First Fortnight Brings Brisk Sales

First fortnight brings brisk sales...
Headline writing is hard! I have always admired those sub-editors at newspapers who can come up with classic corny headlines at a moment's notice, under the weight of the pressure of the waiting presses. This is my attempt, going after alliteration as the motif. I doubt I should give up my day job!

What I wanted to say is that sales of the 32 Class are off and running, and we are thrilled by the number of modellers who are prepared to trust our reputation, and invest sight unseen in our first HO loco. Interestingly, sales are covering all version of the loco available - the red edge ones are proving popular, as are the six-wheel tender version, which has never - to my knowledge - been commercially available RTR before. I've only seen bogie-tendered locos in the original brass low-framers.

Unsurprisingly, however, it has been the model of the beautifully preserved, lined maroon 3265 which has attracted the most attention. So, if you want one, don't delay. It seems certain that this loco will be the first to sell out.

3265 fresh out of the restoration paint shops. Photo ©David Potter

32 Class pre-release sales are now open

C32 PRE-RELEASE SALE NOW ON

The HO scale NSWGR C32 Class 4-6-0 is now open for pre-release purchase at $545.00 AUD.

NOTE: this model is not yet available.

This special pre-release price is only available online, and until release of the model. After release, the price will rise to $595.00.

Clicking this "Buy It Now" button completes and guarantees your purchase and reservation of this chosen livery and loco variation.

Postage within Australia (if required) is free with this price.

Click on the 'Buy Online' link on our website's Home page at www.ixionmodels.com or click here.

Ixion's 32 Class loco variations - pictures

These images represent the four variations of the 32 Class, available in twelve numbers in this production run from Ixion. They are, in order:

Curved running plate, 3650 gallon bogie tender (3265; 3223, 3258, 3273, unnumbered)

Curved running plate, P Class six-wheel tender (3208)

Angled running plate, 3650 gallon bogie tender (3333, 3361, 3375)

Angled running plate, P Class 6-wheel tender (3298, 3307, 3372) 

These images will soon appear on the Ixion website, accompanying the 'Buy It Now' buttons for pre-release purchases at the special discount price of $545, post free. 

List of C32 Production Loco Numbers

This is the list of loco numbers for the first run of the 32 Class. 

Most numbers will be limited to 100 models, except for the two 'specials', preserved 3265, and 3333, famous because it was one of only two NSW locos with a number made up of the same digit; 5555 was the other. We have tried to select locos which will give some variety to the loco fleets which modellers already own, thus the decision to include the 'P' Class 6-wheel tendered locos. All of these locos and liveries have been selected from prototype photographic evidence. 

If the sales support a second run of this loco, we will be looking at the famous 1930's lined green livery as a likely inclusion.

By the end of this week (Sun 22 March) there will be "Buy It Now" buttons for all these locos on our website at www.ixionmodels.com. 

There will be a special pre-release price of $545, a saving of $50 on the post-release price of $595. The special price will also include postage to your designated address, where required. Payment can be made by PayPal or credit card.

Pre-purchasing through the website is also the only way to guarantee that you will receive your choice of number, livery and tender, so don't delay, once the purchase buttons are uploaded. The announcement of their availability will be made here first.

C32 CADs finalised; tooling commences. Running numbers needed.

Dear friends,
First of all, following an outstanding level of input from a significant number of renowned modellers and rail historians, we have signed off on the Computer Aided Design (CAD) 3D drawings for the low-frame 32 Class in HO scale. We want to thank all those contributors for their time and interest, especially those who spent hours researching and sending us photos and annotated drawings. This model is now as accurate as we can make it in the time available, and we have paid the bill for the tooling to commence.

We will be producing both major variations of the superheated 32 - the angled and curved footplate versions. Images of these from the final CAD drawings are included below.

Note that there are still compromises evident. This has to be a robust, electrically powered scale model, fit for years of service, and the limitations of plastic as a material, and whole injection moulding process, have meant some requests from modellers could not be accommodated. 

You can see, however in the images our solution to the major issue raised with us: that of the curved cutouts in the cylinder fronts, necessary to permit the loco to traverse 18"/450mm radius curves. The solution is to provide on the accessories sprue a glue-in piece perfectly fitted to the cutout - shown in red in the drawing. If your curves are greater than about  2 feet/600mm radius, simply superglue this into place to complete the cylinder front, and weather to taste.

We now need our second round of help from modellers.
Looking at the loco closely in the images, we want to know which loco numbers and liveries can be confirmed as accurate for the locos depicted. Pleased email us at info@ixionmodels with your selections, accompanied - PLEASE - by photographic evidence. If you have no way of reproducing a photo, please let us know where it can be found. We have access to virtually all of the known NSWGR photo publications, so can go looking, but you can save us hours of time by sending us images to support your selections.

We also plan to produce a number of locos with the original 'P' Class six-wheel tender. We have just a couple of photos of suitable locos from the Maitland and Campbelltown lines, and are desperate for more. Remember, they have to be low-framed locos, identifiable by the curved smokebox support saddle. Locos with the taller straight, angled smokebox saddle are high framed locos and their numbers are not correct for our model.

In the first run of locos, we are planning to run the liveries of plain 'service' black, black with red running plate valances and fully lined maroon as found on preserved 3265. Colour photos of these liveries would be most welcome.

If sales warrant a second run, we would be looking at the lined green livery and any others that can be confirmed with evidence.

Thanks, in anticipation, for your help, 
Lindsay.

Calling All Rail Historians: 32 Class Mk 2 Drawing

The images are from the Mark 2 version of the HO scale 32 Class, just received from from the factory.

We are at the stage where we are inviting feedback from modellers knowledgeable about the prototype low-frame 32 Class. These drawings are primarily based on the surviving low-frame 32, 3265. Some alternative parts may be seen in the drawings, e.g. safety valves. 

Please look closely at these images. If you can see any issues, please email us at info@ixionmodels.com clearly stating the issue/s you have identified, and we will check them against drawings and photographs. For example, We are already checking the shape of the rear coupling rod, which photos indicate was slightly 'oval', not the parallel-sided shape shown here. 

Clicking on the images will open a new large higher-resolution, wide-screen image in your browser.

Ixion is keen to not only produce the most accurate model possible - allowing for some unavoidable mass-production compromises - but also to tap into the collective knowledge of the railway enthusiast and modelling community. Please feel free to pass on this Blog link to anyone whom you believe may have expertise which could benefit this project.

First 32 Class drawings

Ixion has received the first draft of the 3D CAD drawings HO scale NSWGR C32 Class locomotive. 

These have been examined by our Technical Director Phil Badger. Over 50 required corrections have been noted (yes, including the incorrect flangeless centre driver, buffer beam, etc) and the drawings have been returned to the factory for adjustments.

Whilst these drawings are only an early first version, they do give evidence of the progress thus far. Enjoy!