Mark 5, By Accurascale

[AY Mod]

Just now, jonnyuk said:

i assume that track is pre-ballasted, looks good, the lazy person in me is getting idea's on how to quickly get my track laid!

 

It's just Kato Unitrack which is ideal for reconfiguration for testing and shooting.

[jonnyuk]

10 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

It's just Kato Unitrack which is ideal for reconfiguration for testing and shooting.

does look good, looks to be raised high though, would need a serious step up from a cork bed i assume though if transitioning from say a storage to a scenic area using the kato track.

[rob D2]

I don’t know a lot about mk5s, is it just trans Pennines and Caledonian sleeper ? If so even more amazing that such fairly niche operations have such appeal.

 

However I guess that’s down to the trains being way more interesting, as well as the traction, than another incarnation of the avanti/ GWR / etc boring snake units 

[AY Mod]

2 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

I don’t know a lot about mk5s, is it just trans Pennines and Caledonian sleeper ? If so even more amazing that such fairly niche operations have such appeal.

 

First question; yes.

 

Second point; they're loco-hauled stock. The market, if not the real railway, is lococentric.

[KDG]

12 hours ago, adb968008 said:

in the weeds of the last 3 pages, one post stands out with a message thats really loud and clear…..

 

 

Modern image sells.

 

bring on the units, please.

 

Nothing like this happens in steam outline, apart from a modern purple bulleid, which is a goat rodeo by design.

 

 

Indeed. Cue the Electrostar.  It's only 4 cars max. 

[adb968008]

4 minutes ago, KDG said:

Indeed. Cue the Electrostar.  It's only 4 cars max. 

100% on Electrostar.

 

it staggers me this hasnt been considered, by someone.

 

however the 377/7’s are 5 car, not that the extra car is different from that 4th car.

How a 4DD EMU is seen as a safer option I dont understand, indeed even a 755 is an odd choice Imo, but i’m not going to look agift horse in the mouth.

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by adb968008

[TomScrut]

On 09/02/2023 at 12:58, jonnyuk said:

i hope that AS limited it to one set of each per account..that would of been the fair thing to do, to stop people buying 10 packs etc

 

If only they'd been available to pre-order since 2019. If they had then all this scrabbling about wouldn't have been a problem.....

[Roy Langridge]

53 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

100% on Electrostar.

 

it staggers me this hasnt been considered, by someone.

 

however the 377/7’s are 5 car, not that the extra car is different from that 4th car.

How a 4DD EMU is seen as a safer option I dont understand, indeed even a 755 is an odd choice Imo, but i’m not going to look agift horse in the mouth.

 

And 377/3s are only 3-car, which offers a cheaper smaller version DCC or some. 
 

Roy

Edited February 10, 2023 by Roy Langridge

[TomScrut]

52 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

100% on Electrostar.

 

it staggers me this hasnt been considered, by someone.

 

however the 377/7’s are 5 car, not that the extra car is different from that 4th car.

How a 4DD EMU is seen as a safer option I dont understand, indeed even a 755 is an odd choice Imo, but i’m not going to look agift horse in the mouth.

 

 

And then when you get down to it,  a lot of people are buying freight trains longer than a 5 car suburban EMU. They are shorter than a 5 car Hitachi which Hornby don't seem to be shy of repeating.

[AY Mod]

41 minutes ago, TomScrut said:

a lot of people are buying freight trains longer than a 5 car suburban EMU

 

Because you can stick different locos on the front. Just that.

[nightstar.train]

A question for Accurascale. I’ve put a 4 function decoder into my TPE DT as directed. Bit of a fight (due to the decoder, not the train!) and I’ve got headlights, cab lights and destination board all going. But at the front behind the LEDs for the headlights is another LED, which looks to be for cab instruments maybe? It doesn’t come on with any combination of functions on the decoder. Do I need a 5 function one, or does this come on by waving the wand? 

[TomScrut]

27 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

Because you can stick different locos on the front. Just that.

 

Exactly.

 

But it removes the excuse of size being the issue.

 

For me at least, there's a decent amount of places in the UK that are badly catered for in terms of passenger traffic. I don't fair too badly with my LNER Azumas and TPE 68/mk5 sets but there's a lot of regions not so lucky.

 

I also appreciate that units are more difficult from a market perspective.

 

 

[newbryford]

13 hours ago, nightstar.train said:

A question for Accurascale. I’ve put a 4 function decoder into my TPE DT as directed. Bit of a fight (due to the decoder, not the train!) and I’ve got headlights, cab lights and destination board all going. But at the front behind the LEDs for the headlights is another LED, which looks to be for cab instruments maybe? It doesn’t come on with any combination of functions on the decoder. Do I need a 5 function one, or does this come on by waving the wand? 

 

The instructions don't specify how many functions the decoder requires.

 

The extra LED is the main headlights.

It is connected to AUX3 from a decoder. (Logic level via a transistor)

F0f is markers.

F0r is red tails.

Directional with the F0 key for a standard decoder

AUX 1  and AUX 2 are cab and destination blind - can't remember which - I will check later.

Again -  F1 and F2 keys as normal default on a non-sound decoder

AUX 3 is main headlights - F3 key on a normal decoder

 

edit: Although depending upon the decoder, F keys could be configured to operate other/multiple decoder outputs.

 

 

i.e. You need 5 functions as a minimum.

 

I think 6 functions and a modification to the circuit board to make the saloon lights controllable with a decoder

 

A TPE set in normal running configuration with 5 lights on.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by newbryford

[Awes0mesauce]

3 hours ago, jonnyuk said:

does look good, looks to be raised high though, would need a serious step up from a cork bed i assume though if transitioning from say a storage to a scenic area using the kato track.

