Oxfordrail - Adams Radial

[Robin Brasher]

I wonder how many people will pay £119.99 for a Hornby Radial when they can buy an Oxfordrail one for £99.95 or less at an earlier date.

[cromptonnut]

I wonder how many people will pay £119.99 for a Hornby Radial when they can buy an Oxfordrail one for £99.95 or less at an earlier date.

 

It partly depends, of course on 1) the size of each of the Oxford batch runs and whether they're all sold out before everyone can get the one(s) they want, and 2) whether the Oxford one is actually truly dreadful that it puts those who are waiting to see what it looks like off buying.

[Dunsignalling]

As has been noted earlier in this thread Oxford own their own factory so they cut out the middle man in Hornbys case and whatever financial arrangements exist between Kader and Bachmann Europe.

And, perhaps even more important, they have a degree of control over product development and production scheduling that Hornby and Bachmann can only dream of. 

 

John

[Ozexpatriate]

Equally as a new arrival in the market place they undoubtedly see price as a marketing tool which can help them to become established quickly.

One wonders if these are special introductory market prices and that as soon as Oxford Rail becomes an "accepted" market entrant, pricing will revert to levels more consistent with the current players?

[Dunsignalling]

It partly depends, of course on 1) the size of each of the Oxford batch runs and whether they're all sold out before everyone can get the one(s) they want, and 2) whether the Oxford one is actually truly dreadful that it puts those who are waiting to see what it looks like off buying.

1. I'm guessing that the Oxford Radial is sufficiently further advanced that they might well be able to get a second run out before Hornby's first. When one of their die-cast models sells out especially fast, a second run seems to turn up very quickly indeed. Probably something that is only possible if you have your own factory.

 

2. Oxford are smart enough to know how disastrous it would be if their first loco released turned out to be a dud - it just won't happen.

 

Hornby will, no doubt, decide their run size to take account of (1) how many Oxford have already sold to people who want a Radial and (2) how many buyers they judge specifically want a Hornby Radial. "Nothing but Hornby" collectors still form a surprisingly large portion of the market so they'll do OK.

 

John

Edited January 23, 2015 by Dunsignalling

[Dunsignalling]

One wonders if these are special introductory market prices and that as soon as Oxford Rail becomes an "accepted" market entrant, pricing will revert to levels more consistent with the current players?

Possibly, but they have one less layer between production and final buyer to take a slice of the profit.

 

In any case, I reckon, becoming an established part of the UK r-t-r scene is three or four locos (plus several wagons and at least a couple of coaches) down the road.

 

John  

[PhilJ W]

One wonders if these are special introductory market prices and that as soon as Oxford Rail becomes an "accepted" market entrant, pricing will revert to levels more consistent with the current players?

Their prices for diecasts have crept up over the years but no more than any other manufacturer, in fact they are still half the price or less than that of their competitors. They appear to work on the principle of 'Pile them high and sell them cheap' as evidenced by the discounts on some of the older models that are still on traders hands that can now be picked up at less than half RRP. If a model proves to be particularly popular they sometimes make a rerun such as with the Leyland Royal Tiger Southdown coach.

Edited January 23, 2015 by PhilJ W

[JSpencer]

Remember the owner is also a former tool maker. Doubtless, one factor is that the whole set is very efficiently organised.

 

My only concern about the Boxes is that they look to be very big. Although this I judge from a photo so I could be wrong.

 

Hopefully the interior is a bit like Bachmann and Hornby current system. I quite like that system as you can flatten the outer card part, and store and transport the loco in the inner plastic part. This is a great space saver.

 

Either way, the loco should be better than my effort (do not laugh, it was my first kit after all!)

Edited January 25, 2015 by JSpencer

[Jenny Emily]

The prices seem extremely keen, and I for one am contemplating switching from Hornby to Oxfordrail for this model. I just hope that they will consider doing one in LSWR livery.

[Horsetan]

... the loco should be better than my effort (do not laugh, it was my first kit after all!)

I like the way you got it to stick upside-down.

[bgman]

I like the way you got it to stick upside-down.

Sprayed by an aboriginal painting team no doubt, and carried back in a kangaroos pouch ! Easy peasy !!

