Modelu Figures & Component News

[Modelu Chris]

29 minutes ago, BenL said:

That’s great news Chris - are they still going to come in a choice of arm lengths? It’ll be a very useful innovation if so! 

I will make sure I publish all the details here on the release day ;)

[Siberian Snooper]

6 hours ago, Modelu Chris said:

Good afternoon everyone, have a few update for you from Alan to keep you all up to date. 

 

We've had a super busy start to May with the Bristol exhibition and our Coronation sale.  Though development time has been scarce of late, we have been able to expand our range of animals which have proved so popular since first launching last year.   We are always looking for new ideas, so please get in touch with your requests.

We are running a new modelling competition this month - using a newly released bundle of three people in conversation which need to be involved in your scene somehow. Our favourite scene made using these figures will win Modelu modeller of the month for June. Bonus points for giving them a good caption with your entry!

Due to these figures being in the competition we have them at 20% off up until the end of June. Please see the link below to get yours today! 

https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product/0199/

This months competition is also still open so please keep posting your pictures to be in with a chance of winning a £25 Modelu voucher!

 

We had a fantastic weekend at the Bristol Model Railway Exhibition at Thornbury Leisure Centre.  It was also our daughter Margot's first exhibition and she absolutely loved it! After losing Bristol O Gauge show this has become our home exhibition and we'll be returning again next year.  It was great to see so many layouts featuring our figures, in particular Bunkers Lane (above right), Fairhaven Town and the Pendon-esq Dewerstone (below).   We'd like to wise a big thanks to Dan at DeRails for the loan of his OO9 locos for our display.

 

July sees us at the Bluebell Railway for the first time! We are happy to announce that we've been invited to attend with our 3d body scanning equipment and range of figurines.  We'll be also taking this great oppourtunity to work on a range of figures with the Bluebell staff and volunteers to produce a new range of Edwardian and Pre-Grouping crews.  If you can make it to Sheffield Park on the 1/2nd July be sure to come and say hi!

Thanks to John Creasey and Colin Porter we now have SR Engine Head Signals added to the range  Edward has done a great job on these, even modelling the distinctive handle hanging down. Available on the website now in packs of 5. 

We have Also now added chickens, foxes, donkeys, staffordshire bull terriers and basset hounds to the range. 

 

A big congratulations to Paul Willitt for winning Modelu modeller of the month for April!
⁠
He has won a £25 voucher to spend online with us by sharing this great image with us of his slate workers.
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To be in with the chance to win Modelu Modeller of the Month please keep sharing your pictures with us via email or tagging us on social media. ⁠

 

 

Sorry, but I can't see any pictures of Dewerstone in your post.

 

 

[30368]

19 hours ago, Modelu Chris said:

Thank you for the kind message, that is Alan in the picture (The boss, Mr Modelu) Do you have any pictures of what you have created? We love to see the end results! 

 

Like most model railways, 70D is a work in progress..... I spend too much time building loco's.....

 

The building.

 

The fitter's and boilersmith's corner.

 

If I recall, the brake block's are Modelu - I will buy some more they look effective, whilst the piece of red wire insulation does not.

More standpipes to fit.

 

Two close ups of the fitter's bay - worked here for a few days in 1964-5(?) sorting out a failed Class 33 or Crompton as we then called them. Traction motor nose suspension bearing failure.

 

As I mentioned, keep up the good work and thanks.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[Modelu Chris]

I apologise that this is late, but please see the newsletter below, on a positive note there will be another one in just over a week. 

Welcome to the Modelu June Newsletter! Even with the beautiful weather in May we've seen a flood of fantastic images from customers sharing their work with us.  As always we are extremely grateful and love seeing where our products end up.

 

Many of the figures we see have been professionally painted by Dan Evason of Tunnel Lane Model Railways. 

If you wish to have your figures professionally painted by Dan then it really couldn't be any easier! Simply let us know at the time of ordering and we will post directly to Dan, saving you the hassle. Prices start from as little as £6.50 per figure.  Dan's skills really are the finishing touch to our products, bringing them to life in miniature. 

