Hello folks.
I hope that this isn't jumping the gun at all (sorry if it is) as these have not yet made it into 009 News but I thought you'd like to know about the latest 009 Society kits that were on sale at Ilton yesterday.
They consist of 3 types - wooden open, steel open and single plank bolster wagon - and are similar in size to the old Colin Ashby range. I've just finished building one of each type having bought them yesterday.
here are the kits as taken out of the bags:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4705/25817590738_1e6abe9a83_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FkpUfN)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4761/25817593038_b1c5920e03_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FkpUWs)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4698/25817595258_009f302f2e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FkpVAJ)
And as built:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4622/25817613078_c8aa8197ba_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Fkq1TY)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4763/27911254079_8433e9f196_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/JwqtqB)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4763/38980911564_3836a053a0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22oBmW9)
Not bad for a fiver each!
They go together really well and with less than a dozen parts (including the wheelsets and break gear on one side) you'd be hard pressed to go wrong! The only things to note are to make sure that you fit the sides outside the ends, but the corners are 'stepped' rather than being molded at 45 degrees to make location easier (as shown with the planked open here)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4660/27911237189_42555f04f7_z.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4663/27911240299_47441062bc_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Jwqopp)
There were only a couple of really minor issues with the builds.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4667/25817606318_900db5f48b_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FkpYTq)
As well as sanding the top surface of the solebars to ensure a good joint to the floor they also needed a little taking off the ends to get them to fit snugly between the headstocks, but when it came to the steel open the solebar length was fine as cut from the sprue (and maybe even fractionally too short and a loose fit between the headstocks), and the ends of the single plank bolster needed a touch with a file at the corner to allow the side to sit properly against it. But these really were very minor issues and no more than the usual 'fetteling' one would do when building any kit to ensure good fitting between the parts, and compared to some plastic kits I have built over my 35+ years as a Society member these really were a breeze!
I believe that David Gander has designed these, so well done to him (or whoever was responsible)!
They look very good. How big are they compared to say, a Minitrains skip? I'm making a layout where the idea initially was to only use skips but I'm tempted to make up a second set of wagons from these, although I have now created a height restriction on said layout. I think it was also suggested at one point that there might be another run of toast rack coaches but did anything come of this?
Danny
I did think about measuring them in case someone asked that - but haven't! :D
If it is any help the cutting mat seen in some of the photos has a 10mm grid pattern of blue lines. The length & width of all 3 will be the same as they use a common floor and solebars, and if I remember to do so I'll measure them up and post the results.
With respect to the Hudson toast rack coaches there was one on the sales stand at Ilton yesterday (for £10 iirc) so it might be worth dropping the sales team an e-mail.
As to another run of the Hudson coach kit (or any of the other kits) I really do not know. My understanding is that one of the issues has been the supply of wheels, but I may be confusing that with the T&D cattle vans that use the Dundas 8mm wheels that have been out of production for a while, or another issue that meant that they could only be ordered in large batches (maybe due to a nickel silver etch of parts in the plastic kits?). Perhaps sales of the last batch had tailed off, but with one of the Hudson coach kits recently appearing on eBay and selling for £22.08 perhaps there is renewed demand?
The only people who would know for certain would be the committee/ directors, and they may have discussed it at yesterday's board meeting. So for a definitive answer I'd suggest sending someone (possibly David Gander or Charlie Insley?) an e-mail to ask.
However please bear in mind that the Society does not employ anyone to do anything and we rely on volunteers to get things done. I have a feeling that previous runs of the Society kits have all been packed by David, so he has had to fit that in around a 9-5 job, a social life, building his own models, exhibiting Green End and doing all the other things to make life bearable. I imagine that picking components out of boxes to stuff into bags to sell as kits gets a little tedious after a while, so supplies of Society kits may not be as reliable as (for example) those from Dundas.
Quote from: JulienW on January 15, 2018, 11:06
I did think about measuring them in case someone asked that - but haven't! :D
If it is any help the cutting mat seen in some of the photos has a 10mm grid pattern of blue lines.
Just over 30x20 then based on one of the photos in the top post!
Thanks for the info on the re-issue of the older kits Stephen.
To save you getting wet(!) here are the dimensions of the new stock:
Planked open - 34.6mm long, 21.3mm wide, 19 mm rail-head to top edge of the raised end (top edge of the side is 17mm up from the rail head, and the ends can be cut down to match).
Steel open - 33.4mm, 21.3mm, top edge 16 mm from railhead
Single plank bolster - 33.5mm, 21.5mm, top edge 12mm from rail head.
The difference in length between the steel and planked opens id probably down to the design of the ends, as the steel has angle iron stantions (as does the single plank) whereas the planked open has square-section wood stantions up the ends.
Also, I've just put them on my coupling height gauge (6mm height) and it looks like the couplings need to go 1/2 way up the buffer beams...
Thank you everyone for the information. I am not looking for Hudson coaches now but was just curious as I had heard something about this somewhere (can't remember who from so I won't attribute it to anyone in particular). I do I think still have one complete one left plus parts of another from which I used the ends and one compartment to build a ludicrously short 4 wheel version on a skip chassis for the Chairman's Challenge at Sparsholt when the kits were released. :)
Danny
Nice, seeing pictures of some of the kit's that are available to members.
Could 'admin' post pictures of the entire range ?
Hi Pete,
Not knowing where you are based, but we are expecting a batch of Society kits at Rainford this coming Sat. 17th February
A good chance to get your hands on some and see whats available.
Stan.
Not sure if anyone has noticed, but the kits are featured in Railway Modeller, April 2018, p.329. Look forward to getting some of these!
I helped Bill pack these kits into plastic bags during quiet periods at the York Show over the Easter weekend - and they were also for sale there. I realise that's no help as it is after the event!
I think Society Sales acquired a new supply of these at NGSouth yesterday, so bopefully they are in stock again.
David.
The three large boxes with the kits in certainly looked very full on Saturday morning - though somewhat less full at 5pm when the West Mids contingent left for the drive back North up the A34!
They certainly were David, a couple more were purchased by me.
Steve
I think Society Sales acquired a new supply of these at NGSouth yesterday, so bopefully they are in stock again.
David.
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I just joined the society and received a single plank bolster wagon as a welcome present - and very nice it is too!
Cheers
Pete
I've made up a pair of the planked wagons; there are very nice and run very well.