More model ideas

[97406]

6 hours ago, atom3624 said:

Does that include the Class 40 then .... just asking?  😊

 

Al.

 

There’s a shipment of Accurascale Class 37 oval buffers and screw couplings on its way to go on my fleet of 40s which are getting their chassis fettled at the moment so there will be a little bit of Accurascale in my 40s very soon!

[E100]

We're in the low season currently but can't wait for the catch up to happen so we get back to more regular releases. Even if I don't want it, the videos are always really well done and are the new benchmark for releases which only the Bachmann 47 release has come close to in recent years IMO.

[No Decorum]

3 hours ago, E100 said:

We're in the low season currently but can't wait for the catch up to happen so we get back to more regular releases. Even if I don't want it, the videos are always really well done and are the new benchmark for releases which only the Bachmann 47 release has come close to in recent years IMO.

I’ve never seen a launch to beat the Manors’. The object of curiosity emerging from the morning mist. Much better than a series of shots of tempting locos preceding an announcement of something which had been done before; more or less. The flash of LNER green had me dribbling at the prospect of a K4 until I realised it wasn’t a K4. Cruelty to a dumb animal, that was!

[No Decorum]

17 hours ago, McC said:

 

Oh very soon. Our ‘launch later’ mantra means that things will be much much closer to delivery before revealed 👍👍

I hope that’s not the “very soon” which preceds “image” on some retailer’s sites as soon as something is announced! Let it be steam and let it be something not produced RTR before. Let it be green but not too dark. Ah! A K4!

 

(A K2 would also be most acceptable.)

[E100]

A K2 or K4 would be most welcome or heck even a K1/1 or V4.

 

Can't see a K1/1 as that's a one off even if that hasn't stopped a class 89 or CR123 in the past! V4 I could see in conjunction with the project to bring one back similar to the refreshed P2 model and 2007. The key thing based on speaking with Accurascale is that either one must really be in the flesh or decent drawings / extensive photos available. Anything which falls out of this will struggle to get past the sifting as it would be difficult to maintain accuracy with conviction.

Edited April 10 by E100

[Wickham Green too]

47 minutes ago, No Decorum said:

... Let it be steam and let it be something not produced RTR before. Let it be green but not too dark. ...

Not many options there in malachite green !!

[atom3624]

Is that Parallel boilered Scot any closer as well - would be a superb option?

Al.

Edited April 11 by atom3624

[WilltheMechanist]

The Stanier 8f perhaps?

[MoonM]

6 hours ago, WilltheMechanist said:

The Stanier 8f perhaps?

Gotta be a question of when and not if... 

[atom3624]

54 minutes ago, MoonM said:

Gotta be a question of when and not if... 

With decent power and traction please!!  Hornby one can't pull the skin off a rice pudding!!  Mine has added weight as well.

Al.

[farren]

54 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

With decent power and traction please!!  Hornby one can't pull the skin off a rice pudding!!  Mine has added weight as well.

Al.

My moneys on Hornby’s with the 8f, the princess Coronation and Royal both done with the  black 5 on the way. 8f has to be next unless they go for the Stanier rebuilds first. Which are still good models but, could be improved on. Possibly to decrease the production costs which might increase sales. Both models could do with a bit more weight if space permits. 

Edited April 11 by farren

[BVMR21]

Given there was the Twitter/X hint a few years back (and the others), it wouldn't surprise me if we do see the 8F materialise from Accurascale.

[The Johnster]

On 11/04/2024 at 11:52, farren said:

My moneys on Hornby’s with the 8f, the princess Coronation and Royal both done with the  black 5 on the way. 8f has to be next unless they go for the Stanier rebuilds first. Which are still good models but, could be improved on. Possibly to decrease the production costs which might increase sales. Both models could do with a bit more weight if space permits. 

 

I doubt we'll see many more 4mm new toolings from Hornby for a while, as the company concentrates its attention on the TT120 range.  And Bachmann, the other 'traditional' big player, seem to have reacted to the world recession by consolidating their range rather than expanding it, no doubt under the guidance of their parent, Kader, so, again, I rather doubt there will be much steam input from them for the foreseeable; their recent innovations have been in the field of retooled established diesel models and there has been no steam development sinceh the 94xx and J72, a few years back now.  Accurascale, along with Dapol (in their current form) and Rapido, are companies i think of as being newcomers, but this is not fair to them, and they are well-established features of the scene.  In the case of Acc and Rap, they are clearly willing to engage with modellers on sites such as this one, and are much more 'approachable' and responsive to our suggestions. 

 

So, my view (other views are available and may well be better informed than mine) is that a new 8F is fairly low-hanging fruit and probably on the cards in the next few years, but it is much more likely to come from the Acc/Dap/Rap combo. 