We are very pleased to announce that the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway are a new Modelu stockist! The shop in Porthmadog includes a full range of our OO9 loco crews designed for the Ffestiniog locos released by Bachmann, Peco and Heljan.   Next time you are in that wonderful part of the world, have a look in store at the huge range of OO9 products including track, buildings, rolling stock, vehicles and more!

 

Keeping with a Ffestiniog theme, we are pleased to announce another bespoke crew for one of Boston Lodges favourites - the Heljan OO9 model of the Lyton & Barnstaple Manning Wardle Lyd.  Available now in all scales.

 

With the superb array of scrapped locomotive components available from West Hill Wagon Works, we decided that they needed that finishing touch - so we are pleased to announce a new range of workmen bundles using power tools and welding/cutting equipment.  This first bundle features two men using the cutters torch, with a third leaning on an oxygen cylinder.  All are wearing protective clothing such as welding spats, heavy duty gloves and hard hats in poses reminiscent of Vic Berry's yard. 

Available now in a pack of 3 via the website.

 

No loco shed or diesel depot is complete without an Oxy-Acetylene trolley, so to complement our new release of cutters we've added one to the range.  Available in all scales

 

Kernow's LSWR 0298 class Beattie Well Tank has been a hugely popular model and it now gets the Modelu treatment! We've released a new crew pack specifically designed for the loco, with crew poses researched from photographs of the Wenford branch.  The distintice pose sitting on the cabside can be switched to the firemans side for reverse running.  These have had legs pre-cut to fit the enlarged splasher in the cab interior for the OO model - anyone modelling in larger scales without the moulding compromises will received full bodied figures!

Available now in a pack of 2 in all scales.  Many thanks to Nick Willcox for help with research and to Colin Porter for the loan of Well Tank.

[Modelu Chris]

All this and we will also be at the Bluebell Railway this weekend. 

 

P.S. With this event coinciding with my birthday feel free to drop by and wish me a happy birthday 🎂

[30368]

26 minutes ago, Modelu Chris said:

No loco shed or diesel depot is complete without an Oxy-Acetylene trolley, so to complement our new release of cutters we've added one to the range.  Available in all scales

 

Hi Chris,

 

Put my name down please - perfect for 70D. Would appreciate a contact that could paint them for me as well as Dan.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[Mallard60022]

16 minutes ago, 30368 said:

 

Hi Chris,

 

Put my name down please - perfect for 70D. Would appreciate a contact that could paint them for me as well as Dan.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

P.M sent.

[Modelu Chris]

4 hours ago, 30368 said:

 

Hi Chris,

 

Put my name down please - perfect for 70D. Would appreciate a contact that could paint them for me as well as Dan.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Good evening,

 

Feel free to give me a pm.

 

Kind regards, 

Chris

[Modelu Chris]

Good morning everyone! Managed to find some time to get this sent to yourself before the mailing list, hope you enjoy, lots more releases incoming!

 

Welcome to the Modelu July Newsletter! To kick off the month we had a superb weekend at the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Event, with us set up in the shop at Sheffield Park with our scanning kit.  The guys there couldn't be more helpful in providing us with locomotives to pair up with crews.  Being able to see the real thing and get insight from the crews who drive them was invaluable.

We've plans afoot with the Bluebell to produce a complete range of pre-grouping station staff after scanning a constant stream of volunteers in SR and LBSCR clothing.  Look out for updates in our forthcoming newsletters!

 

Our People In Conversation competition didn't get a huge number of entries, but those we had were exceptional.  With such a high standard of figure painting it has a hard decision to pick a winner, but in the end it was the expert skills of Steven Draper that most caught our eye.  Steven has presented the figures here in O gauge, painstakingly painted in oils, to give a wonderful finish.  The scene is titled:

"Go on Jack - Race her to Callington"

Well done Steven, you've won a £25 voucher and Modelu Modeller of the Month for June!  You can see more of Steven's work from his 'miniverse' on Facebook and Instagram, please search the name Terrific Trains.

