All new RTR PGA wagon in 2mm scale

[Lacathedrale]

For a while I had considered modelling the back tracks at Purley as a micro layout and these would have been ideal.

 

Mixed rake at Purley again this morning, looks like 6Y58 from Cliffe, mainly JGAs, but about 8 PGAs, including a couple still with Lafarge lettering. The green logo was very faded, but the lettering was very obvious. Others blanked out and some totally blank, so an excuse for 3 different variants!

 

Do you commute from there? Often if I'm running late to work I'll sit on platform 3 and watch them being shunted. Today's shunter was a GBRf 66 rather than the usual ex-EWS one.

[njee20]

Nah, down in deepest darkest Sussex, but always keep a lookout as we go through non-stop, hence the inability to get photos!

[Grimleygrid]

March 2019 update:

 

The uptake and interest in the 2mm version PGA has been steady, however we aren’t quite at the pre-order target yet. Over the past couple of weeks we have seen a significant increase in pre-orders and hope that by extending the pre-order period and moving the deadline until the 15th of April will see us achieve the level of required orders for production to go ahead.

[Duncan.]

Good Evening Gents,

I would like to add my voice to the 'sales campaign'. Cay brought a 4mm version to mt recent Shirebrook Running Day, what a superb model. I fully expect the 2mm version to be equally as good, so go on get your orders in now, a great addition to the N scale rolling stock fleet,

Cheers

Duncan

[RBE]

Thanks Duncan. I would love to get this over the line as an N gauge modeller myself. We need 2mm support as we need confidence that 2mm models will sell in order to announce things in the future.

[Duncan.]

On 21/07/2018 at 12:37, Grimleygrid said:

Update on the 2mm version of our PGA:

 

The design stage of the process for our N gauge PGA is nearing completion.

 

 

 

 

I meant to quote this post in my reply earlier today, the 3d renders are mightily impressive, I am keen to have them in use on Shirebrook  as workings from WH Davis wagon works.

 

[JRDawson]

Hello there Cavalex,

As per the website instructions, on 4th March I emailed my wish to pre-order 4 in "Lafarge" iivery.  I have not yet received any acknowledgement; perhaps this is the norm and I shouldn't be so impatient, but it would be comforting to know that my request has been received and recorded.

CADs look fantastic and I hope this is able to get the go-ahead very soon now.

Best wishes,

John D

[RBE]

Hi John, we did receive your order thank you.

 

Moving forward we will be using a google form system to order future products, this makes the process easier for all.

 

Regards

Cav

[Grimleygrid]

May 2019 Update

 

Pre-orders still remain open – please fill in the following form to register your interest:

https://www.cavalexmodels.com/2mm-projects

 

We will have a 3D printed N gauge PGA on our stand at DEMU showcase in June, please come and visit us to see it in the flesh!

[westie7]

Now these don't fit any of my plans however I do want to support it. I just need to see if I can use these as a base for Tullis Russell PAA.

[RBE]

Cheeky picture of the 3D printed 2mm PGA that we will be taking to DEMU tomorrow.

 

[Phil Parker]

Seen at DEMU today - this is a tiny wagon with such fine etched work. I couldn't resist including a coin for scale. 

 

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hi all,

 

Fabulous looking print - really impressive.   Definitely hoping this one can make it to production!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Duncan.]

Hi Cav, Alex,

Please can you indicate how close to tooling you are with this model, I understand that the N version has not had as large a response as the OO version....

Regards

Duncan

[MarshLane]

Hi Cav/Alex,

Alongside Duncan's question, how easy would it be to remove the etched items from the ends of the wagons? I am thinking that a couple repainted into yellow Railease livery could be doable.

 

Rich

[Grimleygrid]

July 2019 update

 

N PGA:
We have seen an increase in orders for our N gauge version of our PGA and unfortunately despite support from our friends at Revolution Trains, the total numbers are still short of the required total for the project to proceed.

Whilst we are still keen to produce our PGA wagon in N gauge, we are going to conduct a review over the next month or so before making a decision on this project.

We are going to focus on the 4mm market up until the release of Project 225, then we will turn our attention to the N gauge market.

 

https://www.cavalexmodels.com/july2019-update

[JR_P]

19 hours ago, Grimleygrid said:

the total numbers are still short of the required total for the project to proceed.