 

I agree wholeheartedly on your point about tractive weight, though, and not just on the models mentioned,  Haulage of current RTR is not what it should be despite much freeer-running stock than of old, and it has been my practice to ballast over the driving wheels to the greatest extent that I can over the past seven decades; I have yet to make a loco's haulage performance worse and have often improved running by doing this, partly because of the increased inertia/momentum imparted by the weight, and partly because the downward pressure on the pickup wheels is increased as well, improving the electrical connection at the rail/wheel interface.  If I can do it, the manufacturers should be doing it for me IMHO.  The situation isn't as straightforward as that view suggests, of course, as for 21st-century models DCC and DCC sound has to be catered for in the tooling while DC Luddites like me have to be considered as well.  Increased use of die-cast metal in components is a step in the right direction, but RTR, especially steam outline, has some way to go in replicating the performance of the prototype.  An 8P pacific should be able to haul 15 bogies on the level at a scale 90mph, and an 8F should be able to haul 60 goods vehicles at 45mph, or 100 minerals at 25. 

 

Admittedly few of us have layouts that allow such working, but I contend that my point is correct in principle.  Large prairies that have trouble with 6 ML&C coaches when the real thing hauled 2 sets of them in daily service out of Paddington are not really cutting the mustard, although the loads on my layout are 3 tops.  The locos that run into difficulty sometimes are at Cwmdimbath are Bachmann small prairies, hefty little things to be fair with die-cast running plates but the 3-coach auto sandwiches required for Saturday services tax them a bit.  I claim Rule 1 greasy rails.  The prototype was classed at 4MT by BR, and should be able to do better than that! 

[Dunsignalling]

On 12/04/2024 at 15:03, The Johnster said:

 

I doubt we'll see many more 4mm new toolings from Hornby for a while, as the company concentrates its attention on the TT120 range.  And Bachmann, the other 'traditional' big player, seem to have reacted to the world recession by consolidating their range rather than expanding it, no doubt under the guidance of their parent, Kader, so, again, I rather doubt there will be much steam input from them for the foreseeable; their recent innovations have been in the field of retooled established diesel models and there has been no steam development sinceh the 94xx and J72, a few years back now.  Accurascale, along with Dapol (in their current form) and Rapido, are companies i think of as being newcomers, but this is not fair to them, and they are well-established features of the scene.  In the case of Acc and Rap, they are clearly willing to engage with modellers on sites such as this one, and are much more 'approachable' and responsive to our suggestions. 

 

So, my view (other views are available and may well be better informed than mine) is that a new 8F is fairly low-hanging fruit and probably on the cards in the next few years, but it is much more likely to come from the Acc/Dap/Rap combo. 

 

I agree wholeheartedly on your point about tractive weight, though, and not just on the models mentioned,  Haulage of current RTR is not what it should be despite much freeer-running stock than of old, and it has been my practice to ballast over the driving wheels to the greatest extent that I can over the past seven decades; I have yet to make a loco's haulage performance worse and have often improved running by doing this, partly because of the increased inertia/momentum imparted by the weight, and partly because the downward pressure on the pickup wheels is increased as well, improving the electrical connection at the rail/wheel interface.  If I can do it, the manufacturers should be doing it for me IMHO.  The situation isn't as straightforward as that view suggests, of course, as for 21st-century models DCC and DCC sound has to be catered for in the tooling while DC Luddites like me have to be considered as well.  Increased use of die-cast metal in components is a step in the right direction, but RTR, especially steam outline, has some way to go in replicating the performance of the prototype.  An 8P pacific should be able to haul 15 bogies on the level at a scale 90mph, and an 8F should be able to haul 60 goods vehicles at 45mph, or 100 minerals at 25. 

 

Admittedly few of us have layouts that allow such working, but I contend that my point is correct in principle.  Large prairies that have trouble with 6 ML&C coaches when the real thing hauled 2 sets of them in daily service out of Paddington are not really cutting the mustard, although the loads on my layout are 3 tops.  The locos that run into difficulty sometimes are at Cwmdimbath are Bachmann small prairies, hefty little things to be fair with die-cast running plates but the 3-coach auto sandwiches required for Saturday services tax them a bit.  I claim Rule 1 greasy rails.  The prototype was classed at 4MT by BR, and should be able to do better than that! 

 

How many hours/miles have your small prairies run?

 

Bachmann locos are almost uniformly gutless when brand new; they slip like the devil until you get the newness off the wheels. Examples, in addition to the small prairies: are the  2251 and N, all those struggled with 4 coaches out of the box and walk seven now. My WD couldn't manage more than 20 wagons to begin with now and even the 9F only 30.  Double that now (probably more but ran out of room). 

 

However, achieving such improvements takes running time, and lots of it, Mine got it on automatic circuits round a 32'x12' layout used all day on group open days running about ten minutes of every hour, ten 'til four for whole weekends.   

 

My oldest and most used 9F will start 46 on a 1 in 50 gradient, and half of them on a 3' curve at the bottom with no trace of a slip.  

 

Difficult if you don't have access to a continuous run to give things a proper running-in for several hours with gradually increasing loads, and a periodic canter to loosen them up. Months shuttling up and down a branch line at a scale 25 mph and they lose the will to live.

