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FrankHO
Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:17 pm Post subject: British outline HO? |
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What is the future for British outline HO? Does anybody know of any suppliers/manufacturers who produce locomotive/rolling stock kits? _________________ It looks right because it is right. |
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davidbromage
Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 355 Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:01 am Post subject: Re: British outline HO? |
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FrankHO wrote: | Does anybody know of any suppliers/manufacturers who produce locomotive/rolling stock kits? |
All your answers are here: http://www.british-ho.com/
Cheers
David |
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FrankHO
Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the reply David. Unfortunately all the answers aren't there. I am a member of the society and have enquired about purchasing some of the items advertised - the wagon kits are not currently available and Firedrake Productions are no longer it existence evidently. Some of the loco kits are available, but they are a bit obscure, and do not apply to the area of modelling that I am interested in. Others had a limited production run and are no longer produced. My modelling skills are not adequate for scratch building hence my posting. Still there must be others who are interested in the 'outer fringes' of railway modelling, all I have to do is get to meet them or convert the EM/P4 brigade to start modelling in 3.5mm. _________________ It looks right because it is right. |
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Jordan
Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 1388
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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FrankHO wrote: | ...there must be others who are interested in the 'outer fringes' of railway modelling, all I have to do is get to meet them or convert the EM/P4 brigade to start modelling in 3.5mm. |
That would be an up-hill task, for sure...
I tried British HO a few years ago (sold all my stuff on now) and I think any who are interested in it will be in the Society.
For what it's worth my opinion is that British HO will never become a commercial reality. Heljan proposed an HO Class 37 before they entered the UK market, but price issue apart (£99 proposed was a big jump from the average at the time) I think they must've seen that the vast majority would want 4mm OO gauge; once they dropped the HO plans, any prospects for RTR British HO died then.
Without trying to 'badmouth' the Society in any way, there can be a struggle to get things done even within it.
For example a Class 14 body kit was proposed once to fit the Roco V60 chassis. As the proposed material was resin there were problems with some bits and the project lapsed. A year or two later in an attempt to restart things I tried to get quotes from Etched-brass kit makers and drum up some support both in the Society and on the big RMweb Forum, where a few members did express interest, so the Society took over from me trying to organise it and negotiate a price. Once a maker did produce a test etch, though I believe it wasn't really accurate; but either way the project promptly died again, and has never, to my knowledge, resurfaced, though I haven't been a member for a few years now.
It was quite a disappointment to me, as the Class 14 was a favourite of mine and fitted my interests exactly. Without it my layout plan was pretty useless. I did buy a whitemetal Pannier Tank Kit from them but it was beyond my skills at the time; in fact I might still struggle (if I still had it) as though I've now built a brass/whitemetal loco kit it's been in O scale so is much easier to even see...!!!
The bare facts are, I'm afraid, that British HO is a very lonely furrow to plow, and some measure of scratchbuilding is almost essential if you want anything beyond the old Lima and Fleischmann stuff still obtainable. _________________ What is this thing called "Spare Time"...?? |
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steve
Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 627 Location: North Yorkshire
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:13 am Post subject: |
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[quote]For what it's worth my opinion is that British HO will never become a commercial reality.[/quote]
I think Jordan's absolutely right.
Like, I suspect, the majority of UK-outline modellers my response is, why bother? The space saving claim is the only one with any credence and even that is pretty weak. Why not go 3mm if space is such a problem?
steve (who also models HO American & German) _________________ ERFG, DEMU, EMGS |
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Piermaster
Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 263 Location: Stowmarket, Suffolk
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:21 am Post subject: |
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My Walmington Pier Tramway (WPT) is my second attempt into British HO and that was made easier by Anglicising American stock - The Bachmann San Francisco Cable Car, once stripped of all its American fittings looks very British. The figures and structures on the pier are all HO as there is a much wider range of Period (Edwardian in my case) figures available in HO than OO.
Oh and space saving does come into it, the proportions of WPT look better in HO than in OO.
Dave _________________ Piermaster
http://www.walmingtonpier.co.uk
It sticks out half a mile! |
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Jordan
Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 1388
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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steve wrote: | Why not go 3mm if space is such a problem?
