NuCast Partners

[Steamport Southport]

I quite like Gordon Highlander, but I'm not painting that livery!

 

S*d that for a game of soldiers...* 😛

 

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/62277-gordon-highlander-gnosr-49-lner-6849-lner-2277-br-62277/

 

 

*Nicknamed "The Soldier" by the crews.

 

 

Jason

[hayfield]

I see in this months Railway Modeller that the NuCast Partnership are advertising a LBSCR K class loco @ £135

 

Parts for LBSCR, SR & BR versions in the kit

[Nile]

As seen here in another topic:

 

[hayfield]

Just bought some items from Branchlines and the latest pricelist was enclosed

 

 

Hope its of use to someone

[Mr chapman]

We damn! Has the A12 been updated at all from the white metal chassis?

[Bucoops]

4 hours ago, Mr chapman said:

We damn! Has the A12 been updated at all from the white metal chassis?

 

It doesn't have a * so perhaps not (yet)?

[hayfield]

I have had a NuCast A12 for some time and thought if I opened the box to see if I could shed some light on the subject.  Firstly its quite an old version. Well when I opened the box its nearly finished and built to EM gauge with twin beam suspension and a motor with a gearbox. Perhaps the instructions would help, but it was an old kit with cast chassis.

 

The chassis on mine is not of the NuCast etched type I remember so it will not help. The instructions state all kits come with etched chassis unless stated, but there is no indication that it is a new type. So it will be a simple basic etched design (a half way house between a brass bar type and the etched ones we are now used to)

 

When the partnership was first formed I spoke with Dave Ellis who told me that there was quite an amount of chassis in the stock they bought,  I assume effort is put into releasing kits to utilise them as the most effective use of their time, however with the release of the SECR K class it has a new etched chassis

 

The two partners involved must be two of the nicest traders around, I have just dealt with Branchlines twice in the past two weeks after being informed Branchlines had a chassis for a GEM IOMR loco. These two companies (Branchlines and the NuCast Partnership) must be one of the best kept secrets around. I think its such a shame they do not have a better presence on the web simply advertising what they can supply along with decent photos of what's included and the finished item. As far as Branchlines is concerned what I have paid for an etched chassis, motorising pack and gearbox have either changed in price little or not at all since 2018, way under inflation. Truly two retailers who deserve our support 

Edited July 13, 2023 by hayfield

[Tim Dubya]

@hayfield is Dave of SEF or am I thinking of someone else?

 

Cheers 

[30368]

3 minutes ago, hayfield said:

Truly two retailers who deserve our support 

 

Couldn't agree more - I used them both a great deal when we lived near Salisbury. First class service.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[hayfield]

10 minutes ago, Tim Dubya said:

@hayfield is Dave of SEF or am I thinking of someone else?

 

Cheers 

Tim

 

Yes, Dave sold SEF to Squires soon after he formed the partnership with Branchlines

 

It seems Dave has the ability with castings and Branchlines with etching.

[Tim Dubya]

 

5 minutes ago, hayfield said:

Yes, Dave sold SEF to Squires soon after he formed the partnership with Branchlines.

 

Cheers, another trader that should have an online shop.  I know they trade selective items on eBay but never anything I want or need, it seems 🙄

[hayfield]

6 hours ago, Mr chapman said:

We damn! Has the A12 been updated at all from the white metal chassis?

 

 

I guess to a certain degree from the original iteration yes, but perhaps not as much as the revision Southeastern Finecast had against Wills kits

 

Speaking with Dave prior to covid he was going through the moulds and repairing or replacing as necessary, where there are Nucast (etched?) chassis in stock they are used, but as I have said they are basic but usable

 

I think we must take into consideration the skill required, time and cost in bringing these kits back into production.

[hayfield]

2 minutes ago, Tim Dubya said:

 

 

Cheers, another trader that should have an online shop.  I know they trade selective items on eBay but never anything I want or need, it seems 🙄

 

 

I have always found a quick phone call brings dividends, Squires staff have always been very helpful every time I have phoned

[Steamport Southport]

8 hours ago, Mr chapman said:

We damn! Has the A12 been updated at all from the white metal chassis?

 

I think they replaced the whitemetal chassis on all of them back in the 1980s when they were Autocom.

 

The ones advertised with "new etched chassis" means modern chassis rather than what were virtually two slabs of brass.

