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Heljan AC Cars Railbus - Decorated Sample


dcroz

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I'm really looking forward to this release.i see the first model is depicted operating from Cirencester to Kemble a line I remember well as I grew up in Cirencester when the railbuses were running.

 

Pete.

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Not to worry - on some services they spent a lot of time running empty (alas).

 

The railcar which worked the last run on the Tetbury branch (W79978, Saturday 4/4/64) probably carried more passengers than it had ever done before in normal service on the line! In the Wild Swan book on the branch, one of the photo captions reads thus :

 

"The arrival of the new Railbus was greeted with much interest and curiosity by intending passengers and onlookers alike. Sadly, this initial patronage was short-lived and such a crowd on the platform (Tetbury) became a rare sight''. Say's it all really!

 

A very nice looking model and definitely on the shopping list :good:

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The AC Cars railbus looks lovely, any chance Heljan will do one in 7mm scale for Gauge 0? I remember the real ones running on the Beith branch in Ayrshire, very first train I rode on I'm told, so keen to have one.

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The AC Cars railbus looks lovely, any chance Heljan will do one in 7mm scale for Gauge 0? I remember the real ones running on the Beith branch in Ayrshire, very first train I rode on I'm told, so keen to have one.

 

I made the suggestion a few weeks ago, so I guess we'll have to wait and see. Ironically, although I would LIKE the AC Cars rail bus in 'O' gauge, the WMD German railbus would actually be more use to me as I could run it on my 'O' gauge Oakworth/Railway Children layout. One of the KWVR rail buses was used as a 'taxi' during the filming, taking staff and equipment up and down the line. It ran with a 4-wheel open wagon for the larger bits of equipment - the only time I've ever heard of a wagon being hauled by a railbus. Of course, only the German ones were fitted with buffers and proper couplings so none of the others could haul anything.

CHRIS LEIGH

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The ex Derby Research Wickam on the Lavender Line has buffers and a coupling!

 

Yes, but it only bears only a passing resemblance to a production/passenger service Wickham, having been built specially for the Derby Research job. Can't imagine Heljan would make a one-off body moulding just for that one vehicle.

CHRIS LEIGH

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Looking good! Have suggested that they correct the window surrounds on the door and to the right of the door which are not aluminium but Beclawat black rubber strip as on the windscreens.

CHRIS LEIGH

Hi Chris

 

Just bought a secondhand copy of your book "The Western Before Beeching" at Telford today some great pictures of the railcar.

and it illustrates your point.

 

So now after buying the book I could run a railcar, a Teddy Bear and a class 22

 

More money

 

Terry

 

 

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A bit of background for folk: http://www.railcar.co.uk/class/acbus/acbus-7.htm

 

I'll be getting one because: "79977/8 were based at St. Blazey with employment on a shuttle service to Bodmin North from June 14th '64, connecting with trains from Wadebridge to Bodmin Road at newly opened exchange platforms at Boscarne Junction, and also certain trips to Wadebridge."

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A bit of background for folk: http://www.railcar.c...bus/acbus-7.htm

 

I'll be getting one because: "79977/8 were based at St. Blazey with employment on a shuttle service to Bodmin North from June 14th '64, connecting with trains from Wadebridge to Bodmin Road at newly opened exchange platforms at Boscarne Junction, and also certain trips to Wadebridge."

 

They were indeed - dad rode on the last day of those shuttles, probably the fullest any AC Cars railbus ever was...

 

Adam

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A bit of background for folk: http://www.railcar.c...bus/acbus-7.htm

 

I'll be getting one because: "79977/8 were based at St. Blazey with employment on a shuttle service to Bodmin North from June 14th '64, connecting with trains from Wadebridge to Bodmin Road at newly opened exchange platforms at Boscarne Junction, and also certain trips to Wadebridge."

And it was great fun changing trains at Boscarne Junction as I did that very summer.

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  • 3 weeks later...

This model looks great, apart from the already stated window surrounds that have to be black (rubber) I see no flaws at all when comparing it with the real thing!

So this one is a must have, as they did run on the Scottish region.

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Hi Tony,

 

Decorated samples were at Warley for the 4 different versions. 3 of these samples were painted body only, 1 sample was mounted on underframe/wheels. IIRC the label next to the samples stated that corrections were still to be made, so I think we're still a few months away from the full release.

 

Hope this helps,

 

David

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