The HAA and extended MGR family, CDA and MHA in OO/4mm, by Accurascale

[JN]

2 hours ago, Torbay Express said:

The hoppers with strengtheners may present a bit of a challenge.....

 

I can understand the attraction of loads and it's good that A/S are receptive at producing such items and catering for such demand.  I am not a great modeller, but I do actually enjoy producing my own loads, but thinking laterally.... making loads is a relatively easy modelling technique to master, but is it possibly a stepping stone to give confidence to attempt more advanced techniques?  

 

This is not a criticism, but does the person who purchases loads, buy them for convenience (for a variety of reasons which could even provide more time to do modelling tasks a person finds enjoyable),or to avoid modelling because they don't have the belief that they can do it, and therefore probably never develop confidence to undertake any more advanced modelling techniques, such as weathering the vehicles that they have just popped loads in?  

 

This touches on a few personal issues, but I will do my best to explain whilst also wanting to be a bit guarded.

 

I am an avoider and this is to do with low confidence and not just to do with my modelling skills.

 

As well as the steel wagons which went wrong I remember trying to renumber a TTA wagon. The first went well, but the second did not. I could make a new data panel by changing fonts and sizes of fonts, but things went wrong when I tried applying the waterslide transfers. I am not a very practical person. Most people who know me would probably describe me as academic.

 

I have found a couple of videos online about making loads for plank and 16t wagons. I do not know how to make loads for a MGR wagon, but I do not think the process will be massively different. I would also have to use finer, more like powder, coal than lumpy domestic coal.

[JN]

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0SkapMBB94

 

A couple of videos I thought people might find of interest and/or use.

[Torbay Express]

1 hour ago, JN said:

 

This touches on a few personal issues, but I will do my best to explain whilst also wanting to be a bit guarded.

 

I am an avoider and this is to do with low confidence and not just to do with my modelling skills.

 

As well as the steel wagons which went wrong I remember trying to renumber a TTA wagon. The first went well, but the second did not. I could make a new data panel by changing fonts and sizes of fonts, but things went wrong when I tried applying the waterslide transfers. I am not a very practical person. Most people who know me would probably describe me as academic.

 

I have found a couple of videos online about making loads for plank and 16t wagons. I do not know how to make loads for a MGR wagon, but I do not think the process will be massively different. I would also have to use finer, more like powder, coal than lumpy domestic coal.

I appreciate your honesty and also that we are all different with strengths and weaknesses.  I think the great thing with this hobby is the amount of people who will share their tips to help each other along.  For saying my father started buying model railways over 35+ years ago, had a loft converted and it properly staged on 2 levels, sundeala tops and the works, but has never laid a piece of track or run a train in there!  It's ended up as a store room.  Indeed, in our home I have built staging and laid track and tried to sort some wiring!  He has never done it because he has always believed he carn't.  But at least I have had a go, and it's took over 5 years!  But my kids have a track that runs, I didn't.  And if I ever do get to do my dream layout, there are lots of things I would do different, because I have made mistakes  One main one (discussed earlier in this thread) is to have curves much greater than 3rd Radius (I thought that they would be good but are less than ideal) and to design tracks not to couple locomotives to trains on curves!  

 

The first loads I made I used cardboard inners for HEA, HAA and MEA.  Later on I went a little more professional with balsa bases.  My latest task is wood loads for Revolution IWA's, which have taken a few attempts so far, but still not happy with them, but Getty there!

 

I sympathize with the transfers and things not going correct.  After successfully re-numbering a Hornby 56, I tried a Heljan 58 which didn't go well damaging the paint below.  It's still in its box awaiting my painting skills to get good enough to resolve it,the cabs need a repaint on the sides and fronts where the numbers didn't come off as planned, from the days of them costing £49 on special offer from a retailer in Liverpool!  In contrast the other year I plucked up the courage to pay nearly £80 to try again on a Mainline Blue one!  Sucker for punishment........  Fortunately, with alot of patience, it worked.  Transfers can be a pain -Mainline Blue 58s, or the one I modelled had lots of the small OH Live Wires transfers and at least 50% failed!  Indeed one transfer manufacturer even provides some spares.

 

I would never advise anyone to do something they don't want to do, and ultimately a hobby is for personal enjoyment, so we need to enjoy it, not do things to ruin our personal enjoyment.    Like I say I am far from a good modeller - in over 5 years I have 4 ovals, and an upper level, mostly ballasted but nothing else, plus hit and miss wiring.  In fact, this layout is actually for me to learn from my mistakes, because we all make them - if we don't then we never do anything, but more importantly learn from mistakes and improve.   In fact there can be few to need such diverse skills as carpentry, electrics, electronics, scenery, painting, kit building, researching, etc..  And very few are good at everything.  One of my biggest issues is actually finishing something that I start, such as the layout! 

