timbo2857

16 hours ago, MikeParkin65 said:

I said similar earlier on but then succumbed to a collectors club model which with a voucher i bought for £165.  And I have to say having an example in my possession it really is a superb model.  It’s silky smooth, it’s very finely rendered and it’s powerful. Whilst they are of course different prototypes the model is an advance on the Bachmann Ivatt (of which I have 2) specifically with:-

• Better attempt to portray the inner frames between the running plates (Bachmann don’t attempt this at all)
• Better hidden loco to tender plug 
• Tender pick ups
• Provision for sound fitting
• Close Loco to tender coupling possible without modification 

Also whilst expensive it can be had for significantly less than £200 - last time I looked TMC had examples from the first batch for £175.  

That was the only downer for me was the loco to tender connection on the Ivatt, but these were easily disguised with some black paint.

4 hours ago, philsandy said:

 

Just read the review of the Bachmann 4-CEP EMU.  Very nice looking model, you'll get 5p change from £550!

 

A good job I don’t need one then...I moaned about the price of the Class 117 when it first came out, even though I eventually bought one, but that’s ridiculous.

15 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

And how much do you think those Ivatts would cost if they make anymore?

 

Clue. This is the price of the Ivatt 2-6-2T which by your definition is only a small tank engine.

 

https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/lms-ivatt-2mt-tank-41227-br-lined-black-(british-railways)/31-443

 

Don't look at how much Bachmann are charging for DMUs and EMUs as you might have a seizure!

 

 

Jason

The prices that Bachmann are charging for older tooling models are ridiculous. Though you could probably pick up a very decent second hand Ivatt for less than £100.  In comparison You can get an Accurascale Manor from Bure Valley Models for £135 that’s what I call value. I haven’t bought a new model from Bachmann in a while now for that very reason, and Hornby, up until very recently have fell behind in the quality of new models. 

No sorry Hornby I can’t justify £200 for what is a small tender loco. I will stick with my two Bachmann Ivatts, they run perfectly well, and still stand up to today’s standards.  OK Hornby has a cast body, and perhaps slightly better detailing in pipework (though the standard 2mt had more to be fair), but the shiny wheel rims remind me of Dapols offerings, and there is too much brass and copper bling, which even on preserved locos would be considerably toned down. Instead of including  a snowplough, they could have gone down Accurascales route and provided a proper front bogie attachment detail to disguise that NEM coupling  hole, and you still have to fit those fiddly brake rodding like you had to 20 years ago. Perhaps I’m being picky but at this price I’m entitled to be.

On 30/12/2023 at 21:01, philsandy said:

 

Spoke to Hattons yesterday, they are expecting them  in the New Year.

Seems odd that some "smaller" retailers have already received them before one of the biggest retailers in the UK.

It seems from recent experiences Hattons have become one of the last retailers to receive new items for some reason.

On 18/11/2023 at 16:23, Helmdon said:

Exactly - I’ve gone for Gordon as a big part of my childhood. It’s expensive but seems fair.

Me too, yes it’s expensive, and Accurascale have managed all of those features on their manors for less than £200, though I’d hope for a better motor on this WD.

It looks great, a tad expensive even for these days, but a lot of detail.  I’ve always wanted a model of 600 Gordon to complete my SVR fleet. It hasn’t run for many years now.

On 17/11/2023 at 12:00, Chris-ECT said:

Clark Railworks 4mm OO WD Austerity 2-10-0

 

Clark Railworks are proud to announce our first OO gauge 1:76.2 - 4mm scale steam locomotive. The War Department Austerity 2-10-0.

 

When we entered the OO market with the Quads, we said we wanted to make an impact. That’s the exact reason for choosing a loco as striking and impressive as the WD 2-10-0.

 

As you can see from the CADs, and just like our Black 5 in O gauge, the detailing and quality of components was of paramount importance - as I’m sure you can see from the multitude of pipes, separately fitted parts and underside detailing.

 

The model has been fully designed and engineered in the UK and will feature a high quality coreless motor and a high quality gear train, alongside catering for left and right hand drive variants, we will also be producing a range of liveries including LMR Blue, WD Khaki Green, BR Black Early & Late Crest, and Brunswick Green. 

 

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society (M&GN), the volunteers and staff at the North Norfolk Railway, Ian Foot and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, The Severn Valley Railway (SVR) and the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR).

 

Without their invaluable help and passion for their respective engines, this project would not have been what it is.

