Oxford Rail announces - OO gauge Mk3 coaches

[Derekstuart]

I knew you wouldn't be offended by it, but I decided that I didn't want to spend the next six months arguing with everyone else about HST's and their use in the privatised rail network.

 

I know you like your yellow trains. I am of that age where they should be blue and grey with a red stripe. And they should NEVER, repeat NEVER be made from recycled HSTs. Ever.

 
 
I have the original post - your secret is safe with me......



Cheers,
Mick

[Hilux5972]

I would be very happy if they did the NMT Panto coach! Save me having to scratch build one lol

[scottrains29]

It seems a strange choice to have the Virgin cross country livery as an option for the HST. This livery only lasted a short period. As far as I know Hornby never produced it on a power car or coaches. I think it may have only lasted a year or two (if that) before the xc logo was dropped. I think the Virgin cross country franchise livery HSTs then became the same as the Virgin West coast HSTs. The only difference was that the West coast ones had an extra TF. After that the only livery differences were between Virgin HST and Virgin loco hauled mk3s. Happy to be corrected though.

[Hilux5972]

I'm sure there will be people out there that want the option of all liveries.,

[jonathan452]

The only difference was that the West coast ones had an extra TF. After that the only livery differences were between Virgin HST and Virgin loco hauled mk3s. Happy to be corrected though.

And I believe a three windowed TRUB rather than a four windowed TRSB.

[Hilux5972]

Does anyone know when, or indeed if, we will hear the results of the poll for liveries?

[mikeharvey22]

If the OR announcement cycle starts to line up with the Oxford Diecast cycle then the next occasion is early May. Then at 4 monthly intervals in September and February. But I doubt that OR will announce the results at all and you will remain guessing whether the full range of body types and colour schemes will see the light of day. You will however see a stream of product numbers as each is announced. Patience.

[MGR Hooper!]

If the OR announcement cycle starts to line up with the Oxford Diecast cycle then the next occasion is early May. Then at 4 monthly intervals in September and February. But I doubt that OR will announce the results at all and you will remain guessing whether the full range of body types and colour schemes will see the light of day. You will however see a stream of product numbers as each is announced. Patience.

More importantly I've heard many say that OxfordRail said they would release locos with matching stock. So if the Mk3 is anything to go by maybe there is a nice modern image loco coming up? Class 86, Class 87 or a Class 90 (that actually leaves the DRAWING ROOM stage)...!

[Nile_Griffith]

More importantly I've heard many say that OxfordRail said they would release locos with matching stock. So if the Mk3 is anything to go by maybe there is a nice modern image loco coming up? Class 86, Class 87 or a Class 90 (that actually leaves the DRAWING ROOM stage)...!

 

 

 

Ooooooooo a nice 87 made with a modern motor, chases and bogies. Nicely etched side grills and halfway decent panto ready to go straight out the box please!!! (Yes yes!!! i know theres lots of fun to be had detailing and all that malarky but in the words of Violet Elisabeth Bott "I want it now").

[ThaneofFife]

regarding the locos to match theory.......great provided by this they mean selling the locos indivually as well as in train packs otherwise that just wont work. say 1 x loco and 3 coaches in a pack.  you might want more coaches or more engines so only selling coaches with locos would be a mistake.  I say keep them apart and give buyers that choice.  i might want 6 coaches and a loco but dont want to be forced into buying say 2 train packs to get my 6 coaches if that means im forking out for a 2nd unneeded loco etc etc.

[159220]

I do not think this has been said. Was reading Rail Express Modeller magazine and...

 

Oxfords have confirmed the Mk3 Loco-hauled shall be produced first, 1st EP in October. To include a FO, TSO and two different buffet toolings. Liveries announced later on once poll has been analysed. They shall produce enough coaches with different running numbers to make a prototypical rake.

HST Mk3s due to start in January allowing for all the detailed differences from the loco-haulled.

Every difference with buffet coaches shall be produced, eventually.

Sleeper stock is on the cards, with all variations, along with the Network Rail New Measurement Train.

There is a strong possibility of LHCS with plug doors shall be produced, in time, for Chiltern and Scotrail.