 

 

I'm glad they are doing the K Class chassis as a separate item as I've got a K's one. I might even stretch to another K Class!

 

 

Jason

Edited July 13, 2023 by Steamport Southport

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, hayfield said:

I have had a NuCast A12 for some time and thought if I opened the box to see if I could shed some light on the subject.  Firstly its quite an old version. Well when I opened the box its nearly finished and built to EM gauge with twin beam suspension and a motor with a gearbox. Perhaps the instructions would help, but it was an old kit with cast chassis.

 

The chassis on mine is not of the NuCast etched type I remember so it will not help. The instructions state all kits come with etched chassis unless stated, but there is no indication that it is a new type. So it will be a simple basic etched design (a half way house between a brass bar type and the etched ones we are now used to)

 

When the partnership was first formed I spoke with Dave Ellis who told me that there was quite an amount of chassis in the stock they bought,  I assume effort is put into releasing kits to utilise them as the most effective use of their time, however with the release of the SECR K class it has a new etched chassis

 

The two partners involved must be two of the nicest traders around, I have just dealt with Branchlines twice in the past two weeks after being informed Branchlines had a chassis for a GEM IOMR loco. These two companies (Branchlines and the NuCast Partnership) must be one of the best kept secrets around. I think its such a shame they do not have a better presence on the web simply advertising what they can supply along with decent photos of what's included and the finished item. As far as Branchlines is concerned what I have paid for an etched chassis, motorising pack and gearbox have either changed in price little or not at all since 2018, way under inflation. Truly two retailers who deserve our support 

 

Well they advertise in all the magazines so can't be that much of a secret!

 

 

Maybe many of those that buy RTR aren't interested in kits and those that buy kits aren't buying the magazines?

 

I sort of feel I'm somewhere in the middle.

 

 

Jason

[John Isherwood]

3 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

...... and those that buy kits aren't buying the magazines?

 

Spot-on; the magazines simply churn out the same old, same old; aimed at the RTR 'How do I renumber my new model' brigade.

 

A notable exception is the MRJ - the partnership would be much better off advertising there than in the 'comics'.

 

I gave up on the latter a good few years ago, despite having bought and retained them since the 1960s.

 

CJI.

[Phil Parker]

8 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

Spot-on; the magazines simply churn out the same old, same old; aimed at the RTR 'How do I renumber my new model' brigade.

 

Commercially, this makes the most sense. Average modellers money is worth just as much as super-finescalers money.

 

8 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

I gave up on the latter a good few years ago, despite having bought and retained them since the 1960s.

 

This might explain why you have no idea of the levels of projects inside them. Or just enjoy repeating the same old trope.

 

 

What's this? A Nu-Cast (now SEF) railcar? Built in an issue of BRM? Surely not. I mean @cctransuk says that sort of thing never happens...

[Sitham Yard]

2 hours ago, Tim Dubya said:

 

 

Cheers, another trader that should have an online shop.  I know they trade selective items on eBay but never anything I want or need, it seems 🙄

If you are referring to Squires they have gone part way with an online ordering form and response which apparently avoids phone calls. See website for details.

Andrew

[John Isherwood]

22 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Commercially, this makes the most sense. Average modellers money is worth just as much as super-finescalers money.

 

 

This might explain why you have no idea of the levels of projects inside them. Or just enjoy repeating the same old trope.

 

 

What's this? A Nu-Cast (now SEF) railcar? Built in an issue of BRM? Surely not. I mean @cctransuk says that sort of thing never happens...

 

Commercial sense - perhaps, but for how long? As beginners develop some skills, they need inspiration in order to develop; I see little evidence of this, despite browsing the titles at the newsagent.

 

As for being a 'super-finescaler' - I wish!! I developed such modest modelling skills as I possess as a reader of RM, MRC, and the later model railway magazines. None of these could be described as 'super-finescale'! My output is very much at the 'layout stock' end of the spectrum - if it runs OK and looks like the prototype, that'll do!

 

I am aware that constructional articles require more complex input than the picture-strip features so beloved of the bulk of the model railway press which, frankly, are patronising.

 

If any of the current titles were to stretch themselves beyond their current, basic offering - or a new, more ambitious venture came along, I would be first in the queue to buy a subscription. I know that I would be far from being alone!

 

CJI.

[John Isherwood]

Further to the above - see the 'Brian Huxley' thread; read his articles referred to; and imitate.