Its sadly very expensive here and the HO range (it was for the US market) is lacking compared to N gauge.

 

if the HO range had as much options, it is by far the best “train set” or put away track on the market. 

[Awes0mesauce]

4 hours ago, KDG said:

Indeed. Cue the Electrostar.  It's only 4 cars max. 

Highly unlikely. With revolution due to do the Electrostar in N gauge and the fact they have recently scaled all of their N gauge releases up to OO gauge, it will be revolution who make it. And sadly its some time off. However, i’d like to see more multiple units by Accurascale.

 

imagine a cult classic - the Plastic pig. I salivate at the prospect!

Edited February 11, 2023 by Awes0mesauce

[Colin_McLeod]

On 09/02/2023 at 12:58, jonnyuk said:

i hope that AS limited it to one set of each per account..that would of been the fair thing to do, to stop people buying 10 packs etc

 

I am at a loss to think of a good business reason why AS would deny themselves the income from the other 9 packs.

[Bryn_Bach_Railway]

18 minutes ago, Colin_McLeod said:

 

I am at a loss to think of a good business reason why AS would deny themselves the income from the other 9 packs.

Looking at how the sleepers sold, and the existing hype around them, plus the absurd price they fetch elsewhere. It was pretty much a given that they would sell out, regardless of the limit or not.

 

add that with accurascale’s ‘models made for modellers by modellers’ attitude, a limit of the remaining stock makes sense, and the more individual people who have the coaches, the more potential for good press and reviews for accurascale.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Bryn_Bach_Railway
Second paragraph

[Awes0mesauce]

22 hours ago, Bucoops said:

 

Clunking dell. In my mind I still think of you as a "small" manufacturer. I need to get that out of my head!

Well define a small business or manufacturer - are you using team size as the metric or volume of sales?

 

if anything Accurascale is actually an optimum type of business. In fact, its actually an Old school or super modern (based on trends come and go around)

 

what I mean by that is - Modt businesses now are weighed down by heavy middle management with ridiculous job titles, on far too much money adding to overheads. Its spread like a plague among businesses now which are too top heavy.

 

Accurascale has:

 

- solid financial backing by parties who actually love railways

 

- a core team who are enthusiastic about what they do without seemingly a massive management tier structure - instead, values its people.

 

- Is a passion project above outright profit margins (obviously a business that doesn’t make profit isn’t a business!)

 

I used to work in a company of 10 who manufactured consumer electronic products in a different hobby sector. We made over £10 million profit in year 2.

 

As long as AS maintains its streamlined team, laser focus and doesn’t forget its reasons for existing it will always be a small business - just an extremely successful small business.

 

in terms of its “small” being defined by product range or manufacturing capability, we passed that long ago.

 

and with hall effect sensors coming in the 37s and later, they are also pioneering now too.

 

A small business with a cult following is agile and extremely dangerous to competitors. The other plus is you also get the most out of your people too - as its not just work, its family.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Awes0mesauce

[Traveltrains]

Just like to say. Well done Accurascale on a superb model. My TPE set arrived yesterday, very well packaged and protected for delivery. First quick glance very impressive.

Again another impressive model. 

 

[Ncarter2]

11 hours ago, Awes0mesauce said:

Highly unlikely. With revolution due to do the Electrostar in N gauge and the fact they have recently scaled all of their N gauge releases up to OO gauge, it will be revolution who make it. And sadly its some time off. However, i’d like to see more multiple units by Accurascale.

 

imagine a cult classic - the Plastic pig. I salivate at the prospect!

Did not realise Revolution were doing the 320/321’s in OO. 

[nightstar.train]

On 29/01/2023 at 18:41, Accurascale Fran said:

A four function decoder is required to control the functions and we are working on a bespoke one which we will have news about in due course.

 

Cheers!

 

Fran

 

11 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

The instructions don't specify how may functions the decoder requires.

 

The extra LED is the main headlights.

It is connected to AUX3 from a decoder. (Logic level via a transistor)

F0r is markers.

F0f is red tails. (These two could be the other way round)

Directional with the F0 key for a standard decoder

AUX 1  and AUX 2 are cab and destination blind - can't remember which - I will check later.

Again -  F1 and F2 keys as normal default on a non-sound decoder

AUX 3 is main headlights - F3 on a normal decoder

 

i.e. You need 5 functions as a minimum.

 

I think 6 functions and a modification to the circuit board to make the saloon lights controllable with a decoder

 

A TPE set in normal running configuration with 5 lights on.

 

 

I was going by what Fran had said a number of pages ago. Really quite annoyed now. I’ve chopped the wires off a function only decoder I had in stock and soldered it to a 21 pin plug, and now it doesn’t work because it has too few function! Do the Mk5s ever run with the marker lights on but not the headlights? I’m thinking I’ll just join the circuits. 

[TomScrut]

46 minutes ago, Ncarter2 said:

Did not realise Revolution were doing the 320/321’s in OO. 

And 390!

[Ncarter2]

34 minutes ago, TomScrut said:

And 390!

Do you think we will get the 313/314’s as well?

[Graham108]

On 12/01/2023 at 21:20, TomScrut said:

3. The magnetic couplers are not strong enough for a train of 8 IMO. 

Finally got to run my Aberdeen pack of 6 - and I can't get round a corner (4th radius) without the engine running off on its own. Is there a working solution, or do I just remove the magnetic things and replace with standard tension lock couplings? 

[frobisher]

1 hour ago, Graham108 said:

Finally got to run my Aberdeen pack of 6 - and I can't get round a corner (4th radius) without the engine running off on its own. Is there a working solution, or do I just remove the magnetic things and replace with standard tension lock couplings? 

 

So this is the loco to rake connection that's going rather than between the carriages? Tension locks may just give you different problems... Which loco is causing the issues?