Do "Scottish" modellers get a raw deal?

[joe cassidy]

Don't forget the Tri-ang Stirling Single !

Apart from Lord of the Isles no RTR English locos from that era were ever produced.

Best regards,


Joe

[Chris Morris]

This is not a scientific sample but the NGF location of layouts map could explain why manufacturers don't do huge amounts of Scottish ptototypes. See https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=zva4k8UFbyr0.k1smbk9GVSsU and the thread on the forum.
[smg id=35575 type=preview align=center caption="ngf"]

How do I put Portpatrick Town on it?

The instructions can be found in this thread http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=31285.msg358520#msg358520

[CaleyDave]

I can not speak for the situation regarding steam traction (However I would have thought some of the Preserved locomotives especially Maud NBR673/BR65243 would be low hanging fruit for manufacturers)

The highlands are sometimes over represented in comparison to the rest of Scotland
I guess if you are a modeller form say 'down south' a Scottish lowland layout may have little difference from a layout of your local area whereas a highland one is more distinct and contrasting so would be more appealing.

Without wanting this topic to get bogged down with other regions I do believe there does appear to be too much concentration on the south west.
I would suggest that the southern region in the past was just as poorly represented however where the difference lies is that there are more kits available for southern region modellers which are simply not available to Scottish ones. This was my experience in OO and from what I have picked up so far I think it is the same in N.

Overall regardless of region there is a major lack of multiple units (Both Diesel and Electric) and shunter's.

DMU's like the 100, 105 or 120 which have a broader appeal I would hope to be covered eventually. The class 126 (and the E-G sisters) are important to Scotland but like other Intercity DMU's I don't expect to see any of them appear any time soon.

EMU's (I had listed so many I rewrote this part and just covered all of them)
303   I would expect it to have a far wider following beyond just Scotland not just due to the work in Manchester but being an icon of modernisation and the early use of sliding doors.
305   (North Berwick)  Unless there is a huge demand for them down south don't expect to see these appear.
311   Visually the same as 303
314   If N-trains continues to develop the 1972 stock we may see a 314.
318   MK3 Derived. Possible.
320   Revolution working on Model
322   (North Berwick) Revolution Ruled out
325   (Postal) N-Trains have a kit out.
334   Unlikely due to unique look.
350   Farish have a model out but not in TPE colours
370   (APT) I would see all my 1980's Oorribly-Oversized Trains and replace them with N gauge if this was ever taken forward by a manufacturer.
380   Similar to 350 only longer, possible if Farish could be convinced to go back to electrics. There is a 3D model on Shapeways.
385   Too early to say, First one not even in the country yet.
390   (Pendolino) Revolution Trains Model due soon.

Locomotive hauled
The Dapol Scotrail express MK3 should never have been or needed to be a C&M exclusive (But part of this is jealousy I missed out on getting any). I hope Farish conciser Scotrail express Mk2 and Regional Railways Scotrail mk2/class 37 in a latter batch of these models. The sleeper I fear may become commissions and hope that the coaches are manufactured sooner rather than latter.

[gc4946]

It'll be interesting to see how quickly DJ Models Claytons (class 17) sell when released as they might, finally, create a demand for a class 21/29 which had to be recently abandoned as a crowdfunding project due to insufficient orders.

[Pengi]

3rd-rail Southern Region (in any era) strikes me as a trifle tricky too.

Anything Southwest/Southeastern/Southern is very difficult too although I am  as this is about Scotland

[NTrain]

Class 314 will be released when I am convinced I have enough details on the underframes.

The Class 318 will follow the Class 317, with the same caveat on underframes.

[PGN]

I have regular chats with Colin Heard, of Union Mills models, and his observation on Scottish locomotives is always the same ... whenever he produces one, it sells FAR more slowly than English locomotives.

Manufacturers are in business to make a profit, and cannot afford to have their working capital tied up in products which do not sell. They have to respond to the basic economic laws of supply & demand, I'm afraid. And "demand", in this case, doesn't mean "we demand you make this" ... it means actual market demand, in teh form of ready, able and willing purchasers with cash to splash ...

