JSpencer

Zero failure rate on ESU, Zimo and TTS covering 80 sound chips in service today. Including 20+ for TTS. But here are the failures (ALL issues being straight out the box, not months later): Chip 1 : would work in one direction only (sounds in both directions) (Loco Dapol class 73) (I concede that it is possible that this being a 1st batch Dapol 73, there were circuit board issues between them causing the failure, given the stories on the Dapol 73 thread) Chip 2 : made the speaker hiss and pop as soon as power was supplied. Appeared to charge itself with sounds etc but nothing. Eventually confirmed as fault by Hornby themselves after several exchanges and replaced (Loco Hornby class 71) Chip 3: Zero blue tooth signal from the thing. Could be read on DCC but you cannot load sounds onto it without blue tooth. (Loco Bachmann 3MT) The other 6 worked fine. Sound Loading times are long (typically 40minutes to 1hr, using wifi linked to Fibre Internet), but I am abroad not in the UK so maybe a long way from the server. Power supply was always a Hornby DCC controller.

There has been plenty of this written elsewhere. Ultimately what sort of controllers do you have ? And what sort of locos went wrong? Briefly, they won't like feedback controls nor old H&M style controllers with those energy spikes. On coreless locos themselves, only DJM ones were really an issue for me BUT these locos had small (really small) gutless motors which don't have enough grunt to overcome friction of the gear chain going down hill.

If your wifi connection is the most perfect in the world, you have enabled positioning on the App (lord knows why that is required now) and you have a perfect DCC output on the rails then set up can happen quite quickly. Otherwise it is naff. A lot of wasted hours. Chips are either great or have an issue (30% failure rate in my case). So good when it works and excellent value. Useless and frustrating when it does not. I'm keen to see if Bachmann Kinisis will be a viable alternative this weekend.

Sorry I was not clear but I was referring to the Andy York interview with Accurascale at the start of this thread. And they mention stuff for other regions will be announced in due course. As for the Accurascale Pannier tank teasing... Maybe there are other hints of what is to come too...

Watch the AY Accurascale video at the start of the thread. Fran makes some nice comments about that. Other regions have not been forgotten and the future is bright, very bright.

There is a GWR Green with BRITISH RAILWAYS version on their site which must be fairly unique.

Brilliant and I love the way Accurascale have also given a personal bit of history on their website for each locomotive that they are producing too.

Latest news letter says Q1 2024 for delivery. The same as the leader. And maybe Q2 in practice.

Latest news letter is out. They said they sorted out a few final small details and looks like production has not started yet. For delivery in Q1 2024 (I suspect Q2 more probable).

Steam locomotive with lots of variants..... hmmmm.... and not long to go. That rules out a class 40. TBH I am starting to "feel" that it may be of a class recently announced elsewhere.

The fact things are smaller runs/higher prices, manufacturers combined could probably get away doing a few prototypes of the top 50% largest pre grouping companies. Especially those which made it BR or even preservation. Pre 1900 gets a bit more complex where I guess only the star locos and types which made it to preservation will probably by covered. And then there is broad gauge.... a sort of nice to have in RTR but complicated for any take up. But Accurascale have done the Chaldrons so a pre-1900 loco of many variants is not entirely impossible.....

I think steam will carry on having a market. The main shift in recent years being greater amounts of pre-grouping locos and stock. Perso : I never thought I would be able to buy so much SECR and had consoled myself to building it all myself the day I retire, but hey ho, instead of one kit loco per each class, I've at least 3 in RTR... (split evenly between a grey bunch, a Wainwright livery bunch and a Wainwright livery DCC sound bunch). There is hardly anyone alive today who was alive in the pre-grouping days, let alone can remember them. I think the interest has probably occurred thanks to both preservation (the NRM collections proving very popular) and people investigating what railways were like in their corner of the world in the past. At the same, layouts at shows would be boring if all were the same theme. How many of us would appreciate seeing again and again the latest modern class appearing in RTR, all making the same noise and doing the same thing? I think ultimately, once modelers get passed the "popular group" of locos and trains, they will all start to search their own niche (or niches). And having something that is a bit unique is great for everyone. And equally enriching that, with things you made yourself is even better.

Not only have they hit my sweet spots, but equally hitting the nice to have areas and even in some places I did not even know that existed! Every year I hope to get back to my "one a year purchase model" like I had when I was a kid and it ends up being at least on a one-a-monthly basis. 2025 is already filling in pre-orders (let alone 2024).

There are almost certainly too many announcements meaning people will pick and choose what is most important to them. This ultimately dilutes sales of any one type. Fewer sales equals smaller runs equals greater cost/price equals smaller runs still.... And when at some point announcements might become few and far between, in which case people will clammer for reruns of types they could not justify all at once.... A new 44 is welcome and doubtless the large peak following will buy them. There were certain flaws with their 45 that hopefully will be addressed here.

One thought... Maybe the all new model could be a class 40. Granted KR have one in the CAD room but..... maybe..... just maybe..... an Accurrascale one could be better.....

I remember steam locos from all those preserved lines visited as a kid.

TBH, I am having a hard time thinking of a loco class, done previously, that was entirely retooled to a lesser spec than the previous one.

*cough* Rebuilt Merchant navy *cough*. If there is a big class of Engine ripe for a retool, it is this one. The current model is now over 20 years old.

Indeed the Maunsell U class with plenty of variants is dying to be modeled.

I must admit that I do not normally associate Heljan and "run of the mill" steam locos (diesels a different matter) so they would not be my first choice to pester for a Southern U class etc. After doing so many diesel prototypes, I can see why the requests are mainly singular class steam locos. Look forwards to this beast though.

Don't be silly. I am sure that they would make both ends exactly the same....

Oh la la.... another huge announcement. Guess we will see a V4 announced by the weekend too.... Which to choose? The S-100, the U1 or this???? This has been higher on my list than the others so.... (Actually I want all 3 but....) EDIT: And Dame Vera Lynn wins.... DCC sound order straight in. A no brainer. Well done Clark Railworks. Only suggestion could be, maybe DCC smoke version as well.....

When I was in the Chatham club (30+ years ago), one member built the DJH kit of this beast. Very impressive going around the club layout. I think - as kits - these odd prototypes really give up something unique, a head turner. As well as the real pleasure of building it yourself. But when done in RTR, they are no longer so unique. I have Bertha on order, shall I get the U1??? ho hum.... Tempted tempted.... How to justify in the south ? My Bullied brought it down to show his idea a Leader type freight engine???? Replacements for the M7????

It will probably end up rescuing the KR Bertha...

Gladstone and the T3 are second by me. What is perhaps more amazing than the IOW preserved engines is that the EKR is getting a lot of coverage in RTR. A small backwater make do railway, whose locos never ventured onto the mainline (other than for possible overhaul). Rapido is adding an O1 to it with potential for an eventual 2nd or even 3rd one (tooling needed). Infracombe goods next???