Siphon G in OO Gauge By Accurascale

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Available to pre order today!

Priced at £54.95! Expected Q1 2023.

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As is the Accurascale way, a wide ranging, comprehensive tooling suite has been produced to cover 15 different versions of these ubiquitous vans, once again leading the way in detail and prototypical variation in the model railway market. With 15 different versions available, the first run of our Siphon G models covers examples from the entire operational period of the prototypes; from July 1930 through to the early 1980s and feature a selection of liveries carried by these versatile and distinctive vans.
Liveries modelled in the first production run include:

• GWR Brown with ‘shirt button’ monogram
• US Army Deep Bronze Green with Red Cross
• Transitional British Railways mix of GWR livery with BR lettering
• BR Carmine Red
• BR Maroon
• BR Rail Blue

Even within these livery styles, there were several variations, and Accurascale have sought to replicate these differences where they can. This will provide a comprehensive study of how the Siphon Gs appeared during their service life.

Extensive use has been made of metal parts to add to the detail levels throughout, the footsteps even carrying diamond tread pattern and running quality hasn’t been forgotten either, with the 26mm axles running in brass bearings to enable a smooth ride. Extensive areas of piping and rodding have been added to the underframe to improve the appearance of the models and the various cabinets even feature separately fitted wire handles.

The O.33 can be recognised by bodyside top vents, plain roofs and plain ends, with the wartime Casualty Evacuation Train/US Ambulance Train Ward Car conversions adding roof mounted water tanks, end steps and handrails, plated over vents and the addition of small windows. Upon conversion back into service stock as O.59 and M.34 diagrams, the O.59 is broadly identical to the O.33 pattern, but with roof mounted ventilators, whereas the M.34 retained an appearance broadly similar to the wartime Ward Cars, but with the roof mounted water tanks being removed.

The BR built O.62 diagram retained the look of the O.33 diagram but added eight sliding vents to the lower bodysides and the later conversion of these vehicles as NNVs saw various vents being plated over on an ad-hoc basis, and the addition of Electric Train Heating apparatus and external emergency lighting points. Across all diagrams, the positions of underframe cabinets varied in size and position, as well as two types of vacuum brake cylinder positioning and two styles of handbrake lever being fitted, depending on that layout – there was even the fitting of Westinghouse brakes to the US Ward Cars! At the van ends, gangways varied slightly in style, with some vehicles being fitted with passenger communication leads, often in varying positions.

With so many diagrams, and variations between prototypes, careful reference to photographs was required to bring out the details, as well as visiting existing examples where possible, or relying on heritage railway volunteers to aid Accurascale in their research, and Accurascale is very thankful to several people for their input, especially John Lewis and Mike Romans.

Accurascale also extends to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway at Toddington, as well as the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton; both of whom hosted survey visits and also to Hugh McQuade at the Severn Valley Railway, who provided some valuable measurements.

As ever, the arrival of the engineering samples highlights areas for improvement, and the Siphon Gs are no different, as there are some minor fit issues that need to be resolved, as well as erroneously fitted (or not fitted) parts for some of the builds (hardly surprising with 15 different versions of the Siphon G). Accurascale are also looking at options for the provision of close coupling, as the positioning of the bogies did not allow for the fitting of kinetic couplings, or to bring the NEM pocket deeper and the traditional tension locks are a little ‘leggy’ (although they will still be provided as standard fitting), Further updates on this in the New Year, along with the provision of decoration samples will bring news of improvements in this area.

Common Features:

- Highly-detailed OO Gauge / 1:76.2 Scale Models on 16.5mm track
- Extremely fine exterior detail on roof and coach ends
- Separately-applied etched metal and high-fidelity plastic parts, including handrails, brake/steam heat pipes, cabling, footsteps (with tread)
- Fully-detailed underframe with numerous finely details separate parts, pipe runs and accurate differences between versions
- Replica scale, finely detailed bogies
- Blackened RP25.110 profile wheel-sets with 14.4mm back-to-back measurements, and 26mm over pinpoints running in brass bearings
- Correct height NEM standard coupling sockets with mini tension lock couplers
- Minimum Radius 438mm (2nd Radius Set-track)
- Coach Length: 216mm

Versions expected:

- ACC2410-W2977W - Siphon G - Dia. O.33 - BR Carmine Red: W2977W
- ACC2411-W2938W - Siphon G - Dia. O.33 - BR Carmine Red: W2938W
- ACC2412-2789 - Siphon G - Dia. O.33 - GWR Brown: 2789
- ACC2413-2924 - Siphon G - Dia. O.33 - GWR Brown: 2924
- ACC2414-W2942W - Siphon G - Dia. O.33 - BR Maroon: W2942W
- ACC2415-W2938 - Siphon G - Dia. O.33 (NMV) - BR Rail Blue: W2980
- ACC2416-W2780 - Siphon G - Dia. O.59 - Transitional BR (in GWR Brown): W2780
- ACC2417-W2960 - Siphon G - Dia. O.59 - BR Maroon: W2960
- ACC2418-W1023 - Siphon G - Dia. O.62 - BR Rail Blue: W1023
- ACC2419-W1013 - Siphon G - Dia. O.62 (NNV) - BR Rail Blue : W1013
- ACC2421-W1048 - Siphon G - Dia. O.62r (NNV) - BR Rail Blue: W1048
- ACC2422-W1047 - Siphon G - Dia. O.62r (NNV) - BR Rail Blue: W1047
- ACC2423-A5 3207 - Siphon G - Ex-Dia. O.33 Overseas Ambulance Train No.32 Ward Car - Olive Green (c/w Red Cross): A5 3207
- ACC2424-W2774W - Siphon G - Dia. M34 - BR Rail Blue: W2774W
- ACC2425-W2768W - Siphon G - Dia. M34 - BR Rail Blue: W2768W