 

How short are the numbers? Are you able to share an actual number?.... is there one particular livery version that is ‘letting the side down’?

 

If, for example, every current ‘purchaser’ bought just one more, does that push it over the line? It might be easier to encourage existing buyers, than finding entirely new purchasers. 

[Crepello]

Sorry to hear this but I stand by my view that the Yeoman type would have been better received, largely due to the various haulage used on these and maybe the geographical spread too.

[Scott B]

1 hour ago, Crepello said:

Sorry to hear this but I stand by my view that the Yeoman type would have been better received, largely due to the various haulage used on these and maybe the geographical spread too.

 

Motive power for the Redlands that I can think of off the top of my head is pretty varied as well:-

 

2x20, 2x25, 2x31, 37, 45, 47, 56, 58, 60, 66 all used through the years either on the main trains out of Mountsorrel or the portions from March to various East Anglian terminals.

 

Scott

[njee20]

1 hour ago, Crepello said:

Sorry to hear this but I stand by my view that the Yeoman type would have been better received, largely due to the various haulage used on these and maybe the geographical spread too.

Not sure I agree. I’d not have any of the Yeoman ones, whereas I’m definitely keen on a few of the proposed ones. The Yeoman ones I’d say are probably less versatile. 

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hi all,

 

While I'd welcome the Yeoman hoppers too (or ARC, come to that) I don't think there is any merit in the idea that they are better than the Redland versions.

 

To my eye the Redland are distinctively different to the old Farish model, which could be improved significantly with the TPM detailing pack, and they offered a considerable degree of operational interest, being used on their own and in trains mixed with other wagons such as the Farish JGA, NGS JGA and Revolution HOA,  to and from East Anglia, around Peak Forest and across large parts of the south of England.

 

 

This is also the first "new generation" 4-wheel hopper, which is my reason for ordering!
 

cheers

 

Ben A.

 

[griffgriff]

12 hours ago, Crepello said:

Sorry to hear this but I stand by my view that the Yeoman type would have been better received, largely due to the various haulage used on these and maybe the geographical spread too.

‘Yeoman type’ what’s that then? I’m carving up some Lima PGAs and one thing I’ve found out .... there is no such thing as a type. Same goes for the ARC examples. There was variety in the Redland fleet but no where near as many as the cornucopia of variants found in the Mendips. They traveled far and wide as well. A sound commercial choice.

 

Griff

[justin1985]

This is a real shame. 

 

I can't help but think that this project has suffered from a pretty confused and unclear order/ expression of interest process. First off, I think, it was a case of "send us an email", then eventually there was a form (but that just looked like an email sending form). I can't help but think a lot of people would have missed what they were meant to do, or not picked up a strong sense of whether it was a solid proposal.

 

I expressed an interest in some, but I can't really remember how many, but I have a feeling it was only 5 or 6 at most. As others have said, if increasing my order would help it happen, I'd happily double that number. 

 

Perhaps sit on it for a bit, and then re-launch next year, with a more coordinated marketing campaign and more intuitive order process, as per RevolutioN? 

 

J

[Grimleygrid]

September 2019 Update:

 

The September update brings us sad news regarding the N gauge PGA wagon. Despite giving the project far longer than we were expecting we have still yet to pull in enough pre-orders to take the model to the next stage.

As a 2mm modeller myself this is sad news for me personally and a step back for Cavalex Models as we were hoping to bring all of our models to both 4mm and 2mm scales. The N gauge market however seems to be a fickle business and whilst we have had a reasonably good response from the N gauge community in general and outstanding support from revolution trains, the model has not been given the support necessary by the retailers.

The concensus there has been that N gauge sales in general are too low at approximately 20% that of OO to make support of the project worthwhile.

As a result for the time being we have had to place the 2mm PGA and subsequent BBA, BLA and TEA wagons on the backburner in favour of their 4mm bretheren. This has not been an easy decision for us but one that we feel we have to make given the lack of support for the scale so far.

We are still very keen to offer N gauge models and in order to break into the 2mm market we will still be offering the class 91 locomotive in N gauge. The hope is that the pre-order sales numbers will exceed the necessary minimum required to push to the next stage and show the N gauge community what Cavalex has to offer in 2mm.

- Cav

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hi Cav,

 

This is such a pity.  I do have some sympathy with the retailers of course, as they have a living to make, but surely 20% is still 20%!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.