 

 

We are pleased to announce that we've added the first of a new range of Water Cranes to the website.  This first launch features 6 variants of the distinctive GWR Water Crane, including cranked and straight arms, platform and ground mounts and short or standard length arms.  Available now in 4mm and 7mm with N, TT and 3mm to follow.  The packs include a fire devil and options for drainage including a hopper or drain cover.  

 

 

With our attendance at the Bluebell Railway Model Weekend we thought it about time to create a crew for a favourite loco of ours which is based there.  9017 was the first ever preserved steam locomotive and the only member of the Dukedog class to be saved, being delivered to the Bluebell in 1961 from Oswestry.  We've now designed a new Dukedog crew specifically for the Bachmann model, though you will find these suitable for many other GWR classes.

 

 

Modelu customer Tobi Johnson and his father helped us out with our colour Accurascale Manor scans a few months back.  Whilst they were with us we captured a few other poses, including this new set of crew figures preparing a top link service.  They include a driver oiling up, a fireman fitting headboard and a cleaner holding a headboard and tool bucket.  These are a great little set for a shed scene cameo!  Thanks to Fox Transfers for the headboard - please note that it is not included in the pack!

 

 

 

[Modelu Chris]

As part of our shed staff range we've added a new crew pack featuring driver and fireman booking on.  Both figures are shown having been to stores to collect their allocated tools and equipment, including loco and cynlinder oil cans, oil feeder, tool bucket and firing shovel.  Shown here using the Scale Model Scenery Engine Arrangements board.

 

 

Do to popular demand we've created a new set of painters using the scans from our Depot Staff pack.  We've also added a sign writer, posed by master sign writer himself Brian McCulloch!  Thanks Brian!  Available now in a pack of 3.  Featured here with the new Rapido GWR Toad.

 

 

Following on from our recent SR Engine Head Signals a number of customers have requested the LNER/GER versions.  These are now available in packs of 5 on the website.

 

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Modelu Chris

[RJS1977]

Are you sure 9017 was the first ever preserved steam locomotive?  ;-)

 

Maybe the first steam locomotive to be preserved by the Bluebell Railway....

[BenL]

Great to see the GWR water cranes @Modelu Chris, they look very nice indeed.

 

Are you able to specify the lengths of the arms, which is helpful in working out their suitability for one's particular platform widths. I seem to recall that they was mention of the being able to specify the arm length, is that still a possibility?

 

I also wonder if there's a possibility of providing cranes without the base, which looks a little thick to seat in an existing platform (tho great if one is in the process of constructing a platform and can work the base in)? 

 

I suspect there may also be demand for the fire devil and two draining options as separate items, especially from those of us who might have lost those parts from our existing cranes!

 

There is also likely to be demand for the little concrete coal bunkers often found near the fire devils.

[Tim Dubya]

Those cranes are absolutely stunning, top effort chaps 👍

Of course they're the wrong flavour for me, so I have to ask if there's any plans for LSWR/SR platform and ground mounted versions?

 

Cheers 

[greatcoleswoodhalt]

3 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

Are you sure 9017 was the first ever preserved steam locomotive?  ;-)

 

Maybe the first steam locomotive to be preserved by the Bluebell Railway....

 

The first to be preserved [at the Bluebell Railway] was LB&SCR A1X Class No 32655.

 

No 9017 was their first GWR loco!

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by jafcreasey
Clarifying my reply related to the Bluebell (as opposed to the wider preservation movement)

[BernardTPM]

Wasn't 'Locomotion' preserved at Darlington Station yonks back?

[Nick C]

3 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

Are you sure 9017 was the first ever preserved steam locomotive?  ;-)

 

Maybe the first steam locomotive to be preserved by the Bluebell Railway....

I believe 9107 was the first to be preserved _thanks to a public subscription_ - at least that's what the Bluebell site says. There were quite a few others already preserved by then!

[barrowroad]

Hi Chris,  Love the GWR water cranes but I need some LMS ones any chance Modelu will do some in the future. I know there are still some at Carnforth, does anyone know of any others?

[RJS1977]

5 hours ago, BenL said:

 

I also wonder if there's a possibility of providing cranes without the base, which looks a little thick to seat in an existing platform (tho great if one is in the process of constructing a platform and can work the base in)? 

