MDO & MDV 21 Ton Mineral Wagons, by Accurascale

[Enterprisingwestern]

12 hours ago, Mark Saunders said:

Never referred to them where I worked, monkey tails on the LNER/NER ones!

 

I variously heard them so called around South Yorkshire/East Midlands, obviously a regional thing!

 

Mike.

[BVMR21]

I’ve found I’ve been using these wagons a lot of the time just due to them looking good, had them out on the club layout quite a few times including for the open day we had a while back.

I’m interested to see what the next run that’s been hinted at is like. Will have to get some to extend the set.

[Captain Kernow]

On 13/01/2022 at 19:28, McC said:

although we did include additional brake gear for conversion in the MDV packs

I didn't buy any of the MDV wagons for myself (being content with the unfitted MDO variety), but I am currently in the throes of converting three MDVs to P4 for a friend.

 

The process is both straightforward and frustrating at the same time!

 

Building on the experience of the MDOs and other RTR conversions, I have found the process of removing the OO brake shoe assembly straightforward, although you do have to tug at each safety loop with the pliers rather too much for my liking, right amongst some otherwise commendably delicate underframe detail. All 8 safety loops came out OK, though.

 

This time, I found that the 12mm Black Beetle wheels fitted pretty well inside the Accurascale axleguards. Any slight hesitation to rotate freely was solved by very slightly easing the axleguard outwards with finger pressure.

 

Installing the EM/P4 brake shoe assemblies is quite straightforward too and again, no plastic needs to be removed from the brakeshoes, any brakeshoe that is a little too close to the BB wheel can be carefully eased away with slight finger pressure again.

 

So far, so good. But the frustrating part comes when trying to replace the eight safety loops!

 

I find it useful to first fit the brake shoe assemblies in all four holes and then ease one corner out at a time to slip each safety loop around the brake pull rods.

 

Then comes the (for me) frustrating part of locating each end of the safety loop assembly in the two, close holes in the underframe with a small pair of pliers. I find lots of light from the desk lamps and an Optivisor essential for this, plus a steady hand and lots of patience!

 

I managed to do two MDVs last night and when I had finished I though, 'phew, that's not a task I want to do again in a hurry!' But then I realised that there are three wagons in a pack, so there's one more to do!

 

However, this is really a minor criticism, when set against the overall high quality of these wagons.

 

I have also found that the Accurascale coal loads are sufficiently heavy, that I don't really need to add any more weight to the wagon, to enable it to stay on the track.

 

 

[Wickham Green too]

For my EM gauge 'MDO' conversions I replaced the safety loops with new ones bent from wire : a) they were a little short anyway - actually in contact with the pushrods b) making one leg longer than the other avoids having to get two wires in holes at the same time c) after all these months I've only just found one I'd lost. 

[zr2498]

I saw on 37 thread that Accurascale are busy getting MDO/Vs out before 37s.

So there has been a delivery of these wagons. I have had an order for MDO loads for quite a while, and on my previous query about this the loads should have been delivered with this batch of wagons. Is that still the case?

[Accurascale Fran]

23 hours ago, zr2498 said:

I saw on 37 thread that Accurascale are busy getting MDO/Vs out before 37s.

So there has been a delivery of these wagons. I have had an order for MDO loads for quite a while, and on my previous query about this the loads should have been delivered with this batch of wagons. Is that still the case?

 

Hi @zr2498,

 

Loads land at our warehouse separately next week.

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

[WILLIAM]

My two packs of MDW wagons arrived with a magnetic wand? Is this a mistake as I can see no tail lights?

 

 

[montyburns56]

2 hours ago, WILLIAM said:

My two packs of MDW wagons arrived with a magnetic wand? Is this a mistake as I can see no tail lights?

 

 

 

It's so that you can make them disappear when the missus sees them and starts asking about how much they cost...

[cessna152towser]

7 hours ago, WILLIAM said:

My two packs of MDW wagons arrived with a magnetic wand? Is this a mistake as I can see no tail lights?

My one pack of MDW wagons also contained a wand.

[franciswilliamwebb]

9 hours ago, cessna152towser said:

My one pack of MDW wagons also contained a wand.

So that’s what the W means in MDW👍🏻

[Islesy]

10 hours ago, cessna152towser said:

My one pack of MDW wagons also contained a wand.

