Accucraft UK Ltd

LYNTON & BARNSTAPLE COACHES – LATEST NEWS!

We have now received pre-production samples of these gorgeous coaches from the factory and will be taking one of each type to the Llanfair Garden Railway Show this coming weekend (3rd & 4th September) at LLanfair Caereinion Leisure Centre.  The show coincides with the W & L Steam Gala so why not come along, enjoy the railway and visit the exhibition.  These coaches are an ideal accompaniment to our L & B ‘Lyn’ or for our forthcoming ‘Lew’, but are selling fast – be sure to place a forward order with your local retailer!  To whet your appetite we are illustrating the brake composite coach, the rest can be seen here

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway had its original rolling stock manufactured by the Bristol Wagon & Carriage Works.  The coaches were built to a very high standard and came in a variety of forms, some of which were modified during their careers on the line.  Following closure in 1935 many were sold off and found alternative use as summer houses and sheds.  Remarkably nine coaches (or parts thereof) survived, one is running on the Ffestiniog Railway, one (largely un-restored) is in the National Railway Museum and the rest are in the care of the re-born L & B in various stages of restoration.

POWER UNIT COMPETITION

We are now getting submissions for our Accucraft power unit competition.  First to throw his hat in the ring was Rob Bennett with a very attractive 7/8ths scale conversion based on the Simply 7/8ths ‘Baldrig’ kit and an ‘Edrig / Ragleth’ power unit.  Needless to say the footplate crew are some of Rob’s own ‘Busy Body’ figures!  Why not have a go yourself?  The rules are here - ACCUCRAFT POWER UNIT COMPETITION but remember the closing date is the 31st of December!

Rob Bennett's 'Salopia'

LIVE STEAM GEARED LOCOS FROM ACCUCRAFT (US)

Available NOW are the following live steam Shays and Climaxes from Accucraft (US) – contact your local retailer to obtain them.  The Shay locomotive was invented by Ephraim Shay and the first engine produced that was recognizably a Shay emerged from the Lima Machine Works (later the Lima Locomotive Works) in 1880. Production of Shays ceased in 1945, after approximately 2,700 of them had been built to all gauges and sizes (including a couple of left-handers, or backwards Shays, popularly called Yahs).  Firstly there is the arcane-looking, “T-boilered”, two-cylinder 13 ton Shay.  This is a model that simply oozes character and would be ideal for any logging railroad or short-line, the full specification can be seen here - the model carries an RRP of only £1770.

Also available now is the more ‘normal’ three-cylinder variant in the shape of Mich Cal #5 which comes in both fully lettered and un-lettered forms.  These Shays are a delight to watch in operation and, like the prototypes, are surprisingly powerful for their size.  With an RRP of just £1995, the full specification for #5 can be viewed here.

Finally we come to the Climax (no pun intended!).  These locomotives had two steam cylinders to transmit power to driveshafts running to the front and rear trucks. Designed to compete with the Shay and later Heisler locomotives in logging and industrial roles, many loggers considered the Climax superior to the Shay in haulage capacity and stability, particularly in smaller locomotives. Accucraft’s model is a limited production in 1:20.3 scale and 45mm gauge in live steam and has an RRP of £1875 – full details can be seen here.

We are delighted to say that we are holding an Open Day at our new premises in Church Stretton on the 15th of October.  Some of our dealers will be present as well as other attractions and we look forward to seeing you then.  Full details and a map can be found as a PDF file here ACCUCRAFT OPEN DAY.

ACCUCRAFT OPEN DAY & MODEL RAILWAY MARKET

A Show for the Public to Meet the Traders

 IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE STRETTONS RAILWAY SOCIETY

Featuring their OO scale layout ‘Church Stretton’

Saturday 15^th October 2011  from 10.00am – 4.00pm  Admission £1.00

Refreshments available

Unit 9,Mynd Industrial Park, Crossways,

Church Stretton,ShropshireSY6 6EA

Tel: 01694 723799. email: info@accucraft.uk.com

LIVE STEAM B4 0-4-0T IN 1:32 SCALE

Hot on the heels of our recently announced 1:32 Scale A3 4-6-2, we are happy to say we will also be producing a live steam 0-4-0 tank engine based on the L&SWR B4 Class, in particular No. 30089 Trouville which had a reasonably ‘normal’ cab.  Talk about dignity and impudence!  Intended as an “entry level” loco in Gauge 1, the model will be gas-fired and have all the features you would expect from an Accucraft locomotive.  The chassis is constructed from stainless steel. Boiler and cab are constructed from etched brass. Like other fine scale models from Accucraft, it will provide many years of enjoyment.  The target RRP will be £800.00 and a power unit only version will be available for £695.00.

