{"id":342,"date":"2022-05-18T23:19:47","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T23:19:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onlinemodelsltd.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=342"},"modified":"2023-09-18T00:56:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T00:56:34","slug":"developments","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/onlinemodelsltd.co.uk\/index.php\/developments\/","title":{"rendered":"Developments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Online Models Ltd Family is always expanding with new developments to meet demand. With the Weathering Powders and our acquisition of new product ranges. We have been branching out from our traditional market of Lamps and Light accessories. Lead Developer Richard Nightingale is always looking at new ideas and developments in all three major scales, and their Finescale equivalent, contact us: development@onlinemodelsltd.co.uk<\/a>
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Bad News; Brass.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It comes with a heavy heart to say that we are currently looking at discontinuing our current Brass range, including the former Peedie Models <\/em>items, for the forseeable future.

The reason for this is simple; Brass is Expensive.
In the last year, it’s raised 400% and order expectation means that for an etch of ladders, a regular order for us, has to be in the Hundreds, and with an appropriate increase in up-front order cost. Which means we have to put more on the customer at the end, also.

Our last order, Only of Ladders for our lights range, <\/em>was coming in at \u00a3100 per A4 sheet of Brass, with a minimum order of 7 sheets.

We have talked to other manufacturers, modellers and even Engineering workshops and recycling plant, and everyone is coming to the same conclusion; that it is Uneconomical.

Therefore, we will not be conducting any further orders of Brass etch products, and once a line is done, it’s done; we will not be ordering more brass. It’s a lot of up-front cost for small orders and a lot of reserve holding.

This does not mean these items are not available while stocks last. <\/em>Likewise, as the Developments Manager, I am looking for suitable alternatives.
Initially, we had looked at Nickel Silver<\/em>, but this is a brass derivative, and prices have gone up accordingly.
Aluminium<\/em> is a common substitute, but that has also climbed in Value, and matches Brass in end value. Unsuitable.

Currently, the Majority<\/em> of our range is looking like it may re-appear in either artist card, or Plastic. This is both cheaper for us to source, and we can cut it to order, in House. But converting the CAD files takes time.

Feel free to Contact us if you have any questions, or requests for, certain items, or alterations considering these changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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O scale wagons – Update.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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LNWR Precedent and GNR Stirling R3 on Happisburgh Goods. The R3 leading up a rake of 3-plank ballast wagons in the raw.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Et voila!
After much adaptation and searching through for period rolling stock reference, we are proud to show our new wagons being tested.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Using Slater’s wheels, the contractor’s ballast wagons compliment the majority of locomotives available in O, provide a short wheelbase and dumb buffers give the best opportunity for tight radii track and compact layout arrangements. The choice use of high-grade card means that new modellers can appreciate a level of affordability, durability and reliability in accepting any and all mediums they may wish to use to colour the wagons.<\/p>\n

These are set to come in 3 and 5 plank variations, along with an equally short brake van. Other rolling stock can be expected to follow, including vans and carriages. We even have a crane designed. The choice of the 5 ton ballast wagon to kick off with came after pictures showing them as a lesser spotted, but undeniably present, part of every different railway era, surfacing with Contractor’s locomotives and on private networks, but also being stalwart veterans as depot, yard and workshop tool wagons and general run-arounds, a job which has seen some examples in service from the Liverpool and Manchester Railway’s first days, to modern docksides, quarries and depots.<\/p>\n

As mentioned elsewhere, the idea is not to provide an\u00a0Accurate<\/em> model, but rather a cheap but solid set of rolling stock for new modellers to start off with, and can improve and personalise. And with a predicted sale value, with wheels, in the \u00a330 bracket, It does so comfortably.<\/p>\n

We look forward to bringing them to sale soon. Any interest now, feel free to contact us. We will look at manufacturing any wagons in a similar vein.<\/p>\n\n\n

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N Scale Gantry.<\/h2>\n\n\n

Requests were made; And Developments Listened.<\/p>\n

After requests at the International N gauge show, we finally decided to take a look at offering a Gantry set for N.<\/p>\n

Taking initiative from early electric gantries manufactured by the GWR, SR and LNER, As well as later BR examples, a passably convincing set of basic gantries will be produced for 2 and 4 rail, with adaptability for custom requests for wider options.<\/p>\n

OO scale Gantries will be considered to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n

Lazer-Cut “Foundation” kits.<\/h2>\n\n\n

The “Foundation” kits require a little bit of understanding as to their entailed purpose.
Rather than offering all-in-one Kits, or Ready-To-Place models, The range intends to offer basic, sturdy structures which the individual can then kit-bash over with the wide variety of supporting materials already available for Scratchbuilders, such as Plasticard, whitemetal, Plaster or Resin cast parts, or even just a good coat of paint, Kits are kept affordable for the modeller by reducing manufacture time and manpower costs, while encouraging modellers to make a scene their own.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Water Tower, based on WD design; Sturdy, solid and Lightweight. Finished with Concrete grey and black spray paint, then quickly finished with bright rust orange weathering powder. Just needs plumbing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Currently designed are;
Narrow Platform (O gauge Guild Compliant)
Weighbridge (Shown, Below, as cut)
Water Tower (Painted, Above)
Coal Staithe
Halt Building<\/p>\n

And Projected are;<\/p>\n

Small Engine shed (Single Road)
Small Goods shed.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Fresh off the laser and assembled in moments, the Weighbridge uses Card rails compatible with leading retailers. Modelled based off a crude WD\/LMS example, kit may include “Locomotives must not traverse Weighbridge” sign.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

