Accucraft: IOM No's 5,6,15 & 16 in live steam (and more electrics too)

[Sea Lion]

Ok I can now provide an update on the rolling programme to populate the world with lots of manx steamys

Cale' will be first up, should be ready about Dec 2010.

Mona and Peveril will then follow maybe perhaps approx March 2011.

Mannin will be later, maybe perhaps approx around Dec 2011.


There should be an engineering sample of Cale ready for the show at Stoneleigh this spring, the live steam version will be made available in full MNR Metropolitan Red livery, or Blue.

5 & 6 will be offered in Indian Red, proper shade matched from a dip in the "hallowed tin" of 1960's paint stashed on the railway.

There should also be electric versions of all the above produced at the same time as the steamys for those of us who prefer not to burn the fingers.


Happy steamings in advance

John

 

[KeithT]

Here's hoping that the electric versions at least of Caledonia will have modified wheel profiles to negotiate LGB R3s. :-

 

[Sea Lion]

Here's hoping that the electric versions at least of Caledonia will have modified wheel profiles to negotiate LGB R3s. :-

Good point Keith, yes this is being looked at, a wheel profile is being considered that would cope with the non standard way LGB points work (running on the flange through the frogs) , so the flange has to be deep enough to do this without being so deep as to prevent use on thinner sections of rail and ending up hitting the chairs. Code 250 such as Peco G-45 would be no problem, where it gets critical is the likes of Tenmille G1 track with code 200 rails.

It is quite possible Cale may be the first offering to have the new wheel profile.

Happy steamings,

John

 

[Rosco]

Thanks for keeping us up to date, i am sure they will look stunning with a nice rake of IOM carriages. I would love to see a replica live steam Sea Lion/Polar Bear one day.

 

[brianthesnail96]

Looking forward to seeing these too- who is going to get all 4 then?

Accucraft need to stop introducing so many lovely locomotives. I'll be saving my pennies for after they've done Mannin though- there's a large gap in the 16mm roster of one of the other railways they have been concentrating on and I've heard a rumour it is to be filled...

Ta, as ever, for keeping us updated John.

Polar Bear/ Sea Lion are really too small to make a viable 16mm locomotive- generally the smaller the loco the harder it is to get it to run smoothly and at realistic 16mm speeds. You'd also have to keep it under constant surveilance, it wouldn't take long at all to empty a boiler that tiny! I'm sure it could be done, but very doubtful one of the big 16mm manufacturers would take it on.

Would make a brilliant loco in 7/8ths though...

 

[Rosco]

yes thinking about it, it would be quite difficult to get right especially the running gear linked up to the tiny wheels. Probably quite a niche market too. Still maybe one day.
This Picture of the 16mm site is not too far of.