Accurascale's First Steam Locomotive; GWR Collett 78xx Manor Class!

[jonnyuk]

11 hours ago, McC said:

 

The loco can pull over 40 coaches so it’s definitely not torque. Make sure the tender is in the ‘tight’ curve setting further away from the loco?  Assume running with the 2ns radius cutouts in place still too?

on the test track at the retailer it was a simple loop of r3/r2 with a few extra r2 curves thrown in to create an s, i would say the loco was not run in at that point but given my first displayed the same issues even when ran i wanted to check it out before leaving the shop, i was happy enough with the performance, just a little strange two loco's displayed the same issue (to differing degrees)

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

15 hours ago, McC said:

 

The Manor is 420g including tender so the numbers sound a little out :) 

Something to consider which would be useful for those of us mad enough to operate our models, is that in the case of tender locos, it's the weight of the loco alone that is of primary interest.

 

6 hours ago, Cofga said:

The important thing is the heavier tender on the Manor along with it’s lighter engine reduced it’s pulling power compared to the King by a couple of coaches.

A frequent 'Job 1' for me on RTR tender locos, is removing weight from the tender, for precisely this reason. I suspect the weighting of tenders may be to ensure track holding on set track minimum radius; if the model is to be used on significantly larger radii then all the cast ballast inside the tender can go in my experience. 

 

Further, if the layout is all live crossing, then any tender wiper type pick ups can be removed or disengaged. (Split axle collection off pinpoints works really well, efficient and with no incremental drag. That's a proven feature I would value.)

 

2 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

Both these vary considerably according to how the model gets "run-in", especially the latter, which only happens on track; a rolling road does not provide the necessary friction. Also, what usually takes a few weeks or months on a continuous-run layout can be expected to take much longer on a terminus/FY set-up.

Amen to that. My 24 year experience to date suggests that the Chinese manufactured RTR OO from all of the Bachmann, Dapol, Hattons, Heljan, Hornby, Oxford, Rapido, Sonic products I have sampled* needs to accrue about 10 hours running on track with a load that doesn't cause slipping to obtain all or most of the traction gain when compared to new.

 

*Brands not named truly need to produce something for the Southern end of the ECML.

[kingmender]

7808 arrived "down under" via Cornwall today. Stunning. Decoder fitted and a quick light engine run tonight. Loaded test run to follow tomorrow.

 

Accurascale have created a serious problem. Nothing else comes close to their standards. The Siphons and now the Manor are hopefully a sign of much, much more GWR to come (and the other big 4 & BR standards too). More please, although at a pace that my wallet can sustain. Manor, Hall, Saint, Grange, County, King, 28xx, 47xx and that's before we even think about tank engines. Panniers, panniers, panniers, 14xx, 42/52/72xx the list goes on.......... Everything I have has just become obsolete.

 

Rodger

[Dunsignalling]

20 minutes ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

 

*Brands not named truly need to produce something for the Southern end of the ECML.

 

 

I get the impression that Hornby consider that "their" territory, and there can't be much left that hasn't already been done, anyhow! 😉

 

John

[reddragon]

1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

I get the impression that Hornby consider that "their" territory, and there can't be much left that hasn't already been done, anyhow! 😉

 

John

To keep their territory whilst charging £250 for a basic loco without features or DCC let alone sound doesn't work. I find their products poor at best. Come on AS, take on the LNER big boys! A4 anyone?

[MikeParkin65]

4 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

Do bear in mind that all locos gradually gain haulage power as (a) the mechanism beds in, and (b) the shine gets knocked off the wheels so they become less prone to slipping.

 

 

 

Definitely true in my experience - my layout is currently end to end with some gradients and a minimum 36’’ curve.  Already traction has improved and it has gone from comfortably hauling 6 bogies to 8 (mixed Hornby Gresleys and Bachmann Thompsons with an AS siphon added to ‘westernise’ the set lol).

Nothing about this model I don’t like, it really is a marvellous miniature of the real thing :)

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

 

 

2 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

I get the impression that Hornby consider that "their" territory, and there can't be much left that hasn't already been done, anyhow!

It's no one's territory, but rather contested; and there are 'openings' in traction, and even more so in rolling stock. For the entire GNR/LNER/BR(ER) span, Bachmann dominate, Hornby* a distant second, and moreover outweighed by the combined output of the other six brands named and Accurascale now with useful wagons, to be further augmented when their neat little 0-6-0T class family enters the traction fray.

