Oxfordrail Wagons

[Ozexpatriate]

The images on the Kernow site suggest they have three link couplings included.

I believe they are the same as on the Oxford Rail page.

[298]

The Oxfordrail wagons at £8.95 are cheaper than the latest Hornby private owner wagons which are £10.95 each. I wonder if the Arley Colliery wagon will be suitable for a model of the Severn Valley Railway.

 

 

Wrong Arley, the wagon is from the one near Nuneaton and is a strange choice, having previously been covered by Bachmann and Dapol.

[Neal Ball]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

 

Leaving the bottom door aside.... it looks to be a good model. 

 

I looked at those photos on the MRE site and the model certainly looks to be a cracking item. Presumably they are yet to be released... but I guess they won't be long....

 

Interesting to see they will be releasing further models on a 3 monthly cycle. Wonder whats next, just more PO wagons, or some LSWR carriages????

[Flying Pig]

PS - Corner plate, I have several NCB internal user wagons with similar modification, I agree a very late adaption

 

Not quite as late, but I think the clips bolted through the top plank are not original either. The clips held on capping irons that protected the side sheeting and were originally screwed in vertically. Photos in LMS Wagons suggest that the change might have been a wartime measure (possibly associated with thinner planks?) and if so it too post-dates the application of pretty PO liveries. A minor point and I could be quite wrong.

[Dunsignalling]

 

 

The end stanchions looks like a separate part. Might just be an effect of the lighting/photography.

That would be logical as Railway Company wagons built to this design (LNER and SR, don't know if the others had any) had stanchions made from steel angle.

 

John

[Fat Controller]

A more authentic solution would be to "distress" the original finish with a fibreglass brush, kill the brightness with a mucky wash, simulate the odd unpainted replacement plank and add BR markings. 

 

However, if they could manage a good representation of the early BR painted metal + unpainted wood "livery", I'd snap up a boxful ! 

 

John

I doubt that any of this style, with its wooden underframe, ever received more than a black patch at one end for the number and load, and another at the opposite end for the tare. It would have been the later design, with steel solebars, that would have been patch (and sometimes fully) repainted.

[Dunsignalling]

I doubt that any of this style, with its wooden underframe, ever received more than a black patch at one end for the number and load, and another at the opposite end for the tare. It would have been the later design, with steel solebars, that would have been patch (and sometimes fully) repainted.

Good point, one tends to think of 1923-pattern RCH wagons being rather more uniform than they actually were, though the adoption of steel frames often resulted from who was buying the wagons as much as when. Some steel-framed examples were significantly older than some wooden-framed ones.

 

It also has to be borne in mind how quickly BR weeded out the worst of the wooden coal wagons it inherited. Numbers roughly halved in the first four or five years after nationalisation, though many of the early casualties would have been older (1907-style) 10t wagons. That's a lot of firewood!

 

Every new 16-ton mineral replaced roughly two old wagons and a 21-tonner, nearly three; it wasn't just their higher capacity, they needed less maintenance and broke less often so they could make more trips.

 

John

[The Stationmaster]

I doubt that any of this style, with its wooden underframe, ever received more than a black patch at one end for the number and load, and another at the opposite end for the tare. It would have been the later design, with steel solebars, that would have been patch (and sometimes fully) repainted.

Brian - photographic evidence suggests otherwise although those with fully repainted bodies were far, far, less common than those with unpainted planking.  Don't forget that repair and painting instructions tended to alter over the years although I do doubt that more than a few ever received a full coat of grey.  Doing a bit of photo delving it iz pretty clear that wagons of this type with wooden underframes survived into the early 1960s and that they were still quite common in the mid 1950s.

 

Many thousands had of course gone quite early in the BR era especially those with grease axleboxes (the Oxfrd Rail wagon has oil 'boxes) so the ideal BR era livery would probably be heavily weathered wood planking and rusted ironwork except for white paint on the diagonal strap at the end door end.  But at less than 9 quid and with, hopefully, transfers available for numbers and tare markings they would seem to be ideal heavy weathering fodder, as John suggested.  I winder how easy it will be to change the wheelsesets?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

 ...They say they have a new level of detail has anyone seen them?

 

 

The initial 6 private owner wagons herald a new level of detail for the most discerning of model railway enthusiasts....."

 

Regards, Neal.

