AyJay 2-BIL in N

Bob G · September 01, 2013, 01:18:34 PM

Hello all

First of all this is the first post i have made to the forum, even though i joined a while back.
Too busy to participate daily, but perhaps someone here has an answer to todays question from me.

Has anyone seen or bought the Ayjay 2-BIL kit yet?
I've just got back from holiday and i see its available.
I see he's also planning a 2mm "Bullied style" 2-HAL number series 2693-99, a
3-SUB and the derivative 1970s deicing units.

See
http://www.southernregionmodels.co.uk/2013/07/news-flash-2mm-2bils-are-in-90-per-kit/

I know this has been a while coming, and I guess he's had to move into N with
the Hornby 2-BIL taking part of his OO trade, perhaps?

Best
Bob

Jerry Howlett · September 01, 2013, 02:46:26 PM

Welcome in Bob. Just wish I could understand it sounds Southern Electrickery to me.

Mr Sprue · September 01, 2013, 05:34:41 PM

£90 for a resin kit is quite pricey don't you think?

Bob G · September 01, 2013, 06:54:22 PM

Quote from: Mr Sprue on September 01, 2013, 05:34:41 PM
£90 for a resin kit is quite pricey don't you think?

Well I've bought shunters for about £18 and Co-Co locos for about £35 each, and this kit has two full length coach bodies, plus underframe parts for dummies and powered units, and bogies that the loco kits dont need, so by my reckoning thats about par for the course.
His OO versions are £135 each.
The parts are all here: http://www.southernregionmodels.co.uk/2013/07/the-new-2mm-2bil-kit-parts-list/

Bob

Southernboy · September 01, 2013, 07:04:19 PM

I've been keeping an eye on those products from AyJay ...

As to price - I think it's a matter of choice as to how much you want a particular unit running on your layout and how much you'd rather have an easy life, as against make something from scratch yourself (perhaps what you save in money you end up spending on man hours instead ?? )

To me the resin castings look a bit clunky - but the photos on the website aren't that good to judge.

Anyway - good first post Bob - welcome aboard the N Gauge Forum

H · September 01, 2013, 07:28:30 PM

Quote from: Bob G on September 01, 2013, 01:18:34 PM

Has anyone seen or bought the Ayjay 2-BIL kit yet?

Yep, I've got one. I might take it along to TINGS on Saturday to show. I'll be around the DEMU stand although not exactly demoing but dishing out N'spirations12 to traders.

H.

Greybeema · September 01, 2013, 08:45:41 PM

Good luck with the build if you go for it...

As to price - its what Southernboy says - its what its worth to you.

As comparison - I built a SouthEastern 465 4 Car Networker. Cab fronts were £6, four Mk2 coaches off her for £24, Class 150 Car DMU was (I think) £70, Vinyl sides were about £12, New bogies, pick up beams about another £10.. All of that gear picked up from members of this site. All I had to do was put it all together, fettle it, build the underfloor equipment.... So £90 doesn't seem that bad...

And there is that sense of pride that you didn't just open the box and put it on the rails... You can look at it and say "I made that"...

Southernboy · September 01, 2013, 09:46:17 PM

"I made that"

Yes, I think a sense of accomplishment is also part of the equation.

I've been following DorsetMike's thread 'Southern hacks and bashes' the last couple of days and I do think a little DIY goes a long way

H · September 02, 2013, 08:21:19 AM

Quote from: Greybeema on September 01, 2013, 08:45:41 PM

As to price - its what Southernboy says - its what its worth to you.

Yep, agree.

Sure, it's not a cheap kit but then nothing is these days and all too often N gauge enthusiasts seem to focus on the price rather than the 'value for money' which of course, is a personal thing. Presumably the price takes in to account all the costs of manufacture and the return on investment necessary, and isn't about making a fast rip-off buck.

H.

Mr Sprue · September 02, 2013, 10:19:45 AM

Quote from: Southernboy on September 01, 2013, 07:04:19 PM

Anyway - good first post Bob - welcome aboard the N Gauge Forum

My apologies for overlooking your first post Bob!

As Southernboy has already mentioned welcolme to the forum.

Stuart · September 02, 2013, 02:35:43 PM

Are AyJay the only kit supplier working in N gauge, I am talking about Southern EMU,s.
In the past I have built 2 MLVs- a 2HAP, and a 2 EPB all from DCKits. This was some years before Bachmann entered the market. I don't feel very confident about kit building in N, my eyes are not as sharp as they used to be.
Stuart.

thebrighton · September 02, 2013, 02:49:40 PM

I've been in on this from the beginning being one of those to encourage Aryan to have a dabble in 'N' so got mine a couple of weeks ago. CAD drawings looked excellent as did the the prototype with the promise of a crisper production model. With this in mind I have to confess to being disappointed with the resulting kit. There are multiple lines along the side which will need filling/filing and it looks like this and one coat of paint may lose the door lines. Definition between side and roof is patchy and being resin it is a bit banana shaped especially one side of one coach. £90 is probably fair for the work and risk dropping into 'N' but to be honest I can't see myself bothering to build it as it will require too much work. I was just hoping for a quicker option than building an etched one but if you're are looking for something that easily fits together and gives the impression of a 2 BIL you can't go far wrong.
Sorry if this is a bit negative but the production photos on the website aren't clear so you don't really know what to expect.
Gareth

Adam1701D · September 02, 2013, 03:47:27 PM

I wonder if a simpler bodyshell with vinyl or etched sides might be preferaBIL?

H · September 02, 2013, 04:33:57 PM

Quote from: Stuart on September 02, 2013, 02:35:43 PM

Are AyJay the only kit supplier working in N gauge, I am talking about Southern EMU,s.

I don't feel very confident about kit building in N, my eyes are not as sharp as they used to be.

BHE, TPM, ERG and Worsley Works all also do kits of SR/BR EMUs in various formats; etched sides, inlays, overlays, conversions, building aids, etc. Those on my layout (see - http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=898.msg7802#msg7802) have been built from all sorts of things and bits.

I wouldn't worry about your eyesight. We all get failing eyesight as we get older, and some of us have had dodgy eyes from young, but corrective glasses, magnifiers and decent lighting can all help. However, the parts in an N gauge kit are no smaller than those in OO, or even larger scale, kits and in general there are a lot less of them.

H.

Stuart · September 02, 2013, 07:51:52 PM

Well done Gareth for encouraging AyJay to enter the N gauge market, I have taken all your observations on board and will only say that some 00 builders have mentioned similar findings, I will give one a go when my current projects are more advanced. But that wont be for a while as my bank statements are all in the red.

Thanks for the info.
Stuart..