Accurascale's First Steam Locomotive; GWR Collett 78xx Manor Class!

[melmerby]

50 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

 

 

The remedy for that isn't to muck about with CV settings.  It's to set your points correctly!😛

Exactly, but when running manually, I can't see what most are set to.

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, melmerby said:

Exactly, but when running manually, I can't see what most are set to.

 

Bl**dy big layout - or, should have gone to Specsavers?

 

CJI.

[melmerby]

8 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Bl**dy big layout - or, should have gone to Specsavers?

 

CJI.

Where I'm sitting at the moment I am about 14-15' from the furthest turnout, the nearest is about 1' away.

The one I was running through is about 10' away.

Edited September 1, 2023 by melmerby

[cctransuk]

Just now, melmerby said:

Where I'm sitting at the moment I am about 15' from the furthest turnout, the nearest is about 1' away.

 

About the same size as mine, then (layout!).

 

What you need are walkabout controllers - you get your daily exercise that way, too!

 

CJI.

 

 

[Cofga]

This may be a tad off topic but someone questioned about how many coaches their Bulleid Pacific could haul up my 1.9% helix. So today after installing a new decoder I ran my Hornby Merchant Navy Holland-Afrika Line up the helix to see. It had no problems with the Siphon G plus 6 Hornby coaches. Since I was testing I also grabbed my Dapol Mogul and gave it the same test—the best it could do was the Siphon G plus one coach. I think I’ll keep it in the flatlands!

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

The remedy for that isn't to muck about with CV settings.  It's to set your points correctly!😛

 

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

Exactly, but when running manually, I can't see what most are set to.

 

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

Where I'm sitting at the moment I am about 14-15' from the furthest turnout, the nearest is about 1' away.

The one I was running through is about 10' away.

Signals?

[Dunsignalling]

5 hours ago, melmerby said:

So what controls the loco's motor?

Driven by current in the track, like most systems, analogue or digital. DCC inserts an individual "controller" into each powered vehicle, but the "juice" gets to the train the way it always has. Only on-board battery power with radio or IR control offers final liberation from that.

 

The system we use is effectively a conventional DC power unit equipped with a wireless remote control (either a dedicated handset or an app on ones smartphone can be used). All else is conventional cab-control, but the (large) layout is designed on US-style walkabout principles and "drivers" accompany their trains, obeying running signals as they go. Shunting signals are built into the baseboard edges for easy visibility, those on the layout being purely cosmetic.

 

It's been this way since the layout was commenced over a quarter-century ago, but in recent years the rather clunky American radio throttles originally used have given way to the current (and highly recommended) kit from Blue Railways.

 

John

Edited September 2, 2023 by Dunsignalling

[Anoldpom]

Most reviews have mentioned the "quite" realistic coal load in the tender, but as one great modeller once said "The only thing that really looks like coal is coal!"

 

It may have been Peter Denny or David Jenkinson, just cannot find the quote at the moment, still looking!

[atom3624]

I often wonder how much effort people put into sizing the coal load pieces before placement.  I try to imagine the poor fireman lifting some of the probably-20kg chunks some have in their tenders!

Al.

[Hal Nail]

28 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

I often wonder how much effort people put into sizing the coal load pieces before placement.

 

I spent half an hour sifting through to size it all for my 7mm tender last week.

 

I might well re do it though, still doesn't look right to me - smashing coal into the right shape and size chunks isnt actually that easy. So people can be picky about it!

 

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Phil Bullock]

39 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

I often wonder how much effort people put into sizing the coal load pieces before placement.  I try to imagine the poor fireman lifting some of the probably-20kg chunks some have in their tenders!

Al.

it’s why he has a coal pick and hammer!! 

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, atom3624 said:

I often wonder how much effort people put into sizing the coal load pieces before placement.  I try to imagine the poor fireman lifting some of the probably-20kg chunks some have in their tenders!

Al.

That was why the Fireman had a coal hammer.  The ideal lump size  for firing (according to some) is = (human) fist size although some preferred larger lumps.  And in any case how big, or small is a human fist?   But what went into the tender was what was tipped into it - however it was delivered - so some had to be broken up.  Look at photos of the real thing (but not in preservation times and not the  dreaded ovoids of later WR steam years).

Edited September 2, 2023 by The Stationmaster

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

18 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

That was why the Fireman had a coal hammer.  The ideal lump size  for firing (according to some) is = (human) fist size although some preferred larger lumps.  And in any case how big, or small is a human fist?   But what went into the tender was what was tipped into it - however it was delivered - so some had to be broken up.  Look at photos of the real thing (but not in preservation times and not the  dreaded ovoids of later WR steam years).

