http://phoenixreproductions.com.au/index.htm
4 wheel coal hopper and brake van pricing & info released.

Another update on the Phoenix Models website...

It does seem that the SAR O wagon is a source of confusion: there are four types of SAR O wagons, and the illustrated wagon is not one of them...

Another update on the Phoenix Models website...

Thanks Ardglen.  

So it now appears that Phoenix Reproductions are to do the D53 with Wampu and Commonwealth tenders.  Is Eureka still in the picture for these models?  It appears that the Eureka D50 mechanism will be used.  The drawings show the centre pair of drivers as flangeless.  This is incorrect for most D53 engines as far as I am aware.  The term 'TF' stood for 'T Flanged' as I understood it.  Or is this merely a suburban myth?

Happy standard goodsing,

John

The drawings show the centre pair of drivers as flangeless.  This is incorrect for most D53 engines as far as I am aware.  The term TF stood for T Flanged as I understood it.  Or is this merely a suburban myth?

I thought it stood for "Total Failures"

Weren't the centre driver flanges removed by the mid-fifties as engines went through the workshops? Pretty sure 5461 and 5367 don't have them.

The drawings show the centre pair of drivers as flangeless.  This is incorrect for most D53 engines as far as I am aware.  The term TF stood for T Flanged as I understood it.  Or is this merely a suburban myth?

I thought it stood for "Total Failures"

Weren't the centre driver flanges removed by the mid-fifties as engines went through the workshops? Pretty sure 5461 and 5367 don't have them.

Thanks for the input apw5910.

You may well be right.  I had a look on the web for recent photos of 5367 and although I cannot definitively say the loco has flangeless sets of centre drivers it does appear as though they are flangeless. I seem to recollect that other 53/55 class have flangeless drivers too.  Will make a specific note next time I am close to one of these locos.

Happy flanging,

John

"Colour samples of the Coal Road vans arrived recently. Delivery is expected Nov - Dec 2018." - via https://www.facebook.com/Phoenix-Reproductions-Pty-Ltd-379355122536927

Phoenix Reproductions had their newly released Private Owner non-air coal hoppers for sale at Liverpool. These are the long overdue Eureka wagons, reproduced from recently recovered tooling.



Modelled are 10 ton capacity (size “L”) wagons with timber underframes. There are five packs of 10 wagons covering a variety of collieries, and hoppers with or without hungry boards. I bought pack POH2 which contains wagons with hungry boards (separate add-on), and pack POH4 without.



Hopper door undersides have moulded “EUREKA MODELS MADE IN CHINA”, and pad printed Phoenix logos. Wheels are RP25-88 with eight spokes. There are even two different types of spokes represented in pack POH4. Kadee 158 scale-head whisker couplers are fitted, but there are also plastic hook couplings supplied as an alternative. Each wagon comes with a separate coal load, and weighs in at 18-20 grams depending upon options (couplers, coal loads etc). Straight from the box, wagons sit nicely with couplers at (or near) correct height, and roll freely.



Detail is excellent and the external paint finish and pad printing is superb. Both Clyde and Goninan builders plates are printed on different wagons, with two styles of Goninan plates noted. Also printed are wagon registration plates. Red oxide finish looks great, but in my opinion the grey Hebburn “H” hoppers are too light in colour, and could do with some weathering. All the red oxide coloured hoppers have a similar shade of light grey interior which, for empty trains looks wrong, and I feel needs darkening to a bare timber colour. Weights are visible in the bottom of hoppers when no coal load is fitted.



All in all, I think these long-awaited wagons exceed expectations, and should nicely complement Southern Rail’s upcoming 12.5 ton “LL” steel framed hoppers, providing some good variation to non-air coal train rakes!

Another update on the Phoenix Models website...

Thanks Ardglen.  

So it now appears that Phoenix Reproductions are to do the D53 with Wampu and Commonwealth tenders.  Is Eureka still in the picture for these models?  It appears that the Eureka D50 mechanism will be used.  The drawings show the centre pair of drivers as flangeless.  This is incorrect for most D53 engines as far as I am aware.  The term 'TF' stood for 'T Flanged' as I understood it.  Or is this merely a suburban myth?

Happy standard goodsing,

John

On page 55 of the June issue of AMRM, it was announced that third parties had purchased the tooling to several Eureka projects. The third parties turned out to be Austrains and SDS under the name Phoenix Reproductions.

It was reported that without the purchase by Phoenix the Eureka tooling would be lost. Reading into the article, it seems Eureka might not have been able to pay for the tooling and Phoenix rescued it.

I don't think Eureka will be producing the 53 class. It will come out under the Phoenix brand.

Phantom

The drawings show the centre pair of drivers as flangeless.  This is incorrect for most D53 engines as far as I am aware.  The term TF stood for T Flanged as I understood it.  Or is this merely a suburban myth?

I thought it stood for "Total Failures"

Weren't the centre driver flanges removed by the mid-fifties as engines went through the workshops? Pretty sure 5461 and 5367 don't have them.

