Harlech Castle

Criccieth Castle

Yes, they’re taking a lot longer than originally planned and it may be a month or two before they’re finally released: Why?

• Considerable Spec Upgrade
• Component Sourcing turning into component manufacturing
• Mid project redesign to adopt the ungraded spec
• Clashing with other commitments
• Financing

These are explained a bit more below:

Spec Upgrade: At the outset this was going to be a simple chassis to use with the bodies blown up from 4mm prints. It very quickly got upgraded to newly designed bodies, sprung chassis, coreless motor and quartered axles and jackshaft

Component Manufacture: I’ll admit that with the demise of Markits (owner died) it hadn’t occurred to me that there would be a world shortage of crankpins. The solution was our first venture into Chinese manufacturing which was a significant capital outlay and was a bit scary the first time. We’ve been back to our Chinese manufacturer for more components.  

Redesign: Fourdees on sight of the first iteration of the chassis decided that blown up bodies wouldn’t do as they’d just be blowing up the compromises used to make the 4mm version work. The bodies are all new CAD artwork and my early visits to the Festiniog Railway included regularly visiting the prototypes to clarify measurements and details.

Clashing commitments: Regular subscribers to my newsletter and blog will know two things. 1) I am a volunteer driver on the Festiniog Railway and also the volunteer rolling stock electrical engineer. 2) I have achieved retirement age.  I’m not retiring bit it is changing things I do. I intend to do more driving whilst I am fit and able which impacts summer time available to model projects and I intend to progress some more of my own modelling interests.

Just to add to this Annie and I have both achieved that age where major topics for conversation are, “what’s for tea” and “when’s your next doctor/nurse/hospital appointment.

Money: All this Chinese manufacturing is all well and good. The item cost might be low but a MOQ of 1000 means the order is a sizeable  chunk of money which has all been financed from my own pocket and some has had to wait for funds.  To head off the suggestion that usually follows, I don’t want to take pre-orders or take money up front.  Whilst an attractive idea on the face of it the potential problems should I spend the money and then for some reason can’t deliver are a noose I’d rather not put my head in.

Summary

Before I go into more detail on individual components I’d like to summarise where EDM Models is heading with recent component acquisitions.  The regauging of NG7 Hunslet loco’s to  14mm gauge has seen us acquire tyres, gears, bearings, axles in quantities that mean we have parts to use in other models. Now the Castles have added crank pins, more tyres, more gears, quartered axles, cranks and springs to that selection of parts. The time and cost of their acquisition has slowed these two projects but that now places EDM Models well to introduce new models and to upgrade our existing kits. In short the time and cost has been a pain but worth it.

	The revised Harlech Castle body now has many separate parts to add during the build. Handrails Grilles, glazing and lighting are all added later.
	Criccieth Castle has a similarly upgraded with additional parts The shiny radiator trim is included in the rods etch.
	Individual drivers desks for the two models have been produced. This is the one for Harlech Castle. FR staff who have seen commented that its inaccurate as the floor isn’t covered in enough junk
	This is the desk for Criccieth Castle its different as it was built as a passenger diesel for use with the push pull train. The as yet unproven plan is that these will mount on the chassis so they can be detailed and then put in the body.
	The chassis needs proving with the rods on and the springing added. It also needs the body mounts added to suit the new bodies
	We’ve commissioned springs to suit the model and these have only just arrived
	The axles and cranks are custom to these locos and now feature squared ends.
	The aim is to supply made up wheelsets assembled and quartered ready to drop into the chassis with options for 14mm or 16.5mm gauge as required.
	My original plan was to suggest builders got name and works plates from one of the usual suppliers. I then learned that they were just a generic typefaces. Instead we’ve done CAD based on the plates on the actual locos. The long blank plate has lettering too small etch so there will be a decal that sits on the plate.
	Etched rods have just arrived but haven’t yet been test built
	Sound Project Discussions are ongoing on recording the locos and creating a sound project on ZIMO N18 decoders. Sadly, Criccieth is not co-operating and has just blown its engine up.

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coming soon