Accucraft Kalahari

railwayman198

railwayman198

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Accucraft had the pre-production sample of Kalahari at the Warley show - now fully painted. It looked superb except for the very prominent fuel lines between cab and bunker - I guess this might be changed for the production version.

It is 1:19 scale so it is very large, certainly too bulky for my line, for which my wallet is truly thankful.

Unfortunately it was in a glass case so here is the only pic I could manage.
 
Some of that metalwork and the drain valves look awfully close to the rail and sleepers :nail: :nail:
 
Am i correct in asuming that this will not run on anything less than 8ft curves ?
 
Thats most of us ruled out of buying one then :thumbdown:
 
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tac - 22/11/2009 3:23 PM
As Mr Line notes, the drain-cocks are perilously close to the sticky-up bits of most folks' trackwork, like switch/point levers and so on - just like the Garratt - and care will have to taken to prevent this from interfering with the movement of this very large and heavy loco.
tac
www.ovgrs.org
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I am right as i remember Accucraft extended the rod and turn the handles 180gr on the final (3th) batch?? of NGG16 or was it a modification done by ?? Or even better if they had servo-linkage on them.</p><p>
The only reason that I won't be adding one to my collection is that I can't afford it. := )
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</p><p>Same here, alltough i still need to rebuild the NGG16 due to some quality issues......
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Elmtree Line - 22/11/2009 2:34 PM Am i correct in asuming that this will not run on anything less than 8ft curves ?
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</p><p>The official spec is minimum radius 4 feet (R3). 2nd and 3rd sets of driving wheels flangeless (blind). Some concessions are made to allow front and rear trucks to swing laterally enough to allow a 4 foot radius. </p><p> Happy steamings,</p><p> John



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Sea Lion - 25/11/2009 9:37 AM <p>
Elmtree Line - 22/11/2009 2:34 PM Am i correct in asuming that this will not run on anything less than 8ft curves ?
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</p><p>The official spec is minimum radius 4 feet (R3). 2nd and 3rd sets of driving wheels flangeless (blind). Some concessions are made to allow front and rear trucks to swing laterally enough to allow a 4 foot radius. </p><p> Happy steamings,</p><p> John
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</p><p> </p><p>Thanks John,</p><p>Still a little worried about all that metalwork so close to the rail edge and sleepers :nail: :nail:
</p><p> </p>
 
If its like the garratt, it will sweep away everything in its path!!!
 
Isn't there another variation available with a cab that is part of the front of the tender? I think this makes the engine look even larger. I really swell engine, it is.
 
Benjamin Maggi - 25/11/2009 5:44 PM

Isn't there another variation available with a cab that is part of the front of the tender? I think this makes the engine look even larger. I really swell engine, it is.
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The large tender was designed for relatively long runs in near desert conditions. This doesn't apply to North Wales. :rolf: What's more when in service on the Welsh Highland half of the running will be tender first so a tender rebuild is on the cards. At one time I think Accucraft were considering offering a variant with a proposed WHR design of tender. The WHR also considered altering the dome position to cope with the steep grades, but I believe experience gained with the Garratts on the steep sections this year suggests that the existing Kalahari dome position should be O.K.

More details and a good illustration of the proposed changes are on the web page below.

http://whr.bangor.ac.uk/ng15.htm
 
<p>You are quite right Neil (to the best of my understanding!). I guess they don't have many Welsh mists in Africa so even if they did want to run tender first no doubt they would be glad of the cooling breeze!</p><p>The lovely illustration of the website you pointed to was what was first envisaged for the WHR rebuild. But now as you say it is probable they may not move the dome, and I get the impression the tender design is probably not yet finalised. I think the truth is at this stage no one knows what the final WHR beasty will look like because it has not been finally decided, or if it has then presumably the info is only within the confines of Boston Lodge at this stage.</p><p>Can't wait to see the finished item, and can't wait to get back to ride on the WHR again next year. World Class, Superb!</p><p>Happy steamings,</p><p>John</p><p> </p>
 
funandtrains - 26/11/2009 10:30 AM

I think the cabs getting overly hot was more a problem in South Africa. I've seen photos of some locos have swing out seats for the driver to sit outside the cab in the breeze to keep cool!
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All the NGG16 garratts originally has swing out seats due to the heat in the cab. For safety reasons they were removed by the WHR, some of the clearances are pretty tight as it is!

James
 
I think the biggest issue is not the question of flangeless drivers, but whether the chassis will be compensated.

Roundhouse's SRRL has a compensated chassis, and the new Lady Anne also has one. The Bachmann Connie is impressive on the rails with its compensated chassis, but my scratchbuilt 2-6-2, while it stays on the track OK, and can cope with my trains OK, it struggles to provide really high adhesion and pulling power given its weight and the type of motor, becasue the chassis is too rigid.
 
I'm loathe to be pedantic - but they are sprung, not compensated. There is quite a difference.

Sorry!
 
Oh my sainted aunt......how much do I want one of those!!

Thank crunchie it won't go around my curves!!

edit for sp.
 
I can always lend you a jim crow and a few crow bars Neil, I'm sure you could ease your curves out to 4' radius if you really wanted to.

Now as to Mrs NHN approiving of this, well what on earth would you get her (in advance of course) so she couldn't say no?

Happy steamings,

John
 
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