Mark 2b, By Accurascale and IRM!

[The Evil Bus Driver]

13 hours ago, alastairb said:

Yes I noticed that too. I am gradually picking up Bachmann Mk2/2a's for my 70s / early 80s Highland layout. A lot more on that auction site recently and now going for circa £40 - as you say a lot less than they have been going for lately. 

That's good to know. I'm looking for a few to complete my two West of England rakes. 

[alastairb]

4 hours ago, The Evil Bus Driver said:

That's good to know. I'm looking for a few to complete my two West of England rakes. 

As always there seems to be more Brakes and Firsts than TSOs, but have managed to (separately) buy 3 of the latter at aound £40. Did get a BSO for £12 recently!

 

Returning to topic would love some Accurascale MK2bs but not found photos of any on the Kyle line in blue and grey.

[mevaman1]

Just bought another NSE FK.   The boat train set were used on Waterloo - Salisburys I think as an additional set at the same time when the TC's were drafted in. It was declassified and eventually got broken down/mixed in with the other sets.  Can anyone confirm this?

[uk_pm]

A short video of these coaches in action on my layout at night.  Here two trains are captured; both are formed of coaches with pre-installed lights.  The second train is the Accurascale rake - and it really captures the look of the prototype in my view.  Thanks Accurascale; another winner.  

 

 

Edited April 7 by uk_pm

[John ks]

One of the features is

“Easy conversion to Kadee-compatiable knuckle couplers”

I thought this meant using the NEM pocket

At ont point in time I noticed the area between the kinematic pocket & the under frame had a flat area with a small hole. This area looked to be the correct size to fit a Kadee 242, #5 with ears cut off or 262 narrow coupling boxes

 

Mounting Kadees in this area puts them at OO scale height which is higher than Kadee recommends for HO scale

 

 

To fit the kadee the middle part of the buffer beam needed to be removed

 

 

I tapped the existing hole to 2mm trimmed the back off a 262 coupler box, fitted a long scale head whisker (#158) coupling

If you remove the kinematic mechanism you wont have to trim the rear of the coupling box. Leaving the kinematic mechanism makes it easy to change back your favourite NEM coupling.

 

Some pictures of the coaches coupled to each other and a Hornby Mk1 and an APT

They don't couple as close as kinematic couplings but are close enough & go around my tightest curves without buffer lock

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7 by John ks

[dj_crisp]

4 hours ago, John ks said:

One of the features is

“Easy conversion to Kadee-compatiable knuckle couplers”

I thought this meant using the NEM pocket

At ont point in time I noticed the area between the kinematic pocket & the under frame had a flat area with a small hole. This area looked to be the correct size to fit a Kadee 242, #5 with ears cut off or 262 narrow coupling boxes

 

Mounting Kadees in this area puts them at OO scale height which is higher than Kadee recommends for HO scale

 

 

To fit the kadee the middle part of the buffer beam needed to be removed

 

 

I tapped the existing hole to 2mm trimmed the back off a 262 coupler box, fitted a long scale head whisker (#158) coupling

If you remove the kinematic mechanism you wont have to trim the rear of the coupling box. Leaving the kinematic mechanism makes it easy to change back your favourite NEM coupling.

 

Some pictures of the coaches coupled to each other and a Hornby Mk1 and an APT

They don't couple as close as kinematic couplings but are close enough & go around my tightest curves without buffer lock

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing this... interesting that the kadee fits so well.

 

I'm currently using kadee housing and hunt magnetic couplings on my coaching stock for middle vehicles so will be trying something very similar to you. I'll also plan to add some keen sprung corridor connectors which I like to use as they absorb any coupling slop. Sadly means a bit of hacking of the coaches!

[it's-er]

6 hours ago, uk_pm said:

A short video of these coaches in action own my layout at night.  Here two trains are captured; both a formed of coaches with pre-installed lights.  The second train is the Accurascale rake - and it really captures the look of the prototype in my view.  Thanks Accurascale; another winner.  

 

Not sure what I saw there, but, goodness, it had that visceral feeling of being beside the line as trains whistled past, close, at speed!  Superb effect!

 

John S

[JSpencer]

I have added figures to my pair.

