N Gauge Class 390 Pendolino (post Kickstarter) with Rapido

[Jon Gwinnett]

Hope Mike and Ben don't mind, but I thought it was time we reminded ourselves what we're aiming at:

 

Virgin Invader, didn't know the name when I made it my avatar!

 

Heading down into Crawford

[acko22]

Great Pics Jon,

 

The second one is really striking and makes the pendo seem very at home in its surroundings!

[davepallant]

Great Pics Jon,

 

The second one is really striking and makes the pendo seem very at home in its surroundings!

 

The second photograph also demonstrates to anyone worried about modelling the catenary that the supports are few and far between and the wires are effectively invisible. Plenty of great layouts out there with no wires, just a few supports.

[Jon Gwinnett]

Technically it's a poor shot, light bad, focus variable, and so on. But I hope it is atmospheric, and, as Acko22 says, shows how the 390s have become part of the landscape for those of us who spend time on or around the WCML.

[Revolution Ben]

Hi Jon,

 

Thanks for posting, great shots.

 

And the point Dave makes about catenary is an interesting one - raises the question about modelling what we can see, rather than what we think we should see....

 

Exactly halfway through now and pledging at £88k - 41% - so less than half way there. But Kickstarter prediction of success at 98%, our highest yet!

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Ben A

[Joseph_Pestell]

Hi Jon,

 

Thanks for posting, great shots.

 

And the point Dave makes about catenary is an interesting one - raises the question about modelling what we can see, rather than what we think we should see....

 

Exactly halfway through now and pledging at £88k - 41% - so less than half way there. But Kickstarter prediction of success at 98%, our highest yet!

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

 

I expect that your nice ads in the magazines should provoke some more interest.

 

I am tempted, even if I would have to build a whole new layout to have somewhere to run them.

[ruggedpeak]

I am tempted, even if I would have to build a whole new layout to have somewhere to run them.

Joseph

 

Stop being tempted and pledge!

 

I model OO and have no N gauge track at all but it is a fantastic idea, superb model and £255 for a full 9 car EMU? Bargain!

 

It will have pride of place in my model cabinet, when I get a longer one! And the coupling on one end means a Thunderbird or similar is almost inevitable, as is an N gauge layout. Oh dear.

 

Tony

Edited December 19, 2014 by ruggedpeak

[acko22]

Just build a N gauge line on the OO layout then class it as "Narrow Gauge"

[ash39]

If we're doing photos, here are a few of mine !

 

 

43308 & 390112 Carlisle 17/12/2014 by Flash_3939, on Flickr

 

390137 Acton Bridge 03/01/2014 by Flash_3939, on Flickr

 

390155 Lancaster 12/04/2014 by Flash_3939, on Flickr

 

325016, 66085, 92036 & 390045 Acton Bridge 08/10/2014 by Flash_3939, on Flickr

 

390112 Oxenholme 17/12/2014 by Flash_3939, on Flickr

 

All can be viewed full size by clicking the links.

 

Of interest, I've noticed they often run with the front cowlings either open or not quite closed properly. It may be too early to say, but on the model do we know if it will slide back into the body like the prototype, or will it simply clip on and off?

[Revolution Mike]

We think the likeliest solution is that the front panel will clip in/out of an NEM coupler pocket so that people can insert their coupler of choice for drags.

 

Cheers, Mike

[Revolution Ben]

 

 

Hi ash,

 

Great pics - thanks for posting.

 

How the front panel will work hasn't been finalised.

 

On the real thing, as you identified, it slides up and back a bit like a garage door. Replicating this in N, while ensuring any mechanism is accurate enough to be neat, reliable and robust, is not trivial.

 

Most people will want to run the model with the covers closed, so this has to be the default position. My feeling is that the most likely solution would be, as Mike says, a cover that can be unclipped to allow access to the NEM coupler socket within.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

[acko22]

Ok Gents,

 

The pledges are now over 90K which is good news for us wanting one.

 

I have decided for personal reasons to do this next bit, tomorrow (24th) Marks the start of the unofficial 1914 Christmas Truce between elements of the British and German forces facing each other.

So to mark this for any pledge for the Poppy Pendo tomorrow and Christmas day, the total amount raised up to the sum of 100 pounds I will match pound for pound.

 

As I say I am doing this for personal reasons as to matching the money raised, but not only will it raise extra money for the project but also the RBL.

Guys that includes if you are altering the pledge to the PoppyPendo to if you alter your pledge for one just put (RBL XMAS) in the comments bit on the kickstart page, this doesn't include those that have pledged already or after the 25th for one

 

Cheers

 

Acko

Edited December 23, 2014 by acko22

[Jon Gwinnett]

That's a splendid gesture. So if any of Santa's little helpers are watching, please pledge tomorrow or Christmas day!