 

*Don't be distracted by Hornby's array of Doncaster wide firebox classes, Bachmann's more modest five incudes the two most numerous of the breed, and the second most numerous class of pacific, and the prettiest post-Gresley pacific. Clever choices...

[Captain Kernow]

3 hours ago, kingmender said:

Accurascale have created a serious problem. Nothing else comes close to their standards.

 

 

Everything I have has just become obsolete

I was thinking the other night, while talking to friends at the club about the latest Accurascale products (while staring at an Accurascale Class 37, that a friend had brought in), that their emergence could be compared to the arrival of much higher spec RTR models from Airfix and Mainline back in the mid-1970s. I remember being very excited about all that at the time, after a diet hitherto of very basic Triang - Triang Hornby - Hornby models.

 

Although there are many, many good models from the likes of Bachmann, Hornby et al out there at the moment, I would agree that Accurascale are now in a league of their own.

 

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, reddragon said:

To keep their territory whilst charging £250 for a basic loco without features or DCC let alone sound doesn't work. I find their products poor at best. Come on AS, take on the LNER big boys! A4 anyone?

I'm hoping they will ignore the hype and make interesting stuff!

[Cofga]

I finally finished editing and now have my in-depth Manor review up on my YouTube channel. It’s been great to follow Fran and the rest of the Accurascale team as they went through the process of developing this model. I really want to thank them for allowing so many of us to participate in this project—Larry

 

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by Cofga

[jonnyuk]

1 hour ago, Captain Kernow said:

I was thinking the other night, while talking to friends at the club about the latest Accurascale products (while staring at an Accurascale Class 37, that a friend had brought in), that their emergence could be compared to the arrival of much higher spec RTR models from Airfix and Mainline back in the mid-1970s. I remember being very excited about all that at the time, after a diet hitherto of very basic Triang - Triang Hornby - Hornby models.

 

Although there are many, many good models from the likes of Bachmann, Hornby et al out there at the moment, I would agree that Accurascale are now in a league of their own.

 

i would say league of their own is a stretch too far. They are consistently producing high quality models when others are inconsistent, i will give you that. But to say they simply make the best i will not accept.

[John Isherwood]

4 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

They are consistently producing high quality models when others are inconsistent .....

 

On current form - that puts them in a league of their own!

 

CJI.

[jonnyuk]

17 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

On current form - that puts them in a league of their own!

 

CJI.

that is a fair point but the point made was they make the best models, they don't. Dapol are making some cracking stuff, as is rapido, even the oldies Hornby and Bachmann are doing great stuff recently.

Edited August 30, 2023 by jonnyuk

[gwrrob]

1 hour ago, Cofga said:

I finally finished editing and now have my in-depth Manor review up on my YouTube channel. It’s been great to follow Fran and the rest of the Accurascale team as they went through the process of developing this model. I really want to thank them for allowing so many of us to participate in this project—Larry

 

 

 

A proper job video @Cofga👍

[McC]

42 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

i would say league of their own is a stretch too far. They are consistently producing high quality models when others are inconsistent, i will give you that. But to say they simply make the best i will not accept.

 

We look forward to changing your mind :) :) :) 

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, reddragon said:

To keep their territory whilst charging £250 for a basic loco without features or DCC let alone sound doesn't work. I find their products poor at best. Come on AS, take on the LNER big boys! A4 anyone?

No No No.

The model railway market is awash with large LNER locos.

I want more variety

[Harlequin]

 

55 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

i would say league of their own is a stretch too far. They are consistently producing high quality models when others are inconsistent, i will give you that. But to say they simply make the best i will not accept.

 

31 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

that is a fair point but the point made was they make the best models, they don't. Dapol are making some cracking stuff, as is rapido, even the oldies Hornby and Bachmann are doing great stuff recently.

 

I can only assume that you haven't properly looked at the model to study the details.

 

Compare the spring hangers and axleboxes on the Accurascale Manor tender with any other tenders, for instance. Separate, detailed parts - not one big moulding all joined together.

 

Or the fire iron rack - that holds the irons above the coal like the real thing.

 

Or the details on the front of the bogie.

 

Or the top of the vacuum cylinder visible under the boiler.

 

Or... Do I need to go on?

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by Harlequin

[Captain Kernow]

44 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

i would say league of their own is a stretch too far

 

45 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

But to say they simply make the best i will not accept.

In that case, as decent, fair-minded gentlemen, we will have to agree to disagree.

 

46 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

They are consistently producing high quality models when others are inconsistent, i will give you that

In this particular instance, we can suspend our Agreement to Disagree and register Mutual Agreement.

