RealTrack Models - Class 143/144 & Freightliner FLA

[159220]

So who here is a fan?

For anyone who doesnt know, they produce magnificant Freightliner FLA lowloader wagons and accompanying HighCube containers for your Intermodal rakes.

They also have a brilliant Class 143/144 due out in early 2012.

There doesnt seem to be a thread mentioning them on here, so i thought i would start one.

http://www.realtrackmodels.co.uk/

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I certainly think there DMUs will be a hit, although having recently swapped to n gauge, they are no longer of use to me sadly, anuy chance of an n guage version I wonder?

 

[sprinterguy]

It's good to see Realtrack getting some publicity on the forum, their upcoming 143 and 144 Pacer models look excellent and will really knock the Hornby offering (Once considered well detailed itself) into a cocked hat. Unfortunately, this will also be true of the retail price of the models. Ouch.

 

[159220]

I am pleased someothers are fans of RealTrack Models

Dont the pacers just look brilliant!

I think the price is fair. When comparing to a similar 2-Car new tooling unit, say Bachmann/Kernow Thumpers. They have a RRP at £119. Its only Charlie and Arran verses a large team at Bachmann. The 144 first batch is £100. (Shame on Bachmann, congrats to RealTrack!)

 

[fgwrich]

I am pleased someothers are fans of RealTrack Models

Dont the pacers just look brilliant!

I think the price is fair. When comparing to a similar 2-Car new tooling unit, say Bachmann/Kernow Thumpers. They have a RRP at £119. Its only Charlie and Arran verses a large team at Bachmann. The 144 first batch is £100. (Shame on Bachmann, congrats to RealTrack!)

Think Bachmanns prices are pretty steep, Dont forget Hornbys! Original RRP For the FGW Class 142 Was hovering around the £90 Mark last year...



So £100 For a nicely detailed, proper interior, interior lighting, very nicely produced class 143/144 Certainly is worth it! Especially when compared to Hornbys elderly, 24 year old pacer! :roll:

 

[GNER 373]

Wow, never seen or heard of these guys before, nice to know someone out there is challanging and pushing boundries! Thanks, will keep a close eye on them.

 

[159220]

£100 For a nicely detailed, proper interior, interior lighting, very nicely produced class 143/144 Certainly is worth it!

I read RealTrack Models are even changing the type of seating between the models and eras!

Wow, never seen or heard of these guys before, nice to know someone out there is challanging and pushing boundries! Thanks, will keep a close eye on them.

Excellent to hear, its why i thought i would start this thread. They have never been mentioned on here. I think it is the company's aim, to model quirky and unique models the big manafacturers wont.

Theres also going to be a Cement wagon...PCA? Not my modelling, but ive read that after Christmas they announce DMU number 2.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Wow, never seen or heard of these guys before, nice to know someone out there is challanging and pushing boundries! Thanks, will keep a close eye on them.

I believe it is a joint venture by the chap behind C=Rail (don't know his name), who make, amongst other things, containers (and tanktainers) for intermodal wagons, and Charlie Petty (of DC Kits fame) who has been producing plastic DMU/EMU kits for a while (and had a resin kit of the 150/2 and 144 available for a while).

 

[GNER 373]

I believe it is a joint venture by the chap behind C=Rail (don't know his name), who make, amongst other things, containers (and tanktainers) for intermodal wagons, and Charlie Petty (of DC Kits fame) who has been producing plastic DMU/EMU kits for a while (and had a resin kit of the 150/2 and 144 available for a while).

DC Kits are/were impressive, so if they have people who worked on their kits working for these they're onto the right tracks (excuse the pun)

My place of work is actually looking into moving into the Model/Hobby market (Currently a Craft Store) as well as Arts and Art Materials.

I'll drop them an email and see if they need some stockists!

 

[159220]

It literally is just Arran (=C=Rail=) and Charlie running this i believe. There FLA wagons are outstanding. They are massively more impressive than Hornby recently attempt at a KFA, to think Hornby employ hundreds as opposed to RealTrack it really does impress that much more. I have recently got myself FLA003/004 (with Evergreen containers) which have just been released, i already have FLA001/002 (with Maersk containers) which sold out quickly. They only produce batches of 500-600 i believe so you got to get 'em quick.

As for the 143/144, i dont think you can pre-order them yet, but you can email RealTrack and sign yourself up for some. Ive put myself down for a FGW and a Wessex Trains 143 I cant wait!

 

[Phil6219]

Although I am not a fan of 143/144s I think these models are fantastic. Hopefully they will be so successful that they move on to 142s to finally put the haggard Hornby model to bed.

£100 is very reasonable given today's prices for model trains, plus the fact that Hornby were charging close to £100 for their 142s which are ancient (and the fact despite visible changes to the real things over the years Hb have not changed the models). It's also great value when you consider the prices of a new class 153 (£75), coaches (£35) or a DVT (£40).

Top Stuff. I may buy a 144 if they do it in old school WYPTE Red & Cream.

 

[JamesHorrell]

For £100 i may have to get 1 as for the levels of detail on the model the price is great.

