What N gauge do you want to see from Accurascale?

[Ed-farms]

3 hours ago, TomE said:

Well here's the NGN chat with Accurascale recorded at Alexandra Palace. First time we've done this so be gentle 😂

 

 

Hope it's of interest! 

Tom.  

 

 

Loved the interview, Fran and Steve certainly gave a good account of themselves and whilst not actually saying they are I got a hint that the 37 is on the cards (37/4 in Intercity please 🙏) by their comments and tone, I certainly suspect with Steve's comments doing the coaches as part of a pack option is in the offering.    Either way, back end of this year will prove interesting when the first announcement comes 

 

@TomE only slight point is sometimes the background noise made it hard to hear them speak, not sure if this is going to happen more at shows you can invest in some sort of microphone to reduce the crowd noises heard.

[TomE]

26 minutes ago, Ed-farms said:

@TomE only slight point is sometimes the background noise made it hard to hear them speak, not sure if this is going to happen more at shows you can invest in some sort of microphone to reduce the crowd noises heard.

Unfortunately we had a problem with Fran’s mic, plus large open halls full of other people making noise (how dare they 🤣) are not the best places for this sort of thing.
 

Definitely some lessons learned for next time! 
 

Tom. 

[Ed-farms]

17 minutes ago, TomE said:

Unfortunately we had a problem with Fran’s mic, plus large open halls full of other people making noise (how dare they 🤣) are not the best places for this sort of thing.
 

Definitely some lessons learned for next time! 
 

Tom. 

 

Book the Bachmann collectors club lounge for the next one, see if the noise is quieter in there 😆

[Legend]

I always find Accurascales perspective interesting . They are certainly leading the UK hobby at the moment with innovation and flair . 

[Accurascale Fran]

2 hours ago, Ed-farms said:

 

Book the Bachmann collectors club lounge for the next one, see if the noise is quieter in there 😆

 

I don't think we're allowed in there! 🤣

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

[AMJ]

7 minutes ago, Accurascale Fran said:

 

I don't think we're allowed in there! 🤣

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

They surely can't stop you if you were a paid up member.  Just cover up any of your logos.

 

I can understand the logic in doing an item in multiple scales as the research time can thus be divided equally betwixt them.  I could imagine say a waggon done in O, OO and N would be feasible.

[1977joey]

If not already mentioned here, a high density class 116/117/118 DMU would be an amazing addition to N gauge...

[Roy L S]

54 minutes ago, 1977joey said:

If not already mentioned here, a high density class 116/117/118 DMU would be an amazing addition to N gauge...

I totally agree but I think Accurascale were initially seeking suggestions only as far as their existing R&D for the OO range is concerned.

 

Regards

 

Roy

[1977joey]

42 minutes ago, Roy L S said:

I totally agree but I think Accurascale were initially seeking suggestions only as far as their existing R&D for the OO range is concerned.

 

Regards

 

Roy

 

Cheers Roy, worth a suggestion though just in case, you never know  😉

 

Cheers,

Mark

[nick_bastable]

Just a opinion but some N gauge people are very anti coreless motors and split frames and expect traction tyres however   a  well designed model can use the coreless motor and split frames and have no need of traction tyres  witness many 2mm models

Edited March 23, 2023 by nick_bastable
pps

[Steve Purves]

Don't forget there is also a whole host of stuff we are working on in 00, that nobody knows about, that we might consider scaling down too! 

Rich pickings indeed...

 

 

[shanks522]

Well done @TomE for the video. 
I really liked the comment about virtual coach packs, building your own so to speak, very interesting. 
 

Looking forward to whatever is in the pipeline. 👍

 

Graham. 

[woodenhead]

57 minutes ago, Steve Purves said:

Don't forget there is also a whole host of stuff we are working on in 00, that nobody knows about, that we might consider scaling down too! 

Rich pickings indeed...

 

 

Known unknowns as the saying goes

[Dr Al]

1 hour ago, nick_bastable said:

Just a opinion but some N gauge people are very anti coreless motors 

 

I think if this refers to my comments, that it's not quite what I was trying to say.

 

Coreless or cored 'can', is not the problem - it's serviceability. The Farish coreless is just particularly impossible to get apart.  That doesn't make it a bad performer - indeed it's a much better performer than their equivalent cored- 'can' motors.

 

It's very clear to me, having seen a lot (not mine, from various sources, before anyone claims I must be doing something wrong!) of Farish and Dapol 'can' motors where they have worn the brushgear through. With current designs, brushgear is not replaceable*, so this means a new motor.

 

That is costly IMHO.

 

Very costly - Farish motors are typically £22 (despite being more like £1-2 from China, on the few occasions they've been offered from there direct). Add the cost to get someone to fit it and you're likely close to or more than £50. 

 

This is where some better design could really set a new manufacturer apart - and from everything that's been said, Accurascale seem keen to be such a player. However, I do understand nowadays the it's likely no manufacturer would make their own motor; instead buying them in. As such, getting the spares cost down, and reliable continuous supplies seems highly necessary IMHO if it's going to be a necessity to change them.

 

So the my bullet points would be:
 - coreless or cored isn't a big deal, as long as the performance (particularly ultra-creep speeds) is superb
 - brushgear should be serviceable within reason - if that means normal older style brushes that can be replaced, or easy of access to motor end caps (and make them available - it can and has been done before by Mashima).
 - spares be a bit more reasonable in price, especially if the motor is not serviable.

