Kernow GWR steam rail motor

[Edwardian]

I welcome this development with great enthusiasm.  Well done Kernow.  I will aspire to versions in both Lake and lined Chocolate and cream.

 

It is a pity that a bit of Kernow haven't gone the joined-up thinking route of tooling for the O2 and Gate Stock in LSWR livery.  How many model GWR branches with LSWR running powers, or visa versa, could have enjoyed both the Railmotor and the motor train in their respective glories?!?

 

Nevertheless, harping on this version or that does not detract from the fact that it is impressive and rather wonderful to contemplate that such prototypes are being produced at all.

[BG John]

I'd like one in original livery, and the prospect of having one encouraged me to get on with planning my forthcoming EM gauge 1905ish GWR layout, but having to wait another couple of years may mean that I'll have moved on and don't need it any more by then.

 

An O2 and suitable coaches could tempt me, and might fit in rather well, but life is too short and I've got too many other things to do to build or convert one. If a suitable train became available where all I had to do was re-gauge it, the moths in my wallet might get a breath of fresh air though!

[Crichel Down]

Purely out of curiosity (not impatience) I was wondering if Kernow have any rough estimate of a proposed/expected delivery date for the GWR Railmotor.

 

(Is this dependent on demand / orders received?  Or is it just a question of taking its turn in their production progamme?)

[Ian Hargrave]

Purely out of curiosity (not impatience) I was wondering if Kernow have any rough estimate of a proposed/expected delivery date for the GWR Railmotor.

 

(Is this dependent on demand / orders received?  Or is it just a question of taking its turn in their production progamme?)

 

A phone call to Kernow will no doubt put your mind at ease.

[bigherb]

.

(Is this dependent on demand / orders received?  Or is it just a question of taking its turn in their production progamme?)

We are still awaiting models announced in 2010, so I wouldn't hold your breath if is waiting it's turn.

[rogerzilla]

You could probably back convert a couple of Airfix autocoaches if you were desperate; the GWR coverted railmotors to autocoaches because the little steam engine couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and they could barely move when fully loaded.  The dinky valve gear would be the hard part.

[dibber25]

You could probably back convert a couple of Airfix autocoaches if you were desperate; the GWR coverted railmotors to autocoaches because the little steam engine couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and they could barely move when fully loaded.  The dinky valve gear would be the hard part.

The Airfix/Dapol/Hornby are not the right sort of autocoaches. The ex-railmotors were wooden panelled, Churchward era and the ex-Airfix model is a Collett steel-panelled coach from 25 years later. 

[adb968008]

You could probably back convert a couple of Airfix autocoaches if you were desperate; the GWR coverted railmotors to autocoaches because the little steam engine couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and they could barely move when fully loaded. The dinky valve gear would be the hard part.

You could always take a trix glaskasten for the chassis / motor / valve gear.. It can't be far out.

 

https://www.themt.de/grossbild/glaskasten-20100320-5503

Edited April 14, 2016 by adb968008

[richard i]

You could always take a trix glaskasten for the chassis / motor / valve gear.. It can't be far out.https://www.themt.de/grossbild/glaskasten-20100320-5503

Interesting, but what is its wheelbase? And can it be made into a bogie?

Richard

[bgman]

You could always take a trix glaskasten for the chassis / motor / valve gear.. It can't be far out.https://www.themt.de/grossbild/glaskasten-20100320-5503

Waste of a good model IMHO ! Sorry

 

p.s. My post #66 still stands regarding issuing a model, on my last visit to Kernow in March the Railmotor was still to be scanned so it'll be some time before its produced.

Edited April 15, 2016 by bgman

[Crichel Down]

You could probably back convert a couple of Airfix autocoaches if you were desperate; the GWR coverted railmotors to autocoaches because the little steam engine couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and they could barely move when fully loaded.  The dinky valve gear would be the hard part.

With the greatest respect, the A28/A30 autotrailers would be totally unsuitiable for retro-conversion to steam railmotors.  They had 'modern' (Collett period) flush-sided bodies, with an outer skin of galvanised steel sheet. 

 

The old K's kit for the A31 trailer was capable (with considerable effort) of being converted to a Diagram Q railmotor, because that was what the A31 trailers had been before they were converted to autotrailers in the early 1930s.  However, there would be no point in doing so now, as one could build a Diagram Q railmotor from a Mallard/Blacksmith etched brass kit (which, if you don't already have one, or can't buy the kit from the current manufacturer, is no doubt available second-hand if you look around).

 

I am unconcerned about the wait for the RTR Diagram R railmotor from Kernow.  If it is another 5 years, that is no problem at all, and if it never appears then we will all just have to do without it.  I did have a Blacksmith etched beass kit for the Diagram R Raimotor, but sold it because I was never likely to get around to building it.  I am glad that I did so, as the purchaser promptly turned it into a very nice model, whereas it would still be languishing unbuilt in my kit cupboard if I had not sold it.

 

Unlike some correspondents on RM web, I really don't care whether RTR manufacturers produce particular models or not.  If they do, then I will consider buying them.  If not, I will either build a kit or do without that particular model.  It hardly matters one way or the other.

[Horsetan]

....one could build a Diagram Q railmotor from a Mallard/Blacksmith etched brass kit (which, if you don't already have one, or can't buy the kit from the current manufacturer, is no doubt available second-hand if you look around).

If eBay is anything to go by, the secondhand price will be a hell of a lot more - on the very few Qs and Rs that I've monitored, none were knocked down for less than £150.

 

I am unconcerned about the wait for the RTR Diagram R railmotor from Kernow.  ....I did have a Blacksmith etched brass kit for the Diagram R Raimotor, but sold it because I was never likely to get around to building it.

