Cavalex Models to offer new 91 and mk4 coaches

[njee20]

Posted on RMWeb here in both OO mad N.

Not one for me, but very interested to watch it develop.

[Bob Tidbury]

Not that I can afford them but Who are Cavalex models and  The other firm K R models advertising The GT3 , , I know Ben and Mike from meeting them at exhibitions so I knew there was never going to be a problem with Revolution Trains when I paid in full for my Poppylino ,but I would be a bit Wary of sending any money in advance to a firm I have never heard of .Are they well known firms or just  chancers  jumping on the band wagon .
Bob Tidbury

[njee20]

Cavalex is Cavan Millward(?) and Alex whose surname I don't know, but both are highly respected modellers, Cav's model of Burton on Trent is well known on the exhibition circuit. They have already released a PGA in OO gauge, and are trying to push the N gauge model. The OO gauge one is a lovely model.

They've also got a forthcoming BBA steel wagon in OO. This announcement also includes provision for a TEA bogie tanker in both scales, which is a different variant to the Farish and Revolution offerings.

They're certainly not an unknown like KR Models either from a profile or a previous model perspective, although obviously people need to decide whether their reputation is sufficient to back them. They work on a crowdfunding principal.

Personally I'd not hesitate to back them, I'm in for several PGAs and will have a couple of TEAs too. 

[Newportnobby]

@Bob Tidbury Your concerns may be resolved by their replies to similar concerns further down the thread, Bob. The methodology appears the same as RevolutioN although they've not stated what the 'target volume' is to be i.e. express interest without money changing hands > target reached = 50% deposit to be paid > balance to be paid prior to delivery.

Again, I'm happy to see another possible entrant to the N gauge marketplace although I won't be buying this model

[njee20]

This isn't their first entry into the N gauge market, the PGA is available for expressions of interest.

[Snowwolflair]

A well timed revamp of this class.  The Farish offering is long in the tooth and a new offering is very welcome, not to mention the silly prices for Mk4 coaches on eBay.

Lets hope the air dams are on the body not the bogies as they are on the current offering.

[Vonzack]

This is great news, have been waiting years for somebody to announce this in N, I'm in!

[Newportnobby]

This isn't their first entry into the N gauge market, the PGA is available for expressions of interest.

Fine, but the cost of that is a far cry from a loco. This company has not produced an N gauge powered item, nor has DJ Models, nor has Sonic so they are all somewhat of an unknown quantity.
I wonder who will be making the class 128 for RevolutioN?

[Buzzard]

not to mention the silly prices for Mk4 coaches on eBay.

Saw 5 GNER ones, at least 4 unboxed, for sale at a show last Saturday.  Think the chap was asking £14 each but he was doing deals on other stuff so might've accepted a bit less.

Anyway back on topic it's good to see new companies dipping their toes into the rtr market by offering higher spec models to replace clearly outdated ones.

[njee20]

This isn't their first entry into the N gauge market, the PGA is available for expressions of interest.

Fine, but the cost of that is a far cry from a loco. This company has not produced an N gauge powered item, nor has DJ Models, nor has Sonic so they are all somewhat of an unknown quantity.
I wonder who will be making the class 128 for RevolutioN?

I don't disagree, but Bob was making out that they're cowboys. Revolution hadn't released anything at all, but people backed them. Cav and Alex have a good reputation and are well known, as did/do Mike and Ben, and they have released a product, albeit not a motorised one.

It does feel a bit that certain people have 'poisoned' crowdfunding somewhat with over promising and under delivering. I don't envy newcomers now.

[Bob Tidbury]

  njee20 for the info on Cavalex ,No I wasn't actually saying that the two new firms were cowboys I was just asking if any body had heard of them or seen anything they had produced in any scale ,A I said I knew Ben and Mike and that if they said they were going to make something then it would be really good as they are both very particular about getting things right ,But I have never heard of either of the two new firms .
I think new firms coming into the market is a good thing and maybe buck the rest into double checking the quality and accuracy .
I would love a model of GT3 as I like the unusual locos or liveries .
K R models have said they would like the first deposit on the OO version but are still not sure about the N gauge version .Which will be £185 total .
I won't get a OO one but might be able to persuade my family to buy the N version if it's going ahead and we can pay in instalments as stated in their advert .
Bob Tidbury

[njee20]

You presumably got to know Mike and Ben, which isn't quite the same as knowing them though, which is exactly the same with Cavalex - you can get to know them in the same capacity at shows. Mike and Ben do a stellar job of exposure, I'm confident their visibility and their likability is a significant factor in their success, and I've no reason to think Cavalex is any different. Cav's actually on here.

KR leaves me a bit twitchy, Keith Revell actually lives in Canada, and isn't using any intermediary. He's coming under quite a lot of fire on RMWeb for a lot of opacity on the GT3 project, as well as legitimate questions around how he'll manage shipping and distribution given he's thousands of miles away, and he's quite bristly by return. But that's a totally different thread about a totally different manufacturer...

[jpendle]

I think this is great news. While Cavalex are pretty new to the game I'm sure that if enough of us back them a superb model will ensue.

I'm also a bit relieved in that it's out of my area of interest. so my wallet can be left recovering from the abuse it has received at the hands of those RevolutioN guys 

But there are (at least) 2 obvious questions.

Putting aside the various bits and pieces from Peco, in (forgive me) OO, Dapol, and N Brass, where's the mass market catenary?

And, when does the BachFar/Hornby Empire Strike Back? or better still, get on the bandwagon and give us the 800/801/802 plus the 87 & 90 in N.

I think Dapol are already in the game with the 86, so hopefully an 88 will follow from them.

Regards,

John P

[njee20]

The 800s are apparently licenced by Hornby, so unless someone pays them the licence charge or they release them under the Arnold brand you're probably out of luck.

It would be great to see the 90 downsized by Bachmann. With Hornby having done the OO gauge 87 it's probably not going to happen any time soon in N.

I think the problem with OHLE is that you need a huge range of pieces to make a realistic setup, it's essentially bespoke to each individual track formation. That's even before you get into mk1, mk3, neutral sections, tensioning masts etc etc. Then do you make it overly robust so you can hang overscale wires which will actually withstand a pantograph, or do you make it nearer scale, but a bit sacrificial, like Dapol's masts.

I think the modular approach employed by NBrass is good - two types of portal in 3 different widths and then a load of different registration arms to suit different periods/geographies. OHLE isn't mass market, so a product to cater for that market isn't, but its very nature.

[jpendle]

I get that OHLE is vastly complex, but as most of use seem happy with un-prototypical Peco track I would have thought that a lot of us would be happy to compromise on OHLE as well.

We also compromise when it comes to structures. For example. I will be populating my Wigan layout with generic buildings to start with and then perhaps supplanting some of those with scratch built items.

I'd also be happy populating my layout with 'incorrect' catenary as a starting point and then replacing the worst offenders on a case by case basis.

I think that the problem a lot of us have with OHLE is that at the moment it's almost as if everything has to be scratch built.

Regards,

John P