 

Many of us still adopt the mix, match and adapt philosophy of modelling - the trouble is, newcomers to the hobby rarely become aware of the possibilities of this approach.

 

CJI.

[micklner]

59 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Commercially, this makes the most sense. Average modellers money is worth just as much as super-finescalers money.

 

 

This might explain why you have no idea of the levels of projects inside them. Or just enjoy repeating the same old trope.

 

 

What's this? A Nu-Cast (now SEF) railcar? Built in an issue of BRM? Surely not. I mean @cctransuk says that sort of thing never happens...

What issue was that in please ??

[Phil Parker]

16 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

Commercial sense - perhaps, but for how long? As beginners develop some skills, they need inspiration in order to develop; I see little evidence of this, despite browsing the titles at the newsagent.

 

Then look closer. All the mags show projects for different skill levels. In recent BRM's we've had a very serious rebuild of a Hattons Barclay including remotoring the model and making very significant changes to the bodywork requiring much scratchbuilding, and even mix'matching. The lastest issue brings Jessie Sim's superb look at modelling fish vans (plus a prototype feature on them).  Tony Wright has been known to build loco kits on our pages too, far away from the most basic modelling.

 

16 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

I am aware that constructional articles require more complex input than the picture-strip features so beloved of the bulk of the model railway press which, frankly, are patronising.

 

A picture is worth a thousand words. Showing someone how to do something is much more helpful than asking them to read a slab of text describing it. Having written both (remember MORILL?), I find the more modern version, possible because of advances in camera technology, it's a far more efficient way to get information across. If you don't believe me (and I'm sure you don't), the popularity of instructional videos on YouTube should demonstrate it.

 

16 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

If any of the current titles were to stretch themselves beyond their current, basic offering - or a new, more ambitious venture came along, I would be first in the queue to buy a subscription. I know that I would be far from being alone!

 

Great. That's two copies sold. Will this magic mag have a free-to-use forum we can come on and insult people?

[Phil Parker]

2 minutes ago, micklner said:

What issue was that in please ??

 

December 2020.

[Steamport Southport]

7 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Commercial sense - perhaps, but for how long? As beginners develop some skills, they need inspiration in order to develop; I see little evidence of this, despite browsing the titles at the newsagent.

 

As for being a 'super-finescaler' - I wish!! I developed such modest modelling skills as I possess as a reader of RM, MRC, and the later model railway magazines. None of these could be described as 'super-finescale'! My output is very much at the 'layout stock' end of the spectrum - if it runs OK and looks like the prototype, that'll do!

 

I am aware that constructional articles require more complex input than the picture-strip features so beloved of the bulk of the model railway press which, frankly, are patronising.

 

If any of the current titles were to stretch themselves beyond their current, basic offering - or a new, more ambitious venture came along, I would be first in the queue to buy a subscription. I know that I would be far from being alone!

 

CJI.

 

I did say "many" not all, I wasn't trying to start an "us against them" debate!

 

 

Often you've got to have a look inside as they hardly ever advertise the "doing" articles on the cover!

 

The magazines do feature kit builds though. It just seems that a lot of readers probably ignore those articles and look at the glossy pictures. I'm more likely to buy them if they have a kit build although I do have two on subscription. I do tend to buy most issues, some magazines more than others.

 

One magazine that popped through my door this week has articles on building Southern Pride Tavern Cars, detailing a Hornby Class 31, building an O Gauge Class 150 and some other constructional articles. As well as two articles on liveries.

 

I'm afraid if we are looking for "Take one lathe and turn up the chimney and dome in your usual manner" type of articles then I think they are long gone. 

 

 

Jason

[Phil Parker]

10 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Often you've got to have a look inside as they hardly ever advertise the "doing" articles on the cover!

 

That's fair. On the latest BRM, only two practical articles make the front cover. Put any more on though, and some people start moaning about it being too busy! We can't win.

 

We do better with Garden Rail, and Engineering in Miniature, but then those are primarily hands-on magazines as that's the nature of these parts of the hobby.

 

12 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

I'm afraid if we are looking for "Take one lathe and turn up the chimney and dome in your usual manner" type of articles then I think they are long gone. 

 

I'm not sure they were ever that common, we just remember that years ago, modellers had to make more stuff themselves. More "carve this crude whitemetal lump into a chimney".