Model Railway Partwork - Your Model Railway Village

[Il Grifone]

AFAIK these coaches were mass produced down to a price, based on a Bachmann MK1 SK coach, but inferior in terms of detail, quality of finish, etc. Hence the reason why Bachmann glazing fits the windows, I'm sure.

 

I wonder if they are in fact reject toolings for the Bachmann models? (About twenty years I was involved in ordering mouldings from the Far East. Despite detailed drawings, it took several attempts...)

[Baby Deltic]

I wonder if they are in fact reject toolings for the Bachmann models? (About twenty years I was involved in ordering mouldings from the Far East. Despite detailed drawings, it took several attempts...)

 

I believe new tooling was produced based on existing tooling, but not as elaborate in terms of fine detail, thereby keeping the cost down. I think it was the size of the run which made it viable.

[stewartingram]

Maybe an obvious point overlooked?

 

Bachmann do NOT produce their coaches, they buy them in. (admittedly from a factory within the same company, but same principle supplies)

 

So if the magazine wants coaches (at a cheap price) they go to the said factory, and get a quote to produce 1 batch (only) for them, though admittedly quite a large batch in proportion to today's model batches. With a fairly detailed requirement specification presented to them, the factory looks at its tools, and agrees a plan to build at a given price. Now that plan might include some existing tooling (such as Bachmann, could be quite easy to arrange use being in the same ownership), or other tooling in stock (as suggested, rejects from earlier Bachmann design), or using the same in-house design team, produce more tooling but keep it much simpler. In the design stage, certain processes are much simplified, giving lower assembly and finishing costs. One example is the roof piping, another is the precoloured plastic for the sides and no numbers.

I am sure that whilst both were designed in the same factory, both Bachmann and Hornby items shared a lot of commonality in design.

 

Maybe I am missing something, but I think this could easily sum it all up. When someone writes the Sanda Khan (or whaterver ) history in 20 years time, maybe the truth will come out.

 

But whatever the truth, they are NOT Bachmann, Replica, Mainline or whatever coaches re-released!

 

Stewart

[royaloak]

 

But whatever the truth, they are NOT Bachmann, Replica, Mainline or whatever coaches re-released!

 

Stewart

But they are cheap copies of Bachmann coaches though.

 

China is very well known for copying other countries stuff up to and including cars.

[andymac-2008]

If any body is desperate Model Railways Rhyl have one of the coaches for sale. The catch is they want £10 for it. The funny thing is that the owner said to me some time ago when he first opened was that he was a model shop that would not rip people off.    

[eddie3]

As others have said, it is an expensive and slow way of doing it. Get yourself The latest(October) edition of Hornby magazine, who have just started  "Operation Build it". This month gives you the track plans, and how to build the baseboards. future editions will include free card buildings to make. You will have to purchase/ source everything yourself, but it will be a lot cheaper and quicker than the partwork, and will support your local model shop too.

Thanks, after a lot of thought I am going to take your advice, I have 2 of issue 1 and waiting on another with subscription, I have noticed when the 4 pieces of track mat are together, it is very big,

Too big for my space, Now I need advice on what starter kit to buy, I am looking forward to getting started with my new hobby. I have been a model collector for many years now and have a lot of Oxford Diecast vehicles as well as Eddie Stobart collection from Atlas Editions. I am retired now due to my health and need a more challenging hobby other than taking models out of there package and putting them in my display cabinet. I would build my layout to suit 1/76 scale as I have a lot of vehicles this size but unsure what gauge this is in model railway terms.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

[The Evil Bus Driver]

Thanks, after a lot of thought I am going to take your advice, I have 2 of issue 1 and waiting on another with subscription, I have noticed when the 4 pieces of track mat are together, it is very big,

Too big for my space, Now I need advice on what starter kit to buy, I am looking forward to getting started with my new hobby. I have been a model collector for many years now and have a lot of Oxford Diecast vehicles as well as Eddie Stobart collection from Atlas Editions. I am retired now due to my health and need a more challenging hobby other than taking models out of there package and putting them in my display cabinet. I would build my layout to suit 1/76 scale as I have a lot of vehicles this size but unsure what gauge this is in model railway terms.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

Why not try an end to end or corner layout? If you want to watch the trains go by there is an option for a round the room layout with an operating well. Maybe try using some design software like AnyRail so you can come up with a suitable design.