 

My rolling road is great for bedding in motion, axles, gears and motor, and those occasional canters, but wheels need track mileage.

 

John

Edited April 13 by Dunsignalling

[PieGuyRob]

I think it is safe to say that Accurascale have more steam trains to announce, as I think when the gwr, and, buck jumper were announced, they said they had 8 kettles in the pipeline. I don't know if that included the Hatton's coffee makers, or not. But, I think Accurascale have 6 more water heaters in development.

[The Johnster]

9 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

How many hours/miles have your small prairies run?

 

Six and seven years service on a BLT respectively for the 4575s; they improved haulage-wise over time in exactly the way you outline.  IIRC Bachmann at one time plated their wheels with an alloy that is a bit slippy until it wears in, after which the microscopic irregularities it develops enable decent gripping.  I have also played around with the strength of the springing of the pony and radial truck, as I was of the view that this was too strong and trying to lift the driving wheels off the track.  My solitary 45xx, 4557, is mostly employed on the pickup which it is completely at home with, and seems happy enough with its occasional two-coach passenger work. 

 

I have a feeling that the sandwich auto work may have an effect, as it means that the loco has to haul and propel the stock simultaneously.  Difficult to pin down, but this could mean that the compression of the leading end of the loco may mean that haulage is affected differently to simply hauling three coaches; this theory is bourne out by the fact that slipping occurs more readily when the locos are hauling one trailer and propelling two.  Moreover, one of the trailers is a Silurian Era Keyser A31 whitemetal kit, and this thing is a serious lump of heft; it cannot be used in a 3-coach train as it will cause any of my locos to slip to a standstill.

Edited April 13 by The Johnster

[atom3624]

There appears a slight GWR bias in the steam locomotives - apart from the industrials of course.

How about 'Heritage Specials' - preserved locomotives still steaming on the rails?

 

OK, these are reasonably well covered by others.

2 I'd love to see to a high standard are the recently re-introduced / on trials 60532 Blue Peter Peppercorn A2 (Bachmann's looks very decent I admit and goes quite well - mine does anyway) and 71k DoG BR 8P - an average-good model produced by Hornby which can surely be easily bettered.

 

I stay with my original 'requests' of course:

Parallel Royal Scot.

Jubilee - several guises available.

8F - game for a 'powerful, quality' model.

Class 40.

 

Ones not done - fascinating to some, relevant perhaps to others, probably not to many.

Bressingham's own 'Thundersley' atlantic tank is a nice one for consideration.

 

If you stay on the GWR front, then 4-6-0 Halls and Counties are worthy.

Hornby make a good stab at the Castles and Kings, even if they're a little over-geared!

 

Al.

[Ravel]

A vote for any  "CAF" multiple unit - 195/331 would be ideal really but there is plenty go at now and a safe bet, so long as they don't fall apart too much more they will be around for a while.. plus I'm sure your in development 22000 driveline would fit nicely as they are roughly give or take a few CMs the same length.. 🫡

[MoonM]

Annoucement of new products this week (aside from 37108)? In the days preceding a major show seems typical and it's been a while...

[reddragon]

11 minutes ago, MoonM said:

Annoucement of new products this week (aside from 37108)? In the days preceding a major show seems typical and it's been a while...

Maybe Murphys models becomes part of AS and a range of new Mk2def coaches?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

On 06/04/2024 at 19:20, atom3624 said:

...14xx, a 'latest standards' version would be brilliant...

Five minutes inspection of Bachmann's construction plan on their two 0-4-4T's will reveal how it should be done: all metal construction above the driven wheels, lightweight tackle (coreless motor, DCC socket) and all plastic construction to the rear of the coupled wheelbase. Result: centre of gravity within the coupled wheelbase, resulting in stable traction pushing or pulling, uphill or down. (I  am a little surprised there hasn't been more noise about this from the Southernistas.)

[Steve Purves]

56 minutes ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

Five minutes inspection of Bachmann's construction plan on their two 0-4-4T's will reveal how it should be done: all metal construction above the driven wheels, lightweight tackle (coreless motor, DCC socket) and all plastic construction to the rear of the coupled wheelbase. Result: centre of gravity within the coupled wheelbase, resulting in stable traction pushing or pulling, uphill or down. (I  am a little surprised there hasn't been more noise about this from the Southernistas.)

 

As the engineer behind the aforementioned 0-4-4t's in my previous life, I should think any Accurascale 0-4-2t (or 0-4-4t for that matter) should be more than capable!

Edited April 22 by Steve Purves

[ThaneofFife]

A TT loco?

Class 47......

[GordonC]

6 minutes ago, ThaneofFife said:

A TT loco?

Class 47......

 

🤣 cat and pigeons spring to mind

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

1 hour ago, Steve Purves said:

As the engineer behind the aforementioned 0-4-4t's in my previous life, I should think any Accurascale 0-4-2t (or 0-4-4t for that matter) should be more than capable!

The G5 is a gem, I take my hat off to you. Plenty of low hanging fruit just begging for this superior arrangement. 😄