dibber25 Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 What's featured in the detailing pack to anyone who's received the USTC version all ready? Would be great to see some pics of what you get It depends which loco you buy. The pack varies according to the prototype. (CJL) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 (edited) My Number 36 arrived this morning. Not yet had chance to run it. First impressions- Livery- the correct Northumberland shading on the lettering, well done. However, at £25 more than the Hattons WD saddletank that also arrived this week the lack of spring buffers seems a little primitive (the WD has them). More impressions and pics probably after tomorrow. Les Different manufacturers and very little similarity appart from the number of wheels. Bachmann no longer fit sprung buffers because they add £15 to the price. In general use in 'OO' they are ineffective, anyway. The USA has a far more complex chassis with outside valve gear. (CJL) Edited August 20, 2016 by dibber25 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
USA4472 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Received my MR-104 BR Green 30064 today. Lovely model, sprung buffers or not. The wait has been worth it. Thanks Model Rail and thanks to Kernow for speedy dispatch. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 (edited) I have the MR-104 green one pre-ordered too, and am really happy that it is in this shipment. As I stated earlier, I was under the impression it would be delayed because the shade of green was under review. Obviously it has all been sorted and approved, so I'll look forward to receiving mine in due course.One question: has anyone fitted a decoder yet? If so, what decoder did you use and how easy/difficult was it to fit? (OK, that was really three questions! Sorry about that!) Edited August 21, 2016 by SRman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rue_d_etropal Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 I received my original USATC version this week. Very nice. Plan to build a small 1940s mini layout, and have also got hold of a Hornby Q1 in SR livery. The only add on is the brake assembly.Presume that is correct. Interesting to compare with 'correctly gauged' HO version from Hornby/Rivarossi. I might get another one of those in original livery, as good deals on at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurnleyModeller Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Can't wait for mine to arrive! Ordered K&WVR No.72 as soon as the livery was announced , the ones I've seen so far look great Lack of sprung buffers doesn't bother me , they still look the part ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted August 21, 2016 Author Share Posted August 21, 2016 I received my original USATC version this week. Very nice. Plan to build a small 1940s mini layout, and have also got hold of a Hornby Q1 in SR livery. The only add on is the brake assembly.Presume that is correct. Interesting to compare with 'correctly gauged' HO version from Hornby/Rivarossi. I might get another one of those in original livery, as good deals on at the moment. Yes, the USATC one has just the brake rigging. The SR ones (if appropriate) also have two versions of the front platform (a raised one and a lowered one) and - if I recall correctly - two extra buffer beam pipes. (CJL) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 I know Kernow are working through these orders, but is there any sort of timetable on when they might be dispatching them? I can see one post from someone who has ordered the NCB USA (say that three times fast while drunk) and received it, but I've yet to hear anything. Is there any sort of indication on time frame? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisr40 Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 I know Kernow are working through these orders, but is there any sort of timetable on when they might be dispatching them? I can see one post from someone who has ordered the NCB USA (say that three times fast while drunk) and received it, but I've yet to hear anything. Is there any sort of indication on time frame? If it helps I ordered mine and got a text from Kernow with a delivery date shortly after. The text gives you a parcel reference which you can track online. Chris. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 (edited) No.36 has now had a degree of running-in and has been chipped for use on No Place. As I said, very nice with the lettering absolutely correct as far as contemporary photos show. Running out of the box, very quiet and smooth, slightly quieter than the WD saddletank at this point, but the top speed is distinctly on the high side for a short wheelbase 0-6-0T. Not as quiet as my J27 or Q6 were straight out of the box. After 15 mins each way, still quiet and smooth. The WD saddletank after the same amount of running emits the same noise level, ie not a lot that can be heard above wheel noise. Now to chipping. Here the instructions are lacking. The handrails from the smokebox front to the buffer beam are not shown. Nor is it stated they need to be unclipped before the body can be removed. I had, however realised they were there- familiarity with the prototype helps in