The more you look, and compare to the 1923 RCH drawing and photographs, the more you see. They are very nice and crisp, but some features are flat out wrong.

 

The most visible are the clips for the capping strip which immediately dates them post the 'new PO livery' period, it's wartime and BR service appropriate; and the hinge bar and end door arrangement is incorrect for 1923, it's the arrangement on the wartime build steel underframe type I think. What's that horizontal groove doing across the face of the bufferbeams? The reinforcing plate at the bottom of the cornerplates, only one drop door where it should be either two or none...

 

At this point the buzzer goes BEEP!   nul points....

 

This is shaping up to be like Hornby's Brush type 2, to pick on a similar problem child. Very neatly moulded, splendid detail, great paint finish and applied lettering etc. : but no amount of quality in the execution compensates for fundamental errors in the appearance. A three pound coin is always wrong, even if produced to the standards of the Royal Mint.

 

Oxford would do well to start again on this one if they really are pitching at the top slot.

[billbedford]

I would buy an unpainted one. It would be a lot easier to repaint as a railway owned wagon like an LSWR or SR wagon.

 

I remember when Wrenn only produced private owner wagons how I had to strip down the transfers before I could repaint them in BR livery. I should think it would be more difficult to strip the markings off a new printed private owner wagon before repainting.

 

An unpainted wagon is likely to be only pence cheaper than a painted one. As for the livery itself, it will be tampo painted so you will have no transfers to remove before repainting.

[Neal Ball]

Thats a shame about some of the errors. I wonder if anyone from oxford Diecast reads RMWeb and would care to comment?

 

Having said that of course, from normal viewing distance I doubt a lot of the errors will be that obvious.

 

On a practical level, I have so many PO wagons, not sure I need any more..... Company wagons / vans etc. particularly the more unusual ones would be good though.

[Spitfire2865]

They claim "a new level of detail". Honestly, after building many kit wagons, I see the lever guide as the only interesting thing. Even that could be replaced on a kit with a brass etch. Im not sure where in the market they plan to go with the PO range. POWsides already does an extensive range on the very good parkside and slaters kits, and Hornby, Dapol, and Bachmann all have their own ranges of PO wagons, all at different levels of accuracy.

The posts here pointing out all the errors make the Oxford range fall well into the already RTR market. Maybe theyll go for more odd names than RTR manufacturers but for those modelers seriously committed to accuracy, I dont see many shying away from a simple kit.

 

It just seems odd they chose PO wagons. Theres a much bigger market for accurate RTR railway owned wagons. Hell, bring something new to the table. Though arguably, its easier to make one tooling and slapping on many colours and names.

[Nimbus]

The more you look, and compare to the 1923 RCH drawing and photographs, the more you see. They are very nice and crisp, but some features are flat out wrong.

 

[...]

 

Oxford would do well to start again on this one if they really are pitching at the top slot.

Yes. Phil Parker's shots in MREmag of the underside suggest that they have a scant understanding of wagon brakes. Apart from a lack of connection between the handle and the push-rod cams, if they were intent on raising the bar, the push rods would have had the horizontal inclination represented. They're no advance on 1960s Airfix interpretation, really. Mind you, for P4 and possibly EM, it looks like they'll have to come off anyway!

 

The Nim.

[Steamport Southport]

I don't understand the comments about "Why have they made Private Owners wagons rather than XYZ?". They have already stated that they are to produce a full "product range" of models and I would of thought that PO wagons would be an integral part of any range. Hornby, Mainline, Airfix, Wrenn, Lima, Graham Farish, Bachmann, Dapol, etc have all had PO wagons in their range over the years without any moaning. If you don't want them, then don't buy them. I'm sure plenty of people will buy them by the bucketload though.

 

Jason

[micklner]

I don't understand the comments about "Why have they made Private Owners wagons rather than XYZ?". They have already stated that they are to produce a full "product range" of models and I would of thought that PO wagons would be an integral part of any range. Hornby, Mainline, Airfix, Wrenn, Lima, Graham Farish, Bachmann, Dapol, etc have all had PO wagons in their range over the years without any moaning. If you don't want them, then don't buy them. I'm sure plenty of people will buy them by the bucketload though.

 

Jason

I think it's call a missed opportunity. As said there is nothing new here and they can be classified as such.  

 

PO wagons, there are hundreds on ebay why bother paying for full price examples, unless by sheer luck the ones being  produced just happen to be ones you need. 

