Class 66, By Accurascale

[mevaman1]

Bachmann vs Accurascale comparison.

 

Obviously my Bacchy 66200 is weathered so you can’t compare colour.  Exhaust ports are different sizes.

 

As Mick had already mentioned, the Accurascale silencer sits slightly higher.

[big jim]

58 minutes ago, mevaman1 said:

Lovely to read the ‘Driver’s view’ section in the Locomotive Operator’s Manual.

 

Is the author Big Jim of this parish?

indeed, that’s the first time I’ve seen it, didn’t see any proofs just wanted to wait until the loco came out! 
 

have you got a pic of the next page too? 
 

 

Edited April 6 by big jim

[NBL]

3 hours ago, gooderz said:

rather distasteful to make fun of a driver's misfortune.

It's a trap point incident, not a major event for god sake

[mevaman1]

37 minutes ago, big jim said:

indeed, that’s the first time I’ve seen it, didn’t see any proofs just wanted to wait until the loco came out! 
 

have you got a pic of the next page too? 
 

 

Here you go Jim.

[WILLIAM]

1 hour ago, mevaman1 said:

Bachmann vs Accurascale comparison.

 

Obviously my Bacchy 66200 is weathered so you can’t compare colour.  Exhaust ports are different sizes.

 

As Mick had already mentioned, the Accurascale silencer sits slightly higher.

 

 

 

For a nearly 20 year old tooling I think the Bachmann 66 stands up well against this 'new' offering. That's not to say the Accurascale version isn't excellent, and clearly has the jump, but highlights how relativley good the Bachmann one was for its day.

[Markn]

1 hour ago, mevaman1 said:

Bachmann vs Accurascale comparison.

 

Obviously my Bacchy 66200 is weathered so you can’t compare colour.  Exhaust ports are different sizes.

 

As Mick had already mentioned, the Accurascale silencer sits slightly higher.

 

Apart from maybe the bogie detail this shows just how good the Bachmann model still is, especially when it's weathered up. I didn't sell mine when the Hattons came out and I won't this time either.

 

In fact I've just finished repainting one this week using 66711 Sence as a donor.

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

The fact its based on the Hattons model has put this on a great footing and only improve,the Hattons one was nothing that could not be fixed and improved and not many for sale says a lot as to its quality.

3 hours ago, mevaman1 said:

Here you go Jim.

I knew my bet would be safe with Jim at the drivers seat,is the Accurascale driver scaned from the man himself for 100% accuracy??

Edited April 6 by ERIC ALLTORQUE

[big jim]

1 hour ago, ERIC ALLTORQUE said:

is the Accurascale driver scaned form the man himself for 100% accuracy??

no, I’ve not been scanned by accurascale but you can get me from Modelu 

[Goodnight Sweetheart]

2 hours ago, NBL said:

It's a trap point incident, not a major event for god sake

I can assure you, it’s a major event when you the SPAD alarm goes off with a train moving forward without authority towards a running line !

 

 

[Goodnight Sweetheart]

Some proper pictures of 001 on the layout, blown away by how good the model. Fingers crossed for some more plain Jane EWS examples to build up small delivery run rake.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6 by Goodnight Sweetheart

[Goodnight Sweetheart]

Haulage trials didn’t quite work out the way i planned ! I wonder if I sprinkle water on it it’ll grow? 😂😂

[classy52]

Just a minor thing, it appears Accurascale have inherited Hattons inability to wrap the Cantrail stripe around the top headlight box which is a shame whereas Bachmann has got this right on their Class 66 models.

Was hoping AS would correct this but unfortunately not the case.

[Penson Halt]

Spent the afternoon weathering a Bachmann EWS BRA Steel Carrier to compliment some photos I’ll be taking of AS 66 so now that’s nearly complete I thought I’d get 001 out of the box!

 

My oh my, what a stunning model! Superb in every way!

 

I see 66’s everyday of the week living along side the Shrewsbury/Chester line but in model form I just didn’t realise the sheer size/length of the prototype!

 

Well done to Accurascale on producing a superb rendition of what I’m sure will become a classic!

[mevaman1]

1 hour ago, classy52 said:

Just a minor thing, it appears Accurascale have inherited Hattons inability to wrap the Cantrail stripe around the top headlight box which is a shame whereas Bachmann has got this right on their Class 66 models.

Was hoping AS would correct this but unfortunately not the case.

Not sure what you mean.  If you look at my photo the cantrail stripe runs around the headlight box on the Accurascale model.

Edited April 6 by mevaman1

[Bryn_Bach_Railway]

Decided to contact Accurascale and ask for my order to be split, and as a result 66 001 turned up in the post today! I personally never got to have a proper look at this models previous life under Hatton’s so for me this is a huge step above the Bachmann ones I have had previously. I’m yet to run mine in but just doing a couple back and forth runs over some very gentle curves, the model runs like a dream.

 

 

 

I did have to adjust the back EMF on the current decoder to get a nice slow and smooth set off but that’s by no means an issue with the model, rather something that should be done on all models to fine tune them I my opinion. The DCC socket appears to have been redesigned from the original and is now an MTC socket, as apposed to the MKL used in the original Hattons run. As such there is a little bit more functionality for the lighting.

 

 

 

I’ve currently fitted a Zimo MN340C decoder, as accurascale are yet to release their pre-programmed ESU chips. Interestingly while being able to operate more functions than my previous attempt with a Zimo decoder and an ESU circuit board, not all functions are operational. I have made sure the Zimo decoder is programmed to operate them, it’s just having the same issue as I had before just on different outputs. However I can control upto AUX4 which gives me markers, tail, and day lights at both ends. That’s good enough for now until I can get proper chips from accurascale once their ready. Certainly seems to be some incompatibility between ESU circuitry and Zimo decoder tho but that’s not for discussion here, just something to keep a note of. 
 