this respect. BUT, and it is a big but- unfastening these two handrails at the smokebox door end is not as easy as it should be. Not very visible in the photo is the handrail on the right. The part that turns in to the door was longer than the corresponding piece on the other side, and it refused to come off the smokebox. The other side rail moved as it should have, moving easily once brass tweezers were applied to it. The sticking side needed pliers. When sufficient force was applied to this part it took the circular smokebox door handrail with it breaking off the handrail at the bottom. Putting the smokebox rail back was tricky but with superglue it is repaired and the damage can't be seen. I forgot to photograph the interface, but it is the same as in the 64xx. My 64xx had a particularly weak interface board that bent under the weight of a blue Bachmann decoder. This didn't happen here, though routing wires over and round the interface doesn't help clearance. I fitted a spare blue Bachmann chip (as it happens the one taken from the 64xx before I sold it) and reassembled the loco, filing the end of the "sticking" handrail first so it went back a lot more easily than it came out. I mentioned clearance. When I tried the body the front end didn't want to sit down, leaving about 4mm between the cylinders and the steampipes. . Three attempts later I had still not found the reason for this, wireS seemed to be clear of any obstruction and the only thing bigger was the thickness of the blue Bachmann chip. So I tightened the front screw. There was a cracking sound as the screw tightened. I'm not going to investigate this as the loco runs quite satisfactorily, and the steampipes do reach the cylinder tops..... Performance on "No Place". The track in the colliery yard has small radius Y-points laid consecutively and is a test for all locos used as shunters. The 64xx failed to cope with the sequence of points, which is why it was sold. Four wheeled locos don't like the dead frog on one of the Y-points. No.36 runs through with no stalling and stays on the track, though it does bounce quite markedly on two of the frogs. This puts it level with the WD saddletank for trackholding, and slightly behind the Hornby J94 and the Beattie well tank. The loco will be used as a screens shunter together with the others mentioned. Adding a driver proved interesting, more difficult than any of my other 3-axle locos other than the Beattie (where the driver needed a leg amputating to go in...). Overall, very good, but even allowing for it being an outside cylindered loco I still feel the asking price is about £15 North of where I would place it. Les As an aside, 71515 was new to the Ministry of Fuel & Power at Ashington shed where it ran alongside three USATC tanks and another pair of WDs. Those three USA tanks were NOT the same as the three that were sold to Northumbrian collieries. Backworth No.4 ran over the same metals an NCB 36, but some ten years after 36 was scrapped. Edited August 21, 2016 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Watch the Railway Roundabout video to see how fast the originals ran when at Southampton. They weren't exactly pottering about in a colliery yard. As for the earlier question about fittings. The SR ones were steam heat and vacuum brake fitted. Obviously steam heated for carriage warming and also banana vans needed heat. It's strange that they all seem to be three link fitted rather than having screw couplings though. I assumed they would have the SR type of three shackle screw couplings. Pity about the buffers though as it was in the original specifications. I understand that the manufacturer changed. If needs be I'll source replacements. I'll be replacing the couplings anyway so it's no big deal. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerrySVR Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Regarding the tanks ordered via Model Rail will there be an update ref delivery schedules? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 Regarding the tanks ordered via Model Rail will there be an update ref delivery schedules? All the orders are being handled by Kernow MRC, regardless of where the order was placed. (CJL) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerrySVR Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Ok thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDJR7F88 Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 (edited) Kernow have done a really great job in getting these models out so quick, had a friend order on on Thursday evening, was dispatched Friday and it was with him on Saturday morning! Had the same E-mail for mine on Friday saying it was on the way, was hoping it would be perfect timing for my only day off a week on Monday... Posty has just been, and he had a parcel... Though sadly not for me... Such is my luck. Maybe tomorrow will be the day Edited August 22, 2016 by SDJR7F88 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Called up on Friday to update details and shipping details, ordered mine on the day it was announced, was told shipping either that day or early next week. I would hope they are done in date order as to when the customer orders. That's how general pre-orders worked when I worked for a company. But