 

When it comes to painting and transfers I have bought some £3.50 wagons to eventually have a go at.  It's going to be a long road, but as in most things preparation is key, hence starting with painting paper, polystyrene etc.,in order to learn to paint and my airbrush plus compressor, then I need to learn masking, then apply varnishes, then transfers and finally finishing and weathering, plus whatever else tries to trip me up on the way, which instead of failures will hopefully will  give me even better experience to handle problems when eventually I hopefully have the courage to start reworking models. 

 

If you see the Irish Thurty Tree in one of the A/S threads it actually sickens me - look at it - it's perfection!  Whilst some of the team are accomplished modellers - at least one can paint that well and it's just for an April's Fools Joke that lasts until 12noon!  I can't wait to see them at a show and after discussing the treats on show, try and find out who the master painter is and listen to everything they say in the hopes of syphoning a few tips......(damn they know my strategy now!) But I bet you along the way they made their fair share of mistakes, and probably learnt more by making them, to attain the standard they are at today.

 

We learn to walk by watching others and falling over a few times along the way.  Then when we master it, we go on to things like jogging and running....most things in life are the same.  The only true mistake is thinking you're the best and arrogant enough to think that you have nothing left to learn, that's when you really fall over....

 

 

[Roy Langridge]

The other thing that often gets missed is different people enjoy different aspects of our hobby and that, often combined with a lack of time, focusses where effort is expended. 
 

For me, I enjoy the electronics (including stock) and scenic side of my railways more than I do building/repainting locos etc. 

 

I unashamedly bought loads for my wagons, knowing that I can spend my limited time doing what I enjoy most. 
 

As my available time changes in the future, what I do myself may change, but for now that is how it is. 
 

Roy

[hmrspaul]

16 hours ago, aureol40012 said:

I could of course be totally wrong but I’m thinking that pre-made loads may not be possible for these because of the stanchions across the top of the wagon?

But these wagons appear to have been loaded remarkably high, so couldn't a load simply sit over the stanchions (cross bearers)? I expect loaded wagons show well in some of the videos but here is a loaded example https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brhaapre80/ee053555 You wouldn't see the internal cross bearers even if they were still there and in reasonable condition. [Loaded wagons didn't sit around in the yards like the unloaded ones did]

 

and it's not a problem with the rebodies. https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brhaapost80/e119292e1    https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brhaapost80/e28d21dd

 

Paul

[TomScrut]

3 hours ago, Roy Langridge said:

The other thing that often gets missed is different people enjoy different aspects of our hobby and that, often combined with a lack of time, focusses where effort is expended. 

 

Exactly. Another important thing is to understand what the objective of the hobby is for each person. Some people like playing with/running trains and so the modelling is a means to an end, I get the impression that to others the modelling is where they get their enjoyment.

[JN]

13 hours ago, Torbay Express said:

I appreciate your honesty and also that we are all different with strengths and weaknesses.  I think the great thing with this hobby is the amount of people who will share their tips to help each other along.  For saying my father started buying model railways over 35+ years ago, had a loft converted and it properly staged on 2 levels, sundeala tops and the works, but has never laid a piece of track or run a train in there!  It's ended up as a store room.  Indeed, in our home I have built staging and laid track and tried to sort some wiring!  He has never done it because he has always believed he carn't.  But at least I have had a go, and it's took over 5 years!  But my kids have a track that runs, I didn't.  And if I ever do get to do my dream layout, there are lots of things I would do different, because I have made mistakes  One main one (discussed earlier in this thread) is to have curves much greater than 3rd Radius (I thought that they would be good but are less than ideal) and to design tracks not to couple locomotives to trains on curves!  

 

The first loads I made I used cardboard inners for HEA, HAA and MEA.  Later on I went a little more professional with balsa bases.  My latest task is wood loads for Revolution IWA's, which have taken a few attempts so far, but still not happy with them, but Getty there!

 

I sympathize with the transfers and things not going correct.  After successfully re-numbering a Hornby 56, I tried a Heljan 58 which didn't go well damaging the paint below.  It's still in its box awaiting my painting skills to get good enough to resolve it,the cabs need a repaint on the sides and fronts where the numbers didn't come off as planned, from the days of them costing £49 on special offer from a retailer in Liverpool!  In contrast the other year I plucked up the courage to pay nearly £80 to try again on a Mainline Blue one!  Sucker for punishment........  Fortunately, with alot of patience, it worked.  Transfers can be a pain -Mainline Blue 58s, or the one I modelled had lots of the small OH Live Wires transfers and at least 50% failed!  Indeed one transfer manufacturer even provides some spares.

