Possible new run of brass 7mm Manning Wardle 0-4-0ST

Dear friends,

It never rains, but it pours...

In addition to last week’s announcements:

We are being pushed in the UK to do a second run of our Chinese hand-built brass, painted, RTR Manning Wardle 0-4-0ST, modelled on a standard 'H' Class. Our model is based on the famous local Australian example, NSWGR No.1021 "Cardiff".

At present the specs would be identical to the previous run, but in UNLINED BLACK only (no lined blue this time). The new expected retail price would be 460 UK pounds - $818 Aussie dollars at tonight’s exchange rate.

To see videos of this model in 12V DC and DCC form, go to Youtube and search for "Ixion Manning Wardle". The model as supplied is DC only, but can be converted to DCC by enthusiasts.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these models, can you please email admin@ixionmodels.com with a FIRM expression of interest. 

We will only commission the run if there is enough interest to fund the run, which is obviously paid for up front by us (but we’re not planning to ask for pre-payments. It’ll be cash on delivery for you.)

Cheers,

Lindsay O’Reilly

Ixion Model Railways Ltd.

Well, after a long hiatus when we had nothing new to report, we now have three major announcements. 
These have been communicated to the major model railway magazines in the UK and Australia, and posted by Chris on RM Web, but here they are on our official blog.

28 August, 2014

Ixion Model Railways foreshadows new models

Total sales of the 7mm scale Hudswell Clarke saddle tank now exceed 1300 units, and Ixion has now sold over 2850 O scale locomotives.

This success of our products has resulted in these commissioning of these three new models:

1. O Scale: A new production run of Hudswell Clarke locomotives

Ixion Model Railways Ltd is pleased to announce that we are now sold out of both green and maroon Hudswell Clarke tank locomotives.

To satisfy customer demand, we have commissioned a second, limited edition run of Hudswell Clarke locomotives in a new livery of forest green, lined in red and black. 

An artist’s impression of the livery is included below. These will be available from selected retailers in the UK and Australia, and online from the Ixion website. We hope to have these in stock for Christmas this year.

 2. An HO Scale Locomotive

Ixion is pleased to announce that our next new locomotive will be produced for the Australian HO scale (1:87) market.

With two of the Ixion directors being NSW modellers, this is a logical move into their home market with a familiar prototype.

It will be a New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) steam locomotive, never before available in injection-moulded ready-to-run form.

Produced in the same factory which has made the acclaimed and award-winning On30 Coffee Pot, and 7mm scale Hudswell Clarke and Fowler locomotives, it will follow Ixion's well-established standards of prototype fidelity and excellence of performance, and will be DCC and sound-ready.

The identity of this locomotive will be revealed when the first computer-aided design drawings are available in October this year. Delivery is anticipated for the third quarter of 2015.

 3. A new O Scale Locomotive

Ixion is also collaborating with another company (a new manufacturer, not an existing one) on the production of a ready-to-run 7mm scale standard gauge steam locomotive suitable for both the UK and Australian markets. 

More information about this model will be available soon - watch the Ixion website and blog for updates on all locomotives.

http://www.ixionmodels.com/

http://ixionmodels.blogspot.com.au/

Please direct any enquiries to info@ixionmodels.com

Phil Badger, Chris Klein and Lindsay O’Reilly

Directors,

Ixion Model Railways Ltd.

David Smith's Fowler

David L O Smith has worked his modification magic again, on his GWR Fowler this time.

With his trademark tweaks, he has made his loco unique. Check out the turned brass bezels (outer rings) for the cab dials, impossible - well, impractical - in a mass produced loco.

The whole story is on David's website here. Enjoy!

Green Hudswell Clarkes All Gone!

Ixion has sold out of lined green Hudswell Clarke locomotives. 

A handful may remain on the shelves of Ixion stockists - look at the list of our UK, European and Australian stockists at www.ixionmodels.com, and make some calls if you want one.

Good stocks remain of lined maroon and unlined black locomotives, and these are available from our retailers, and (for Australian and NZ customers) from Ixion online here.

David L.O. Smith's Amazing Reworked Hudswell Clarke

British 7mm scale modeller David L.O. Smith has been using his Forum postings on RMweb to record the progress of his conversion of an Ixion Hudswell Clarke into a very specific locomotive: the Great Central Railway's No 278, named "Humber".

The conversion is quite brilliant, replacing all those parts that he identified as different on 'Humber', and fabricating many new items to more accurately represent the prototype. Whilst still unmistakably an Ixion Hudswell Clarke, the super-detailing really sets David's model apart.

Some more photos of the completed loco are included below to whet your appetite. For the full blow-by-blow account of the conversion, David has now put the complete uninterrupted write-up on his website at: www.davidlosmith.co.uk/GCR_Humber.htm. It's an absorbing and fascinating read. Click the link above, and prepare to be entertained and inspired. 

As a teaser, for those who think it looks pretty straightforward, these are the original components David had left over after the build!

When complimented on his workmanship by [Ixion Directors] Chris Klein and myself, this was David's typically humble response:

Again, thank you for your compliments about my model but it really is straightforward when you have such a fine starting point.  Yesterday, I put the final coat of flat finish on my GWR Fowler; I shall write that up as well but, apart from a few minor mods and additions, it was really about painting the fly cranks, rods and buffer stocks in a matching shade of red, so there’ll not be that much to it.

All the very best for your continued enterprises.

David

We look forward to David's Fowler, and hope to post that story here too.

Lindsay O'Reilly.

Ixion visiting Aylesbury for Railex 2014

Ixion's UK Director Chris Klein will be joined at Railex 2014 at Aylesbury, Bucks. on Saturday May 24th this year by Australian Ixion Director Lindsay O'Reilly. 

Whilst we won't have a table or official presence, it'll be a chance for Lindsay in particular to meet some of our traders (especially Dragon Models and EDM Models) and customers in person, and take in some brilliant modelling at the same time. Lindsay has seen the stunning layout list, and wonders how he'll have time to do anything except stare, dribble, boggle and drool.

Look for the Ixion badges/shirt/cap - the first on Chris and latter two probably on Lindsay. The difference is explained by this being a normal Ixion promotional activity for Chris, but Lindsay will very much be in Big Ol' European Holiday mode.

So if one of us is in a tie, you can take a guess in advance which one that will be!

Details of the show are at http://www.railex.org.uk/ .

Ixion at the Aus7 ExpO 01/03/2014

Just a reminder to all Australian readers about the Aus7 Modellers ExpO coming up in Sydney on Saturday March 1st. The Aus7 Modellers Group Inc is the premier modellers' association for O gauge modellers, and  - despite the name - embraces not just 7mm scale modellers working in 1:43.5 scale, but also 1:48 scale standard gauge (Victorian and Queensland railways modellers for example) and narrow gauge modellers in both scales. check out the Aus7 website at http://www.aus7modellersgroup.org/

The Expo is going to be a great day, and has been organised to celebrate the 10th Anniversary
 of the founding of the Group. More information about the Expo, happening at the Casula 
Powerhouse Arts Centre from 9am-4pm, is on the Aus7 website.

Sponsored by O-Aust Kits, it will feature the cream of Australia's O gauge layouts and 
modellers, as well as specialist O gauge traders.

Ixion Models will be represented by Directors Phil Badger and Lindsay O'Reilly, and will 
have a display of our models, as well as Hudswell Clarkes, Fowlers and accessories for sale.
We will also have a brilliant DCC and sound-fitted Fowler from EDM Models in the UK. 
Come and say 'Hi', and hear this state-of-the-art model do its thing.