All together, the Kits should provide everything required for a small terminus or industrial layout scene. Also suitable for Bolt Action scenery.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Weathering Powders<\/h2>\n\n\n

Although Online Models has only recently introduced The Weathering Powders to the range, the development story of them begins back in 2014, with observations about other weathering powder ranges, particularly that the vast majority use the same combinations of Iron, Aluminium, and Chrome oxides alongside chimney soot to make Black. While these are prototypically coloured, cheap and long lasting, they also carry very serious health and handling warnings, especially when mixed, and in actual use, the powders are abrasive, causing damage to models, and are limited in use. <\/p>\n

At the time, some of our development team had moved over to using comparably priced but softer and safer alternatives, and so research went forward. A company which manufactures Holi pigments, which are approved for human consumption and most allergies, was chosen and contacted within the UK, allowing us to maintain our “Manufactured in the UK” pride, and we have an ample colour selection at our fingertips. Packs are formulated based on 1962 BR Midland Goods transport records, which list what colour powders could be found from cargos, as well as our own research team’s ample experience with the real railways and vehicles, identifying colour matches and combinations to offer packs tailored to the enterprising modeller for weathering any situation.<\/p>\n

Handle as you would any other weathering powder from guide, or mix in to a paste with water, leave to dry, and use a coarse brush to remove it, moving across the model. The powders are water soluble and will just wash off with immersion in water, but do make sure to varnish any other water-soluble features, such as transfers. For permanence, spray on varnish or glue is recommended, but if handling like the paste, the powders have an innate adhesive quality and a model can be weathered and cleaned without needing glue, and can be washed off with water, but will stay on without needing fixing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Laser-Cut O gauge wagon kits.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Prototype coaches running with Allison on the MRC test tracks, London.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Though we offer support in a variety of scales, Since the purchase and operation of Happisburgh Goods, We here at Online Models started looking at O. Though we are working on designing our range of lights and signals for O scale, we also decided to look at what else we could do in O.<\/p>\n

We observed that, in O, a lot of the locomotives available for small layouts like Happisburgh Goods are Industrials and Contractor locos, which are generally at odds with the available wagons, which are often 1910’s onward standard wagons and mainline stock. <\/p>\n

While working with a previous company, an observation was made that there is little point doing locomotives and rolling stock that did not see BR 1950s as a standard user and time period, and with the Railways act and RCH rules in 1923, effectively, the oldest acceptable rolling stock is GWR 1905 steel frame wagons.<\/p>\n

Dumb buffers were “Banned” from “Public” railways in 1923 after a recommended redundancy from 1903, but what exactly this entailed or means is an obvious point of contention when actually looking at rolling stock, since the LNER continues to use Dumb buffers, even refitting stock to have dumb buffers after 1923; shunters such as the Y9, for example. And there are ample pictures of Departmental and yard shunter wagons continuing with dumb buffers in yards, ports, quarries and docks, all the way up to the 1950’s, and still more pictures of Condemned wagons in the 1960’s with dumb buffers, while continuous stock such as Cranes and runners, or bolster wagons continued to run with dumb buffers beyond this also. The RCH denies New vehicles built post-1923 to be constructed with them, and the 1923 Railways act agrees, for rolling stock to be used for the conveyance of passengers or third-party goods, but there is no specific ban on them outside of this. Neither regulation applies to either Light or Private Industrial Railways, while Private Owner Wagons are with the agreement as being satisfactory with the company they are travelling on.<\/p>\n

So… What would be wrong with a 5 ton, 7ft chassis, Dumb-buffered wagon on Happisburgh Goods, in 1952, as a Departmental Ballast wagon, or shunter’s truck?
Well… Nothing. Since the vehicle was used internally. We even have pictures of such vehicles in use.<\/p>\n

While constructing stock for Happisburgh, we identified some problems with kit rolling stock assembly, as well as the ample supply of accessory and detail parts.<\/p>\n

With all this in mind, Our kits are laser-cut basic kits which can be easily assembled to provide a reliable and solid rolling chassis, which can be improved with modification parts to customise.  Good for beginners to start with, or better modellers to take on to for kit-bashing.<\/p>\n

Our starting kits are two short coaches, based on Pre-grouping 1850’s box coaches, a brake van, a peaked-roof covered wagon, and short planked wagons, with a look at doing a crane and runner in the future. For now, these are still in development.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Project Tiny<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Project Tiny was a carry-over from a previous set of works, and originated from a conversation with a scratchbuilder in O.

In short, one of the biggest issues for modellers is accessibility to working chassis. In OO, monoblock chassis, combined with self-quartering wheels, mean that kitbuild and scratch building is far easier, and buying old stock to have a suitable chassis is easy. In O, generally chassis are brass frames which, though more accurate, a nightmare of precision modelling to get perfect and generally require the full locomotive finished to test properly, to find issues, while RTR options cost hundreds of pounds buying a model only to strip it apart.
There is a company in the Czech republic, ETS which provide RTR chassis for this role, with excellent compact design, gearbox and motors, but import costs is comparable to a full value model.

Project Tiny is a monoblock chassis set to NEM\/O gauge Guild standards to accept a gearbox, wheels and other features, with everything aligned and inline for easy fitting so that it will just work for modellers who want to build a model without having to worry about precision alignment. With Slater’s wheels and gearbox, a sturdy and reliable chassis for under \u00a3100 should be possible in O.

The original Tiny prototype was manufactured in 2018, but the project was put down between then and 2022 due to other developments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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