 

In overall terms, I am judging by what I have seen and how useful the Accurascale products are to me. I model in both 'finescale OO' and P4. Accurascale wins on both rolling stock and locos as far as I am concerned, although Rapido can give them a run for their money where it comes to some rolling stock items, when considered in terms of how easy they are to convert to P4.

 

It is unfortunate that the Manor is not an easy conversion (I have no idea at the moment how I am going to achieve that), but on the other hand, the Class 37 can be fitted with their own P4 wheels. The only other (diesel) manufacturer doing that is Sutton Loco Works.

 

When compared with the direct competition (Dapol Manor and Bachmann 37), then Accurascale market the better products, especially with the Manor. The finish and fine detail on the Manor is spectacular...

 

It is interesting that the wheel standards on the forthcoming AS J69 will not be exactly the same as the Manor, but in terms of inconsistency, I find that Bachmann, Hornby and Heljan have marketed locos with differing wheel standards over the years - some would run on C&L bullhead track, others would bump along on the inside faces of the chairs.

 

[Captain Kernow]

Oh, by the way, I have absolutely no commercial or other connection with Accurascale, other than being a customer. We've never even sent each other Christmas cards...

 

[NoggintheNog]

I've not been in the hobby anywhere near as long as some around here, but my dad was a train driver, and he bought me my first train set in 1972.

I haven't always been an avid modeller, and most of that time, had no layout, but I have bought at least engine or other every year since then, when something caught my eye.

 

My 7800 is, by far, the best steam engine I have ever purchased, and I include my fully diecast Broadway Limited Big Boy in that.

[Not Jeremy]

9 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

Oh, by the way, I have absolutely no commercial or other connection with Accurascale, other than being a customer. We've never even sent each other Christmas cards...

 

Perhaps they will send you one, what with you being such a respected old modelling hector and a long standing locomotive luminary too.

 

My favourite of yours remains 76043 (well you know the loco mean), no manufacturer of any standard will or could ever produce such a satisfyingly wonderful model locomotive, in my opinion.

 

I’m not necessarily drawing comparisons, but it would be interesting to stand a Guy Williams model next to the same type as built by one of these brilliant new model manufacturing companies.

 

, 

[AY Mod]

2 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

compared to the arrival of much higher spec RTR models from Airfix and Mainline back in the mid-1970s.

 

I have made similar comment to friends, we are at a significant point. For me, however, it's not about an individual loco (although I feel Accurascale's Manor is the best 4mm steam loco we have seen) but in the rolling stock with Accurascale and Rapido producing breadth and quality to a standard significantly above others of useful pieces, not just glamorous apprentice pieces. Both Mainline and Airfix took that step forward. The longer-established names are reacting and adapting and far faster than happened 45 years ago. Interesting times.

[Accurascale Fran]

Hi guys,

 

Just phoned the builders to get them in so we can widen the doors on our office to fit our heads through it. 😆

 

In all seriousness, many, many thanks for your kind words and constructive feedback one and all. The thing for us is to take it on board, look at the next model in the pipeline, and work out how to improve it again to maintain an increase of standards. It is also fair to say that a lot of companies, both established and more recent entrants to the market, are creating some excellent models. This is the beauty of competition, as it pushes us all to make better models, offer more choice and the best possible prices and the winners are the modellers. 

 

It's great to hear these very kind words, but we also know we cannot rest on our laurels. It is also not our style. Our next model has to be our best yet. That's how we approach every subject we do.

 

Thank you also for your support, custom and patience, which makes this possible! Without you we don't achieve such things. 

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

Edited August 30, 2023 by Accurascale Fran

[Captain Kernow]

2 hours ago, Not Jeremy said:

 

My favourite of yours remains 76043 (well you know the loco mean), no manufacturer of any standard will or could ever produce such a satisfyingly wonderful model locomotive, in my opinion.

You are a treasure, aren't you!

 

It's 76017, Airfix kit body with Kemilway chassis, built nearly 40 years ago....!

[John Isherwood]

2 hours ago, jonnyuk said:

that is a fair point but the point made was they make the best models, they don't. Dapol are making some cracking stuff, as is rapido, even the oldies Hornby and Bachmann are doing great stuff recently.

 

Oh - come on!

 

Have Dapol ever produced a model with a correct livery?

 

Have Hornby ever produced a BR green loco that was painted in anything like BR Locomotive Green?

 

Bachmann are much better - but split drive gears seem to plague them after a while.

 

KRM are best ignored.

 

IMHO, they all need to start running to catch up with Accurascale.

 

CJI.