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Perhaps ‘coming soon’ or ‘to be announced’ rather than ‘secret’ would be better? But I guess ‘secret’ probably fits more with their style of newsletter which, to be honest, I find a bit ott with all the he said she said stuff, but that’s just me and I’m sure others will love it!

I agree, but I think you may have missed out one major bug of mine and that’s the quality control or rather the lack of it! Poor in terms of running quality, build quality, the ability to self destruct (apt) and constant livery colour and decoration issues! It’ll have to be some major turnaround in quality of product and attitude for me to ever buy their products again.

Just out of interest, why 31270 over any other BR Blue 31/1?

And the naff opening cab doors!

All my Hornby ones were already going on eBay before todays announcement but I didn’t get my arse in gear last month so imagine it might be flooded with them now, so maybe I could have some fun running them off a ledge instead?! Then post the remains to Margate… ;-)

Thanks Accurascale, this is the one (ok one of!) I’ve been waiting for! Looking forward to lots of versions suitable for mid to late 80s - especially 31/4s for the South Trans-Pennines! 31110 is perfect time wise, but I think I’m right that 31409 with white stripe is a little early for this period (unless you can do it with a droopy cab at one end?!) and 31432 is a little late, seemingly not getting its headlight until 1991, so I think that’s more Regional Railways era than Provincial? (if Flickr can be trusted!!) That said I’ll be getting them anyway as they do look fabulous and you guys deserve the support for bringing out these top notch models at really competitive pricing. :-)

It did appear to have yellow paint on it at some point (even if rather briefly before it chipped off!).

I’m hoping it’s the 08!! ;-)

I thought it was in current condition, as you say, with modern ohl warnings so I think it should be listed as current era (whatever number that is?!).

Did they release the DBSOs without DCC? I’m not saying they didn’t but just don’t recall seeing them available without!

Although Hornby seem to struggle with making money despite the extensive reach they apparently have over their competitors! So Rapido’s 100 retailers might actually work better for them, quality over quantity is certainly valid here!

Not much point in doing the pretty glazing option on that one!

Both for me please!

Having just received my 7 car I can’t say that this thread makes great reading and I think it will be going back without even leaving the box! I don’t currently have a layout to test it on and so not really keen on having a shock in a few years time when I can do nothing about it!

I don’t think 33s had red tail lights? The blinds were set to red instead. I’m not completely sure, but don’t think some even had white marker lights either - just the blinds!

There was a Christmas film I remember when I was a kid (Santa Claus The Movie I think?!) with an elf played by Dudley Moore (again I think?!) where he automated the toy production but after delivery by Santa most fell apart as they were poorly built! I remember there was a scene where all the broken toys were returned and came down the chimney in a heap! I wonder if Simon K has a chimney? I’m certainly imagining an endless supply of knackered, poorly built APTs falling down into his fireplace!! They’re for keeps - yeah right!

So far… 3 37 1 55 (might have to stretch the era for occasional railtours!) 1 92 (can’t stretch the era that much - will be for display!) 19 Mark 2b 18 MGR Hoping for lots more releases suitable for 86-89/90 to add to this in future! As can be seen the power of AS has caused me to order two (I was tempted by a Manor but have resisted so far!) models that were totally unnecessary and out of era!!

I think you’re right there - the new HST looks a real half hearted attempt at trying to prevent any competition and it certainly isn’t the Rolls Royce model SK was bleating on about! I’m not saying Bachmann’s is bad by any stretch but, and I know we’ve been here before so might have to agree to disagree! ;-) but it’s just a bit lacking for me - no stay alive, cheap looking snowploughs and them being fixed to bogie rather than body, then there’s the price compared to an equivalent AS model and finally, this is an assumption at this stage I admit, the slow pace of releases if past experience is anything to go by! Obviously fans of Heljan will buy it, but I can’t see anyone who wants a correct shape one will go near it. It is such a shame as the launch liveries were actually really good and I would of had 10 from that first batch alone (including the Gaugemaster ones). It will probably take 10 years for Bachmann to release that many that I’d like! Lol.

But that’s one more than Cavalex and this was mentioned as not being suitable for duplication! We know even less how this will turn out. I have 8 on order though, so I’m hoping it lives up to the hype and delivers! Unless I’ve missed it, I’ve only seen praise for the IRM loco so I’m pretty confident that AS will be equally as good. I think that your comment regarding requests for models that already exist can equally apply to those that don’t though! Just because there isn’t something already doesn’t mean it’ll be automatically profitable. I think a proportion of the HST or 47 market with a decent market leading model would probably generate more sales than some of the other requests!

Pass - I can’t answer or say how many would agree with me, any more than anyone else can answer how many wouldn’t! But it certainly feels that AS’s positive engaging attitude and communications are winning over many and they are striving to produce the most accurate models they can which is more than can be said for some of the other manufacturers I was a bit pressed for time when I posted before so it was a bit of a sweeping statement but I do agree there have been several 24/25s recently but the SLW 24 is and, no doubt, 25 will be very very good and are the clear winners so I agree doesn’t warrant another. Likewise I agree on the 56 if Cavalex pull it off it won’t require another. The 47 is, for me, like the 25. Bachmann not quite there, Heljan has shape issues. I think we’re still short of THE 47 but I’ve said all that up thread before so won’t repeat! As this is sort of a wish list thread I’m just stating I’d like anything I buy to be AS (with the odd exception such as 25/56) and I have no issue with duplication (but duplication to me means identical but I have no doubt that AS will produce something far superior to the likes of Heljan & Hornby!) but it is obviously down to them to decide on the financials! As I won’t buy Hornby or Heljan, and I’m going off Bachmann I’m happy to go without or wait in any case, I’ve not got room to build the layout I’d like as yet so I’m purely accumulating stock in preparation so if it takes 7 or 8 years for a AS 47 then no problem! The new Bachmann one will be getting on a bit, although they probably still would have only released about 10 examples by then at their usual rate!!

I’d say wait until the 37 is released then, sure to be better. The 47 is good but if you can only get one then the attention to detail, competitive pricing and specification of AS is market leading in my opinion.

There certainly were issues but I think their 3rd or is it 4th attempt is slightly better than those first ones, but even then it’s nothing like the standard that Accurascale achieve. To be honest I think most classes, whether they’ve been done before or not, should and deserve to get the Accurascale treatment!

So with my Hornby boycott in full swing and any preorders of their models cancelled I decided I needed to buy something! Lol. Now I’ve followed this thread with interest as I have several 37s on order and the standard looks amazing so really looking forward to the 37s. As my planned layout is to be around South Yorkshire in 1986-1989 I didn’t think a Deltic would fit that period but then I found a pic of 55002 in green on a special at Doncaster in 1986. So quickly ordered my first Deltic from Locomotion! Now I’m wondering if the date is wrong on that picture as can’t seem to find any detail of what it was working or other pics?! Would 55002 have been working any specials on the main line in that period? (Or any other Deltics for that matter). It’s more intrigue now as now I’ve ordered it! It will be running specials on the layout (rule 1 isn’t it?!) and looking pretty in a display cabinet the rest of the time!

Good point, I’ll go for a decent 150/1 and 150/2 - could even do the three car 150/0 as well!

I agree. Maybe Heljan should take inspiration from Hornby and have an ‘inspired by’ range?! Inspired by Class 45, Class 47 etc. ;-) Looks a bit like it should but not quite!