An initial batch of twenty locomotives were designed by William Adams for the London & South Western Railway and constructed at Nine Elms between 1891 and 1893.  These small but powerful engines were intended for shunting in restricted sidings with tight curves and were deployed in such locations as Southampton Docks, the Hamworthy freight branch and Poole Quay.  Drummond added five similar locos to the class in 1905 although assorted rebuilds saw a great many variations in cab design and boiler fittings.  Because of their work in the docks, twelve acquired names from locations along the French channel coast.  After a long career with the L&SWR, Southern Railway and BR, some were sold into industrial use and two have been preserved, Normandy on the Bluebell Railway and Granville at Bressingham.

A live steam “Flying Scotsman” in 1:32 scale (Gauge 1), Accucraft’s first national competition for home-builders using our power units, W & L cattle vans announced and the new Accucraft (US) Whitcomb diesels – it’s all happening here this month!

LIVE STEAM A3 No. 4472 “FLYING SCOTSMAN”

We are currently developing a 1:32 scale live steam version of our very successful electric  LNER A3 Class “Flying Scotsman”.  The model will be gas-fired and have all the features the Gauge 1 fraternity have come to expect from an Accucraft locomotive.  The chassis is constructed from stainless steel. Boiler, cab and tender are constructed from etched brass. Like other fine scale models from Accucraft, it will provide many years of enjoyment.  The target RRP will be £2495.00.

Sir Nigel Gresley was renowned for his Pacific express locomotives, the first of which, the A1 class, entered service in 1922. The A3 was a modification of the A1 and over time all of the surviving A1s were rebuilt as A3s. No. 4472 “Flying Scotsman” was built in 1923 and went on to become one of the most famous steam locomotives in the world setting many records along the way. After the war it was renumbered 103 then, after the nationalisation, carried the number 60103, remaining in service on the East Coast mainline until 1963. During its service career it covered over 2,000,000 miles and travelled non-stop from London to Edinburgh in 8 hours. It was sold into private ownership, was sent to America and Australia and is today under restoration at The National Railway Museum in York.

Specification:

Fuel:  Butane gas fired
Minimum Radius: 2m (6′ 6”)
Construction:  Copper boiler, Brass boiler jacket, Brass cab, Brass tender, Steel drivers
Features:  Walschaerts valve gear, Safety valve, Water level glass, Pressure gauge, Lubricator, Gas tank in tender (water bath), Axle water pump with bypass valve, Water hand pump with check valve, Slide valve cylinders

Liveries (subject to production batch):
BR Brunswick Green #60103 (as Running Early 1960’s) w/ Double Chimney and Deflectors
BR Brunswick Green #60103 (as Running Early 1950’s) with Single Chimney
LNER Doncaster Green #4472, (as Running 1975) with Single Chimney
LNER Doncaster Green #4472 (as Running in the 21st C.) with Double Chimney and Deflectors

To register your interest, either leave a comment on this page or contact us here.

ACCUCRAFT POWER UNIT COMPETITION

In light of buoyant sales of our power units, we are happy to announce that we are organising an annual competition to find the best locomotive built up using the ‘Edrig’ or ‘Ragleth’ 0-4-0 chassis or the ‘Lawley’ 0-6-0 power unit.  Entries can be to any scale running on 32mm or 45mm gauge track, and we will feature these on a dedicated page of our website.  Tag Gorton, editor of Garden rail magazine, will judge the entrants and the winners will be announced in March so that the top three can be displayed at the 16mm Association show in April where the prizes will be awarded.  First prize will be an Accucraft power unit and the runners up will be presented with items of rolling stock from the Accucraft range.  Full terms and details of how to enter can be seen as a PDF file – ACCUCRAFT POWER UNIT COMPETITION.

A good basis for the competition – an ‘Edrig’ 0-4-0 power unit

BREAKING NEWS!  W & L CATTLE VAN ANNOUNCED

We are delighted to say that we are adding the Welshpool & Llanfair Railway cattle van to the already comprehensive range of W & L rolling stock we produce.  The van will be modelled on the original design before rebuilding by the G.W.R. and as such will be available in W & L light grey, light grey (data only) and dark grey (data only).  A release date in 2012 and the RRP will be announced in a subsequent newsletter.

WHITCOMB SIDE ROD DIESELS

Accucraft (US) have announced production of a Whitcomb Bo-Bo diesel in 1.20.3 scale (45mm gauge) and our dealers are taking advance orders for these now at a promotional RRP of just £875.  The prototype 45 ton locos were built as a batch of 37 in 1942.  Ordered by the military for war critical work six found their way to Hawaii with the Navy of which two were eventually preserved.  The Whitcomb is 25 feet 6 inches long, 9 feet wide and 11 feet 6 inches high at the cab roof. They are powered by two HBI 600 Cummins 150 HP diesel engines driving Westinghouse 189-R7 230 volt direct current generators. There is one Westinghouse 1443-A traction motor per truck with power being transmitted by coupling (side) rods to the unpowered axle. Electrical control is Westinghouse. Locomotive and train brakes are Westinghouse Air Brake Co. and supplied by two Quincy 30 CFM belt driven air compressors located in the cab.  Ideal for short-lines or industrial settings, the model will be available in Caterpillar yellow, grey, blue and green and full details can be viewed here.  Due for release in autumn 2011, contact your local dealer to reserve one now!