 

Maybe provide them with an extension tube that can go down through a pre-drilled hole in the platform/baseboard and clip on to the spindle of an SG90 servo....

[Worsdell forever]

18 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

Wasn't 'Locomotion' preserved at Darlington Station yonks back?

 

Saved from the scrapyard by the Pease family in 1856, they spent £50 on its restoration. 

[dpgibbons]

Some useful prototype notes on GWR water cranes here

[Modelu Chris]

On 07/07/2023 at 12:31, BenL said:

Great to see the GWR water cranes @Modelu Chris, they look very nice indeed.

 

Are you able to specify the lengths of the arms, which is helpful in working out their suitability for one's particular platform widths. I seem to recall that they was mention of the being able to specify the arm length, is that still a possibility?

 

I also wonder if there's a possibility of providing cranes without the base, which looks a little thick to seat in an existing platform (tho great if one is in the process of constructing a platform and can work the base in)? 

 

I suspect there may also be demand for the fire devil and two draining options as separate items, especially from those of us who might have lost those parts from our existing cranes!

 

There is also likely to be demand for the little concrete coal bunkers often found near the fire devils.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding to your comment. I appreciate the comments you have made and think I have replied to them all below.

 

We will get some measurements and I will pop them up on here. At the moment we wont be offering that as an option but we do have 6 different variants available so should be enough for everyone. 

 

The cranes come as a set of parts that couldn't be easier to put together. So if you aren't after a base then there is no need to use it. 

 

We will be adding the fire devils to the range on their own soon, I will pass on about the draining options. 

 

I will pass the coal bunker idea on to our 3D designer in the office!

[Modelu Chris]

On 07/07/2023 at 16:01, Nick C said:

I believe 9107 was the first to be preserved _thanks to a public subscription_ - at least that's what the Bluebell site says. There were quite a few others already preserved by then!

 

Thank you Nick, I believe this is what Alan was referring to when he wrote the newsletter

[BenL]

18 minutes ago, Modelu Chris said:

 

Sorry for the delay in responding to your comment. I appreciate the comments you have made and think I have replied to them all below.

 

We will get some measurements and I will pop them up on here. At the moment we wont be offering that as an option but we do have 6 different variants available so should be enough for everyone. 

 

The cranes come as a set of parts that couldn't be easier to put together. So if you aren't after a base then there is no need to use it. 

 

We will be adding the fire devils to the range on their own soon, I will pass on about the draining options. 

 

I will pass the coal bunker idea on to our 3D designer in the office!

Thanks very much Chris, that all sounds great!

 

Look forward to seeing the measurements and I'm sure at least one of the options will be close enough for me.

 

It would be really helpful to see the cranes disassembled at some point - it would give a sense of what adaptions one might be able to make, including using the arms of your version to replace arms on existing bases/columns on a layout.

[Modelu Chris]

7 minutes ago, BenL said:

Thanks very much Chris, that all sounds great!

 

Look forward to seeing the measurements and I'm sure at least one of the options will be close enough for me.

 

It would be really helpful to see the cranes disassembled at some point - it would give a sense of what adaptions one might be able to make, including using the arms of your version to replace arms on existing bases/columns on a layout.

 

Just for you, this is how they get sent out with supports still attached. Each piece that needs slotting together then has a male and female component. 

 

To quote Stephen Fay:

"Great western water crane from Modelu, these are a game changer, 3D printed parts that simply slot into each other. I’ve got another pair to build and they do a fire devil.

Very minimal cleaning up of components.

Definitely my product of the week, product of the year I reckon!"

 

 

[BenL]

3 minutes ago, Modelu Chris said:

 

Just for you, this is how they get sent out with supports still attached. Each piece that needs slotting together then has a male and female component. 

 

To quote Stephen Fay:

"Great western water crane from Modelu, these are a game changer, 3D printed parts that simply slot into each other. I’ve got another pair to build and they do a fire devil.

Very minimal cleaning up of components.

Definitely my product of the week, product of the year I reckon!"

 

 

Fantastic Chris, that’s very adaptable indeed!