 

I’m not a class 66 expert so I can’t comment on the 100% accuracy of everything, however I do seem to see these all the time here in South Wales. There’s nothing that jumps out to me as being wrong or out of place so I’m very happy with it. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the batch arrive in a month or two, hopefully with the correct decoders ready and waiting for them! Right, now to run her in and get her working the steel train, it wouldn’t be south wales otherwise now would it!

[classy52]

29 minutes ago, mevaman1 said:

Not sure what you mean.  If you look at my photo the cantrail stripe runs around the headlight box on the Accurascale model.

 

It doesn't, both sides of the box don't have the stripe but it is at the front and either side of the headlight box but doesn't connect with the front of the box via the sides...see photo's above from Goodnight Sweetheart.

Just had a look at the models on the AS website and you can see clearly the cantrail stripe does not flow from one side of the headlight box to the other, quite noticeable on the Freightliner green & DRS variants and this was the case on all Hattons 66's.

 

Edit: Basically there is a break in the cantrail stripe on both sides of the headlight box.

Edited April 6 by classy52

[Bryn_Bach_Railway]

9 minutes ago, classy52 said:

Edit: Basically there is a break in the cantrail stripe on both sides of the headlight box.

 

more of a side on shot shows it quite well. Personally it’s not something I’d be too bothered about as I wouldn’t notice it from normal layout viewing distances, and by the time I eventually get around to weathering it could easily become part of normal wear and tear. However it is something that’s worth knowing about. You’ve got a very keen eye to spot that especially on the ESW livery!

[classy52]

1 minute ago, Bryn_Bach_Railway said:

 

more of a side on shot shows it quite well. Personally it’s not something I’d be too bothered about as I wouldn’t notice it from normal layout viewing distances, and by the time I eventually get around to weathering it could easily become part of normal wear and tear. However it is something that’s worth knowing about. You’ve got a very keen eye to spot that especially on the ESW livery!

 

No worries, I'm not bothered as well but just something I was aware of owning Hattons 66's and I suppose made me look for it again on the AS 66 and noticed it was carried over thus it may have escaped everyone's attention at Accurascale...just one of those things.

I have six on order and really very jealous to see the EWS variant in your good hands, all mine are current day.

[CazRail]

Still waiting on my pre-order of 001 to be despatched, looking at the photos it's a cracking model. Can't wait. 

[mevaman1]

1 hour ago, classy52 said:

 

It doesn't, both sides of the box don't have the stripe but it is at the front and either side of the headlight box but doesn't connect with the front of the box via the sides...see photo's above from Goodnight Sweetheart.

Just had a look at the models on the AS website and you can see clearly the cantrail stripe does not flow from one side of the headlight box to the other, quite noticeable on the Freightliner green & DRS variants and this was the case on all Hattons 66's.

 

Edit: Basically there is a break in the cantrail stripe on both sides of the headlight box.

Ah yes - sorry, I can see it.

[G-BOAF]

10 hours ago, mevaman1 said:

Bachmann vs Accurascale comparison.

 

Obviously my Bacchy 66200 is weathered so you can’t compare colour.  Exhaust ports are different sizes.

 

As Mick had already mentioned, the Accurascale silencer sits slightly higher.

Whole AS loco seems to sit higher, unless they were not lined up properly I'm that head on shot. I don't recall such a discrepancy in hattons vs Bachmann height

[derekdoestrains]

12 hours ago, Bryn_Bach_Railway said:

as accurascale are yet to release their pre-programmed ESU chips

I wonder if the 37 chips would work, can’t be toooo much different…

[Bryn_Bach_Railway]

1 hour ago, derekdoestrains said:

I wonder if the 37 chips would work, can’t be toooo much different…

Looking at the AUX lists I don’t think they’d be quite right.

 

the 37 Aux functions;

Front Lights - white marker light front

Rear Lights - white marker light rear

aux 1 - red tail light front 

aux 2 - red tail light rear

aux 3 - dashboard front

aux 4 - dashboard rear

aux 5 - head/day light front

aux 6 - head/day light rear

aux 7 - night light front

aux 8 - night light rear

aux 9 - cab front

aux 10 - cab rear

aux 11 - top light front

aux 12 - top light rear

aux 13 - top light rear

aux 14 - engine room light

 

where as the 66 is;

Front lights - white marker light front

rear lights - white marker light rear

aux 1 - red front

aux 2 - red rear

aux 3 - day front

aux 4 - day rear

aux 5 - night front 

aux 6 - night rear

aux 7 - cab front 

aux 8 - cab rear

 

so with a 37 chip, you’d most likely end up with the default running turning on night lights rather than day. But that depends on the pre-set function mapping

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

Well since they have the molding for 66001 the next batch it needs done DB red for todays railway modellers.

has to be the way to go now they have it to use. As far as im aware the next ones they are doing are picked so might be a big reveal soon...........

[Michael Hodgson]

On 04/04/2024 at 11:18, atom3624 said:

Just for reference, I mentioned working on the infamous axle boxes of my Hattons' 'Patriot' - here she is hauling some hoppers (12 of them, each weighing ~175g !!)

 

Power is DC only, using a Gaugemaster model 'D', set on ~40 (of 100).

 

Al.

I didn't realise how good they are on gradients !  😁