 

Have a look at LNER Forum a good post there  listing ten missing or incorrect details on these wagons.

 

In fairness to Oxford as always the photos show pre production examples, perhaps wait for the final production version.

[cheesysmith]

Having looked at the photos, and seen other postings, I have to say for RTR wagon it is better than what has gone before, so gets a like from me. The comments over accuracy or otherwise of the actual wagon, I think it's safe to say this comes from a expectation of getting better from Oxford rail, based on what they have already done in their other products for different markets. It's not so much a bad product (the bottom door bit has got me wondering as well), just that Oxford rail has us expecting better. With a few detail changes to the molds this could be a outstanding model.

 

Ps- I wish Oxford rail would show Hornby how it's done, by making a HAA wagon of the right shape, with correct buffers at the right hight, and not at Hornby's rip off RRP. Do that for a tender each and I'd buy a hundred now.

[Flying Pig]

I think it's the "well made, badly researched" aspect of the wagon that disappoints. This is not a particularly esoteric subject and has been covered by numerous books and magazine articles over the years, so why not make the effort to do a little reading before cutting metal? If the model were just another crude, slapdash and implausible livery horse it would be another matter, but that doesn't seem to be the intention.

[The Stationmaster]

I think it's the "well made, badly researched" aspect of the wagon that disappoints. This is not a particularly esoteric subject and has been covered by numerous books and magazine articles over the years, so why not make the effort to do a little reading before cutting metal? If the model were just another crude, slapdash and implausible livery horse it would be another matter, but that doesn't seem to be the intention.

I seem to recollect many years ago a wagon drawing which was laterally split and on one half showed the wagon floor while the other half of the drawing showed the framing and fittings underneath the floor.  Thus it only showed an upper plan view of half the floor and therefore only one bottom door - I wonder which drawing Oxford used?

[Fat Controller]

I seem to recollect many years ago a wagon drawing which was laterally split and on one half showed the wagon floor while the other half of the drawing showed the framing and fittings underneath the floor.  Thus it only showed an upper plan view of half the floor and therefore only one bottom door - I wonder which drawing Oxford used?

I'm reminded of another manufacturer who did a model of  a Bolster E. The end elevation of the BR drawing showed the stanchions in all the possible positions on the bolster; the model reproduced this faithfully..

[mikeharvey22]

For those worried about the length of the couplers there is a post in today's MREMag from Oxford confirming that they are retooling the loop to be shorter by 2mm. The NEM pocket is apparently exactly on spec already, and shortening the loop will match the lengths used by other makers.

 

I think Oxford should switch to N gauge. Already too many fighting over the 00 cake.

[Bernard Lamb]

Have a look at LNER Forum a good post there  listing ten missing or incorrect details on these wagons.

Steady on.

That needs to carry a warning concerning the identity of the author.

Some people coming across that unprepared will be choking on their corn flakes.

Open with care, contains ABS.

Bernard

[Boco_D1]

Personally I look forward to seeing these wagons regardless of errors, £9 (Hattons) for one of these wagons or £9 (Hattons) for this:  Hornby R6589 Coke Wagon "Archibald Bathgate of Liverpool & Garston" http://www.ehattons.com/51085/Hornby_R6589_Coke_Wagon_Archibald_Bathgate_of_Liverpool_Garston_/StockDetail.aspx

 

 

I know which one I'd rather have.

[PhilJ W]

For those worried about the length of the couplers there is a post in today's MREMag from Oxford confirming that they are retooling the loop to be shorter by 2mm. The NEM pocket is apparently exactly on spec already, and shortening the loop will match the lengths used by other makers.

 

I think Oxford should switch to N gauge. Already too many fighting over the 00 cake.

As Oxford have an extensive range of N scale diecasts so its entirely possible that they will move into N scale railways. The 00 cake is a pretty big one with a bit more to share out.

[Dunsignalling]

I'm reminded of another manufacturer who did a model of  a Bolster E. The end elevation of the BR drawing showed the stanchions in all the possible positions on the bolster; the model reproduced this faithfully..

The same manufacturer repeated the procedure with their GWR Horsebox and ended up with twelve lamp housings on the roof instead of four!

 

John

[Dunsignalling]

I think Oxford should switch to N gauge. Already too many fighting over the 00 cake.

Depends if you want a slice of a gateau or a slice of a cupcake!