 

[The Outcast]

I brought the sound fitted Torquay Manor - a fantastic model, looks and sounds amazing! Need to get the new layout set up so I can run the thing properly - should have that done by the year's end. 

[BroadLeaves]

On 01/09/2023 at 13:22, McC said:

About two weeks after you get your parcel, we send you a validated email request, this ensures that reviews are only left by 'real' customers.

Seems a bit of a roundabout way to do it. I get that you want reviews only by people you know have purchased the product, but as soon as someone logs into their account on your web site, you know exactly what they've purchased.

Why wait two weeks before letting anyone post a review, and why does it need an e-mail sent? Surely a link on the website for logged on users is easier and still gives you the "only left by 'real' customers" thing?

[Rugd1022]

4 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

 

I spent half an hour sifting through to size it all for my 7mm tender last week.

 

I might well re do it though, still doesn't look right to me - smashing coal into the right shape and size chunks isnt actually that easy. So people can be picky about it!

 

 

 

 

 

The finesse around the fire iron bracket, handbrake, lamp iron, water filler and handrails is just lovely.

[Hal Nail]

9 minutes ago, Rugd1022 said:

The finesse around the fire iron bracket, handbrake, lamp iron, water filler and handrails is just lovely.

All Heljans work although that's also the advantage of 7mm. 

[Rugd1022]

4 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

All Heljans work although that's also the advantage of 7mm. 

 

43xx I take it Hal...?

 

 

[Hal Nail]

Just now, Rugd1022 said:

43xx I take it Hal...?

yep. Unfortunately they didn't really sell very fast and the A3 and A4 even worse, so doubt we will see any others for a while 

 

Some calls for Accurascale to upscale the manor but its a lot of investment when they have so many 4mm models they could do especially if they re use the tender.

[Mark Hamlin]

Any sign of the Black Manors arriving yet. Can’t wait to get mine 😀

[Roy Langridge]

7 hours ago, BroadLeaves said:

Seems a bit of a roundabout way to do it. I get that you want reviews only by people you know have purchased the product, but as soon as someone logs into their account on your web site, you know exactly what they've purchased.

Why wait two weeks before letting anyone post a review, and why does it need an e-mail sent? Surely a link on the website for logged on users is easier and still gives you the "only left by 'real' customers" thing?

I like the current way it works. Tends to stop those “haven’t opened it yet but here’s 5 stars” type of review.

 

Roy

 

[BroadLeaves]

20 minutes ago, Roy Langridge said:

Tends to stop those “haven’t opened it yet but here’s 5 stars” type of review.

 From https://www.accurascale.com/collections/gwr-7800-manor-class/products/7812-erlestoke-manor-br-manor-class Maybe it was these that prompted the change to the new system.

 

There's no reason why a link can't become active a week after dispatch. Not being able to just log on to the Accurascale web site and leave a review for the product you've bought from that web site, but having to wait for an e-mail, seems odd... 

And let's not get into the fact that the link in the e-mail isn't even direct to the site, but via a third-party tracking service!

It may well be that web site is falling behind a bit relative to the model development, which is an understandable prioritisation. It's not that long ago that the URL for Cookham Manor had "copy-of-7801-anthony-manor" in it (corrected now), so clearly pages are being generated by hand, by taking an existing page, copying it, editing it and then publishing it (and not noticing the wonky URL!).

Not singling Accurascale out here, really. Hornby's is pretty terrible (search for "Peckett" and the most relevant hit is not even a Peckett itself, but a decoder for it) and the search on the Bachmann site gives you results that if you follow them take you a page that says "We're sorry, you don't have permission to access this page."

[McC]

The way we do it at the moment works both for GDPR compliance and validation of reviews. As i said earlier if anyone wants to review before they get the email just click the Chat button on the website and ask us :) We’re online in real time every working day. The website is pretty automated now and we always welcome constructive criticism. I dare say we’ve spent a lot less on our site than our larger friends you mention 😀

[Ribird]

Received my Torquay Manor today (first of a few). Don’t want to repeat everything else has said 😉 but the few things that stick out to me the most; 

-The front of the bogie is by far the best in rtr, and having an option of removing the detail and throwing an NEM socket into it

-The drawbar is repeating what others have switched away from, but done way better. I prefer this over the “click pins” others are starting to use, with no option of making the gap smaller. This new cam system seems flawless, and the fall plate covers the wires. No chance of snagging now! With an option of making the gap even smaller. 

-The rods on this are thick compared to thin etched metal others follow. 
-Compared to the original samples, colors on this is phenomenal. The safety bonnet and chimney look perfect for a model. 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Ribird
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[Eddie the dog]

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Edited September 3, 2023 by Eddie the dog