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Auscision News AUSCISION MODELS FEBRUARY 2009 NEWSLETTER Hi Everyone, Its time again for another Auscision Models update, and our apologies for the length of time since our last newsletter how time flies! Exchange rate and production times
Firstly, some comments on the exchange rate and production times. All of our financial transactions with our factory in China occur in US dollars. The exchange rate has gone from AUD$1.00 = USD$0.95 six months ago to AUD$1.00 = USD$0.62 as we write. Unfortunately this will translate into price rises, and sometime this year we would expect the price of locomotives to break the $300.00 barrier. Another aspect of the global financial crisis is that the factories in China have had to downsize slightly based on the decreased demand for model trains from the US and Europe this has slowed the delivery of some of our production runs by 3 to 4 months. Steel GJF/VHGF (201-350 series)
Tooling has commenced on our Victorian GJF/VHGF steel bodied grain hopper, with running numbers 201-350. Samples are expected in early March with production scheduled for late Quarter 3 2009. This version will have all new tooling - the only part shared with our production of aluminium GJX/GJF/VHGFs will be the bogies. It is planned to produce these hoppers in yellow with black VR logos, yellow with V/LINE GRAIN logos, V/LINE FREIGHT orange and grey with one CUB blue side, FREIGHT AUSTRALIA green & yellow (including some with ABB logos) and Pacific National blue & yellow. We have enclosed an order form with this newsletter. Be quick to order as the aluminium hoppers sold out in 3 or so months. 2009 Exhibitions we will be attending Auscision Models plans on attended the following exhibitions in 2009: VIC Sandown: 7, 8 & 9 March VIC Healesville: 7, 8 & 9 March VIC Collingwood: 11, 12 & 13 April QLD Brisbane: 2, 3 & 4 May NSW Epping: 6, 7 & 8 June VIC Caulfield: August NSW Liverpool (new venue, replacing Hurstville): 3, 4 & 5 October Victorian A & B Class Locomotives
Painted samples have been received for the A Class (photos on our website), and painted samples of the B Class are due mid-April. Our factory has indicated that the A Class production run should be dispatched from China at the end of May, and the B Class production run should be dispatched at the end of June. We apologise for the extended time it has taken to deliver these two projects we have had to completely redo the B Class artwork from scratch, in addition to the reduction in production capacity in China slowing things down. A66 in the Olympics for Melbourne livery has sold out. For anyone who gets an order in with a paid deposit before the models arrive, the price will be as it currently stands. On the day that the models arrive, the price for any new orders will increase to at least $295.00 they may be $305.00 to $315.00 depending on the exchange rate when we make our final installment to China. We have included A & B Class order forms with this newsletter. Payment Form We have included a Payment Form with this newsletter, and ask that customers when making progress payments on orders please use this form or a copy of it whenever possible. This will allow us to streamline the administrative processes at our end, which will result in correspondence being dealt with faster than otherwise can occur. Undecorated Models After the CQBY & NDFF models, we will no longer produce undecorated model versions due to decal supply issues. Storage Boxes
We now have card & foam storage boxes available for safely storing and transporting all of your HO Scale models. An order form has been included with this newsletter, and contains a special introductory offer for those on our mailing list. These boxes are normally priced at $39.95 each (plus postage & handling), and stocks are limited to 1000 units. These storage boxes will hold 12 x locomotives, or 18 bogie wagons, or 30 x 4-wheel wagons. AN Class Locomotive
We have received the design drawings for this locomotive, and images are shown on our website we are very happy with how these drawings look. Subject to approvals, we plan on producing this model in AN green & yellow, National Rail charcoal & marigold (orange), Ghan silver & red and Pacific National yellow & blue. Tooling will start later in 2009, and order forms will be made available at that point. Victorian BP/PH Van
This model and its variants have had the design drawings completed changes are currently being made and production should occur with the Victorian N & H passenger cars in late 2010 / early 2011. NSW NLKY Louvre Van
The design drawings for the NLKY louvre van arrived in December. Changes have been made, and tooling should commence in April. Order forms will be available later in 2009. Spare Parts Another shipment of spare parts will be coming from China in 2 to 3 months. They will include the CQBY bogies, and a re-run of New South Wales 2CM & Victorian XSC bogies. 20 Foot Seacell Container
Six new liveries for the Seacell container will be available in June an order form is enclosed with this mail-out. A re-run of the original 5 versions will also occur. NSW NHFF re-run
The NHFF re-run, which includes the NHJF and NHKF variants and all of the versions and liveries from the first production run will be available in June/July. NSW NDFF Ballast Hopper
Tooling samples of the long awaited NDFF ballast hopper will be available in April. Production should occur later in the year. Due to the curved construction of the body, this model will now not be produced with a simulated ballast load. CQBY Container Wagons Painted samples of the CQBY/RQHY/PRRY container wagons are due in April/May. An order form is enclosed with this newsletter. Photos of the unpainted samples are on our website. These models will be quite fragile due to the fine plastic side sills we decided to lean on the side of fragility rather than having something that looked totally un-prototypical. Our models are designed to be as close a replica to the prototype as possible within the constraints of scale, and this sometimes means that they need to be handled carefully. Victorian N Class Locomotive The unpainted first sample has been checked for accuracy. We are getting our factory to rework the staff exchanger and staff exchanger recess before painted samples are available mid-year. Production of this model is scheduled in China for later this year. NSW 46 Class Locomotive
Design drawings have been received for the 13 versions of the 46 class electric locomotive. We have picked up on 6 minor changes that need to be made to the drawings before tooling commences. This locomotive will be available in the original Midland Red & Crimson, Tuscan & yellow, Reverse, Candy, Red Terror & FreightRail blue liveries, together with 4604 in its unique Tuscan paint scheme. This model will come with working pantographs. NSW 422 Class Locomotives Corrections to the design drawings are occurring, and this model is now scheduled for a 2010 delivery. 40 Foot Container
Tooling of a 40ft transport container has commenced, and samples should arrive in April. These containers will be available in around 13 liveries (past and present) that were/are commonly seen on trains in Australia. NGPF & Aluminium GJX/GJF/VHGF Grain Hoppers All NGPF and aluminium GJX/GJF/VHGF grain hoppers have sold out. EL Class Locomotive Only a few EL51s in the CFCLA livery remain unsold. The EL Class first production run is now around 70% sold. T Class Locomotive Very limited numbers of T Class locomotives in the SSR and CFCLA liveries remain for sale. Thank you for all of your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the various exhibitions throughout the year. Kindest Regards, Peter Wilks, Jason Ferguson & Jamie Dorrian |