[Robin Brasher]

Replying to Jenny Emily's post 868 Oxfordrail will make the Adams Radial in LSWR livery and it is due to come out between October and December 2015.

 

The details are OR76 AR003 LSWR 488. Please see http://oxfordrail.com

 

Oxfordrail was originally going to make it in Southern green but the company has changed its mind.

[BG John]

Will the LSWR livery be the one it was in when it went to the East Kent Railway, or did the EKR repaint it anyway? A cunning plan is evolving, and it would be nice not to have to do a complete repaint!

[Horsetan]

Sprayed by an aboriginal painting team no doubt, and carried back in a kangaroos pouch ! Easy peasy !!

 

That Magnadhesion must have been fierce!

[Robin Brasher]

In reply to post 872 by BG John if the 00 Works East Kent Railway  green model was correct the lining was yellow and black whereas the London & South Western Railway lining was white and black.

 

OO Works produced their Radial in LSWR pea green, EKR green, SR olive green, SR black with sunshine lettering and two versions of lined  BR black. I wonder if Oxfordrail will eventually do the same.

 

According to the 7th edition of Ramsay's British Model Trains Catalogue the majority of 00 Works Radials were produced in BR black. In a survey the votes for a LSWR, SR and BR Radial were about the same. It will be interesting to see which is the most popular livery for the Oxfordrail version.

 

I will be buying some LSWR Radials as I am modelling the Swanage Railway and these were the work horses for that railway before 1923. During the 1920s most of the Radials were scrapped and I have not seen any photographs of Southern Radials there.

[Adams442T]

Just had an email from Taff at Oxford Rail to confirm that they do have 3 frame patterns in their new Radial - two of the original and one of the 1930s update, and that they do have the single and double slidebar variants too.

 

Hornby have got to come up with something really special now I feel, the more so if these are out last quarter 2015 and Hornby's lag behind 'til 2016.

[26power]

From:

 

http://www.mremag.com/news/article/having-your-say--mon-26th-january-2015/20470

 

"I thought you would like to know about a modification we are making to the wagon based on the Pre Production sample we had on display. I thought the wagon couplings looked slightly too long when I saw the sample and believe other people have posted the same comment online.
 
I brought the wagon home and measured it carefully against the NEM rules and competitors’ products. Ours was the only wagon of the 4 manufacturers which actually complied with the NEM coupling rule (which actually only covers the NEM pocket size and location!).
 
However the ‘loop’ of our coupling is longer than other firms by 2mm. So when coupling ours wagons you would find a larger 4mm gap between wagons. We’ve had a conference call over night with the toolmaker and agreed to retool the loop and produce one which will match the alternative brands wagons length of 9mm proud of the wagon (And so reduce ours by 2mm).
 
I think you know Lyndon says he listens to customers – hoping this is an example of putting his money where his mouth is and doing so.  Delivery dates are unaffected as the new tool is scheduled for development on Tuesday this week.
 
Tim Mulhall
Oxford Diecast"

 

Good to see this picked up before production starts.

 

Although not a production run wagon, it does look pretty good. . . . . . that coupling though ! it looks as though there will be a 30mm gap between wagons if you were to use that!

[phil-b259]

Hi Robin,

 

Thanks for the image – they are the liveries I'm familiar with and I remember the Bluebell Radial running in the later pale olive, the Urie livery. In my opinion it looked at its best in that livery. That must have been back in the 1980's. What I don't understand is where the pale bright green, that the Bluebell engine currently wears, fits into the historical sequence. It's a quite different green to either the Drummond or the Urie liveries and looks like neither to me being closer to a light apple green. Surely it can't be that the Bluebell have painted it a non-hisotircal colour?

Please be awere that number 488 hasn't been painted for at least a decade - in fact I would not be suprised to find the paint it currently carries was that it carried when withdrawn (though it is possible it was withdrawn in BR livery and repainted shortly after)

 

As such the effects of UV light etc will make the current livery look much paler than should be the case

[papagolfjuliet]

Please be awere that number 488 hasn't been painted for at least a decade - in fact I would not be suprised to find the paint it currently carries was that it carried when withdrawn (though it is possible it was withdrawn in BR livery and repainted shortly after)

 

By my count it's on its fifth coat of paint since preservation. Withdrawn in black and repainted in LSWR green, overhauled at Swindon Works in the early Seventies and repainted again in green, overhauled and repainted green again in the early 80s, repainted BR black in the mid-80s, and then back to green before withdrawal. 

