Ixion's Latest News Pages
This is where we'll announce the most recent additions to our web site. Scroll down for older news postings.
Monday September 29th 2008
Pictures of the first finished production Manors have been uploaded.
The photos can be found in this gallery.
IXION MODEL RAILWAYS ANNOUNCES THE “COFFEE POT” STEAM RAILMOTOR IN On30
14 July 2008
Ixion Model Railways, the Anglo-Australian model railway company, announces the production of the South Australian Railways NJAB Class “Coffee Pot” Steam Motor Coach (railmotor) in On30. Preliminary design work has been completed and progress to full production will be subject to a satisfactory level of demand from the public. The “Coffee Pot” project will run concurrently with Ixion’s N Gauge locomotive program, and is the perfect prototype for the space-conscious O scale narrow-gauge modeller. On30 uses 1:48 (1/4”) scale models running on 16.5mm (HO) gauge track.
Photo by kind permission of Chris Drymalik. See Chris' site http://comrails.railpage.org.au/cr_locos/p_njab.html for more images.
The “Coffee Pot” was built in England by the Kitson & Company in Leeds, and the Metropolitan Amalgamated Railway Carriage and Wagon Co in Birmingham, in 1905. It was built to 3’6” gauge and entered service with the South Australian Railways in 1906. It was transferred to Commonwealth Railways ownership in 1921, and was withdrawn in 1932. After being displayed at Alice Springs, the “Coffee Pot” was restored, and survives in active preservation on the Pichi Richi Railway in South Australia. It is currently undergoing boiler restoration before being returned to service.
The ready-to-run model is expected to feature:
· DCC ready (up to 21pin)
· 5 pole motor and flywheel driving 2 axles
· Operational headlight (yellow glow) wired to DCC board for DCC on/off operation
· Internal coach lighting (yellow glow) wired to the DCC board for independent on/off operation under DCC control
· Opening smokebox door with steam pipe detail
· DCC sound compatible with provision for a speaker
· Accurately modelled scale connecting rods and valve gear and RP25 spoked wheels
· Flickering firebox glow.
This model is anticipated to initially be available in at least two liveries: the deep red loco/varnished timber coach livery as preserved; and Commonwealth Railways green, as per the prototype photo in the Photo Gallery. A small number will be lettered as per the prototype, all others being suitable for freelanced railroads.
Price is yet to be determined, but will be in line with On30 models currently on the market.
However, we are seeking to gauge the level of demand for this model before determining where to fit it into our schedule of model releases.
As shown here, our computer modelling is at an advanced stage, and tooling can commence quite soon, if we believe customer demand to be high. If you would like to see this model produced, could you please register your interest using the Ixion feedback form - click here. Please note - these messages will not be answered or acknowledged. If you wish to receive an answer to a query, please use our email address info@ixionmodels.com.
We will be using this website to provide regular updates on the “Coffee Pot’s” progress. The Ixion directors thank for your interest in visiting this page. For the photo gallery of images of the prototype, click here.
Thanks for your interest in the 'Coffee Pot'.
Best wishes,
The Ixion Directors.
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29TH MARCH 2008 IXION MODEL RAILWAYS ANNOUNCES GWR MANOR
The first N gauge model locomotive from Ixion Model Railways, the independent Anglo-Australian company, will be the popular Great Western Railway 7800 'Manor' class 4-6-0 steam locomotive. Design work has virtually been completed, and the next phase of production has commenced. The Manor is planned to be available in September 2008 at the N Gauge exhibition near Warwick in the UK. The Manor Class was introduced to service on the Great Western Railway in 1938. A total of 30 locomotives were built, ten of them under British Railways’ auspices in 1950. They had wide route availability and were well spread across the GWR system, though they came to be particularly associated with the Cambrian main line in Wales and piloting work in the West Country. The last Manors remained in service until December 1965 and no less than nine members of the class survive in preservation. The Manors were modified by BR in the 1950s, and it is this modified version which is the subject of Ixion's first model locomotive. Interestingly, the surviving Manors have now been longer in service in preservation, than they were in revenue-earning service on the GWR and BR combined! Ixion will be producing four versions of the Manor, 300 each of: · 7800 Torquay Manor. British Railways passenger lined green livery with later British Railways emblem. (Product code INS-7800) · 7808 Cookham Manor. GWR unlined green with the GWR shirt-button emblem on tender. (Product code INS-7808) · 7816 Frilsham Manor. GWR unlined green with the lettering “GWR” on tender. (Product code INS-7816) · 7823 Hook Norton Manor. British Railways unlined black livery with early British Railways emblem. (Product code INS-7823)
The CAD image above shows the progress made on the loco's design work. This drawing is not the final version, however, and some changes may be necessary before we start to cut the tools. Click here for a gallery of 10 larger images of the computer model of the Ixion Manor.
The price of Ixion's Manor locomotive will be £104.99 GBP, or approximately $240.00 AUD. PLACE your PRE-ORDER NOW!! - See red box below - to be guaranteed your choice of number and livery. The Manor will feature: · GWR 3,500 gallon tender with water scoop · RP25 darkened, see-through wheels · High torque, 5 pole skew-wound motor in the tender with Cardan drive shaft to the locomotive’s driving wheels · 12 wheel pick-up · Factory-fitted etched brass name and numberplates · DCC-ready with NEM 651 socket · NEM coupling sockets · Alternate NEM couplings · An accessory pack including: fire irons, crew figures, lamps and dummy screw couplings. Notes about the locos selected for production · 7808 Cookham Manor is preserved at Didcot and is painted in the GWR Shirt-button livery. · 7816 Frilsham Manor ran with a GWR lettered tender in 1965 Dapol Model Railways Ltd has been appointed as the sole retailer of Ixion’s products in the UK, Europe and North America. All sales elsewhere will be handled directly by Ixion via the internet and exhibitions. Dapol are now accepting pre-orders for the Ixion Model Railways Manor locomotive. Please see their website at www.dapol.co.uk for further information as they announce it. For orders from the rest of the world, please email info@ixionmodels.com for details of sales arrangements.
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- November 2007 - Who are Ixion Models?
- Information about the Ixion directors can be found here.
