Quote from: railsquid on July 02, 2021, 12:57:17 AM
Again, just my subjective opinion, but those are not particularly well-known in these parts, and apart from the Rocket are available anyway in some form or other anyway. I could see them doing a Rocket equivalent of the Minitrix "Der Adler" set (which I see pop up on local auctions and go for quite high prices), but apart from other Japanese-designed/built multiple units I can't see what UK outline stuff there is which a) hasn't been done already; b) would be attractive for the Japanese market (though I suppose Kato could market something to attractiveness) and c) is the kind of stuff which Kato does well (i.e. mainly multiple units, because that's a massive part of the market in Japan).

Hi there,

Wow - I didn't realise Mallard and Flying Scotsman are not well known in Japan - I honestly assumed they were world famous.

I agree that unit trains in packs are Kato's core offer in which case I think the most likely scenarios would be more of the Hitachi AT300 family with some tooling amendments to recreate TPE, Hull Trains, EMR and Avanti variants of the Class 8XX design or the South Eastern Class 395s.

cheers

Ben A.

Quote from: Ben A on July 02, 2021, 06:32:33 AM
Wow - I didn't realise Mallard and Flying Scotsman are not well known in Japan - I honestly assumed they were world famous.

I suspect if you did a survey even amongst enthusiasts and asked them to identify those locos, people would be more likely to come up with "Spencer" and "Henry"...

Again, this based on my subjective unscientific observations, but in Japan, the main overseas countries of interest as far as model trains go are the US and Germany, everything else is pretty niche. Though on the other hand if Kato decides to market something eyecatching, it'd probably sell. Now there's an idea - a nice blue Coronation Scot set

Oooh yeah! 

Quote from: Dr Al on July 01, 2021, 11:02:25 PM
Going back to the 800 model, has anyone tried fitting the optional interior lighting kit? Looks to be Kato K11-211, and would be interested to know how effective this is - again Kato's approach here is somewhat different to Dapol's light bars (multiple LEDs as compared Kato, which appears to be only one). Price is slightly less than Dapol's light bars at £8.50 a set.

Cheers,
Alan

The K11-211 is a single unit, it is cheaper to buy K11-212 which has 6 light units plus diffusers that you wont need. I got mine from Plaza Japan, JPY3100 or £27.10 including the non sterling transaction fee. Fitting invovles removing the body shell, sliding in two contact strips per unit and fitting the light unit. There is a pictorial instuction sheet which is reasonably easy to follow. The power car lights are dimmer than the others for some reason. The rest do flicker except for one car which is at a constant brightness.
Something to be investigated in the winter.

Geoff

Quote from: Ben A on July 01, 2021, 11:38:59 PM
If I had to predict what Kato would offer next I think they'd be looking at what might sell in Japan too, and if not a Class 395 (the only other Japanese train I can think of) then maybe something world famous such as Mallard, Flying Scotsman or even Rocket, perhaps in a train pack with some coaches.

Only One other Japanese Train as far as I am aware, the ScotRail Class 385 AT200.

Being critical, despite in my wishlist, there is only one livery (ScotRail) and 2 variations: All standard class 3 car 385/0 and first class fitted 4 car 385/1 (First being located in one of the Driving cars requiring a different interior in addition to the extra coach).
(If I was a betting man I would put some money on a further variant. Hitachi have been very busy trying to convince ScotRail and the appropriate authorities how easily and quickly they could produce a Battery version of the 385. Meanwhile the next round of Scottish electrification includes some scheme which will require Bimode or Battery Units. Cynically I believe certain announcements are being help back to nearer the COP26 climate change conference later in the year.)

I agree Variations such as TPE, Hull Trains and Avanti hopefully will be considered.

My understanding is that the East Midland 310 is shorter than the rest of the 80x trains which probably makes it no more or less likely than the 395/385.

If Kato has confidence in the Sales of the 800 to follow it up with more variations or other Hitachi models they could keep themselves busy for some time to come.

Class	Operator	Built	cars	Power	Name	Notes
385/0	ScotRail	46	3-car	Electric	-	AT200
385/1	ScotRail	24	4-car	Electric	-	AT200, First class
395	Southeastern	29	6-car	Dual-Voltage	"Javelin"
800/0	GWR	36	5-car	Bi-mode	"IET"	Modeled by Kato
800/1	LNER	13	9-car	Bi-mode	"Azuma"
800/2	LNER	10	5-car	Bi-mode	"Azuma"	Modeled by Kato
800/3	GWR	21	9-car	Bi-mode	"IET"
801/1	LNER	12	5-car	Electric	"Azuma"
801/2	LNER	30	9-car	Electric	"Azuma"
802/0	GWR	22	5-car	Bi-mode	"IET"	Uprated Engines vs 800
802/1	GWR	14	9-car	Bi-mode	"IET"	Uprated Engines vs 800
802/2	TPE	19	5-car	Bi-mode	"Nova 1"
802/3	Hull Trains	5	5-car	Bi-mode	"Paragon"
803	East Coast Trains	5	5-car	Electric+Battery	-
805	Avanti West Coast	13	5-car	Bimode	-
807	Avanti West Coast	10	7-car	Electric	-
810	East Midlands Railway	33	5-car	Bimode	"Aurora"	24m (80x are 26m)

Quote from: geoffc on July 02, 2021, 09:04:35 AM
The K11-211 is a single unit, it is cheaper to buy K11-212 which has 6 light units plus diffusers that you wont need. I got mine from Plaza Japan, JPY3100 or £27.10 including the non sterling transaction fee. Fitting invovles removing the body shell, sliding in two contact strips per unit and fitting the light unit. There is a pictorial instuction sheet which is reasonably easy to follow. The power car lights are dimmer than the others for some reason. The rest do flicker except for one car which is at a constant brightness.
Something to be investigated in the winter.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff, some useful insight. Plaza seem cheap compared to our box shifters who are doing the 212 set for £40. If I may be so bold - is there any chance you may be able to do photos of the lights in action?

