2021-11-12 Wrong bogies on Powerline Coaches.
After waiting for the Victorian AZ (particularly the ACZ) coaches for near 20 years I have been much disappointed by Powerline again.
Not only were they 75% more expensive than the Auscision daylight cars, they suffered stupid inaccuracies.
The seats look like the cut down O gauge versions and the back rests are taller than the windows (well almost)
The ACZ does not have the periscopes fitted on the early versions
And the BG SOP (sanserif) version has the modern commonwealth bogies fitted, whilst the SG version with modern lettering is fitted with Argentine bogies.
Anyway against my better judgement I outlaid $175 a carriage and added some to my fleet.
I swapped bogies from one coach to another but ended up needing 4 sets of Commonwealth bogies. I contacted the shop and was old Brian had refused to sell spare parts for the AZ's I asked why not? and was told I was being directed to buy new coaches not upgrade the original coaches from 20 years ago. Did not matter that I was trying to upgrade the NEW coaches!
Anway I bought Auscision commonwealth bogies, but I could not fit them account of the different bolsters.
Then I noticed that Ctrl P had these bogies. I wrote to them and found that they were already out there and both versions of commonwealth bogies were up on the web site that very day. A version to fit the older carriages, and another to fit the new version. So Powerline misses out, and my new best supplier wins big time..
Really nice 3D prints
Powerline BG SOP cars with Commonwealth bogies and lettering on bottom coach suggests SG SOP with Argentine Bogies. Although the BG might have received upgraded modern bogies, the SG SOP never ran on Argentine bogies,
Oh and I put the Auscision commonwealth bogies to good use as well. Trainbuilder brass bogies are a pain in the arse. Now they roll sweetly on their new bogies.
Here are the Auscision bogies fitted to the Trainbuilder coaches
Here are the Ctrl P bogies fitted to the Powerline coaches.
Cheers
Rod