Accurascale to offer MK2B in OO Scale

[CaleyDave]

May be of interest as I know the MK2B features on the wishlists of some members and Accurascale will scale down to N gauge with the right encouragement or collaboration.

https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/accurascale-and-irm-product-launch?utm_campaign=kmw%20social&utm_content=177674321&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-129246407114953

They are offering both Mainland British aswell as models representing those exported to Ireland.

British Offering all 3 types of mk3B in Blue, Network Southeast and Regional Railways. (3 Types being First Corridor, Brake First Corridor and Tourist Standard Open.)

The mk2B was a bit of a failure, built in small numbers compared to other mk2's and targeted for early withdrawal. The mk2C, whilst not much better, were rushed out to fix a lot of problems with the electrical and air systems.
Majority delivered new to western region and a large number lingered long enough to get NSE livery. The remaining were a small number of firsts delivered to Eastern region. The wandered about over time and ended up in the branded transpennine express trains.

These are being offered along side versions which operated in Ireland.
I wonder is there an untapped market for Irish N gauge?

[Steven B]

At the virtual NGF exhibition, Revolution Trains said they had more carriages planned to follow on from the Mk5.

My guess is that these will be the range in question. RT and Accurascale have already worked together to produce the Cemflo, MoD flask wagon and Mk5s.

Steven B.

[Adam1701D]

These coaches look lovely, with incredible detail and working lighting as standard. Be lovely in N.

[Paul J]

I used to watch Transpennine loco hauled (45s and 47s) from my bedroom window back in the 1980s. I have already started a Transpennine rake in OO scale so this release is excellent news for me as they are even doing Tranpennine Provincial livery.  They will go perfectly with my Bachmann/Model Rail Mk2a Tranpennine pair and my Vitrains 47434 repaint. The Transpennine rakes always seemed to have at least one Mk2b.

[njee20]

At the virtual NGF exhibition, Revolution Trains said they had more carriages planned to follow on from the Mk5.

My guess is that these will be the range in question. RT and Accurascale have already worked together to produce the Cemflo, MoD flask wagon and Mk5s.

That was exactly my thought when I saw the announcement!

[Bob G]

At the virtual NGF exhibition, Revolution Trains said they had more carriages planned to follow on from the Mk5.

My guess is that these will be the range in question. RT and Accurascale have already worked together to produce the Cemflo, MoD flask wagon and Mk5s.

That was exactly my thought when I saw the announcement!

Is there a market for these in N, given the Bachmann Mk 2as are very similar (to me, visually it is just a door extra in the middle of the coach, but REAL Mk2 aficionados will tell me there is much more to it than that).
Perhaps the lack of supply of Bachmann coaches is significant in this speculation?

In fact I'd welcome some 2bs as they were on the Waterloo-Exeter run behind 33s, 47s and 50s.

Bob

[crewearpley40]

There are stockists awaiting deliveries Bob. On the subject of mk 2 https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/62838-british-rilways-codes-on-br-coaches-mk1-mk2-mk3-coaches/page/2/   and https://sremg.org.uk/coach/brmk2-mob.shtml   for differences mainly doors, roof, toilets design and fittings

[njee20]

At the virtual NGF exhibition, Revolution Trains said they had more carriages planned to follow on from the Mk5.

My guess is that these will be the range in question. RT and Accurascale have already worked together to produce the Cemflo, MoD flask wagon and Mk5s.

That was exactly my thought when I saw the announcement!

Is there a market for these in N, given the Bachmann Mk 2as are very similar (to me, visually it is just a door extra in the middle of the coach, but REAL Mk2 aficionados will tell me there is much more to it than that).
Perhaps the lack of supply of Bachmann coaches is significant in this speculation?

In fact I'd welcome some 2bs as they were on the Waterloo-Exeter run behind 33s, 47s and 50s.

Bob

Personally I agree, I recall saying as much when someone suggested the mk2b on the Revolution thread. I think it is basically no central door, deeper end doors which wrap-around the ends, and revised interior, notably the toilets IIRC, or is that the 2C...  . That said, the Farish 2A hasn't been run for a while, isn't available in Regional Railways and prices are very high, which suggests demand.

[bluedepot]

i think there would be a market in n gauge

end doors / no centre door make them different enough and people would like nse and regional railways ones especially i think

they need to make sure they look good mixed up with other graham farish coaches though so livery and height match up


tim

[njee20]

It's a tough one. Faced with a conceptual choice I'd have 2Bs on my charter rake. I remember B/Cs more than As on West of England services, I think they look better without the central door. However I have 11 As, and would I replace them all? Very unlikely. I'm probably not the target market though as I do only have one rake, and it's a bit 'rule 1'.

[CaleyDave]

At the virtual NGF exhibition, Revolution Trains said they had more carriages planned to follow on from the Mk5.