In other events - it's going from the mundane to the ridiculous - I've now heard of no less than 4 failed DCC fits on these, all of the same symptoms of head/tail lighting not working. It's becoming clear that it's very easy to mess up a DCC fit and snag or displace the rocker wipers that do the contacting to the chips when they are slid into their housing, in the worst cases blowing them by sending 16V AC where it isn't meant to go. My first one was stated working on DC, so the DCC fit is what messed it up.

So as a result I've another set with wonky lights heading my way....hopefully similarly easy to correct! May have a spare set of decoders for anyone, that I won't need if they are tested working after correcting the previous owner's mess.

Also obtained a bag of coupler upgrades for Eurostar, which will be interesting to try - I am intrigued as to whether the design is actually strong enough to tow a full length set (which is heavy!) as the actual force is all transmitted via a rather tiny little surface on the back of the clip on the coupler...

Cheers,
Alan

I have replaced the couplings on my Eurostars with the new replacement couplings you mention Alan, They are the full 20 coach length and have had no issues at all, even running them at full scale speed on the club layout.

In other events - it's going from the mundane to the ridiculous - I've now heard of no less than 4 failed DCC fits on these, all of the same symptoms of head/tail lighting not working. It's becoming clear that it's very easy to mess up a DCC fit and snag or displace the rocker wipers that do the contacting to the chips when they are slid into their housing, in the worst cases blowing them by sending 16V AC where it isn't meant to go. My first one was stated working on DC, so the DCC fit is what messed it up.

So as a result I've another set with wonky lights heading my way....hopefully similarly easy to correct! May have a spare set of decoders for anyone, that I won't need if they are tested working after correcting the previous owner's mess.


Alan
[/quote]

Have these units been fitted with 8 decoders in total, as I understand it the end cars have 2 decoders one for the interior lights and one for the nose lights, two for the power car one for the lights and one for the motor the other two cars have one each for the lights?
I will try and upload some photos of the interior lights in action but I find great difficulty in doing it.

Geoff

Further to Alan's comments on the class 800 (see reply #547) I tend more to the Luddite so my criteria for being pleased/not pleased are:-

Was it something I really wanted out of my modelled era?
Was it a reasonable price?
Did it look like what it was meant to look?
Did it arrive as per the original announcement?
Did it run smoothly/quietly straight from the box?
Was I impressed with my purchase?

All the above were answered with a resounding 'Yes'
In my case, DCC and sound are just bells and whistles so not of interest at all.

I just wish some others would get these basics right.

Thank you, Dave for the list of IET classes. I'm certainly going to be busy in the future with the East Coast and Avanti variants. I'll probably do vinyls for the 810, even though it's a completely different unit.

The Hull Trains set is probably the one I'm most proud of, thanks to HT letting me use the original artwork.

Quote from: Graham on July 03, 2021, 03:05:16 AM
I have replaced the couplings on my Eurostars with the new replacement couplings you mention Alan, They are the full 20 coach length and have had no issues at all, even running them at full scale speed on the club layout.

I don't doubt it - I just find the design rather mechanically interesting, and wonder how much they flex under that load. As long as the plastics don't decay with age then they should be fine.

I have fitted a set to my Eurostar yesterday, but haven't had the opportunity to try the full length train yet.

Cheers,
Alan

Quote from: geoffc on July 03, 2021, 09:16:23 AM
Have these units been fitted with 8 decoders in total, as I understand it the end cars have 2 decoders one for the interior lights and one for the nose lights, two for the power car one for the lights and one for the motor the other two cars have one each for the lights?

The set I've seen, no - it was the 3 decoders (one drive, two for head/tail lights) that folk had botched (evidenced by the fact they stated it worked on DC, which it didn't after they'd botched decoder installs).

Second unit still to arrive, but symptoms are the same, so I suspect the same diagnosis will prove true.

Quote from: geoffc on July 03, 2021, 09:16:23 AM
I will try and upload some photos of the interior lights in action but I find great difficulty in doing it.

Many thanks Geoff.

Cheers,
Alan

I pootled along to the Kato HQ shop on the Squidcycle earlier today (it was drizzling and I didn't feel like going further afield) and noted this display in the entrance:



with a rather bucolic English countryside scene (I imagine Miss Marple is investigating a 1:148 murder in one of those houses):



Also a nice selection of Class 800 spares:



The Peco zone on the second floor:



with a rather dog-eared copy of the December 2019 Railway Modeller:

I'm not sure what Miss Marple is doing but that quintessential Englishman Mr Bean certainly appears to passing through

And that house to the left of Mr. Bean looks like something 'Metcalfe' would produce as a kit.