The Siphon G, by Accurascale - From Milk To Mail!

[Krieghoff]

My final two Siphons are winging their way to me from Rails. That completes my run of purchases.........now, where are my two Scottish 37's 😁😁🙏🙏🙏

[younGGuns7]

 Siphon on a short parcels through Somerton Park absolutely lovely ❤️

Edited June 6, 2023 by younGGuns7

[Metr0Land]

My carmine and maroon ones just arrived via Derails and RM.  Can only echo what everyone else has said. MOTY in the NPCCS category.

[Ian Hargrave]

And my carmine and BR blue news van too. Superb models combined with the usual quality  Derails service. Now where’s my   ( delayed by request)) transition example from Accurascale ? Somewhere with DHL perhaps …? 

[Bernard Lamb]

Well, mine arrived.

The lierature has to be the best ever, with a very comprehensive history.

The underframe with all the brake parts is unbelievable. Though I do note no generator belt. A fairly standard addition when detailing B....... Mk1s so no problem to do.

General finish is excellent with a dull non plastic appearance.

I usually throw away boxes, other than Fleischmann, but this is a work of art.

The sprung buffers are streets ahead of any other model in their action.

But why, oh why, do the coulings stick out so far?

I use a combination of Roco and Hornby with Modellers Mecca or Dart Castings flexible connections, or a home made version to fill the gap. The siphon, even with two of the shortest couplings, has an exessive gap when coupled tp the two main manufactures products. I know other couplings are provided. but with 40 odd years of stock I find it a bit of a pain to have to reverted to changing them to simple bend up brass hook and bar jobbies to get something that works and looks reasonable.

Bernard

[ellocoloco]

1 hour ago, Bernard Lamb said:

But why, oh why, do the coulings stick out so far?

 

I've just watched Charlie @ Chadwick Model Railway's review of the Siphon G and my first thought was why! Those bogie coupler mounts match no NEM standard despite the A/S product description of the siphon G having NEM standard coupling sockets. When Charlie pointed out the flexible corridor connectors I thought they would be great for a close coupled model but no such luck.

[BenL]

1 hour ago, Bernard Lamb said:

But why, oh why, do the coulings stick out so far?

I use a combination of Roco and Hornby with Modellers Mecca or Dart Castings flexible connections, or a home made version to fill the gap. The siphon, even with two of the shortest couplings, has an exessive gap when coupled tp the two main manufactures products. I know other couplings are provided. but with 40 odd years of stock I find it a bit of a pain to have to reverted to changing them to simple bend up brass hook and bar jobbies to get something that works and looks reasonable.

Bernard

There was mention of shorter pockets being provided on the Accurascale Banana vans and I wonder if they might help with closing the coupling gap on the Siphons, should they be made available as accessories?

[Ian Hargrave]

15 hours ago, BenL said:

There was mention of shorter pockets being provided on the Accurascale Banana vans and I wonder if they might help with closing the coupling gap on the Siphons, should they be made available as accessories?

Mention has been made on a thread elsewhere about the use of magnetic couplings .Ihave just been running my BR crimson Siphon G with a 4 coach set of Hornby Colletts.I used standard length Hunt Couplings with the Siphon and two coaches with successful running .However,when I fitted the complete rake of four,derailment problems occurred i.e.a train of 5 bogie carriages hauled by a Hornby Grange with the Siphon coupled to the loco by tension lock …28” radius curve. Removing the two rear Colletts,the remaining 3 ran with no difficulty. Removing the Hunts from them is difficult.They are a tight fit and the couplings themselves are fragile and snap easily,as I found to my cost when I attempted a fit to a Hawksworth ,leaving the shaft embedded in the NEM socket. 
 

Be that as it may,the Collett problem was improved by gently easing the Hunts outward. So now the prototypical visual impact is compromised to an extent,though the Siphon runs snugly with the leading coach.

[Dominion]

Early Hunt Elites I had from a couple of years ago were tight like you mention. But ones from an order last year and 2 more orders this year have been a comfortable fit in the NEM pockets, making removal and swapping for different lengths much easier. 

[Ian Hargrave]

22 minutes ago, Dominion said:

Early Hunt Elites I had from a couple of years ago were tight like you mention. But ones from an order last year and 2 more orders this year have been a comfortable fit in the NEM pockets, making removal and swapping for different lengths much easier. 

These are purchased this year, The plastic is soft and all too easy to snap I’m afraid.As far as my Hornby stock is concerned ….both Colletts and Hawksworths…it’s a tight fit,which I completely get. But if they don’t work and you need to remove them, then there’s a risk of snapping when you attempt it.

 

That said,my above mentioned “train” with its new Siphon G  really brings to life a WR stopper of the 1950’s and standing on Platform 3 of Cardiff General ( Who said Central  ? ) watching them arrive and depart from & to Swansea,Temple Meads etc.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Ian Hargrave
Change text

[gwrrob]

12 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

 But if they don’t work and you need to remove them, then there’s a risk of snapping when you attempt.

 

The alternative is to leave them in the pocket and remove it all with a flat screwdriver. You can have some seperate with different lengths to swap over to see which works best.

[Ian Hargrave]

19 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

 

The alternative is to leave them in the pocket and remove it all with a flat screwdriver. You can have some seperate with different lengths to swap over to see which works best.

Sharp end of a small file did the job. Thanks Robin. The picture will be complete by the arrival of a Manor of course,though they were a comparative rarity on the South Wales mainline east of Swansea in the fifties.First Manors I spotted were ….of course…at N A and the S .Devon banks. 