[cctransuk]

Apropos my earlier suggestion of re-using the Hachette coach wheels by sharpening / truing-up the somewhat blunt pinpoints cast with the wheels; I have this afternoon treated sixty-four wheel castings on my Unimat lathe.

 

Gently does it is the rule - I managed to shear off five pinpoints by feeding the tool too quickly, but all was not lost as replacement pinpoints, made from cut down pinpoint axles, were easily fitted after the wheels had been drilled through.

 

The job was repetitive and boring, but the improvement in running, after the wheels were reassembled in the plastic muffs using a back-to-back gauge and superglue, is amazing.

 

The bogies now run very true and with hardly any frictional resistance.

 

Looking forward to completing this project - photos of the finished coaches will follow.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Fat Controller]

Thanks, after a lot of thought I am going to take your advice, I have 2 of issue 1 and waiting on another with subscription, I have noticed when the 4 pieces of track mat are together, it is very big,

Too big for my space, Now I need advice on what starter kit to buy, I am looking forward to getting started with my new hobby. I have been a model collector for many years now and have a lot of Oxford Diecast vehicles as well as Eddie Stobart collection from Atlas Editions. I am retired now due to my health and need a more challenging hobby other than taking models out of there package and putting them in my display cabinet. I would build my layout to suit 1/76 scale as I have a lot of vehicles this size but unsure what gauge this is in model railway terms.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

1/76 is the same, within a gnat's nadger, as 00/EM/P4- it equates to 4mm representing one foot (isn't that a wonderfully British compromise?)

[Huw Griffiths]

1/76 is the same, within a gnat's nadger, as 00/EM/P4- it equates to 4mm representing one foot (isn't that a wonderfully British compromise?)

 

The main difference between these gauges is how far apart the rails are.

 

OO is the most common - well supported by the trade - available in ready to run (RTR) form - and what's used in the YMRV partwork coach. Track in this gauge is actually HO (1:87) scale - a bit of a compromise, but one many people are prepared to go along with.

 

EM and P4/S4 use wider track (in an effort to get closer to scale) - but involve modellers making their own track - curves also tend to be of much larger radius.

 

 

Personally, I'd advise you to stick with OO - but use a different make of track to that supplied with the partworks. My advice would be to go for Peco track - definitely use track with "nickel silver" rails (N/S doesn't corrode as easily as steel) - and I'd probably mainly use the clip-together track they market under the "Setrack" banner.

[brightspark]

I went into Smiffs today and found the part 2. My wife, inspired by the deal made on Part1 of YMRV saw in the rack "Make and Sew Beautiful Things for you and your home". You get some needles, embroidery thread, heat'n'bond, three pieces of fabric and a much better and quite usefull booklet all for 99p....She has bought five of them! Estimated cost of cloth on e-bay about £3!

 

When will the madness stop!

 

 

ps she says that I made her buy 5.

[Budgie]

Too big for my space, Now I need advice on what starter kit to buy, I am looking forward to getting started with my new hobby. [...] I would build my layout to suit 1/76 scale as I have a lot of vehicles this size but unsure what gauge this is in model railway terms.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

  

Why not try an end to end or corner layout? If you want to watch the trains go by there is an option for a round the room layout with an operating well.

Alternatively, you could build your layout outdoors, in the garden.

[C&WR]

That rings bells, Brightspark.  The Long Haired Controller, knowing I was after some of these coaches but also that I had no idea what the packaging looked like would torture me in supermarkets by waving partworks from a distance so I got all excited until I saw the front and realised it was something to do with Sci Fi Television,sewing or Disney baking...

[traction]

Well first delivery arrived today, although according to the website the transactions were all carried out on 14/09/2013

 

The delivery sticker date was 16/09/2013, now that is snail mail.

 

So I got issue 2 and 3 with the bits of track and complete station building.

The tractor and trailer are out of stock and will be sent later???

Now this is the first delivery and it clearly states that you will receive these items as a free gift, so surely it must have all been planned with the suppliers so how can it be out of stock????

So instead they have sent the binder.

The free tool kit, that wasn't even in the box.

So that's the state of the first delivery and what a complete shambles, for a company which all it does is Partworks!!!!

 

Hey ho would of liked the free tractor.