Livery matching between an accurate livery or matching to a locomotive, it said Oxford were leaning towards the former!

 

Basically it seems the tooling shall allow for all differences to be modelled with slides.

 

Brilliant hey!

 

Just sad the HST Mk3s won't be matched to Hornby HST 43s Just means I won't buy any HST stock (well the NMT!). Loco-hauled accurate livery seems logical as several different manufacturers making locomotives for LHCS.

Edited June 18, 2016 by 159220

[James90012]

That's sooner than I thought! Excellent news though and good to get some more certainty. Hornby MK3 shedding to take place in due course...

[ThaneofFife]

guess its easier to repaint (if thats even going to be necessary) a pair of power cars or single loco than a whole rake of coaches so it makes sense to get the coaching stock livery right rather than worrying about other manufacturers liveries and whether they match their products.  lets face it this will likely be the only new tooling for MK3s in most of our lifetimes so I say get the liveries right.

 

ive not seen any references to these coaches having the option of full and authentic internal lighting (sleeper corridors, compartments, buffet counters, toilets etc) with ready fitted pick ups and maybe accessory light bars that can be bought from OR in packs.  Again as this is an important new tooling I think OR should consider this (as have Rapido with their RevolutioN Pendo lighting bars and 1st class table lamps) but also the problems that this feature can bring such as light bleed through different liveries,roof mouldings or gaps.  Flexible gangway diaphragms that mate up when coupled should also be put on the whiteboard.  It all adds to the cost but I don't see the point in cutting corners at this stage not on such a BR stalwart vehicle.

 

Has the executive livery got any votes?  I think the Swallow livery has but no mention of Executive that I can see with the small black Inter-City branding.

 

Also scope for the Mk3 Manchester Pullman rakes and white roof Inter City Charter sleepers and hopefully accurately painted interior seating/partitions.

[Gwiwer]

Personally I'm not a big fan of internal lights.  In a few applications they enhance the scene but in general they serve to show up how plastic and devoid of passengers our trains usually are.  The current draw on a full train can be significant and the additional drag of a rake of illuminated Mk3s all of which have pick-up wipers somewhere causing friction can affect performance.  Not in every case but there comes a time when the additional cost and potential disadvantages outweigh the technical improvements which bring us "nice to have" details.  

[Removed a/c]

Personally I'm not a big fan of internal lights.  In a few applications they enhance the scene but in general they serve to show up how plastic and devoid of passengers our trains usually are.  The current draw on a full train can be significant and the additional drag of a rake of illuminated Mk3s all of which have pick-up wipers somewhere causing friction can affect performance.  Not in every case but there comes a time when the additional cost and potential disadvantages outweigh the technical improvements which bring us "nice to have" details.  

IMO to get the full effect one will have to sit in the dark. Lighting to me is nothing but a gimmick. The only things I would light would be items such as belisha beacons, traffic lights, head lights, tail lights etc. Things you can see that are lit during the day. 

[adb968008]

 Lighting to me is nothing but a gimmick.

Yes but kids love it... and some older ones too.

 

I just saw a roco video the other day, besides lights on the trains, platforms in peoples homes, they had a farmyard with ... yes HO scale bunch of chickens moving around the farmyard pecking at the water.. and a bus driving down a road...

 

Essential no.. but I nearly fell off my chair watching the video, especially when seeing a HO water pump flowing water and bloke chopping logs as a tractor came from the shed... and it was viewed from an in-cab HO scale camera giving a drivers eye view.

 

Someone working at Roco clearly has had a lot of fun, a huge amount of imagination and a good budget to spend time building a layout to that level of representation.

 

https://youtu.be/AyHuy8gfqzs?list=PLNvPmEw53CGHoH-rNwFY_UsdtI0K9cR1U

 

lights is childs play compared to this...

 

so now how about opening doors, yellow door unlocked lights and moving passengers inside the MK3's... just to raise the bar, though working toilet flushes may be a step too far ?

Edited June 29, 2016 by adb968008

[Removed a/c]

That is cool !!! 

 

 

The chickens, man chopping, water pump are by Viessmann. I think the tractor is part of the Faller car system. 

