batch of Radials, of which 30583 was the only survivor. The remainder of the class had the larger ones from new. 

 

John

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