Class 31 Production Update - October 2023

[Warbonnet]

Launched at Model Rail Scotland in 2022, our Class 30 and 31 has been cooking way while our Class 37 and Manor arrive in stock. We're still playing catch-up with factory schedules due to COVID lockdowns in China in early 2023, but recently we travelled to China to see our Class 31 progress into assembly. 

As reported in June, we had to go through the first EP samples with a fine toothcomb. On the surface, they looked lovely, and many of you will have seen them in our cabinets at recent shows. However, a lot of work was required to get them spot on. We executed 99% of this successfully, but following our last update, there was one area that modellers pointed out still just was not quite right; the bodyside grilles.

Unfortunately the consistency of the bodyside grilles was incorrect, with an uneven fitting of slats. It has taken more work and altering than we would've liked to get this correct, but we have finally got it spot on following some tooling alterations.

As we saw in the factory, it is now where we want them to be. Another area of improvement of fit and finish required was around the bufferbeam area, which has also now been solved to our satisfaction.

While we were working on the fit and finish of these areas we were able to work to improve the locomotive on the electronics side. Oddly, our first sample with fully working cab dials came with them in red, offering a rather odd and bright appearance. These are now corrected to a colour consistent with out Class 37, 92 and Deltic.

Hellfire! (but for all the wrong reasons!)

We have also taken an opportunity to up the already extensive lighting functions present on our current locomotives even further, with an industry first! From the 50s to the late '80s/early '90s, the drivers head light was operated as a single light - either side. The 31s kept individual switches for tail lights, so there is a L/H tail light switch that is ON-OFF and a R/H tail light switch that is ON-OFF.

Our model will be able to faithfully capture this prototypical feature, on both DC/DCC! Not only that, but our working fan, although powered by a separate motor, can also work on DC as well as DCC! For DC users, it will be controllable with the switches under the magnetic roof panel. For DCC users, your decoder will have all this functionality. 

We have just returned from visiting the factory in China and we saw that production is well under way. Everything has been cast and moulded and painting is almost complete for batch 1, with assembly about to get underway. Batch 2 is also moulded and painting is underway.

They're wheely coming along! (sorry!)

Body shells awaiting painting as part of batch 2. 

Chassis blocks being prepped before paint.

In further good news, we brought the factory the specifications required for our drop-in EM and P4 wheelsets, so look out for updates on those ahead of delivery for you fine scale modellers. 

And finally, the biggest news of all; we managed to finally track down a high quality sound recording of the original Mirrlees power unit and we are in the final stages of perfecting the sound file for these original Brush Type 2s. Watch out for a video preview of these in the coming weeks! It will be offered as a separate plug and play decoder which modellers can install along with a large Accurathrash speaker for full effect!

So, the big questions are; when? Is the loco delayed further? 

Yes, there is a further slight delay. We're really disappointed about that, and we know you are too. The 31 has proven to be a massive challenge to get right. Could we have just accepted it as a 98% model with the grilles buffer beam and put it out there? Perhaps, but we just couldn't be cynical and do it. We see how many people love the standard of our locomotives, and we just cannot let the standards diminish. So, we take that extra time to make it better. It's our way. We hate delays, but it has got to be where we are happy with it before we can put it out there. Now it is in a place where we are happy with it. 

So, the updated schedule is as follows;

Batch 1:

• ACC2741-5544
• ACC2742-5544DCC
• ACC2745-31248
• ACC2746-31248DCC
• ACC2749-31409
• ACC2750-31409DCC
• ACC2753-31402
• ACC2754-31402DCC
• ACC2761-31432
• ACC2762-31432DCC
• ACC2781-31128
• ACC2782-31128DCC

These will arrive in stock at our warehouse in Q1 2024.

Batch 2:

• ACC2729-D5549
• ACC2735-D5615
• ACC2737-5803
• ACC2738-5803DCC
• ACC2739-5674
• ACC2740-5674DCC
• ACC2755-31110
• ACC2756-31110DCC
• ACC2769-31420
• ACC2770-31420DCC
• ACC2771-31514
• ACC2772-31514DCC
• ACC2773-31421
• ACC2774-31421DCC

These models are due late Q2 2024.

Our exclusives including 31407, 31466, our Network Rail pair and limited edition models for Hornby Magazine, Model Rail Magazine and Rails of Sheffield will be Q3 2024.

We apologise for this delay, but with production now well underway delivery will be smooth. For those of you who know what to expect following delivery of our Class 37, 92, Manor or Deltic, you know that getting it right now ahead of delivery will be well worth waiting for. 

Most of these locos are sold out direct, but we still have some of our exclusives available. Make sure you check them out via the link below!

Pre-order Your Class 31 Here!

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