I am sure they are working as fast as they can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tetsudofan Posted August 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 22, 2016 Kernow have done a really great job in getting these models out so quick, had a friend order on on Thursday evening, was dispatched Friday and it was with him on Saturday morning! Had the same E-mail for mine on Friday saying it was on the way, was hoping it would be perfect timing for my only day off a week on Monday... Posty has just been, and he had a parcel... Though sadly not for me... Such is my luck. Maybe tomorrow will be the day It does get annoying though when you read stories like this about items being ordered and shipped immediately ..... and people like me are still waiting for their orders that were placed ages ago. I know Kernow (or people speaking on their behalf) say that it is much easier for them to process such new orders immediately rather put the order to the back of the queue and process it at a later date but it does irritate and make a nonsense of the frequent statement that orders will be processed in the order that they were received....... Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 ..... and people like me are still waiting for their orders that were placed ages ago. Keith Having waited for so long, is it really a major issue if you have to wait a couple of days longer? It's only toy trains, after all !! Regards, John Isherwood. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 It does get annoying though when you read stories like this about items being ordered and shipped immediately ..... and people like me are still waiting for their orders that were placed ages ago. I know Kernow (or people speaking on their behalf) say that it is much easier for them to process such new orders immediately rather put the order to the back of the queue and process it at a later date but it does irritate and make a nonsense of the frequent statement that orders will be processed in the order that they were received....... Keith Probably depends which version / boxfull they've checked ......... clearly the U.S.A.T.C. ones went ot a week or so ago ( version 101 ) - you might expect 102 to be next ( S.R. 68 ) but seemingly not ..................... four(ish) years an' counting ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Probably depends which version / boxfull they've checked ......... clearly the U.S.A.T.C. ones went ot a week or so ago ( version 101 ) - you might expect 102 to be next ( S.R. 68 ) but seemingly not ..................... four(ish) years an' counting ! See post #200 above. Regards, John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tetsudofan Posted August 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 22, 2016 Having waited for so long, is it really a major issue if you have to wait a couple of days longer? It's only toy trains, after all !! Regards, John Isherwood. I suggest that you read and understand my message before you post one of your standard replies. I am not complaining about having to wait a couple of days longer for my (as you call them) toy trains. What I am pointing out is that the procedures being followed by Kernow, bearing in mind what we have been told, is annoying. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelrail Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Probably depends which version / boxfull they've checked ......... clearly the U.S.A.T.C. ones went ot a week or so ago ( version 101 ) - you might expect 102 to be next ( S.R. 68 ) but seemingly not ..................... four(ish) years an' counting ! The USATC ones came separately, three weeks before any of the others and they are not necessarily arriving in number order due to the number of loadings/unloadings they've undoubtedly had. Kernow is not Amazon - it's a shop operation with limited staff and limited storage space. They will get the models out as quickly as they can. (CJL) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 See post #200 above. Regards, John Isherwood. Erm .......... yes if 30069 is arriving now, that's 103 - and 102 ISN'T next AS ONE MIGHT EXPECT ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 The USATC ones came separately, three weeks before any of the others and they are not necessarily arriving in number order due to the number of loadings/unloadings they've undoubtedly had. Kernow is not Amazon - it's a shop operation with limited staff and limited storage space. They will get the models out as quickly as they can. (CJL) I don't think anyone out here knew that the U.S.A.T.C. arrived earlier - but we know that most versions ARE now with Kernow, so - whatever type we've ordered - they should all be with us shortly....... thanks ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Godfrey Glyn Posted August 22, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 22, 2016 Well the two I ordered back in 2012 - 30069 and 30064 arrived safely here at Bishopstoke Junction this morning and they are well worth the wait. Stunning models. Many thanks to the teams at Model Rail, Bachmann and Kernow for commissioning, manufacturing and distributing. best wishes Godfrey 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now