Mark 2b, By Accurascale and IRM!

[AndrewB7585]

On 22/03/2024 at 15:47, AndrewB7585 said:

I managed to get a couple of NSE ones that have come back into stock. I used my Accura loyalty bonus points and this order is costing me £0! Very happy 

So I got the product in stock notification just after 1300 on Friday. I placed an order straightaway and it was delivered at 1400 today. That’s 25 hours from ordering to running on the layout. That’s what I call good customer service. I’m now looking forward to the Mk2c hopefully arriving soon

[mevaman1]

OK - what is the reason for the different dark blue colours on the Mk 2as?  I thought that the dark blue sets were cascaded off the Kings Lynn services.  However, this could be conjecture.

 

Andrew

 

 

[brushman47544]

37 minutes ago, mevaman1 said:

OK - what is the reason for the different dark blue colours on the Mk 2as?  I thought that the dark blue sets were cascaded off the Kings Lynn services.  However, this could be conjecture.

 

Andrew

 

 

The Mk2a used alongside the Mk2b on both WR services and later Waterloo-Exeter were always WR allocated and went from Blue/Grey to early (lighter blue) NSE to darker NSE blue. They were based at Laira/Eastleigh. I presume the Kings Lynn Mk2a sets went to Paddington for the Thames & Chiltern fleet to replace the NSE Mk1s there (and also perhaps to Northampton-Euston cobbler sets?). I can’t speak for differences in the dark blue colour on the prototypes, unless down to where they were painted? Ilford perhaps for the Anglia ones?

Edited March 24 by brushman47544
Add a bit

[WCML100]

Loving my new West Coast MK2b’s which arrived on Friday with me. Straight on the layout! The stay alive is brilliant. I turned the power off friday night and they are still going! 😂

[mevaman1]

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

The Mk2a used alongside the Mk2b on both WR services and later Waterloo-Exeter were always WR allocated and went from Blue/Grey to early (lighter blue) NSE to darker NSE blue. They were based at Laira/Eastleigh. I presume the Kings Lynn Mk2a sets went to Paddington for the Thames & Chiltern fleet to replace the NSE Mk1s there (and also perhaps to Northampton-Euston cobbler sets?). I can’t speak for differences in the dark blue colour on the prototypes, unless down to where they were painted? Ilford perhaps for the Anglia ones?

Thanks for the info brushman.  I am happy to mix the dark Bachmann 2as with the light Accurascale 2bs.

[Flood]

As far as I know none of the Waterloo - Exeter pressure vent coaches were ever dark NSE blue. As @brushman47544 has already stated the Kings Lynn sets which were NSE dark blue went to Thames and Chiltern.

 

The only Waterloo - Exeter coach in NSE dark blue was the Mk2D FK.

Edited March 24 by Flood

[Michael Hodgson]

18 hours ago, SouthernMafia said:

 

 

This is my favourite pic of a boat train behind 33102.

 

 

 

Call that a boat train?

This is a boat train !

 

 

I don't think Accurascale are planning to model it though!

Edited March 24 by Michael Hodgson

[Flood]

Further to my previous post I have found the following photo on Flickr, copyright David Rostance

 

 

The Mk2 coaches certainly look to be painted NSE dark blue but further investigation reveals a Mk1 TSO and a Mk1 BSK. As all the remaining BSKs were vacuum braked, and all the NSE Mk1 TSOs were also vacuum braked, this is obviously a Thames rake being used as a fill in. The Mk2 TSOs being vacuum braked Mk2Z, ex Kings Lynn sets, and the Mk2A FK being one of the many converted to vacuum brakes back in 1976/77.

 

Please see my subsequent reply to @SouthernMafia further down.

Edited March 25 by Flood

[mevaman1]

1 hour ago, Flood said:

Further to my previous post I have found the following photo on Flickr, copyright David Rostance

 

 

The Mk2 coaches certainly look to be painted NSE dark blue but further investigation reveals a Mk1 TSO and a Mk1 BSK. As all the remaining BSKs were vacuum braked, and all the NSE Mk1 TSOs were also vacuum braked, this is obviously a Thames rake being used as a fill in. The Mk2 TSOs being vacuum braked Mk2Z, ex Kings Lynn sets, and the Mk2A FK being one of the many converted to vacuum brakes back in 1976/77.