I also have one. Not going to be easy to form the curvature of the bodysides because of the way the etch is designed, and the task is made harder if the previous owner of the kit has merely bent the sides up 90 degrees from the underframe!

 

Unlike some correspondents on RM web, I really don't care .....

That's what it really boils down to.

[Crichel Down]

If eBay is anything to go by, the secondhand price will be a hell of a lot more - on the very few Qs and Rs that I've monitored, none were knocked down for less than £150.

 

 

I also have one. Not going to be easy to form the curvature of the bodysides because of the way the etch is designed, and the task is made harder if the previous owner of the kit has merely bent the sides up 90 degrees from the underframe!

 

 

So don't buy on eBay.  Things can bought for more sensible prices elsewhere.

 

I noted this design point affecting the Blacksmith R Railmotor when I had the kit, but the friend who bought the kit from me seems to have been able to overcome it.  I sold the kit for a lot less than £150, but was perfectly happy to accept a more sensible price.  

[JSpencer]

In the old days, ebay used to charge a commission even if you did not sell it. These days we can all put something on there at stupid prices and leave them there for years.

[melmerby]

The K's (or later Nu-Cast) kit can be got a lot cheaper than a Blacksmith one.

I paid £25 (or was it £20?) last year for a complete unstarted Nu-Cast one.

I already have a K's one, sort of made up and thought of kit bashing the 2 into one steam railmotor.

 

Or I will just wait for the RTR one (more likely!)

 

Keith

[RJS1977]

The Airfix/Dapol/Hornby are not the right sort of autocoaches. The ex-railmotors were wooden panelled, Churchward era and the ex-Airfix model is a Collett steel-panelled coach from 25 years later. 

 

I added the wooden panelling to the outside of mine - not too difficult.

[rue_d_etropal]

for all those who critisise ebay, please stop. if you don't want to use it don't, but it provides a good service for those who have bought too much and now need to sell off excess. In the past I would take stuff to model shops, and price you would get was very little. That I think might have changed, just check out pre-owned at Hattons.

Any auction is based on supply and demand. Get two people who really want something and price goes up.

Simple, and ebay is just an easier(and cheaper) way to sell.  There are some rogues , but you will find them everywhere.

I have more problems with people who think they are right, and because you can get free postage from China, everyone here should cut costs of postage(ebay now take a commission based on total price including postage, and not everyone has a post office near by). Once something is posted, it is out of my control, but I still get grumbles from those who don't understand the system.

Ebay used to charge an insert fee for everything, unless it was only 99p, but they found far too much stuff went too cheaply and they were not making enough money. They then introduced free insertion but upped the commission , so prices got were higher, and often more realistic, and everyone was happy except the moaners who never are.

[Horsetan]

.... In the past I would take stuff to model shops, and price you would get was very little. That I think might have changed, just check out pre-owned at Hattons....

 

I suspect you still get offered very little. What has changed is that the model shops like Hattons have ramped up the price tags, so they benefit.

[Edwardian]

for all those who critisise ebay, please stop. if you don't want to use it don't, but it provides a good service for those who have bought too much and now need to sell off excess. In the past I would take stuff to model shops, and price you would get was very little. That I think might have changed, just check out pre-owned at Hattons.

Any auction is based on supply and demand. Get two people who really want something and price goes up.

Simple, and ebay is just an easier(and cheaper) way to sell.  There are some rogues , but you will find them everywhere.

I have more problems with people who think they are right, and because you can get free postage from China, everyone here should cut costs of postage(ebay now take a commission based on total price including postage, and not everyone has a post office near by). Once something is posted, it is out of my control, but I still get grumbles from those who don't understand the system.

Ebay used to charge an insert fee for everything, unless it was only 99p, but they found far too much stuff went too cheaply and they were not making enough money. They then introduced free insertion but upped the commission , so prices got were higher, and often more realistic, and everyone was happy except the moaners who never are.

 

I used to buy a lot on Ebay.  Sometimes a fairly ordinary item would start getting silly.  I would lose interest, knowing that there would be another such in a month or 3 and that it would probably be possible to pick it up at something like its real value if I waited/d. Some people, I suspect, are not prepared to wait, while others just get into a bidding war where it becomes a point of pride to win. None of this is a seller's fault, or the site's.

 

Never pay more than your sense of what an item is worth; I'd really like a Bachmann C class in full Wainwright livery, but I still think the guy who paid £500 for one on Ebay was a chump.   

[Horsetan]

.... I still think the guy who paid £500 for one on Ebay was a chump.   

 

Rich chump, though. 

[Oldddudders]

Rich chump, though. 

Not necessarily. He may have sold his mother-in-law into slavery to finance the puchase. Many would like to.

[Clearwater]

Not necessarily. He may have sold his mother-in-law into slavery to finance the puchase. Many would like to.

Wouldnt it be more likely to be the other way around? you sell the C class to finance the cost of someone taking your mother-in-law into slavery

[Edwardian]

Wouldnt it be more likely to be the other way around? you sell the C class to finance the cost of someone taking your mother-in-law into slavery

 

I'd say it depends on the mother in law, but I see your point.

[melmoth]

Are Kernow planning a model of a mother in law? If so, will it be of a specific prototype, or something more generic to allow for a wider range of liveries?

[cctransuk]

....the GWR coverted railmotors to autocoaches because the little steam engine couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and they could barely move when fully loaded.

 

If you'd travelled in the preserved / retro-converted GWR steam railmotor; (as I have); I think that you'd hesitate to make that statement.

 

It put on a mighty good performance on the incline up to Liskeard on the Looe branch with a full load, and also on the steep climb from Bodmin Road to Bodmin on the B&WR.

 

I think, rather, that the railmotors were too good at what they did, and could not handle the increased traffic, even with a trailer.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.