Subscription now cancelled at least it's only cost £5.99.

 

 

[Baby Deltic]

Well first delivery arrived today, although according to the website the transactions were all carried out on 14/09/2013

 

The delivery sticker date was 16/09/2013, now that is snail mail.

 

So I got issue 2 and 3 with the bits of track and complete station building.

The tractor and trailer are out of stock and will be sent later???

Now this is the first delivery and it clearly states that you will receive these items as a free gift, so surely it must have all been planned with the suppliers so how can it be out of stock????

So instead they have sent the binder.

The free tool kit, that wasn't even in the box.

So that's the state of the first delivery and what a complete shambles, for a company which all it does is Partworks!!!!

 

Hey ho would of liked the free tractor.

Subscription now cancelled at least it's only cost £5.99.

 

I'll bet they're crafty old dogs. The tractor is out of stock unless you keep the subscription going longer, perhaps?

[Andy Y]

If any body is desperate Model Railways Rhyl have one of the coaches for sale. The catch is they want £10 for it. The funny thing is that the owner said to me some time ago when he first opened was that he was a model shop that would not rip people off.    

 

 

Oh dear. I just did a little homework; there's a connection there with Railtimez.

[47137]

Thanks, after a lot of thought I am going to take your advice, I have 2 of issue 1 and waiting on another with subscription, I have noticed when the 4 pieces of track mat are together, it is very big,

Too big for my space, Now I need advice on what starter kit to buy, I am looking forward to getting started with my new hobby. I have been a model collector for many years now and have a lot of Oxford Diecast vehicles as well as Eddie Stobart collection from Atlas Editions. ...

Try to pick up a copy of the October Hornby Magazine, they are starting a layout project which will go into 10' x 2' or less. The plans include a forecourt area which would hold some 1:76 scale road vehicles.

 

- Richard.

[eddie3]

Try to pick up a copy of the October Hornby Magazine, they are starting a layout project which will go into 10' x 2' or less. The plans include a forecourt area which would hold some 1:76 scale road vehicles.

 

- Richard.

Yes Thanks Richard, someone else suggested this, I am going out shopping with the missus tomorrow and I'll pick one up, Asda do a lot of railway magazines so I have wrote down on a piece of paper which one to look for.

Thanks Again.

[eddie3]

Well first delivery arrived today, although according to the website the transactions were all carried out on 14/09/2013

 

The delivery sticker date was 16/09/2013, now that is snail mail.

 

So I got issue 2 and 3 with the bits of track and complete station building.

The tractor and trailer are out of stock and will be sent later???

Now this is the first delivery and it clearly states that you will receive these items as a free gift, so surely it must have all been planned with the suppliers so how can it be out of stock????

So instead they have sent the binder.

The free tool kit, that wasn't even in the box.

So that's the state of the first delivery and what a complete shambles, for a company which all it does is Partworks!!!!

 

Hey ho would of liked the free tractor.

Subscription now cancelled at least it's only cost £5.99.

That is sneaky, I am still waiting on part 2, I'll let you know if the same happens with me, I take it the model station is made of card ??/

[traction]

Hi Eddie3,

 

No the station building is all plastic.

[47137]

Well first delivery arrived today, although according to the website the transactions were all carried out on 14/09/2013

 

The delivery sticker date was 16/09/2013, now that is snail mail.

 

So I got issue 2 and 3 with the bits of track and complete station building.

The tractor and trailer are out of stock and will be sent later???

Now this is the first delivery and it clearly states that you will receive these items as a free gift, so surely it must have all been planned with the suppliers so how can it be out of stock????

So instead they have sent the binder.

The free tool kit, that wasn't even in the box.

So that's the state of the first delivery and what a complete shambles, for a company which all it does is Partworks!!!!

 

Hey ho would of liked the free tractor.

Subscription now cancelled at least it's only cost £5.99.

I recall an advertisement for a free computer some years ago. You paid for the software (probably Windows and Office), the computer was free. People complained the computer did not work. The supplier said "not our problem, it was free". And a gift should be a gift. A better investment would be to join a local model railway club, where the advice and encouragement really will be free.

 

- Richard.