Hi Flood.

 

Many thanks for the info.  Our Club are currently rebuilding Reading and we need Oxford-Padd and West Country sets.  I am safe to assume that I can mix the blues.

 

I am also conscious that I can only run the Mk 1s with vacuum braked Mk 2s.

 

For my home layout I want to run Mule sets so will stick with the lighter blue 2as, 2bs and 2cs (TSOT).

 

Here are photos of Reading before we dismantled it.  We bought it from a lovely man who recently passed away.  We are going to rebuild it as an exhibition layout.

 

Andrew

[BluenGreyAnorak]

I've just taken delivery of my third Mk2b, a BFK, the other two being TSO's, and like most here I think they're excellent. However, when going through my usual wheel cleaning ritual I noticed something I've not seen mentioned in that the BFK has different bogies at each end. They're cosmetically the same but the one at the brake end is much wider than the other, with corresponding wheel sets with longer axles:

 

Brake end bogie:

 

 

Saloon end bogie:

 

 

Wheel sets:

 

 

Anybody know why? Are they all like this or have I been sent something that's a bit odd?

[Colin_McLeod]

It looks like it may have been fitted with a 21mm gauge compatable bogie intended for the Irish versions of these coaches.

[BluenGreyAnorak]

Ah, that would explain it. Time to give Accurascale's customer service a whirl 🙃

[tinsley-toton]

Does anyone know if the magnetic couplings as supplied with each coach are available to purchase separately elsewhere, thanks.

 

T-T

[Roddy Angus]

15 minutes ago, tinsley-toton said:

Does anyone know if the magnetic couplings as supplied with each coach are available to purchase separately elsewhere, thanks.

I hope that they will become available as an accessory.  Accurascale's other magnetic couplings have been made available that way.

 

Roddy 

Edited March 24 by Roddy Angus
Spelling correction

[matchmaker]

I've received my WCRC TSOs. They are terrific models - very detailed and free running. But, putting them on our clubs layout along with a maroon Hornby Mk1 and a maroon Bachmann Mk2, the Accurascale maroon is a lot lighter than both the Hornby and Bachmann maroons. I know that maroon is a very variable colour, but it stands out like a sore thumb! It is my understanding that LMS Crimson Lake, BR maroon and WCRC maroon are basically the same basic colour.

[andyman7]

20 minutes ago, matchmaker said:

I've received my WCRC TSOs. They are terrific models - very detailed and free running. But, putting them on our clubs layout along with a maroon Hornby Mk1 and a maroon Bachmann Mk2, the Accurascale maroon is a lot lighter than both the Hornby and Bachmann maroons. I know that maroon is a very variable colour, but it stands out like a sore thumb! It is my understanding that LMS Crimson Lake, BR maroon and WCRC maroon are basically the same basic colour.

The WCRC colour issue has been debated to a considerable extent further up the thread

[SouthernMafia]

5 hours ago, mevaman1 said:

Hi Flood.

 

Many thanks for the info.  Our Club are currently rebuilding Reading and we need Oxford-Padd and West Country sets.  I am safe to assume that I can mix the blues.

 

I am also conscious that I can only run the Mk 1s with vacuum braked Mk 2s.

 

For my home layout I want to run Mule sets so will stick with the lighter blue 2as, 2bs and 2cs (TSOT).

 

Here are photos of Reading before we dismantled it.  We bought it from a lovely man who recently passed away.  We are going to rebuild it as an exhibition layout.

 

Andrew

 

Great layout, saw it in Hornby mag and would love to see it in the flesh.

In light of the discussion around dark blue NSE Mk2As not being on the WoE if you need anyother complete rake for Reading drop me a PM! Though the picture of the Thames rake 'on hire' with the Mk1s is a tempting reason to keep hold of them.

[DIRTY DIESEL]

5 hours ago, BluenGreyAnorak said:

I've just taken delivery of my third Mk2b, a BFK, the other two being TSO's, and like most here I think they're excellent. However, when going through my usual wheel cleaning ritual I noticed something I've not seen mentioned in that the BFK has different bogies at each end. They're cosmetically the same but the one at the brake end is much wider than the other, with corresponding wheel sets with longer axles:

 

Brake end bogie:

 

 

Saloon end bogie:

 

 

Wheel sets:

 

 

Anybody know why? Are they all like this or have I been sent something that's a bit odd?