 

[sprinterguy]

I must be getting old ; to me £35 and £40 are the prices I'm used to having to pay for locomotives (Back in the Lima days), and it's quite something to get my head around that this is now the asking price for carriages, while recently introduced wagons are now retailing for over the price I used to see carriages priced at!

I tend to wait until Modelzone offers items at a reduced price, or buy through Ebay, and then the prices begin to concur once more with my established price ranges (£49.99 for Hornby 153s and thirty quid for Hornby Pullmans)

 

[Phil6219]

I don't think your getting old bud, I remember them being cheaper.

I did get an IC 87 from Modelzone fore about £35 about a year ago but second hand models can be real gems. I was at the ELR diesel gala last month and there were a couple of stalls selling models. I got 3 fantastic lima models for £115 all in mint condition and two were very rare complete with certificates. I'm glad my money went to a good cause too.

I agree there can be some really good models on ebay but it's so hard to outbid people.

The prices of model trains has skyrocketed though making it a rather expensive hobby now.

 

[GearJammer]

Hmmmm, not really in the slightest bit interested in Pacers but those Freightliner wagons sure look good, i see theres a stockist in Bournemouth, think i might go down there next weekend and see if they got any to add to my Freightliner Intermodel train im building up!

 

[sprinterguy]

Agreed, it's more the case that the price of model trains has increased exponentially, though in line with a similar increase in the level of detail and accuracy in most cases, in the last few years, rather than it being a long time since Lima locos were regularly going for £35/£40 (Certainly within the last decade). Can't complain about it when the level of detail has increased so much, we pay for the quality, but it's simply difficult to get used to!

 

[Phil6219]

True the level of detail has increased over the years and it is fair that the price has increased with this. The problem though is that a number of old models are being released in new liveries for the same price as something that is designed from scratch.

Eg, the Hornby Pacer (I know I keep harping on about it but it proves my point). The price has come down a bit now but they still want £83.25 (online) for a FGW/NWT Hybrid liveried 142. This would be acceptable if they built it from scratch with new molds but they haven't. The doors are still the collapsible type not used since the early '90s, the cab has no detailing, the passenger cabin consists of a large chunk of plastic with some shapes supposedly resembling seats. Considering that Hornby have been producing these models for many years (granted with a brief quiet bit in the middle) they must have made quite a tidy profit on these. When you then think that the chaps at RealTrack have designed and built these 144 models and are only charging a fraction more something just doesn't add up.

But if you think the prices on most normal models are expensive don't even look at the DCC fitted models, a Class 50 in Dutch is £231.75. Ouch.

 

[Yew]

What next? a Tilting APT?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

True the level of detail has increased over the years and it is fair that the price has increased with this. The problem though is that a number of old models are being released in new liveries for the same price as something that is designed from scratch....

....But if you think the prices on most normal models are expensive don't even look at the DCC fitted models, a Class 50 in Dutch is £231.75. Ouch.

To be fair, the 50 in question is fitted with DCC sound, which on it's own is in the £100 region, so £131.75 for a model that detailed (and without competition) is still fairly good. Bear in mind that most European models were well over £100 when we had British locos for £40!

I don't necessarily think some of the detail added to new models is worth having and I don't think I should have to pay for the detail I don't want, but we live in a supply and demand world where money talks.

I agree with the point being made though, older models are expensive for what they are.

 

[159220]

Although I am not a fan of 143/144s I think these models are fantastic. Hopefully they will be so successful that they move on to 142s to finally put the haggard Hornby model to bed.

£100 is very reasonable given today's prices for model trains, plus the fact that Hornby were charging close to £100 for their 142s which are ancient (and the fact despite visible changes to the real things over the years Hb have not changed the models). It's also great value when you consider the prices of a new class 153 (£75), coaches (£35) or a DVT (£40).

Top Stuff. I may buy a 144 if they do it in old school WYPTE Red & Cream.

Hmmmm, not really in the slightest bit interested in Pacers but those Freightliner wagons sure look good, i see theres a stockist in Bournemouth, think i might go down there next weekend and see if they got any to add to my Freightliner Intermodel train im building up!

144s: They have plans, aired on another forum, to do a WYPTE Red & Cream They were inviting suggestions to which ones..perhaps email them on the company website. I know a few people out there have requested Wessex "Visit Bristol" Class 143 and thus we shall be getting them Great company! You ask, you get! (In theory)

I totally agree with not liking Pacer trains, very unpleasent bobing up and down on a Devon branchline when on an Aletrail! But the model is simply stunning, since that photo was released. They had adjusted it even more, apprently there was 200 rivots missing! This attention to detail for £100 rrp is simply impressive!

FLAs: They do make your Intermodel rake look fantastic! Plus Arran at =C=Rail= actually does containers you see on Southampton rakes (Currently MOL and Hapag-Lloyd - Later this year OOCL and Hyundai). Also there is a stockist in Fleet, Hampshire for FLAs. But i cannot recall the shops name of the top of my head. I would give Bournemouth a call before you go, as last time i checked they didnt yet have FLA003/004 in-stock

RealTrack must be doing something right, even Freightliner themselves stock them in their shop!