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Funny enough I was thinking of that when posting the above. The 3mm Society is comparitively well supported and has plenty of kits'n'bits available; there are a few 3mm layouts on the show circuit I'm sure. Both Steam and Diesel eras seem to be catered for, far more than British HO, but still "on the outer fringes" of railway modelling really... _________________ What is this thing called "Spare Time"...?? |
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FrankHO
Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Jordan, it looks as if I am where you were a few years ago. Do you have any further details- if you can remember, of names, addresses etc. Thanks in anticipation. _________________ It looks right because it is right. |
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FrankHO
Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Steve, I appreciate what you say and although I have the greatest respect for any modeller modelling in any 'true' scale, OO was a compromise that was wrong from day one and still is. What I can never get my head around is the rivet counters, wrong 'widget' brigade and the modelling press who find fault with 4mm scale models, but are prepared to overlook the most obvious fault of all!!! _________________ It looks right because it is right. |
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FrankHO
Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Dave, I have been in touch with Bachmann (U.S.A.) about their 'Thomas the Tank Engine' range and it's suitability to be modified to British outline in HO. I thought that it might be produced in HO as Hornby has the OO license, unfortunately it is made in 'Thomas scale'. I take this to mean that if an existing model that Bachmann produces anywhere in the world is deemed to be a good representation of a Thomas item, they use it. Which does make a sort of sense, as I don't suppose many children who have 'Thomas' bought for them, would notice or worry about the difference in scale anyway. Having said that, are you aware of any items that would be suitable or the name of an American supplier? _________________ It looks right because it is right. |
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Jordan
Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 1388
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:27 am Post subject: |
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Hi Frank. Not sure what you mean about addresses etc beyond the British HO Society? Gaugemaster (Arundel) advertised recently in Railway Modeller a clearout of new Flieschmann HO Warships @ £25 each and Bullied Coaches (can't remember the price ) if you weren't aware of it. Certainly beats the 'silly money' prices they were going for recently...
For 3mm Scale the place you want is here:- http://www.3smr.co.uk/ _________________ What is this thing called "Spare Time"...?? |
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FrankHO
Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Jordan, the name/address I was referring to, was of the etched kit maker that you mentioned. If you can remember it or any other contacts I would be most grateful. Ta, Frank _________________ It looks right because it is right. |
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Jordan
Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 1388
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1ngram
Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 12 Location: Aberdeen
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Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:46 am Post subject: |
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I'm a British H0 modeller too and, yes I bemoan the current situation. No it will never rival 00 but then we always knew that. Its a minority interest but, yes, it could be better supported and more could be produced for those of us who want to model in this scale. I particularly regret the disappearance of the few kits the society made available and I hope this will be only temporary. Scratch modelling of wagons isnt difficult and I have also used the bodies from the H0 Lima wagons as a core for quite a few wagons over the years. There are coach sides available as etches too and at least two etch manufacturers are willing to make their existing 00 etches in H0 for you if you ask them nicely. Locos are a big problem. You can get someone to build one for you from an etch but it will cost minimum £400, I've found. RTR is minimal with the Roco and Lima diesels or, in steam, the Bachmann 0-6-0, Terrier, Fowler or Electrotren 2-4-0 plus the Rivarossi Royal Scot.
With the lack of suitable stock large layouts are a non starter but it is possible to have a region and time specific layout. Pick your period. I'm doing the GNSR pre WW1. Two scratch built 4-4-0s, an 0-6-0 from Bachmann and a freelance 2-4-0 from the local distillery serve my motive power needs. Lots of converted Lima wagons with better wheels plus scratchbuilt 3 plank opens (very easy to make using the Lima or Society chassis (I even got one etch manufacturer to make me Scotch Brakes) and a smattering of Aussie stock like cattlewagons etc does me for goods. For coaches the Piko 4 wheel coaches repainted in GNSR colours look the part and though its a pity the Fleischmann 6 wheelers have a clerestory roof, they too can be pressed into service for pre grouping railways.
Buildings are easy. I model in card and you will find that many of the older 00 buildings are nearer H0 but if not then all you need to do is get them photo reduced to the right scale and away you go. _________________ Ken Clark in Aberdeen |
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FrankHO
Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Posts: 11 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Ken, thanks for the information. Have you got the names and phone numbers of the loco kit manufacturers (I presume they are not on the British 1:87 website), also could you be more specific about the Bachmann locos? I thought they only did British outline in OO. Could you also let me know the etch manufacturer who did your Scottish brakes? Ta, Frank _________________ It looks right because it is right. |
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