I received my 6 coaches and they all run freely on straights but come to a stand on curves with a slight binding noise, they also short out going though points, even my Peco express points, plus the lights will always be on when I turn the layout on even after being turned off previously.

I’ve contacted support any waiting a response, I haven’t taken the wheels out as didn’t know how easy this was with all the brake rigging around them and didn’t want to damage them.
 

As it looks like they just lift out looking at your photos, I’m wondering if I might have the same problem?

 

Thanks for sharing…

[matchmaker]

2 hours ago, andyman7 said:

The WCRC colour issue has been debated to a considerable extent further up the thread

It's a 46 page thread - can someone please point me in the direction of the right page? Many thanks!

[Flood]

48 minutes ago, SouthernMafia said:

 

Great layout, saw it in Hornby mag and would love to see it in the flesh.

In light of the discussion around dark blue NSE Mk2As not being on the WoE if you need anyother complete rake for Reading drop me a PM! Though the picture of the Thames rake 'on hire' with the Mk1s is a tempting reason to keep hold of them.

Looking again at the photo from David Rostance it is dated 28th June 1992 by which time both the Thames & Chiltern and the West of England sets were based at Old Oak Common under sector code NWRX, Network South East - Western Region. So strictly speaking either type of set could have turned up on either service, although Thames was probably officially booked for vacuum braked stock and West Of England for air braked stock.

 

Apologies to Accurascale and everyone else for going off topic.

Edited March 25 by Flood

[metadyneman]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but just as a heads up, I have been running my Mk2a/b rake of 9 coaches ( Accurascale 5 x b +  Bachmann 4 x a)  over the last few days with the supplied magnetic couplings. They are lovely couplings but the magnets have become detached from the coupling several times from different couplings within the set of 5 Mk2b coaches. It has been a simple fix to glue the magnets back in with superglue but I feel that the original glue used may not quite be up to the job in hand. Other than that, these coaches are just brilliant in all respects.

[Dungrange]

48 minutes ago, matchmaker said:

It's a 46 page thread - can someone please point me in the direction of the right page? Many thanks!

 

Try from page 35, when people started to receive the WCRC models.

 

[NBL]

7 hours ago, matchmaker said:

It's a 46 page thread - can someone please point me in the direction of the right page? Many thanks!

What's wrong with looking it for yourself?

 

People have taken the bother to post on the colour debate, the least you can do is go and find it yourself.

[dj_crisp]

8 hours ago, DIRTY DIESEL said:

I received my 6 coaches and they all run freely on straights but come to a stand on curves with a slight binding noise, they also short out going though points, even my Peco express points, plus the lights will always be on when I turn the layout on even after being turned off previously.

I’ve contacted support any waiting a response, I haven’t taken the wheels out as didn’t know how easy this was with all the brake rigging around them and didn’t want to damage them.
 

As it looks like they just lift out looking at your photos, I’m wondering if I might have the same problem?

 

Thanks for sharing…

 

The wheelsets are really easy to take out and you shouldn't damage the brakes by doing so.

 

I've removed all of my brakes and most are glued in really well but some have just fallen out when the glue missed. Again easy to fix. The only bit I've knocked off myself is the cross link thingy (not sure what to call it but it sits at 90 degrees to the springs) and be careful around the bogie steps.

 

If you share some photos I'm sure somewhere here can also help.

[BluenGreyAnorak]

9 hours ago, DIRTY DIESEL said:

I received my 6 coaches and they all run freely on straights but come to a stand on curves with a slight binding noise, they also short out going though points, even my Peco express points, plus the lights will always be on when I turn the layout on even after being turned off previously.

I’ve contacted support any waiting a response, I haven’t taken the wheels out as didn’t know how easy this was with all the brake rigging around them and didn’t want to damage them.
 

As it looks like they just lift out looking at your photos, I’m wondering if I might have the same problem?

 

Thanks for sharing…

As mentioned above, the wheels are very easy to remove without disturbing any of the rigging. However, if you have a problem with all six of your coaches that suggests a more fundamental problem. Can you take some similar close up photos of a few of the bogies?