atom3624

15 minutes ago, The Black Hat said:

 

Totally no need as half the people with one won't upgrade for the sake of it and most of them will still be running on an analogue layout as most of the fleet is the same and they have not converted over. 

In terms of steam from Accurascale my top 5 suggestions in order would be:

1. A4 - DCC Sound and lights upgrade is long overdue

2. B16 - the variants out there can be tooled as one project giving you a popular and varied engine not yet done

3. Rebuilt Merchant Navy - One thats needing an upgrade but will Hornby do it?

4. Jubliee - again a class needing all the varients but captures the current scene too

5. K4 - again not been done and chances are everyone will just want one of the fleet, but it has scope and the demand will be there

 

(Also ran: Brit, J21, 57xx, S15, 8F)

 

Of those I question the K4 for Accurascale as they are picking engines and types that have a class and depth in demand too them, but the rest would fit nicely into their portfolio. The other advantage for them is that with steam undergoing an upgrade in terms of DCC, which I term DCC: The Next Generation then all classes become available for retool and thus include more and better DCC. For steam that means sound and lights but will see where Accurascale go... 

 

 

 

Agree with Jubilee - with firebox options.

No need for A4 .. if going to Dapol Black everything, why not pick something not already done.

Totally disagree - 71000 is a prime target - fine engine and deserves a better representation.

Al.

Curved ball, and steam locomotive as well.

She was a one-off, but got to be about the most popular 'one off' in existence.

Already done to Railroad Plus standards - aka looks OK, but - by another organisation.

71000   Duke of Gloucester.

1 hour ago, The Ghost of IKB said:

Well its been a couple of weeks now, so heres a reminder....class 40 please!

It was just last week actually, but who's counting ....  🙃

Al.

Horror of horrors but doesn't the 43 come without spring buffers as well?

Al.

3 hours ago, Roy Langridge said:

 

Really any point in going head-to-head with Bachmann other then Cavalex spending hard-earned cash?

Roy

My bad.

Not realised Bachmann were going ahead with a 69.

Al.

With the 56 so advanced, has there been any consideration for 'future alternatives' to this model?

Perhaps the 69 could be on the agenda?

Al.

Didn't see the Class 40 in that list...

Oops, another 'bump' !!  🤔

Al.

Fantastic layout - wineglass or not! - and supersmooth-operating locomotives.

What about drivers?   Supplied?

Just a thought.

Al.

I'm going to get back to him.  As you say the PCB had obviously been worked on.

Being such a relatively complex and older locomotive, I'm finding myself having to resolder wires non-stop.

The locomotive works perfectly, it's just much better with the lighting.

Thanks for your reply.

Al.

Thanks for the reply - just about what he said as well.

I've had a few of his kits - an 08, 40 and 55 kit - as you say, excellent.

Al.

Jason, aka Stickswipe on that Auction site has given me a good few pointers - thanks Jason if you're reading.

I'll be having a go at seeing if the lighting can be kicked into action - mention of the polarities reversed on the DCC Sound items and this is a genuine Hornby 'XS' item.

Al.

My apologies but a momentary hijack of this thread ...

I recently purchased a 'R3050A' 56 083 B.R. Blue Class 56, but the chassis has many puzzles:

1. Fans were disconnected.  Many don't like, I do, and refitted a belt - working acceptably. Loco very smooth.
2. Initially one-bogie pick-up, but was a detached wire.  Resoldered, and twin bogie as it should be.
3. PCB - see photos.  21-pin.  Blanking plug has 2 micro slider switches.  I've tried all options - no lights.
4. All cables connected.  I've tried other blanking plugs - loco runs fine, but no lights.
5. Speaker hard-wired onto the PCB.
6. Chassis states 'DCC fitted'.

Bottom line is I want the directional lighting but cannot see how to activate.

Other option is to fit the Stickswipe kit off Ebay.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Al.

Is the 'dulling' of the smokebox not necessarily through sooting up, but through the heat?

I see this on all steam locomotives, once they've fired up / have run hardish for a while.

Al.

Thank you for the reply - sounds good.

Al.

I see the axles drop simply into the bogie - nicely done, but ...