 

Now I have to say, I had expected the bodies to be a cow to remove with lots of fine detail flying off.... But NAH it was really easy to unclip them and lift them off (unlike Bachmann  in my experience) even for my soft fingernails. 

I have used HO figures, especially for the TSO where legs need to get under the tables. They do look better with them and I may add more figures when I get them to fill them out a bit more (again thanks to the easy body removal).

 

 

Edited April 8 by JSpencer

[NIRCLASS80]

25 minutes ago, JSpencer said:

I have added figures to my pair.

 

Now I have to say, I had expected the bodies to be a cow to remove with lots of fine detail flying off.... But NAH it was really easy to unclip them and lift them off (unlike Bachmann  in my experience) even for my soft fingernails. 

I have used HO figures, especially for the TSO where legs need to get under the tables. They do look better with them and I may add more figures when I get them to fill them out a bit more (again thanks to the easy body removal).

 

 

Just a quick question, where did you source the figures, they look great ?

[JSpencer]

8 minutes ago, NIRCLASS80 said:

Just a quick question, where did you source the figures, they look great ?

 

They are Evemodel P8711. A German/Uk brand made in China. You get 60 seated figures. I used most of them in my OO-9 coaches.

Several figures come with top hats that I will add Hornby L&M coaches.

I think they could be tidied up to be better still. But good enough for the insides of coaches.

[E100]

On 03/04/2024 at 19:34, McC said:

 

We do actually have flashing tail lamp (kits) in hand (ex Wagons) which could be fitted, tho it would be rather DIY,,,, perhaps drop us a line direct if you feel brave :) 

 

Would be great to see this on the store though I appreciate it's not going to be a big money spinner to fund the future projects such as a 1980's 37/4's :p

[Stu7]

I am still waiting for my order to be dispatched. Anyone else still waiting? 

[50033]

17 minutes ago, Stu7 said:

I am still waiting for my order to be dispatched. Anyone else still waiting? 

Me. Spoken to retailer who has stated postal problems of sorts. Fingers crossed for an arrival this week. 

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

1 hour ago, Stu7 said:

I am still waiting for my order to be dispatched. Anyone else still waiting? 

Diana Ross.......:)

 

Edited April 8 by ERIC ALLTORQUE

[The Evil Bus Driver]

3 hours ago, JSpencer said:

I have added figures to my pair.

 

Now I have to say, I had expected the bodies to be a cow to remove with lots of fine detail flying off.... But NAH it was really easy to unclip them and lift them off (unlike Bachmann  in my experience) even for my soft fingernails. 

I have used HO figures, especially for the TSO where legs need to get under the tables. They do look better with them and I may add more figures when I get them to fill them out a bit more (again thanks to the easy body removal).

 

 

Thats a great looking bit of third rail there. 

[MJI]

On 06/04/2024 at 16:43, alastairb said:

As always there seems to be more Brakes and Firsts than TSOs, but have managed to (separately) buy 3 of the latter at aound £40. Did get a BSO for £12 recently!

 

Returning to topic would love some Accurascale MK2bs but not found photos of any on the Kyle line in blue and grey.

Will the Bachmann glazing and underframe fit a Triang body?

 

2 BSO and a TSO, hmmm

[JSpencer]

4 hours ago, The Evil Bus Driver said:

Thats a great looking bit of third rail there. 

 

Thanks, its Peco. I used the lowest settings but do get the odd issue (like the APT-E and GWR rail car have plastic parts that rub against it). It is set for Bachmann EMU collector shoes distance.

[Dogmatix]

12 hours ago, Stu7 said:

I am still waiting for my order to be dispatched. Anyone else still waiting? 

 

My batch of four Mk2b's was dispatched to me in Germany 5 weeks ago, but got stopped and sent back on arrival in Germany; unclear whether by customs or by DHL, or why. According to the An Post tracking, they were last recorded having been sorted in Dublin on their return journey over two weeks ago. Accurascale say they are waiting to get them back before sending them out to me again. This is most frustrating, as we know that these models are close to being sold out. If that parcel has got lost, that would proably mean I'd have to wait for another batch to be produced - if there'll ever be one!

 

Long story short: anyone still waiting? Yes!