[phil-b259]

By my count it's on its fifth coat of paint since preservation. Withdrawn in black and repainted in LSWR green, overhauled at Swindon Works in the early Seventies and repainted again in green, overhauled and repainted green again in the early 80s, repainted BR black in the mid-80s, and then back to green before withdrawal. 

 

Bad choice of words on my part. When I said withdrawn I meant when it was withdrawn from the Bluebell active fleet in the late 80s pending its next preservation era overhaul (which thanks to the need for a new boiler and at least one new driving wheel) hasn't yet happened. Hence ny comment regarding UV exposure because IIRC the loco hasn't been re-painted in at least 20 years.

Edited January 29, 2015 by phil-b259

[Cantongoat]

It would be nice if it is actually die cast, or at least partly. A sort of updated Wrenn range made from metal with a quality feel, rather than the flimsy (albeit 'super-detailed') plasticy offerings we have at the moment that have bits that jump off as soon as you put them on the track.

 

Given that OO Gauge looks faintly ridiculous on narrow gauge HO track, does it really need to be that detailed given that one of the most basic dimensions is terminally flawed.

 

I'd certainly be in the market for less detailed but more usable OO items made out of sturdy metal, provided that they 'look' alright from normal viewing distance. It seems that most of todays railway models are made for static photographical use rather than actually playing with the things.

 

I might be in the minority on this

Just received an email confirmation from Oxford that the model will  employ diecast / metal construction. "diecast and metal - heavy pulling". Although they didn't specify, I'm assuming (or hoping) that this includes the loco body. If so ... yay a dream come true for those of us fed up with plastic - It's going to trump Hornby's offering on construction materials alone. 

Edited January 29, 2015 by Cantongoat

[Dunsignalling]

Just received an email confirmation from Oxford that the model will  employ diecast / metal construction. "diecast and metal - heavy pulling". Although they didn't specify, I'm assuming (or hoping) that this includes the loco body. If so ... yay a dream come true for those of us fed up with plastic - It's going to trump Hornby's offering on construction materials alone. 

If it follows the pattern set by Oxford Diecast road vehicles, it will use metal OR plastic for various parts of the model as is most appropriate. This gives their recent buses/coaches a finer appearance than other brands whose models incorporate a greater proportion of metal parts. The various sections fit together so well that playing "spot the join" can be quite entertaining and surprisingly difficult!

 

Bachmann have been using metal running plates under plastic boilers etc. for ages and Hornby have stated some of their imminent models will be similarly mixed, indeed, it looks like the 700 and J.15 loco bodies will be mostly metal.

 

John  

Edited January 29, 2015 by Dunsignalling

[shunny]

I spoke to the guys at Oxford today at Glasgow show and they are taking this very seriously the spec for the model is high with a lot of changeable parts such as different types of chimney, boiler and coalbunker and even down to the different type of spokes on the wheels which will be correct for each model. The motor will be soured from outside at the moment but they are even looking at producing there own in future which I think is a sign of good things to come in the future and a commitment to the future of Oxford rail.

[Horsetan]

If it follows the pattern set by Oxford Diecast road vehicles, it will use metal OR plastic for various parts of the model as is most appropriate. This gives their recent buses/coaches a finer appearance than other brands whose models incorporate a greater proportion of metal parts. The various sections fit together so well that playing "spot the join" can be quite entertaining and surprisingly difficult!

 

Bachmann have been using metal running plates under plastic boilers etc. for ages and Hornby have stated some of their imminent models will be similarly mixed, indeed, it looks like the 700 and J.15 loco bodies will be mostly metal.

 

 

As ever, it's to be hoped that the metal part doesn't suffer from contamination during casting, otherwise there are going to be quite a few unhappy owners some months later (see Heljan 47, Bachmann "N", Hornby "31", etc.)

[Neil]

As ever, it's to be hoped that the metal part doesn't suffer from contamination during casting, otherwise there are going to be quite a few unhappy owners some months later (see Heljan 47, Bachmann "N", Hornby "31", etc.)

 

I'd hope that with their own factory and the years of experience with metal casting that this particular problem won't occur.