Do they simply drop into moulded plastic recesses?  Obviously makes sense to avoid short circuits, but no bronze bushes?

Al.

Hornby did one, Heljan did 2 ... how about the Woodhead locomotives - EM1, EM2 / Class 76, 77?

They're certainly interesting enough to consider, and did run for quite a while.

Al.

8 hours ago, McC said:

https://www.accurascale.com/pages/project-status

Perfick !!

Not really a 'more models' idea - OK, perhaps a '40' to join the 37, 50 and 55, done before somewhere - but a suggestion.

There's often confusion on delivery dates of new models, and we understand 'goalposts move' through various reasons, pandemic included to some extent even now, but how about a 'Sticky' with only A/S access presenting proposed models and latest provisional delivery dates?

I find it tedious trawling through 15 pages per month of 'latest update newsletters' on each model, looking at other sites and seeing 15 options on possible arrival dates.

Just a one-page, all models, latest anticipated arrival date.

Just an idea.

Al.

4 hours ago, Accurascale Fran said:

Hi everyone,

 

Thanks for the feedback on the 66, lots to go through. Just to reiterate what we said yesterday and previously;

 

1. The fit and finish of parts like the removable hatch for the DCC decoder is being altered

2. We are looking at incorporating the new LED lights Class 66s such as 004 are now receiving with the factory and see if it can be done ahead of delivery

3. Some livery and lettering corrections will indeed be undertaken (I missed this out in the update, so that's my bad!)

4. Lifting rings are being assessed position wise along with the new lights

5. The rotating axle box has been changed internally on the bogie to mimic a system used with our IRM metrovick which has performed flawlessly in this regard. We would rather not go into specifics as we know other manufacturers like to learn a lot of what we are up to from our RMWeb posts these days. We will have video content coming soon showing them in operation. 

6. The model in its design is a real challenge to make it EM/P4 friendly like our other diesels, so we are not billing this loco as an easy conversion nor are we providing wheelsets for it.

 

I think it needs to be remembered that while it is an excellent model to begin with it can be very difficult to alter existing tooling correctly. We have gone through the tooling thoroughly and done changes and fixes where we can, but others can be difficult/impossible to do, so there will have to be a couple of minor compromises along the way. 

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

Thanks Fran.

My recent question was would it be possible to replace a H66 motor, in the event it's worn out, with a new A/S Class 66 motor?

Al.

To continue my recent communications, if certain aspects have changed little, and it is anticipated the updated / upgraded 66 will perform in similar manner to the H66, is it possible the motor / driveshafts could be interchangeable?

Basically, if a H66 motor fails, with an increasing A/S spares availability mentioned elsewhere, might it be possible to supply / fit an A/S motor?

I don't need one as yet, but in the event of requirement, it might be nice to know where and what.

Al.

Wobbles on some through poorly mounted axle boxes perhaps, the 'old Hattons' 66 is an absolutely superb performer!

Super smooth, can crawl, has HUGE haulage capacity, and a simply rude turn of speed.

Are any of these performance parameters going to change much?

Al.

Well it looks like I'm going to end up with 1 H66 and 2 A/S66 locos - Evening Star just ordered.

It'll be nice to run alongside my Bachmann 9F 92220 ES.

Al.

Thanks to McC for effectively confirming that the rotating axle boxes will continue on the re-introduced, A/S uprated H66.  I'm sure it'll be substantially different, as already described.

I'm just curious what will be done to ensure the AB's remain on the axles.

I've only had one momentary failure on my Dapol 59, with perhaps 12 hours' operation under her belt - replaced without issue and staying put.

Al.

1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:

We've got demarcation lines here brother. 

Not the driver's job.  You need a fitter!

Screw/bolt/nut driver I meant, not job description!!  Never mind.

1 hour ago, Roy Langridge said:

But there are plenty of spares that Bachmann cannot provide you aren’t there? I have drawn a blank on at least three occasions when I have tried. 
 

Look at their spares website and you can see just how limited spares are for some models. 
 

Roy

I'm certain there are limitations, but generally Bachmann have always helped me, or been able to offer indirect alternatives.

Al.