 - spares to be available, and remain available. Some Farish spares have taken 5 years to get back in stock and some have never been available, similarly for some Dapol spares.
 - fit a motor with enough RPM to give a good headroom in top speed, as stuff like the current Farish class 90 is very disappointing in this respect.

 

The Holden J69 in N would be nice....!

 

Cheers,
Alan

 

* yet it can be, as I've done it by replacing motor end caps - but the only way I could was to save up burnt out motors with ok brushes and put those onto motors whose brushgear had worn through. Which is frankly ridiculous, and not viable for most people!
 

[nick_bastable]

6 hours ago, nick_bastable said:

Just a opinion but some N gauge people are very anti coreless motors and split frames and expect traction tyres however   a  well designed model can use the coreless motor and split frames and have no need of traction tyres  witness many 2mm models

it is a opinion formed from many threads 

 

I remain puzzled at the split frame = bad  pick ups = good as advocated  by some N gauge modellers

 

I have seen Dr Al work on the N gauge forum and he appears to know how to fix  the things original phrase edited by the software

 

As to model to produce  I would love to see a SECR 01 split frame or R1 ( it aint happening )

Edited March 24, 2023 by nick_bastable

[Padishar Creel]

....not that I jumped on the MK2B/C comments.

Of course, I did not

 

es grüßt 

pc

[westie7]

3 hours ago, Padishar Creel said:

....not that I jumped on the MK2B/C comments.

Of course, I did not

 

es grüßt 

pc

 

With s/h Farish mk2a coaches hitting £80... Needn't say anymore

 

Rgds

Mark 

[ModRXsouth]

To Accurascale Fran -

Your opening post referred to “item(s) in our current OO gauge range you would like to see done in N gauge and why” and also mentioned your projects for Realtrack and Revolution Trains. How about this idea -

 

Revolution’s PFA wagons are due soon with some sets including half height red containers. There therefore seems no point in Accurascale duplicating the N gauge PFA wagon itself, but why not produce the other nuclear waste containers? Accurascale has already researched and produced fantastic OO gauge versions of the Nupak, Novapak and Dragon containers with their associated blue and grey flat platforms, plus the 8’6” tall red, white and blue containers.
In the spirit of co-operation and goodwill to enhance the load options for the Revolution PFA, could these colourful containers please be re-tooled for N gauge? They are relatively simple and robust plastic shapes without delicate parts like a wagon’s couplers, brake gear, ladders, etc, so no complicated packaging would be needed like cardboard or plastic boxes or inserts - just a light tissue wrap to protect the container’s labels in transit, then just pop the ordered containers into a simple padded ‘jiffy’ postal bag.

Any chance?

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

None,just keep making the RR of OO.

[Steven B]

I'd be surprised if you didn't have an eye on the Mk2d in OO Gauge given their use by CIÉ as well as BR. N Gauge versions would be lovely, especially a Mk2d BFK commonly found on many secondary/cross country services.

 

Steven B.

[Brian-1c]

A couple of coaches for N, which would be good as stand alone products, without necessarily having a full range of coaches to begin with, are the ex - LMS 12 wheel restaurant car, in all the liveries it ran in and the Mk1 TPO coaches, also in everything from BR crimson and cream, through BR maroon and blue/grey to post office red. A stowage van and a sorting van would be good, with correct offset corridor connections.

[BritishRail60062]

Just out of interest. Would a Class 60 in N scale be a viable new model for Accurascale to consider? Especially if there was working marker lights and a nice heavy chassis to give it some weight for haulage without traction tyres. As for the livery, I don't mind as I like most of them although I am more in BR era. 

[woodenhead]

A little disappointed that Accurascale didn't use the TINGS weekend to announce something in N. 🙁

 

I guess you are saving it for Warley when it will be a mahoosive launch of locos and coal wagons. 🙂

[NBL]

19 hours ago, woodenhead said:

A little disappointed that Accurascale didn't use the TINGS weekend to announce something in N. 🙁

 

I guess you are saving it for Warley when it will be a mahoosive launch of locos and coal wagons. 🙂

I like what can be done in N Gauge, though I don't have the dexterity to model it myself.  I especially like what Dapol and RevolutioN are doing with regards to 25kv stock.

 

Looking at the lack of posts on the weekend on the main N-Gauge show of the year makes me think if the market is big enough for another manufacturer?

 

I know things sell out quickly when released and the established manufacturers are announcing new items regularly, but is the market really there for a new manufacturer to invest?

 

I would loved to be proven wrong.

[woodenhead]

@NBL Whilst the market is nothing like OO a lack of manufacturers does not help the situation.  The more that there are the more it encourages people to try the scale because it's not an all eggs in one basket situation.

 

Bachmann will do more N if there is actual competition, Dapol were that competition once and between them they covered a lot of models in quite a short space of time.  But once Dapol backed away so it appears did Bachmann, RevolutioN work to a different model so we would never expect a lot from them and not enough to worry Bachmann, the same would apply to Sonic.

 

Competition drives a market so having Bachmann Farish, Dapol, Sonic, RevolutioN, Rapido and Accurascale should ensure quality goes up, content increases and that will attract more people to the scale.

 

I don't expect output to ever match OO, but there is space to increase and a market to build.

 

And with regards to Accurascale, it's not like they didn't actually ask us a few months back.

 

Edit: Dapol do now appear to be seeing N as a viable development market again with several new models in the pipeline.

Edited September 10, 2023 by woodenhead