[Brian Hawkins]

Received my Siphon G this afternoon and can only add to what others had said, superb model and i'm delighted with it, so much so, that i will be adding another two in a couple of weeks.

[GreenGiraffe22]

This arrived today! My first Accurascale product! One for my wartime collection =) 

 

 

I've had multiple apologetic emails from my chosen supplier, I hope they haven't had too much a hard time, I too work in retail and know full well what it's like to have someone yelling at you on the phone over an order that is totally out of your control! 

 

I however know nothing about Siphons but it looks pretty damn good! I have a made up "attending a bomb site" engineers train, this might be a good addition for any casualties needing immediate care 

[trevor7598]

Sunlight and shadow enhancing the incredible detail on the Siphon.

Arrived today and put straight to work. My thanks to Derails for prompt service.

[brushman47544]

Anyone else waiting for shipments to the EU, I've just received shipment notification emails for my two Siphons, separate orders so separate emails but the same tracking number (from Ireland) so presumably one package as I requested. Looking forward to seeing these.

[Neal Ball]

5 hours ago, brushman47544 said:

Anyone else waiting for shipments to the EU, I've just received shipment notification emails for my two Siphons, separate orders so separate emails but the same tracking number (from Ireland) so presumably one package as I requested. Looking forward to seeing these.

Still waiting….

 

But in fairness, I have 3 orders: Siphon; Manor and crew - all with different arrival dates… 

[nigel newling]

Mine arrived from Derails - express delivery - on Wednesday. Absolutely fabulous models but - narrow gauge. I had considered a direct appeal to Accurascale for an option accessory replacement part 46 (or is it part 47), the brake yoke, with the brake blocks set sufficiently far apart to clear a P4 wheelset. However, I have chosen to ask on here first in order to assess what level of demand there may be. We have already seen several messages about EM conversions which have required surgery, whereas a "drop in" replacement would make life so much easier. If Accurascale have already seen a way to make their Deltics convertible, surely an alternative brake assembly for the siphons is not too much to ask.

These siphons are masterclass models and I cannot bear to put them to the knife unless I have to.

Nigel

[Adrock]

Absolutely stunning to be honest. Handling the siphon makes it feel more like a kit built piece of rolling stock, with painting and finishing to the highest factory standard which you’d argue is rarely possible on a kit built item. Certainly when I picked up the green van, it felt very different in comparison as a result of its plastic construction. Will be interesting to see how they run together, but here it is posed with some other NPCCS for comparison purposes. 
 

[Bernard Lamb]

4 hours ago, nigel newling said:

Mine arrived from Derails - express delivery - on Wednesday. Absolutely fabulous models but - narrow gauge. I had considered a direct appeal to Accurascale for an option accessory replacement part 46 (or is it part 47), the brake yoke, with the brake blocks set sufficiently far apart to clear a P4 wheelset. However, I have chosen to ask on here first in order to assess what level of demand there may be. We have already seen several messages about EM conversions which have required surgery, whereas a "drop in" replacement would make life so much easier. If Accurascale have already seen a way to make their Deltics convertible, surely an alternative brake assembly for the siphons is not too much to ask.

These siphons are masterclass models and I cannot bear to put them to the knife unless I have to.

Nigel

It looks to me to be rather more complicated than how you put it.

It is not just a case of replacing the parts with a version with wider apart brake shoes.

Part 46 includes the coupling mount, so this can go. Replace it with a modified part 47.

So, rather than 46 and 47 you need two modified versions of 47 per bogie. This of course depends on what couplings you intend to use. I presume scale screw versions, otherwise what is the point of making the model closer to scale.

Then of course there is a need to make the rigging connect up, and this would involve the use of true scale curves.

For the few people wanting to go down this road I expect many would have the required skills, but not so many would have suitable layouts.

I would imagine that making a new tool to mould these different parts would be far too costly for Accurascale to do in a viable manner. They did acheive a near miracle in shipping out the siphons as quickly as they did. Add on  a few people wanting different parts and the delay in delivery to every body else and I see it as a non-starter. Would you be prepared to pay a sensible, for Accurascale, price for these parts? I have a rough calculation in mind and it does not look good. It seems to me to be more suitable for an after market firm to produce.

Bernard

[Jub45565]

I helped out Justin on the Rumney Models stand at Scalefour Crewe last weekend, and the relevent sprung bogie subframes he produces sold out with several people mentioning Siphons.  To expand on Bernard's wording, it isn't just the number of them which people will want to convert to P4 - but also the number who will leave them rigid too. (Horses for courses, no rights and wrongs, but just another erosion of potential sales for a particular after market option).

 

[Michael Hodgson]

Mine arrived this afternoon.  Very pleased, but I think others have already said whate there is to say about how lovely it is - except that I think I should have watched an unboxing video to learn how to get it out of the box!

Interesting comment in the leaftlet that comes with it.  "avoid running the product on track laid on carpet".  So Sam's Trains isn't part of their target demographic 😁

 

Mine is the Diag O.50 in maroon ....they also do the O.33 to match ....

 

[MidlandRed]

Underside detail is as good as the normal view - absolute work of art!!? 
 

[Michael Hodgson]

4 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

Underside detail is as good as the normal view - absolute work of art!!? 
 

 

Sorry, but with its feet in the air it looks like a dead bluebottle. 

Yes the detail is incredible, but we don't see them like that unless we model accident scenes.

[gwrrob]

10 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

 

Yes the detail is incredible, but we don't see them like that unless we model accident scenes.

 

A lot of work and research put in by @Islesy and the team there, I certainly appreciate it. There are plenty of Lima models on eBay for those who don’t.