[acko22]

Ok Gents,

 

It's Midnight there is currently 9 pledges at the start of the 2 days anyone who pledges in the next 48 hours for a Poppy Edition as I said up to 100 ponds I will match the donation!

As we say in work the balls in your court!

 

Acko

[Revolution Ben]

Hi acko,

 

Fantastic gesture - what a great idea!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[mikeharvey22]

Two years have elapsed since David Lund showed his completed 3D printed Pendolino running.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61710-3d-printed-n-gauge-pendolino-and-on-track-plant/page-6

 

 

It was inspiring then, and hopefully will inspire others to sign up to the Kickstarter babyPendo. This YouTube video shows David's superb layout building skills too.

 

 

[Revolution Ben]

Hello all,

 

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring... except those tapping away at their keyboards to pledge for an N gauge Pendolino! 

 

Steady pledging over the last few days (and since we announced we were offering the Poppy version) has seen us reach £94K, or 45% pledged.

 

 

 

Many thanks to all who've supported us - and to those yet to do so.  Let's make 2015 the year of the Pendolino in N, and the year modellers did it for themselves!

 

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to all

 

Ben A.

[alibuchan]

Posted again all over Facebook again.

 

Alistair

[roundhouse]

Merry Christmas ell Apendoli o backers and potential backers.

If you haven't already pledged for one or more, tis a good day to do so!

[Revolution Ben]

Hello all,

 

Rapido have just posted a video of their GMD-1 loco with sound.  Although obviously not identical to the Pendo, there are lots of aspects of the well-designed chassis that we would be using.  And although the sounds are completely different, the ESU Loksound decoder itself is the same or very similar, and certainly the sound quality achieved by Rapido in their factory fitted model is impressive:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOCS3gOz-U8

 

cheers and merry Xmas

 

Ben A.

[rapidotrains]

Hello all,

 

Rapido have just posted a video of their GMD-1 loco with sound.  Although obviously not identical to the Pendo, there are lots of aspects of the well-designed chassis that we would be using.  And although the sounds are completely different, the ESU Loksound decoder itself is the same or very similar, and certainly the sound quality achieved by Rapido in their factory fitted model is impressive:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOCS3gOz-U8

 

cheers and merry Xmas

 

Ben A.

 

Unfortunately each Pendolino will not come with a working Transporter....

 

-Jason

[acko22]

Evening gents,

 

Ok had 2 pledges put on for the Poppy Pendo so will add them on and a kind offer from a member who had already pledged for one to give me the extra tenner himself, so I will class that as a third!

 

Sadly not as much as I was hoping but its better than a kick in the balls! The money will go straight to the legion as don't want Kick start getting their hands on any of it and well only way to do that is give it straight to the RBL at the end of the pledging period with the rest of the money hopefully raised.

 

Ben you can keep me to my word, well we all know how journalists like to gossip!!

Edited December 26, 2014 by acko22

[jjb1970]

The second photograph also demonstrates to anyone worried about modelling the catenary that the supports are few and far between and the wires are effectively invisible. Plenty of great layouts out there with no wires, just a few supports.

 

This is the normal practice in Japan and to be honest whilst it is clearly a bit of a conjuring trick to fool the eye I believe it works better than most actual N gauge catenary. The problem is that unless you are skillful enough to engineer your own catenary the stuff you can buy looks way too heavy to my eye and ends up dominating a layout in a way which is completely unrealistic. This is a problem with a lot of HO catenary and it is much worse in N.

[Revolution Ben]

Hello all,

Delighted to see pledging is through the £100k mark with 272 backers!

But I'm being realistic - we are less than three weeks to go before the deadline, and still less than half funded.  I imagine there will be a surge but I suspect we need every last pledge to get over the line.

I do wonder if we've made it clear enough that not only will the models not get made if we don't make the target, but if we do, we won't take any additional orders after the deadline closes - meaning that only people who pledged before the deadline will get models - at least, for the first two years minimum.  Although I am sure quite a few will end up on eBay - though at possibly considerably higher prices!
 

If you're not ready to pledge yet (even though we won't be taking any money until after the deadline, and even then only if we do reach the target) but don't want to miss out then please register at our website www.ngaugependolino.com without obligation and we will send out reminder emails nearer the time, whether we have already reached the target or not.

cheers

Ben A.

[njee20]

Still showing 76% chance of success, and interesting to note that pledges have really picked up in the last week, you may expect a post christmas lull, but we've had £2k+ per day the last couple. After a few days of <£200 a day or so.