 

All versions are available to pre-order with no upfront costs at www.clarkrailworks.com

 

DCC Ready - £295

DCC sound models expected to be  £395 - £425

Due Q2 2025

 

Specification

DC/DCC Ready

Die-cast Boiler, Smokebox & Chassis

Brass & Plastic Constructed Tender

Injection Moulded Cab & Fine Details

High Quality Coreless Motor

Finely Applied Separate Pipework

Separately Fitted Cab Backhead Detailing

Individual Specific Locomotive Details

Fully Detailed Wheels & Axles

Working Sprung Screw Link Couplings

Sprung Buffers

Left & Right Hand Drive Locomotives

Factory Fitted DCC Sound Versions Available

Finely detailed external and underside detailing

Brass Bearings fitted to all Axles

Firebox Glow

Metal Cylinder Liners for Smooth Operation & Longevity

Plug “N” Play 8-Pin DCC Easy Access Harness

Fully Removable Front & Rear Tension Lock Coupling

 

Liveries

WD Green

Longmoor Military Railway Blue 

BR Black

BR Black Early Crest

BR Black Late Crest

Brunswick Green

 

Pre-order yours now at: www.clarkrailworks.com

 

What minimum radius are we looking at for this WD?

Is green D6703 still scheduled for mid october? if so I had better pay the balance. 🙂

14 hours ago, Mark C said:

Here's a quick photo...

Thanks, I will give them a try, though its a pity they dont have a proper web site to buy online.

Any ideas where I can find number plates for 1501? Fox Transfers have sold out.

1 hour ago, Captain Kernow said:

Has anyone even experienced such fine control on DC?

I haven't with both my manors on DC even with considerable running in now.

On 14/09/2023 at 08:14, Harlequin said:

Video?

 

I have returned it back to Cheltenham Models, and bought a replacement from AS, which is much better at slow speeds, not brilliant, but hoping it will improve more with running in.

20 hours ago, BenL said:

Thanks very much for the response. I guess it begs the question as to whether a pretty ancient standard GM controller is a good controller - it’s certainly worked brilliantly for me over many years and continues to do so with everything I run so I will just hope it’s good enough for my Manor when it arrives.

My Gaugemaster controller is not a new one by any means ( twin DD) and all my locos run fine in all speed ranges, including the new 15xx from Rapido, which runs like a dream down to a crawl, and is heavy for its size. I can understand there may be slightly more controllability on DCC, but shouldn’t make much difference. I had to reorder Erlestoke from AS, after returning the original to Cheltenham models (noisy runner, and very jerky at slow speed, even after several hours running in), and to be fair it’s a lot better, not brilliant, but at least I can get it down to an acceptable slow speed, it may get better after more running in).

On 09/09/2023 at 17:59, KeithAnthony said:

I see more than a little. The finesse of the AS version is in the detail. As an example, look at tender axle boxes and springing.

Yes there is no doubt the AS version wins in the detailing stakes, it really is a fantastic locomotive. However, I have 3 of these models and they all perform differently, and none of them brilliant at slow speeds, on DC,  and this is the one aspect where the Dapol version wins for me. I have one of their manors, prairie, and 43xx and all perform superbly smoothly and quietly. I suggest for their next steam project, they ditch the 3 pole motor.

3 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Hi Folks,

Anyone received a sound fitted Draycott Manor yet?

Cheers

Paul

Isn’t Draycott in the second batch of manors expected at the end of the month?

On 12/09/2023 at 20:46, Trainsandtravel said:

So unfortunately this post isn’t going to be a very positive one. 
 

I had to send back my Cookham Manor that was purchased direct from Accurascale due to it arriving damaged. I very much believe the damage is caused by the lack of care taken when these models are packaged up to be sent at the warehouse. It arrived in a box with hardly any padding and the locomotive box was free to move and rattle around inside. 
 

Today, I received my replacement and exactly the same thing. But this time the model is in an even worse condition with the drain cocks broken off, the chimney broken off and the box battered to bits. I wasn’t too worried about the chimney as I can glue that back in, however the drain cocks are so tiny and I can’t find them in the box anywhere. 
 

I have ordered a few of these manors and they are excellent models. It’s interesting to note that all of the ones I ordered from rails of Sheffield have arrived perfect and they have taken lots of care when packaging the models up to be sent. 
 

On the other hand, all of the models I have received direct from accurascale have arrived damaged. This I believe is caused by poor packaging and DHL not taking care when the parcel is in their possession.

 

Now i am not criticising the help that I have received from the guys at accurascale. They have been very prompt in replying and sorting out a replacement, however all of these issues could almost be solved if they sorted out the poor packaging when sending from their warehouse. 
 

Sorry for the negative post on what is such a fantastic model but it really needs to be addressed. 