 

I would never advise anyone to do something they don't want to do, and ultimately a hobby is for personal enjoyment, so we need to enjoy it, not do things to ruin our personal enjoyment.    Like I say I am far from a good modeller - in over 5 years I have 4 ovals, and an upper level, mostly ballasted but nothing else, plus hit and miss wiring.  In fact, this layout is actually for me to learn from my mistakes, because we all make them - if we don't then we never do anything, but more importantly learn from mistakes and improve.   In fact there can be few to need such diverse skills as carpentry, electrics, electronics, scenery, painting, kit building, researching, etc..  And very few are good at everything.  One of my biggest issues is actually finishing something that I start, such as the layout! 

 

When it comes to painting and transfers I have bought some £3.50 wagons to eventually have a go at.  It's going to be a long road, but as in most things preparation is key, hence starting with painting paper, polystyrene etc.,in order to learn to paint and my airbrush plus compressor, then I need to learn masking, then apply varnishes, then transfers and finally finishing and weathering, plus whatever else tries to trip me up on the way, which instead of failures will hopefully will  give me even better experience to handle problems when eventually I hopefully have the courage to start reworking models. 

 

If you see the Irish Thurty Tree in one of the A/S threads it actually sickens me - look at it - it's perfection!  Whilst some of the team are accomplished modellers - at least one can paint that well and it's just for an April's Fools Joke that lasts until 12noon!  I can't wait to see them at a show and after discussing the treats on show, try and find out who the master painter is and listen to everything they say in the hopes of syphoning a few tips......(damn they know my strategy now!) But I bet you along the way they made their fair share of mistakes, and probably learnt more by making them, to attain the standard they are at today.

 

We learn to walk by watching others and falling over a few times along the way.  Then when we master it, we go on to things like jogging and running....most things in life are the same.  The only true mistake is thinking you're the best and arrogant enough to think that you have nothing left to learn, that's when you really fall over....

 

 

 

4 hours ago, Roy Langridge said:

The other thing that often gets missed is different people enjoy different aspects of our hobby and that, often combined with a lack of time, focusses where effort is expended. 
 

For me, I enjoy the electronics (including stock) and scenic side of my railways more than I do building/repainting locos etc. 

 

I unashamedly bought loads for my wagons, knowing that I can spend my limited time doing what I enjoy most. 
 

As my available time changes in the future, what I do myself may change, but for now that is how it is. 
 

Roy

 

 

[Accurascale Fran]

Hi everyone,

 

Great news! Our first delivery of the MGR family of wagons, namely the HAAs in original guise are now in stock! We have begun dispatching pre-orders and following a spike in pre-orders last week following news of their immanent arrival, we have a limited amount of stock remaining. 

 

 

So, grab your HOP ABs/HAAs in freight brown and railfreight red while you can! £74.95 per triple pack, and free UK P&P :) 

 

Order via your local stockist, or here: https://accurascale.co.uk/collections/merry-go-round-mgr/availability_in-stock?

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

Edited May 4, 2022 by Accurascale Fran

[brushman47544]

On 30/04/2022 at 11:54, hmrspaul said:

But these wagons appear to have been loaded remarkably high, so couldn't a load simply sit over the stanchions (cross bearers)? I expect loaded wagons show well in some of the videos but here is a loaded example https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brhaapre80/ee053555 You wouldn't see the internal cross bearers even if they were still there and in reasonable condition. [Loaded wagons didn't sit around in the yards like the unloaded ones did]

 

and it's not a problem with the rebodies. https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brhaapost80/e119292e1    https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brhaapost80/e28d21dd

 

Paul

 

But wouldn't that make the wagons top heavy and more prone to derailment? You would probably need to add ballast weight at chassis level to compensate.

[PJ10]

Morning Accurascale. I received my shipment notification e-mail earlier this morning. Thanks. Looking forward to receiving them.

 

Now what about notification of future runs. I’ll need more than my initial order of 9 for a decent rake……

 

PJ10

[Accurascale Fran]

18 minutes ago, PJ10 said:

Morning Accurascale. I received my shipment notification e-mail earlier this morning. Thanks. Looking forward to receiving them.

 

Now what about notification of future runs. I’ll need more than my initial order of 9 for a decent rake……

 

PJ10

 

Hi @PJ10,

 

We're always working away on such things in the background. We can see this being a constant more or less in our range.

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

[Bishdurham]

Great to know they are on the way, but wish you wouldn't use DHL  the  fees are excessive!

[PJ10]

31 minutes ago, Accurascale Fran said:

 

Hi @PJ10,

 

We're always working away on such things in the background. We can see this being a constant more or less in our range.