SMALL PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

We are now listing a growing number of spares and accessories on our website which can be purchased from your local dealer or directly from us.  However, there is an occasional demand for mechanical and cosmetic parts for locos and rolling stock which we cannot list but do keep in stock.  Please contact us with your requirements and we will try to help you out (subject to price and availability).

L&B MANNING WARDLE 2-6-2T ‘LEW’

We are pleased to say that our dealers are now taking orders for ‘Lew’, the Lynton & Barnstaple 2-6-2T (to be produced in Southern green).  The target price is £1500 for the manual version and £1800 for the radio-controlled model.  Orders for the first batch (an initial 100 locos) will be taken on a strictly “first come, first served” basis so contact your local retailer now!  The estimated arrival date for this batch is 2nd Quarter 2012.  We are very grateful to Paul Lewin and Peter Griffiths of the Ffestiniog Railway for giving us access to their ‘new build’ replica ‘Lyd’ at Boston Lodge recently, it is a really graceful piece of engineering and we look forward to seeing it back at its spiritual home in Devon again.

Getting serious – Ian Pearse measures up ‘Lyd’ at Boston Lodge on the Ffestiniog Railway

FURTHER ELECTRIC LOCOS?

Following the runaway success of the initial batches of electric ‘Countesses’ and ‘Caledonias’, we have decided to develop similar versions of ‘Lyn’ and ‘Lew’ for production alongside the live steam versions.  The electric ‘Lyn’ would have a target RRP of £995 and ‘Lew’ would be around £1300, both models carrying the same level of detail as the live steamers but with scale cab fittings.  Please register your interest in either of these models with your local retailer.

AMERICAN STOCK

Many people associate Accucraft with British narrow gauge models but our sister company, Accucraft (US), produces a wide range of American standard gauge and narrow gauge equipment in scales from 0n30 to 1:20.3 encompassing giants such as the Allegheny and mighty T1 in 1:32 scale through masses of 3’ gauge stock in various scales to classic shortline and logging railroad machinery in 1:20.3 scale.  Please follow the links below to download PDF files for the Accucraft (US) Trains, American Mainline and American Model Supply ranges including their UK recommended retail prices.  These files incorporate hyperlinks to the relevant pages on the Accucraft website so that you may view the products and glean more information.  We are also including a list of American outline stock that has been heavily discounted as part of Accucraft’s current inventory sale, there are some amazing bargains to be had in 1:20.3, 1:29 and 1:32 scales, electric and live steam locos as well as rolling stock.  Contact your local retailer for their best prices on all these ranges.

ACCUCRAFT SALE UK
AML UK RRP JULY 2011
AMS UK RRP JULY 2011
AT UK RRP JULY 2011

L & B BOGIE GOODS VEHICLES

Our retailers have also opened the books for orders on a new batch of L & B bogie vans and wagons to complement “Lew” and “Lyn” and the new L & B coaches.  This batch will be available in the same liveries as before and we have held the price of these to an RRP of £85 for the van and £70 for the wagon.  To accompany this production run will be a further run of the Z9 goods vehicle bogies, now complete with couplings but supplied without wheels at £15.00 per pair.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Many of you will remember Ian’s daughter Claire from her day’s working on the Pearse Locos stand at various shows and subsequent appearances at Warley.  We are delighted to say that Claire has announced her engagement to David Palmer, a talented model engineer in his own right who has produced live steam models from 0 gauge to 10.5 inch gauge.  Good choice Claire!

Accucraft are launching a new website on the 6th of June 2011.  As part of our drive to improve our service to our customers and dealers we have completely overhauled the old site, giving it the equivalent of a “heavy general” to make it fit for the future!  If you are reading this you are already there!

Although our new website looks similar to the old one it now has many more pages and greater functionality.  For instance, you can now leave feedback about news stories such as this which will enable us to respond to comments about new products and future releases.  Other major changes include:

• Better product information – wherever possible, items now show the full specification, liveries available and part numbers.  Locomotives all have downloadable PDF instruction manuals with a radio control appendix if appropriate.  We have created an archive of older models which will include data such as production dates and instruction manuals as well.  We are also listing all our track and the new range of accessories.
• More stock status data – in order to help our retailers and their customers we are including an additional column for future batch information.  This will be updated as often as possible.
• Dealer page – as well as listing our dealers, we have now added a handy Google map search facility to help you locate your local retailer.
• FAQ – to save customers’ time we now have a “frequently asked questions” page which aims to supply answers to a range of common queries about live steam operation in general and Accucraft locomotives in particular.
• Contact page – has been totally revised in its format and should now be swifter to use.  Customers who had signed up to the newsletters generated by the old website will have to register again here.
• Links page – added to enable Accucraft customers to find associated manufacturers, garden railway societies and resources and relevant preservation societies.

We hope you find the new website useful and look forward to reading your feedback.

Baguley Drewery diesels and spare parts to be available. Continue reading →