Accurascale Products

As the title of this post goes, we live and learn.
 
When I re-introduced myself in the world of model railways two years ago after a 30+ year break, I was so eager to get started. I was buying all manner of things from a well known auction site and feeling very pleased with myself with my purchases.
 
From locos (which now adorn my layout as static eye candy) to points and track and goods wagons. Some of the points are still in use but many have been replaced with new ones and electro frog.
 
The goods wagons have just sat in my goods yard with the occasional outing but they do look out of place in a BR blue era.
 
I have just bitten the bullet and bought some new bulk cement wagons from Accurascale. Now I am not a rivet counter but these wagons really do look the business and their detail is superb. They will be weathered when I can pluck up the courage to mask some of that detail but in the mean time, I will be content to parade this rake of twelve through my station in a pristine condition behind my double headed 37's.
 
I am not affiliated to Accurascale in any way but their rolling stock really does take some beating.
 
I also have one of their Deltics on order and I can't wait until November when it will emerge from the production line.
 
Everything I buy nowadays is new. Once bitten twice shy. We live and learn.

Here is a close up of one of the wagons.

Good old Yorkshire saying "Tha gets wot tha pays fo "

Hi Gary,

Get them weathered chap, as they were never seen in pristine since the day they were put on the rails!

Mike Bonwick did a great job of his Accurascale Cemflows, which I saw a couple of months back. He has a good step by step guide and invaluable prototype photos on his blog at Accurascale Cemflo. Step 6 - Finishing Details. - Mick Bonwick's Blog - RMweb

Have fun with the weathering, but make sure they are all subtly different.

Bill

I like the old stuff, but only in the expectation I will spend as much again getting it running properly. If anybody is not prepared to address cracked axle sleeves, dodgy motors, wonky wheel rims, DCC decidedly unfriendly chassis, and the like then they need to stick to the new stock, especially if living outside of the UK. Caveat emptor actually applies to some of the new items as well, judging by some of the recent comments on this site. For those of us in EM and P4 it actually pays to get the older versions, as they will get fettled and modified anyway.

The auction house we all love (or hate) seems to have lost its way, it is now a market place with silly money pricing and auction items are as rare as hen's teeth. Hattons is often cheaper (not always). I've given up on the UK site, almost given up on the US site. I would end up with a mailing cost of anywhere between £18-£25 from the UK for a locomotive. How many locomotives do I really need?

Nigel

Very true John.

Bill, thank you for the link. I have tried looking for photos but have not found to many at the moment. They will get weathered and they will all be different - watch this space.

Nigel, I have 're-engined' some of the old ringfield motors in the old locos. They run quieter but but still are not on a par with the 'new' technology.
As I move on in the hobby, I will eventually replace just some of that old stock with new but at the moment, they look quite at home in the TMD awaiting their servicing!

it also gave me the opportunity to practice on my air brush techniques and powder weathering.

Thank you for taking the time to reply - all advice is good advice.

Hi Gary,

PWM, standard for DCC, is quite forgiving of those ringfield motors. The major issue, assuming the innards are functioning, is the whirring gear train. I have a Mainline Warship (quiet as the gearing is enclosed) and a brace of Lima railcars that trundle along at a couple of mph. Start voltage is a bit higher than a modern 5 pole motor, but again DCC can sort that one out. The other issue is electrical pickup and rubber tires. Sort those out and the change in running is chalk and cheese.

The bodies on these golden oldies are the same as the current offerings from B and H respectively. 

The motors need a regular clean though. Makes a big difference.

Nigel

Thanks Nigel.

I am DCC and all of my older locos that were DC have been converted - and also fitted with lights.

The idea of giving them a good spring clean is a good one. I will give it a go.