... which is why, much as I should like to have it for my "Jazz service" layout, I shall not be asking the manufacturers if they wouldn't mind making a Ready-To-Run GER Decapod for me.

[Chris Morris]

... which is why, much as I should like to have it for my "Jazz service" layout, I shall not be asking the manufacturers if they wouldn't mind making a Ready-To-Run GER Decapod for me.

Ok there was only one and it didn't last long but it's one of those locos that might just sell well because of its quirkiness. The boiler looks way too big for the wheels. I would have one in BR black and use it on my suburban service.

[Roy L S]

I have regular chats with Colin Heard, of Union Mills models, and his observation on Scottish locomotives is always the same ... whenever he produces one, it sells FAR more slowly than English locomotives.

Manufacturers are in business to make a profit, and cannot afford to have their working capital tied up in products which do not sell. They have to respond to the basic economic laws of supply & demand, I'm afraid. And "demand", in this case, doesn't mean "we demand you make this" ... it means actual market demand, in teh form of ready, able and willing purchasers with cash to splash ...

... which is why, much as I should like to have it for my "Jazz service" layout, I shall not be asking the manufacturers if they wouldn't mind making a Ready-To-Run GER Decapod for me.

I have had the same conversation with Colin Heard and he said just the same thing.

The only "Scottish" loco he has produced though is the J38, a small class of 30 locos with  limited geographical spread and duties. I suspect most buyers would have elected for the more versatile J39, ironic that the J38s out lived them by several years (last J38 withdrawn in 1967).

He has also done some of the Scottish named "Directors" on the back of the more common GC ones - there are subtle detail differences but not captured in the model.

I would certainly think that that "Maude" would be a viable model, and the D34 "Glen" ditto, but also accept that as with EMUs for the Third Rail modeller, poor sales of an initial introduction will make any manufacturer think twice before investing more, however much individually we would want it to be otherwise.

Of course there are a few other locos like the BR 78xxx which would fit better than the Ivatt 2-6-0 in areas of Scotland for which a re-body of the existing Ivatt loco and tender chassis would be all that is needed. I think I recall that someone on this Forum was looking at producing such a replacement body but I can't remember who now. Irrespective, it would seem a relatively "cheap" way of producing a loco useful for the Scottish modeller.

Then there is the forthcoming Standard 4MT Tank, both of those being produced were allocated to Scotland (80027 to Polmadie throughout it's life and 80119 which finished up at Dumfries).

Roy

[Dalek]

I think the class 21/29 was just a bit early as far as crowdfunding went and people may have been suspicious or otherwise of crowdfunding in general. Obviously more have heard about it now and understand how it works etc.

Bet if it was ran again you would get more demand (i hope) 

Craig

[Portpatrick]

Couldn't find the E4 on their website. Is it still produced?

Maybe I'll just have to wait on someone doing an RTR Jumbo
[/quote]

Sorry I should have said E5, and 062 Tank.  Still shows on the Langley Website.  REquires the chassis which went under hte Poole manufactured 94XX and GP tanks.  My conversion is highly crude and to be honest it seldom app[ears at shows.  Turning a tank into a tender loco will never be brilliant.  It actually started out as a L&Y 060 on Abersoch, my previous layout.  However when I went Scottish some minor changes to the cab design turned it into the Jumbo.

The E5 body does lend itself to becoming 55124, a small Caley 044T of the 19 class, which was the sole survivor of its class into the 30s.  It was allocated variously at Dumfries and Oban.  I used the funnel from the GP tank whose chassis I had used.  It looked quite nice but I never got my attempt at an 044T chassis to "work" well.  So I scrapped the whole thing.  No matter as the Dapol M7 has become a nice attempt at the more numerous larger versions of the design.

I will attempt photos when SWMBO is willing and able  - I seldom use a camera these days because of hand tremor.

[PLD]

There are very few pre-grouping locos available for any area of the country. Probably a consequence of few lasting into the most popular modelling eras of the 1930s and 1950s/60s. By the end of the 30s the most common loco in Scotland was probably the Black 5, same as any other part of the LMS empire. There are no fewer uniquely Scottish locos RTR in N gauge than Great Eastern, Lancashire & Yorkshire or Hull and Barnsley Railway...