I have to say the models I have bought from Accurascale direct have always been very well packaged. Today I received Erlestoke Manor, a replacement for the same loco bought from Cheltenham models which was a poor runner, and returned. ( mentioned in an earlier post), and it arrived in a huge box, with plenty of large air cushioned packing. It’s also a much better runner at slow speed as well. Two siphons ordered a while back were received extremely well packed as well. 

1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Decoder arrived today.  The crew booked on several months ago to relieve the crew of Draycott Manor and are still sitting in the crew room playing cards waiting for it to turn up.

 

They will have to wait to the end of the month, according to the latest update.

39 minutes ago, Haverail said:

When I ran mine, on DCC, on the rolling road and short test track it would crawl along very slowly, better than many other locos. Would DCC make a difference?

It shouldn’t, but obviously with some of these models it does make a difference.

3 minutes ago, 57xx said:

When running my AS one on a test loop, pure DC controller, it needed to be wound up to 2-3 on the controller before it took off. 0-10mph in a fraction of a second. I never got to try it on my normal ECM PWM controller, I would hope would have responded better with that. That is why people like to see the ability to do a slow crawl (well it is why I look for it at least), not to run it like that round the layout at that speed, but so you know that moving off will happen gracefully with no sudden bursts of speed.

That sounds like my AS manors, all my other locos respond better than that at slow speeds. That criticism apart, they are fantastic models.

6 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Can you post a video of what you're seeing, please?

 

When it cools off a little in the loft later on I will.🥵

25 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

Here's some I took the other week. Side on view with camera staying on the tripod and locos carefully lined up to marks on the track to ensure no differences in perspective. Also a top-down view.

 

Good pictures, with some black paint on the wheel rims, and a little matt varnish over the shiny brass on the Dapol version, there is very little between them. Other than the (slight) boiler discrepancy, which to be fair I wouldn't notice at normal viewing distance.

28 minutes ago, MikeParkin65 said:

My AS 7812 is Dcc sound fitted but i must say that from new it has been one of the quietest (sound off of course!), smooth and controllable models I have had in 20 years of buying. I’m trying hard not to be ‘Accurascale fanboy’ but this is my honest experience. Its silky smooth and crawls away impeccably.  I’m not making any insinuations against anyone else’s layouts but I wonder how many of the apparent poor performers are just highlighting problems with their owners power supply, wiring, control system or tracklaying? I speak as someone who has learnt most of these lessons the hard way (t’was the Deltic that demonstrated my DCC bus needed upgrading!) 

Thats great that your 7812 runs impeccably on DCC. I use DC with a Gaugemaster twin, all my other loco's including Dapol's run fine on my layout. Like I said they are not bad runners, just not brilliant at slow speeds, hesitant to move off, and that's after a great deal of running in. Perhaps they would run better on DCC, but that's no good to me.

24 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

 

Is that a direct sale or a retailer @timbo2857

Direct sale from Rapido

6 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

There’s something very odd going on with parallax on the photo of Torquay Manor - this can be seen by the fact the handrail and cab windows don’t line up in the same way as the photo of 7801 above - can also be seen with the tender wheels not lining up as well on 7800.

 

Talking of handrails the cab ones on 7801 appear to be floating in air at the top on the upper photo. I don’t think this is true of either model although the issue of some Accurascale ones being disconnected on arrival has been reported. 
 

Beyond that they look very alike but differences like the size of rivet detail and things like positions of detail on the side of the fireboxes are apparent. Maybe the latter is down to, as @The Stationmaster said, source data used in the development. 
 

This has happened with other models, particularly where a preserved variant is available (Evening Star for instance). A 3D scan is likely to be extremely accurate - of the item being modelled…use of drawings will show the item as originally designed….. use of photos will show detail at a point in time. The bare fact is that none of those might be appropriate to the particular point in time a modeller has chosen to model as a particular prototype item may have changed in detail over time but there is a point where ‘severe rivet counting disorder (SRCD)’ sets in, and a compromise has to be made. 
 

I think both models are extraordinarily good. I, too, prefer the Accurascale - largely down to preferring the colour and the overall stance of the loco. 

Yes both models are excellent, the Accurascale model wins it for Weight, detailing and quality. But for slow, quiet running and price -  £135 from Colletts at the moment, Dapol wins. Their GWR version of green is much better than the BR. Yes there are a few very minor discrepancies, but hardly noticeable, especially at normal viewing distance. I have two Acc. manors, Earlestoke, and Torquay, and both seem reluctant to run at slow speed, even after a good running in. OK when they get going though.