[D86]

13 hours ago, 50033 said:

Me. Spoken to retailer who has stated postal problems of sorts. Fingers crossed for an arrival this week. 

Yes, I'm waiting too, but it must be so frustrating for said retailer.

 

[JSpencer]

7 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

 

My batch of four Mk2b's was dispatched to me in Germany 5 weeks ago, but got stopped and sent back on arrival in Germany; unclear whether by customs or by DHL, or why. According to the An Post tracking, they were last recorded having been sorted in Dublin on their return journey over two weeks ago. Accurascale say they are waiting to get them back before sending them out to me again. This is most frustrating, as we know that these models are close to being sold out. If that parcel has got lost, that would proably mean I'd have to wait for another batch to be produced - if there'll ever be one!

 

Long story short: anyone still waiting? Yes!

 

I have found that sometimes the fine electronics in models can make the customs guys go "that is not a model, that is some super secret military hardware..." (or something).

[Colin_McLeod]

Irish customs are very fussy about the correct documentation.  I purchased an item from Canada about a year ago. It arrived in Dublin then was returned because of incomplete documentation. (I'm not saying this is the case with your coaches). It took months to get back to the sender. 

[adb968008]

38 minutes ago, JSpencer said:

 

I have found that sometimes the fine electronics in models can make the customs guys go "that is not a model, that is some super secret military hardware..." (or something).

I found Australia the worst, many years ago a mate sent a Hornby Great Gathering Bittern to Oz…

Their customs opened the body to see what was inside using a screwdriver as a wedge to force it open and badly damaged the body and the chassis valve gear

 

After finding nothing, they dropped the bits loose into the box and sent it on.

 

The buyers picture was basically a cardboard box of bits and a ripped plastic body…. Nearly £300 notes wasted, and the seller lost their money to an ebay refund.

 

It convinced me never to sell anything down under.

[Dogmatix]

2 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

Irish customs are very fussy about the correct documentation.  I purchased an item from Canada about a year ago. It arrived in Dublin then was returned because of incomplete documentation. (I'm not saying this is the case with your coaches). It took months to get back to the sender. 

 

Thing is, between Ireland and Germany, being both EU members and thus in the Customs Union, there should be no need for customs controls.

[dj_crisp]

On 07/04/2024 at 12:21, John ks said:

One of the features is

“Easy conversion to Kadee-compatiable knuckle couplers”

 

Thanks - your post inspired me to have a go and trial one to see if I can convert mine using a similar approach. Fits the space and predrilled hole perfectly. Brilliant.

 

The only difference is I now prefer hunt magnetic couplings over kadees to couple intermediate stock. I've used them on all of my DMUs and I'm pleased with them. Hopefully one day there'll be a similar coupling with a smaller head but they're quite hard to see under a corridor connector anyway.

 

I've lost my lifetime warranty on the shells though 😉

 

 

The corridor connectors are Keens for MK2s which I've altered the shape along the roof line ever so slightly to match Accurascale/Bachmann. It does mean drilling the lovely end doors, and removing a little detail which always feels terrible! I've also trimmed down the Accurascale connector to allow enough space for the springing to work, and to let them go round curves which also needs a slight trim of the supplied spring. The only downside to this is the Accurascale corridor connector is hollow so I'll need to fill this attempt in, but on others I might try and not file through to the hollowed bit.

 

I set my stock up to go round 4ft radius curves which these will do... probably can go a little tighter.... below is shot on a curve coupled to a MK2f

 

I was tempted to keep the original close coupling but generally prefer a simpler setup even if it means my coaches are coupled a little wide. With the magnetic coupling and sprung connectors there's no slack or a pick up goods loose coupling effect 😀 

 

The only downside to this approach is I've now got permanent inner coaches and need to plan my outer ones. Still it focuses me on producing a rake. Even if the solution is a little crude there's no gaps in corridors between coaches! My no1 pet hate!

 

Cheers

Will

[P.C.M]

I finally received my MK2b today and it's a very good model but I think the Trans Pennine  blue is too dark. I know it was mentioned a few pages back that it's a good match but I think the   Bachmann MK2s are  a better match to the real thing from pictures I looked at. I will have to paint the roof too as I am pretty sure they were not blck on the real thing.