[Pacific231G]

Thanks, after a lot of thought I am going to take your advice, I have 2 of issue 1 and waiting on another with subscription, I have noticed when the 4 pieces of track mat are together, it is very big,

Too big for my space, Now I need advice on what starter kit to buy, I am looking forward to getting started with my new hobby. I have been a model collector for many years now and have a lot of Oxford Diecast vehicles as well as Eddie Stobart collection from Atlas Editions. I am retired now due to my health and need a more challenging hobby other than taking models out of there package and putting them in my display cabinet. I would build my layout to suit 1/76 scale as I have a lot of vehicles this size but unsure what gauge this is in model railway terms.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

Hi Eddie

It would be worth thinking a little about what sort of model railway you want.

 

I like to shunt trains so every layout I've ever built has been either a terminus to fiddle yard or a shunting layout. That has the advantage of being quite long and narrow, doesn't take up much space in a room and can even be operated quite prototypically to a timetable. The disadvantage is that your trains will barely have time to leave the station before they stop again in the fiddle yard.

This format also includes the simplest of all proper working layouts - the Inglenook sidings with just two points and one power feed and you can (just) fit it on a four foot long shelf.

 

Some people just want to set trains running and watch them moving and the basic form for that tends to be a circuit of track with sidings. This type of layout tends to be rather bulky on a single board but I know several people who have this type of layout and just enjoy running their favourite locos and trains round and round. It's not so easy to run this prototypically though there are ways of doing that possibly by hiding the track at the back of the layout and using it as a fiddle yard.

The layout in the partwork was definitely large for what it was, 6ft x 4 ft was the traditional size for this type of layout in Britain. 8ft x 4ft was common in America which I gather is about the same size as a table tennis table and layouts there tend to live in the large basement rooms that American suburban homes often use for hobbies - (including table tennis!). The catch with this type of layout is that, in one piece 6ft x 4ft, is about as portable as a double bed (i.e not at all) but there are solutions to that such as running round the walls on shelves.

 

Some people just love lots of locomotives so build models of loco depots.

 

The important thing is that the layout should meet your wishes not those of anyone else.

[eddie3]

Hi Eddie

It would be worth thinking a little about what sort of model railway you want.

 

I like to shunt trains so every layout I've ever built has been either a terminus to fiddle yard or a shunting layout. That has the advantage of being quite long and narrow, doesn't take up much space in a room and can even be operated quite prototypically to a timetable. The disadvantage is that your trains will barely have time to leave the station before they stop again in the fiddle yard.

This format also includes the simplest of all proper working layouts - the Inglenook sidings with just two points and one power feed and you can (just) fit it on a four foot long shelf.

 

Some people just want to set trains running and watch them moving and the basic form for that tends to be a circuit of track with sidings. This type of layout tends to be rather bulky on a single board but I know several people who have this type of layout and just enjoy running their favourite locos and trains round and round. It's not so easy to run this prototypically though there are ways of doing that possibly by hiding the track at the back of the layout and using it as a fiddle yard.

The layout in the partwork was definitely large for what it was, 6ft x 4 ft was the traditional size for this type of layout in Britain. 8ft x 4ft was common in America which I gather is about the same size as a table tennis table and layouts there tend to live in the large basement rooms that American suburban homes often use for hobbies - (including table tennis!). The catch with this type of layout is that, in one piece 6ft x 4ft, is about as portable as a double bed (i.e not at all) but there are solutions to that such as running round the walls on shelves.

 

Some people just love lots of locomotives so build models of loco depots.

 

The important thing is that the layout should meet your wishes not those of anyone else.

Thanks for this, I am still in the thought stage and your input is greatly appreciated, The space I have is the size of a single bed, approx. 200 x 100cm. I keep asking the missus if I can get rid of the bed as nobody sleeps in it anymore but she said no, so my idea is to build a base on top of it. It is a spare room now but she wants to keep the bed in it incase one of our boys wants to return home. I am going out this afternoon shopping so I will pick up the Hornby mag October edition with operation build it. I have loads of 1/76 scale cars/vans ect I can add to my layout.

Thanks Again

[47137]

You could try buying a folding bed. Sometimes it is easier to get forgiveness afterwards than getting the necessary permissions beforehand.

 

- Richard.

[The Evil Bus Driver]

  

 

Alternatively, you could build your layout outdoors, in the garden

Yep. There is that option too, although that usually requires careful negotiation with other family members. It's a cool idea though.