Bangkok, 12th of July 2010
Dear Friends, Welcome to our newsletter, Issue No. 5.
Please accept my apologies for the late issue of this newsletter, times are hectic. Much of my time is spent in China where many components and toolings are made and our litho printing is done nowadays. To ensure that the quality remains up to standard it is a priority that we get what we order so one has to be on the spot in person; otherwise it will just not happen.
Chinese are wonderful people but unfortunately they have a mind of their own and their view of what we require is not always the same as ours.
At the moment we are well advanced with our NC (Non-Corridor) coach program having available the liveries GWR, SR, LNER, SECR, LBSCR, LSWR (sold out ex-factory), LNWR, CR and BR. The next print will include LMS (2 versions, period I , clerestory, and period II)., GER, GCR and London Transport. A few more are in the planning.
Also on the next print will be the first CCs (Corridor Coaches) being LMS , one rake of period I and one rake of period II. Separately available will be a Period I Sleeper in 35 cm and a Period I Kitchen / Diner 2-car set in 35 cm.. For Period II the same additional coaches are available but in 40 cm.as 12 wheelers. The LMS will be followed by SR, GWR, LNER and early BR sets.
The 262Ts will be in the hands of our distributors next week, the first shipment is GWR and is already sold out. The next batch will be made shortly with a new running number. The GWR will be rapidly followed by black SR (available with black or green wheels), LNER black and LMS black (available with black or red wheels), SR green, BR green, BR black (ex GWR), CR blue, LBSCR brown (Marsh Umber livery) LMS maroon, LNWR and finally SECR, LSWR and LNER green.
Early response to the pre-production sample currently doing the rounds has been very positive and encouraging.
To see the trials of the first GWR sample n the UK you may enjoy the Youtube clips made by one of our customers at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e31xpx9M7IU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF2cjPY3Ok8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcMqK7duJxg&NR=1
For the body, parts of the Ace E2 have been used but that is where the similarity stops. A glance under the body will reveal a completely newly- designed six coupled mechanism with a straight gear gearbox. Of course all axles are driven as they should be in our opinion. This mechanism will be standard for all our future locomotives using 2 of our trusted Japanese Mabuchi motors where space permits.
Regarding the single wheelers we are developing with Wynford Classics I am glad to report to you that the mechanism and loco body have been approved by Mike Green and tooling has started. It was not easy to develop a four wheel drive mechanism where two driving wheels are more than twice the diameter of the trailing wheels..
The development of the Tornado advances steadily and soon we will be sending a sample to the A1 Trust engineering department for their approval.
We have just learned that our esteemed colleagues at Basset-Lowke will come out in three weeks with the Maunsell N Class Mogul in liveries LSWR, SECR and SR. For enquiries you may contact our distributors who are able to offer you the matching coaches as well. If LSWR proves to be in demand we will make a second run of NCs.
Shortly we will also offer our BR and LNER sprung bogies as spares to replace those without springs we made previously for Ace that have a screw at the sides. Also on offer are sprung bogies with 2-R or 3-R pick ups so that coaches can be independently lit and run on 2-R or 3-R layouts. These bogies all include a rear light and will be suitable for either the Pullman coaches or the NCs and Corridor coaches and all Ace rolling stock.
Another update as well as for the webiste in August.
Enjoy your trains,
Andries Grabowsky
Vintage Trains
Darstaed
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