Electric W&L Countess, first pictures from Accucraft UK

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hi all truely stunning models well worth the wait:thumbup:
whats better then one ?two of em an brought by my parents for my4oth birthday .ps notice llanfair shed base they sitting on
 
Keith yes easy acres but not to the motor. To wire it up needs the body off. Once it's in though if you wire it to a socket it's easy to sort any issues.

Dave, I've been spending all afternoon trying not to ring John again! I'd have two in black to be honest, . . . . Where's the bank book? ;)
 
OK here we go, first the bad news. Running on anything other than snooker table flat track and/or with LGB/Piko points is pretty hopeless straight out of the box. The main problem is that the centre (unflanged) wheel set does not have pick-ups, even though they do touch the track. This means that the SLIGHTEST uneveness in the track causes the middle wheels to act like a brake, electrical continuity is lost and the loco comes to a very sudden halt. This also occurs on the LGB/Piko points when the fine scale wheels drop into the frog.

I rigged up a set of pick-ups on the centre wheels (bodged might be a better description) and running was GREATLY improved.

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Another tip for those who haven't run this loco yet is to give the running gear a good oiling before use as everything tends to be very stiff.

Adding the pick-ups isn't the biggest job in the world, but should you have to do such things to a loco costing this much money? What irks me slightly is that this is the sort of thing we've seen from Accucraft before going right back to the Baguley diesel. It does make me wonder what testing they do during the design phase? Do they use a garden railway, or a perfectly flat indoor layout perhaps using nothing but Peco points? For them to have fitted extra pick-ups to the centre wheels wouldn't have been the biggest job in the world surely?

I always had it in mind that my Countess would eventually be battery RC'd anyway and now that's pretty much certain. Having said that though, I'm going to have to be very careful with which battery pack I choose as the motor in this model just eats amps. I don't know which motor they use, but I wouldn't mind betting it's not a Buhler?
 
Enough of the negativity, now for the good news. Well the main thing is that this has got to be one of the best models on the market. As Steve rightly says, it wouldn't look out of place in a museum cabinet. I just can't get enough of that cab interior and I hope the crew I got especially for it do it justice.

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Big question is "is it worth it?". I'd have to say yes, especially when compared to other brass construction limited run models that have been produced in the past. It's just such a shame that it could have had so much better running qualities if Accucraft were to just do a little more research and more rigorous testing. I understand that they were quite surprised by the demand for an electric version of the Countess, but now they know that a market for such models exists (even in these cash strapped times!). They just need to go that extra nine yards and they could be market leaders for British outline electrical power IMO.
 
Re:Electric W&L Countess, first piuctures from Accucraft UK

stockers said:
Looks mighty smart. I remember not so long ago people asking for British narrow gauge locos. With the IOM ones, there seem to be a few to pick from now.:bigsmile:
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Yes but sadly no Manning Wardles yet!:crying::crying::crying: The GRS one is nice but you have to build it and Accucraft has the "Rep" for producing the finer things in life.

Henrik
 
The main problem is that the centre (unflanged) wheel set does not have pick-ups, even though they do touch the track.

That surprises me a little as the centre axle on the steam version is around 0.020" off the rail.

I'm going to have to be very careful with which battery pack I choose as the motor in this model just eats amps. I don't know which motor they use, but I wouldn't mind betting it's not a Buhler?

If it's as stiff as you suggest Mel, make sure it gets lots or running in, that might improve the motor situation.
 
knotty 823 said:
Great shots mel just what we've all been waiting to see on your layout
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Cheers mate, although I do feel a bit inadequate only having one :(:( :rolf::rolf:.

Yes, your'e quite right Bob, hopefully now that it does run OK plenty of testing will loosen everything up a bit.
 
Mel - lovely photos and yes perfect on your layout too - what it (and you?) have been waiting for!!!

Also very useful to see the Corpet/coach comparison shots. It rules one out for me at the moment, as the price, and requirement for new stock for it to look right just makes it a stretch to far.

Big question - when are you getting
1) Name and number plates
2) White BR (W) lamps for the buffer beam! :)

Awesome!
 
Been in contact with the HobbyShop at Faversham today and mine should be arriving there tomorrow so should be able to collect on Friday followed by analogue testing on the RMMES analogue track at New Romney next Tuesday.

Reading Mel's comments above about electrical continuity, my aim is to eventually fit a decoder so maybe a Massoth power buffer (which I have on some of my smaller locos) would be useful, if not necessary.

......uhmmmm, just found out that it's not Countess that has arrived but a maroon Caledonia......
 
It looks beautiful Mel, the cab detail in particular. The wheels need blackening though I think, one of my big gripes with rtr stuff. Can't wait to run it alongside my steam version on a rake of Pickerings.
 
jameshilton said:
Big question - when are you getting
1) Name and number plates
2) White BR (W) lamps for the buffer beam! :)

Awesome!
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Thanks for the reminder James, something I forgot to say - you get the number plates for 822 and 823, plus nameplates for The Earl, The Countess and Countess - yep, two sets of number plates and three sets of nameplates!! Even the GW transfers (even with the black version) Unbelievable. I know this probably sounds a bit picky in the circumstances, but some sort of handbook/servicing guide would have been good? For one thing it would explain what the various supplied tools and other bits are for :confused:.

As for the lamps, the ones that I usually use won't fit, so I've put out some feelers as to which ones will.
 
Did you find the instruction leaflet in the 'ducuments enclosed' wallet stuck to the outside of the outer box Mel? These are added in the UK - written by an Englishman!

I have flagged up the center axle pick ups request to Accucraft.

Happy steamings,

John
 
Sea Lion said:
Did you find the instruction leaflet in the 'ducuments enclosed' wallet stuck to the outside of the outer box Mel? These are added in the UK - written by an Englishman!

I have flagged up the center axle pick ups request to Accucraft.

Happy steamings,

John
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Hi John, just double checked, only the invoice in the wallet - definitely no instructions.

Thanks for passing on the feedback, I really hope it helps.
 
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