Well it’s been a while since my last little rant on here… Yet again. I have been spending more time trying to do live videos on our Faceplant page (https://www.facebook.com/wuiskemodels/).
If we can get this to work then the idea is to have a truly interactive forum where you can all comment on my modelling stuff ups. See how I do things and (with any luck) tell me where I can improve. This is after all how we all learned.
In this chapter, I will be showing you the artwork files for ALL 18 running numbers of the 1720s. As you can see, we are releasing them with 3 versions “as built”. These have a slightly differnt blue livery and do not include the familiar “worm” logo. These units were from the mid 1960s up to the mid to late 1970s.
We are releasing 6 running numbers in the original livery with the worm logo. These cover the mid to late 1970s right up until the 1992-1995 period.
All running numbers have been chosen as the units that survived in their chosen liveries the longest to allow you to cross them over each other.
Some units we’ve produced were to later be scrapped (such as 1726) which was written off after a level crossing accident whilst in the corporate livery.
We’ve also done a few special units, such as 1770 “James Cook” in both original and corporate liveries.
Obviously the models will be available in both standard (16.5mm) gauge as well as the accurate HOn3½ (12mm) gauge.
As with our 1550 and 2400 class locomotives, they will be fitted with directional lighting and independently controlled number boards (for DCC).
Similarly, they are equipped with a standard 8 pin DDCC plug.
The locomotives are fitted with Genuine Kadee Couplers with scale heads. Unlike our 1550s and 2400s, you asked for us to fit them with #158 couplers instead of #58s so we have.
There are four units being produced in the Driver Only (or DOO) blue livery.
As you can see there is one unit (1741D) in the blue livery with a yellow air conditioner. This unit survived like this for a number of years and was one of the very last blue liveried locos left in Queensland.
There are also 4 units in the corporate (Broncos) livery. Again, we have selected these based on the longest running units in these liveries.
As with 1741D, there is one corporate unit with a blue air conditioner (1743D). Again, this unit ran around for many years like this.
As with all Wuiske/Haskell products these locomotives will have the couplers mounted at the correct coupler height. But can be changed to suit standard gauge coupler height also.
Sound units are being prepared from ESU Loksound as we did with the 1550 and 2400 classes. These will, again, be available to any retailer so you don’t need to know someone to get them fitted.
Last but certainly not least, we have the Bicentennial unit 1723. This unit, like our model of 2401D, will be made in limited numbers. But, we are producing more than we did of 2401D to try and avoid people missing out.
So with all going to plan and once we get Chinese New Year out of the way, the production should draw to a close. After that, the models will be shipped. So, we’re still looking at another month or two but they are VERY close now.
As always though, we shall see how we go.