Sssshhhhh, don't tell everyone, they'll all want one 😆

 

With the initial deliveries of the MDWs etc out of the warehouse, there was a mix up whereby the wands were mistakenly added to orders. This was picked up quite quickly, and has been stopped, but a few lucky recipients now have a 'Brucie Bonus' magnetic wand!

 

We're not going to ask for them back, don't worry 😆

 

All the best,

Paul

[Accurascale]

Did we mention these have now arrived? 😁 Grab yours today: https://www.accurascale.com/collections/mdo-mdv-21-ton-mineral-wagons

 

[Southernman46]

Have just received & unpacked MDV's sets G & H and I have to say EVERYTHING from the wagons themselves to the parcel packing which includes card cradles to hold the boxes solidly within the outer box just exudes QUALITY. 

[Sweet pea]

Just ordered pack H of these lovely wagons. Should arrive tomorrow from Rails.

[Dicky L]

[dmsmith]

I’d be interested to know whether anyone has converted this latest batch of either unfitted MDOs or vacuum-fitted MDVs to EM or P4. I was put off the first batch by stories that it wasn’t at all straightforward, which missed the point of buying RTR rather than building a kit. But there was a suggestion that the issues would be addressed in this new batch …

 

Best wishes

David

 

[Banger Blue]

On 25/10/2023 at 09:55, Accurascale Fran said:

 

Hi @zr2498,

 

Loads land at our warehouse separately next week.

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

Did the the load of loads land successfully? I presume if they have, they’re behind the current crop of 37’s in the dispatch process?

[Banger Blue]

On 14/11/2023 at 23:57, Banger Blue said:

Did the the load of loads land successfully? I presume if they have, they’re behind the current crop of 37’s in the dispatch process?

Oh dear, quoting myself! 🫣 

The question has been answered (dispatch must be multi tasking) as amongst all the 37s flying out the door, I’ve had the email to say my MDVs & loads are heading in the same direction and are on their way! 😁

[JSpencer]

The coal loads are brilliant. Each with it's own distinct shape and - as far as I can tell - with real coal.

 

Two pieces of soft foam that hold the coal steady in the package also work well to increase the height of the coal in the wagon (put foam in first at each end and then place the coal load on top).

The fit is just right. It does not fall out if you turn the wagon upside down but pops out easily with a small tap.

 

(EDIT) Psst: MDO coal loads also fit perfectly inside Bachmann 24.5 ton mineral wagons.....

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by JSpencer

[50025]

Just purchased this beauty with my rewards. What would have pulled it and what load would it have had? Cheers!

[McC]

9 minutes ago, 50025 said:

Just purchased this beauty with my rewards. What would have pulled it and what load would it have had? Cheers!

There’s some detaul

in the launch blog

https://www.accurascale.com/en-eu/blogs/news/new-accurascale-exclusive-the-zdv-wagon

[Covkid]

11 hours ago, 50025 said:

Just purchased this beauty with my rewards. What would have pulled it and what load would it have had? Cheers!

 

 

What you need is a beat up class 31, as used extensively for ballast work in the West Midlands back in the day.

There is more than one manufacturer of class 31s, but I have an order with Accurascale  !!!  

 

 

EDIT

Not sure if this link will work but here is a Flickr image of a West Midlands electrification train of the type the "special" wagon was used in.

The Flickr user is Richard Norris and the caption reads

A nice colourful image in fine evening light.....31119 (D5537) +31101 (D5518) Northfield OTP Depot-Lichfield City via Burton on Trent electrification train Saltley 12 June 1991

 

 

 

 

Edited January 28 by Covkid

[Covkid]

Another useful Flickr pic by Dave Gommersall of 31113+31125 on a Kings Norton based electrification train

 

 

 

[Covkid]

And another from Richard Norris - this time  caption reads

 

This was a regular runner during the summer of 1991 for the purpose of elctrifying the Cross City line.....31271/119 Kings Norton-Lichfield City via a reversal at Burton upon Trent Saltley 06-09-1991

 

 

[Captain Kernow]

16 hours ago, McC said:

There’s some detaul

in the launch blog

https://www.accurascale.com/en-eu/blogs/news/new-accurascale-exclusive-the-zdv-wagon

I saw one of these at the club last week and it was very nice indeed, but the chap who'd bought it told me that it was a model of a single, particular wagon, in other words, Accurascale have made a model of a 'celebrity' wagon?