Oxfordrail - new OO RTR entrant

[Bigmet]

Another one joins the party, kicking off with the pretty little Adams Radial Tank. Announcement states that this will be a range, so hopefully some good choices in rolling stock as well as locos.

[sir hayden]

I think I'm one of the few people who called it. I'm just glad I can expand into Southern Region territory for a new locomotive I can use on my layout .

[Bufferstop]

Where's their production? I've noticed that their diecasts seem to be in constant production rather than the stop go will they/won't they repeat it that we get from the big boys. I know there's a significant difference in the cost of inventory if try to predict and satisfy the demand. I wish them good luck and full order books.

[mattmay05]

So that's the first Adams Radial announcement now to wait for the other 3, one at Warley.

[flying scotsman123]

Looks like it could be promising, a great first announcement in my opinion, another rtr loco to compare with your excellent efforts mattmay! Can't wait to see hat they announce next, not that it matters, I won't be able to afford any of them if they are anything like most loco prices now

[Lysander]

Where's their production? I've noticed that their diecasts seem to be in constant production rather than the stop go will they/won't they repeat it that we get from the big boys. I know there's a significant difference in the cost of inventory if try to predict and satisfy the demand. I wish them good luck and full order books.

China - if that's the question you are asking.

Tony

[Bufferstop]

I thought it would be, but Oxford Diecasts don't seem to have the supply delays that afflict other companies I can think of.

[Bigmet]

Perhaps they have a good contract with a well-established partner that has managed to maintain stability? The disruptions to the factories of Kader, the closures of the former Sanda Kan operations and at least one other major manufacturer's factory, are the back story to the supply slowdown. Some Chinese manufacturers have been financially squeezed for years by their retail partners, and this is the end result.

Is there proven in-house experience in making HO mechanisms already available at Oxford's partnerI wonder? The spec outline is 'current speed' for decent RTR, and kicking off with a Jan 2015 availability (I'll naughtily guess they originally intended a Warley announcement, for immediate Christmas season availability).

[bike2steam]

Mmm, an Adams radial in rtr, it's gonna be interesting to see how they arrange the front end to go round train-set tight curves, given the limited clearances between cylinder, front bogie, and crosshead slide-bars.

[Bufferstop]

At a guess it will be specified as 18" radius and above. Not producing a "train set" of their own does leave them some latitude in setting their own minimum radius spec. It's a bit ironic that the model of a prototype which escaped scrapping because of it's ability to work on tight curves, might be restricted to larger radius curves.

[Richard Lee]

Don't Bachmann usually specify that their locomotives need radius 2 as a minimum? Radius 2 is 17.24", I believe. Have a feeling that there won't be too many decent new releases from anyone that are designed to cope with radius 1.

[Pennine MC]

So that's the first Adams Radial announcement now to wait for the other 3, one at Warley.

This is of course all rumour so far, initiated by one D Jones I believe in one of his characteristically unprofessional (IMHO) status updates on the 'big forum'. Even if there's any substance to it, I really do not expect to see four manufacturers lasting the course with this one.

[ParkeNd]

Since Oxford do vehicles whose quality adds greatly to photos of any layout it seems logical that they should want to add rolling stock to their range especially with the recent steep price increases. They make a particular point that many of the new range will not be locos. But moving on to locos, why not 4 or more manufacturers in this market, especially since one of them does not seem to understand that their quality straight out of the box is below par for modern products?

Hope they have a crack at N gauge later on.

[alex3410]

http://www.oxfordrail.com/

websites a bit naff but being a web developer i guess my views biased

[Pennine MC]

. But moving on to locos, why not 4 or more manufacturers in this market, especially since one of them does not seem to understand that their quality straight out of the box is below par for modern products?

.

I'm not saying it couldnt happen, ever, in theory and perhaps with a different loco type. But one has to question whether it makes commercial sense to split the market to that extent; a market that's arguably somewhat deflated and is increasingly conscious of matters such as price, accuracy, detail, quality and value for money. If things dont make enough commercial sense, then they must become to some extent financially risky, and I trust I dont have to spell out what that could lead to.

Even with the case of the Hattons and Hornby Kings, it's only duplication, and I feel the economics won't pan out to support two models in all the variations that are proposed. As evidence for this, I would cite the case of the LMS diesels, where Hattons eventually canned some of the variations they'd planned when the Bachamann one came along. In the specific instance of the Adams tank, it wouldnt be duplication but quadruplication, and whilst it's an admittedly pretty loco, it's a relatively obscure one that would probably be unheard of by most if it hadnt have been for the handful of celebrated survivors.