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

Thanks Fran, just re read my earlier post. Hopefully it wasn’t misinterpreted. My future run comment was meant as a light hearted comment. I’m certain there are many goodies being worked. Cheers

[Roy Langridge]

Time to get my Heljan 58 out and give is a service 😁. My 4 packs are on their way.

Roy

[Accurascale Fran]

1 minute ago, PJ10 said:

Thanks Fran, just re read my earlier post. Hopefully it wasn’t misinterpreted. My future run comment was meant as a light hearted comment. I’m certain there are many goodies being worked. Cheers

 

Not at all, we know there is lots of excitement about them and we're keen to push on with future runs based on sales so far. We have all sorts of plans... :)

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

[Phil Bullock]

58 minutes ago, Accurascale Fran said:

 

Hi @PJ10,

 

We're always working away on such things in the background. We can see this being a constant more or less in our range.

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

That sounds a great plan Fran. It’s a big frustration when a manufacturer models a common prototype but only does an initial batch before supplies become difficult .

[Porcy Mane]

On 29/04/2022 at 19:36, Torbay Express said:

The hoppers with strengtheners may present a bit of a challenge.....

 

You bet!  I'll link to my post earlier in the thread showing HAA and HCA loads and strengtheners.  

 

 

[brushman47544]

1 hour ago, Bishdurham said:

Great to know they are on the way, but wish you wouldn't use DHL  the  fees are excessive!

 

Why are you paying fees to DHL? I'm in the EU and so I order Accurascale products from their .eu website. I pay in euro and since they are shipped from the EU I don't pay customs fees, they are simply delivered.

[Bishdurham]

43 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

 

Why are you paying fees to DHL? I'm in the EU and so I order Accurascale products from their .eu website. I pay in euro and since they are shipped from the EU I don't pay customs fees, they are simply delivered.

I am in the Dominion of Canada.  DHL take the import duty of 15% and then add a $20 charge for the fun of it.  If items are sent by the Post Office they may get stopped by the Canadian Border Services Agency and they charge 15% and $10, but if it is a small item they are probably passed.   The practice of sending lots of small parcels by DHL can be rather expensive and outweigh the cost of the items purchased.  But most shippers don't seem to care and loose a customer.

[McC]

58 minutes ago, Bishdurham said:

I am in the Dominion of Canada.  DHL take the import duty of 15% and then add a $20 charge for the fun of it.  If items are sent by the Post Office they may get stopped by the Canadian Border Services Agency and they charge 15% and $10, but if it is a small item they are probably passed.   The practice of sending lots of small parcels by DHL can be rather expensive and outweigh the cost of the items purchased.  But most shippers don't seem to care and loose a customer.

 

Drop our care team an email, and we can flag your account to only send RM if you prefer? We find DHL offer a superior service, etc, but are more than happy to change the default on a per customer basis.

[Bishdurham]

23 minutes ago, McC said:

 

Drop our care team an email, and we can flag your account to only send RM if you prefer? We find DHL offer a superior service, etc, but are more than happy to change the default on a per customer basis.

Thanks!  Will do!  Richard

[Krieghoff]

Hi All.

I have just ordered pack one and two of the HAA'sin railfreight red and have on order three packs of the HDA's in RF red, do we have an idea when the HDA's will arrive landfall.....apologies if this has been asked or identified before.

 

May thanks,

[McC]

7 hours ago, Krieghoff said:

Hi All.

I have just ordered pack one and two of the HAA'sin railfreight red and have on order three packs of the HDA's in RF red, do we have an idea when the HDA's will arrive landfall.....apologies if this has been asked or identified before.

 

May thanks,

The other variants in the range and the mha wagons (and a few more items) are due to be loaded in the next two weeks 

[Accurascale Fran]

LESS THAN 10% OF HAAs LEFT IN STOCK!

 

Hi everyone, 

 

Wow! 

 

These first HAA packs have shifted fast, and as a result we have less than 10% of the first batch of original HAAs left in stock! 

 

A massive thank you to everyone who has ordered so far. The warehouse is powering through dispatch as we speak, and hope to have all pre-orders sent out by close of business tomorrow.

 

 

Don't miss out, order your in stock HAAs today via your local stockist, or direct right here: https://accurascale.co.uk/collections/merry-go-round-mgr/availability_in-stock? 

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

[aureol40012]

I have to say that the despatch of these seems to be being done with utmost efficiency! I have placed 3 orders, one when announced, and two more more recently, and all 3 have now been despatched (separately but in the correct order) with only twelve hours between first and last!

 

It bodes well for the Deltics ;-)