My guess is that these will be the range in question. RT and Accurascale have already worked together to produce the Cemflo, MoD flask wagon and Mk5s.

That was exactly my thought when I saw the announcement!

Is there a market for these in N, given the Bachmann Mk 2as are very similar (to me, visually it is just a door extra in the middle of the coach, but REAL Mk2 aficionados will tell me there is much more to it than that).
Perhaps the lack of supply of Bachmann coaches is significant in this speculation?

In fact I'd welcome some 2bs as they were on the Waterloo-Exeter run behind 33s, 47s and 50s.

Bob

Personally I agree, I recall saying as much when someone suggested the mk2b on the Revolution thread. I think it is basically no central door, deeper end doors which wrap-around the ends, and revised interior, notably the toilets IIRC, or is that the 2C…  . That said, the Farish 2A hasn’t been run for a while, isn’t available in Regional Railways and prices are very high, which suggests demand.

Revolution Model?
Unless something comes out of left-field I think I agree. Previously my money would have been on Pullmans of some sort and even then only because the new loco that was announced wasn't a class 91.

Mk2B
I must be an aficionados then as I don't get why a coach (2B), which is different from a coach (2A) which is difficult to get due to the manufacturer not keeping up with demand, would not have a place in the market.
The MK2B is far closer to the Aircon coaches then the Mk2A, aswell as the wrap around doors it is physically longer.

The market appears quite content with identical looking bogie hopper wagons!

The toilet window is the 2C.
There is more to it than that as the MK2B/C split is more retrospective as the build program was fraught with failure and farce. Mk2B were suppose to be aircon ready by BR but not anyone working on the Aircon project, the MK2C would included changes which made them aircon ready but the cost of rebuilding was so high that the aircon equipment bought for the MK2C was instead fitted to the MK2E (which only differed from the MK2D because they fitted smaller toilets in the TSO and Regained 2 seats correcting one of the last problems introduced with the Mk2B) When the Mk2E were built some modifications were made to Mk2C at overhaul to remove the aircon ready features to simply maintenance.

Mk2C
One interesting thing I had not picked up on was that it is highly likely that the Mk2C will follow in 00 gauge.

Why?
One of the Irish coaches proposed is Mark 2c FO - 903
https://irishrailwaymodels.co.uk/collections/mark-2-coaches/products/nir-mk2b-pack-corporate-intercity-1

Mk2C included BFK, FK, TSO (all originally for London Midland Region)
FO (Intended for Dining Cars on London Midland, First class still in Corridor stock at this point)
and BSO (Initially split between Western and London Midland)

The Western BSO being delivered as MK2C as the MK2B had a long list of faults and issues which needed fixed. This allowed whole trains to be formed of Mk2B/C stock (although in practice they intermingled with Mk2A)
The London Midland Batches were to allow whole trains (minus mk1 kitchen/buffet cars) to be formed in time for the accelerating of the timetable on the WCML prior to electrification to Glasgow.

Scotland
As a Scottish modeler the mk2B is nothing more than a one off token coach to insert into existing trains as as very few ventured North. (Fk with Deltic's or one of the handful of TSO's which were sent north for to internal Scottish trains along with lots of 2c.)

The prospect of an eventual 2C is more interesting with the bulk of the fleet being deployed on the WCML initially, BFK and TSO's being used later for cross country Workings and the Inverness-Edinburgh/Glasgow trains being made up of TSO, TSOT(TSO with small buffet counter),BSO and CK (Downgraded FK) coaches.

[Bob G]

Hello @CaleyDave

I've been looking and drooling over the Accurascale 2Bs, and was wondering why some are Blue/Grey with InterCity branding and others are not. Is this a simple age/era thing or were they later debranded, or did they run concurrently?
I only ever remember seeing them with the InterCity branding.

Best
Bob

[CaleyDave]

Hello @CaleyDave

I've been looking and drooling over the Accurascale 2Bs, and was wondering why some are Blue/Grey with InterCity branding and others are not. Is this a simple age/era thing or were they later debranded, or did they run concurrently?
I only ever remember seeing them with the InterCity branding.

Best
Bob

I believe that a lot of coaches were delivered unbranded and it would be up to the Region to add writing if they wished. The western and eastern added Inter-city branding quickly as they were used on top intercity services. (London Midland were slower at adding branding on the C for example.)

After sectorisation the branding was generally removed on cascade as InterCity didn't want their identity associated with NSE or Regional Railways. Again this was initially up to the region's before sectors gained more power and introduced new liveries.
Those few that made it to Scotland would have gotten ScotRail (Scottish Region being responsible) whilst most others would have InterCity removed on repaint. With NSE and Provincial gaining power over the region's we then get both sectors liveries appear as well as extra branding of blue coaches such as NSE logos.