 

 

These I have no problem with................as for opening doors, and moving passengers I think I have better things to spend my money on   The toilet flush is a good idea though    (part of a loco sound decoder perhaps?)

[great central]

That is cool !!! 

 

 

The chickens, man chopping, water pump are by Viessmann. I think the tractor is part of the Faller car system. 

 

 

These I have no problem with................as for opening doors, and moving passengers I think I have better things to spend my money on   The toilet flush is a good idea though    (part of a loco sound decoder perhaps?)

 

Yeah but isn't that an electric loco?

If so why are the pans down?????

[MGR Hooper!]

Yeah but isn't that an electric loco?

If so why are the pans down?????

After all those little wonderful touches....seeing the pantograph did irritate me. I must admit. Yes if wires aren't tensioned it will cause a problem, but I'd probably do something and have the pantograph head run 1mm below the wire

[Removed a/c]

Yeah but isn't that an electric loco?

If so why are the pans down?????

Never even noticed , had to go back and look. TBO not a big deal to me. 

[great central]

Never even noticed , had to go back and look. TBO not a big deal to me. 

 

Sorry it's a bit of a pet peeve having been heavily involved with three different OHLE layouts, one of which is now resident in my garage but that may make another show appearance next year

[BigAndy]

Sorry it's a bit of a pet peeve having been heavily involved with three different OHLE layouts, one of which is now resident in my garage but that may make another show appearance next year

 

 

Don't see the point of having OHLE if you're going to run locos around with the pans down - looks plain stoopid. I can understand having no wires, but the pan down? C'mon, at least fix the pan in a raised position so that it looks as though it's working!

As for the chickens, yeah, gimmicky but not bad.

 

The tractor powering passed at about a scale 90mph though...........this is why I don't like seeing badly done faller systems. Spolis an otherwise fairly believable scenario.

 

Andy

[ThaneofFife]

Personally I'm not a big fan of internal lights.  In a few applications they enhance the scene but in general they serve to show up how plastic and devoid of passengers our trains usually are.  The current draw on a full train can be significant and the additional drag of a rake of illuminated Mk3s all of which have pick-up wipers somewhere causing friction can affect performance.  Not in every case but there comes a time when the additional cost and potential disadvantages outweigh the technical improvements which bring us "nice to have" details.  

 

​"Doncaster in 00" on YouTube runs lots of full length trains with internal lighting.  a) it looks very realistic and b) there doesn't seem to be any current draw or dragging issues.

We can sit here all day and probably come with our own pros and cons.

[Nile_Griffith]

Hope I'm not going to get lynched for this, but here goes.

 

Met up with Mr Oxford Diecast/Rail at the Goodwood revival yesterday and try as I might I couldn't prise out any details about the first run of liveries for the forthcoming Mk3's (and I tried kids I really did!!!).

 

However what he did tell me really made me smile and finalised details, including photo's of the MK3's and their liveries are not all that far away and by far away, we are talking weeks rather than months (are you listening Bachmann????). It would also seem that Oxford Rail have been working their conkers off trying to make sure that all the under chassis details for service pods and suchlike plus the various roof details are correct for the types of carriages modelled, rather than just generic roofs and pods, particularly for the various buffet and restaurant cars........ To say the least I'm just a tad excited!!! What I hope they won't mind me giving away is this. It would seem that those industrious chaps at Oxford Rail are working towards (if I heard correctly)  making available a complete rake of Mk3's. Not just a TSO or a TFO with a couple of different running numbers and leaving the modeller to buy and then modify the numbering of duplicate carriages, but that they are essentially picking a real world train formation, that run on a particular date in one of the to be released chosen liveries, with all carriage numbering etc correct for that train formation.

 

Now I'm fairly certain there are going to be a few die hards who will find a good reason to question this methodology, but I was pretty chuffed to hear that a manufacturer was actually thinking about how their models will be used rather than the traditional  thinking of viewing their models in a singular way............ Good work Oxford Rail!!!!

[mikeharvey22]

In the diecast business Oxford make their next round of product announcements at the beginning of October. i seem to recall the Oxford Rail announcements running on the same 4-monthly cycle.