Thanks for the input apw5910.

You may well be right.  I had a look on the web for recent photos of 5367 and although I cannot definitively say the loco has flangeless sets of centre drivers it does appear as though they are flangeless. I seem to recollect that other 53/55 class have flangeless drivers too.  Will make a specific note next time I am close to one of these locos.

Happy flanging,

John

Generally the TF's all had flanged drivers on all wheels, unlike the T's.

For those who were waiting for the Eureke models and there were likely more than one,, especially after they were listed in their futures models, they like several other models that Eureka were to produce are now being produced by Phoenix models a bit of a consortium of SDS & Austrains as mentioned elsewhere here that was announced in the AMRM a little while back, as they will be producing some VR models and taking over the 53 & 55 work with the 53 to come next year.

There was a sample of the Turret Tender on show at Liverpool and it looked very nice and not done in metal with crisp detail.
I personally look forward to both models coming out in the next two years.

The TF (53) was built with flanges on all coupled wheels and knuckle joints in the connecting rods.

I'm not sure why the change from the 50 class but it was a mistake.

The flanges on the 2nd and 3rd axlea and the knuckles in the rods were removed.

I'm pretty sure this happened when they were fitted with the standard boiler or earlier.

The first 53 was fitted with a standard boiler in 1937.
The standard boiler was externally like a 50 class boiler but had wider water spaces in the firebox and a smaller grate area by 1 square foot.

Because of the flanges, the inner two driving axles were 3 inches further apart than a 50 (around 0.8mm or less in HO)

The same changes were made to the K (55) class.

Peter

3 additional packs of hoppers announced including new decorations. http://phoenixreproductions.com.au/pohprod.htm

Updates on coalfields guards vans arrival and lots of new tooling for ex-Eureka rollingstock which should please VR & SAR modellers alike
https://www.facebook.com/Phoenix-Reproductions-Pty-Ltd-379355122536927/

The former Eureka tooling VR & SA wagon pages now online with an incredible array of goodies to pre-order http://phoenixreproductions.com.au/

While not putting the ex Eureka Models of SAR open wagons down I think the new owners of the tooling might have missed the boat a bit on these, Orient Express have done them for several years now and the market for them might now be a lot less than previously, also Orient Express have hinted at reruns being done.

For me the only wagons I would want are the OM wagons and maybe some of the original rivetted versions in both dark and medium grey.. I have virtually all the rest of them from Orient Express.

"Currently in production with an expected delivery Late July 2019. VR E open, VR S flat and SAR O open wagon" - via https://www.facebook.com/Phoenix-Reproductions-Pty-Ltd-379355122536927/

From memory OER didn’t bother with interior details of the Os because the Eureakas were coming.

And I will say that the interior detail looks nice in those shots.

June AMRM 2019

(willing to stand corrected) Phoenix announces forthcoming RTR VR D3 steam loco - limited to 1200 units

Advert inside front cover....

Regards,

Catchpoint

June AMRM 2019

(willing to stand corrected) Phoenix announces forthcoming RTR VR D3 steam loco - limited to 1200 units

Advert inside front cover....

Regards,

Catchpoint

Don't have my copy yet, but assuming this is true, there goes my hobby budget...

Wonder if this will affect BGM's upcoming re-run of the D3.

Phoenix Models FB page posted an image of a D3 back on May 2nd as a possible teaser

http://tiny.cc/t6sn6y

Regards,

Catchpoint

June AMRM 2019

(willing to stand corrected) Phoenix announces forthcoming RTR VR D3 steam loco - limited to 1200 units

Advert inside front cover....

Regards,

Catchpoint

Coming out of the same factory used by Rapido.

I've just been reading the news section of the latest AMRM, it states that the D3 is coming out of the same factory used by Rapido. It also notes that there will be 2 tender types offered which share parts with the Eureka K class. Does this mean that the K is coming out of the same factory?

I've just been reading the news section of the latest AMRM, it states that the D3 is coming out of the same factory used by Rapido. It also notes that there will be 2 tender types offered which share parts with the Eureka K class. Does this mean that the K is coming out of the same factory?

Possibly but strange things can happen these days with manufacturer/ distributors.

I've just been reading the news section of the latest AMRM, it states that the D3 is coming out of the same factory used by Rapido. It also notes that there will be 2 tender types offered which share parts with the Eureka K class. Does this mean that the K is coming out of the same factory?

Possibly but strange things can happen these days with manufacturer/ distributors.

No, Eureka are doing the K Class, and Phoenix is now  building the tenders. I gather Eureka will get as many tenders as they require for their models, and they will be transfered to the Eureka factory for painting and decorating. Very clever cost savings for both models. I wonder if The K Class will get both tenders as well?
I tried to suggest that the D3 be built as a yard pilot, additionally, with grab rails and covers over side rods. But both JE and SDS said no way!
But I did suggest to, Ian Wilson to think about a etched brass kit that would allow us to upgrade them ourselves.
Cheers
Rod