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Heljan 'O' Gauge 61xx Large Prairie


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If the Prarie does well then it could lead on to other steam models, it might not be what you want now but hopefully something will follow.

I think it shows the GW is still a very popular modelling subject.

Two manufacturers now producing RTR steam using 4mm injected moulded plastic techniques who would have thought!!

Could be 3 if the J94 makes an appearance from D Jones

You are right Steve.

 

It will be a welcome model for many.

 

Shame that I cant make use of one (I dont think?), so lets hope that similar follows.

 

In fact, thinking on it, regardless of the issues with earlier Heljan 7mm locos, Heljan were brave to plump for 7mm diesels as there are so many who still model steam, so I am surprised that they didnt start with 7mm RTR steam - true to say though there is fiddly valve gear to consider, yet their success with the '00' Garratt should negate any worries there though.

 

ATVB

 

CME

Edited by CME and Bottlewasher
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I'm surprised Dapol did not announce a GWR 14xx 0-4-2T as they did one in N Gauge. There is a Masterpiece one- at £1200! So in a different segment. Someone will do this. The sold out 1st batch of Terriers shows the demand for well priced RTR is there, despite delays.

 

Dava

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If the Prarie does well then it could lead on to other steam models, it might not be what you want now but hopefully something will follow.

I think it shows the GW is still a very popular modelling subject.

Two manufacturers now producing RTR steam using 4mm injected moulded plastic techniques who would have thought!!

Could be 3 if the J94 makes an appearance from D Jones

Four actually Steve. You forget the pioneer Ixion, which was first in the field of RTR injection-moulded mass-produced locos, and the more recent Minerva.  

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Guest Isambarduk

"Was there any info at Telford about the OO Gauge GWR 47xx?"

Guildex at Telford is 99% aimed solely at 0 gauge / 7mm scale so it is unlikely that Heljan would promoted it there (and probably just as unlikely that more than a few would take notice if they did), so please do not be dismayed by a lack of response to your question :-)   David

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You are right Steve.

 

It will be a welcome model for many.

 

Shame that I cant make use of one (I dont think?), so lets hope that similar follows.

 

In fact, thinking on it, regardless of the issues with earlier Heljan 7mm locos, Heljan were brave to plump for 7mm diesels as there are so many who still model steam, so I am surprised that they didnt start with 7mm RTR steam - true to say though there is fiddly valve gear to consider, yet their success with the '00' Garratt should negate any worries there though.

 

ATVB

 

CME

Heljan was spot-on with its timing for 1950s/60s BR mainline diesels. They hit the cohort baby-boomers and post-baby boomers who witnessed the influx in the 1960s and remember the blue days and who have monet to spend. My spotting days were from 1969 to 1975, mostly at the west end of the legendary Platform 12 at Bristol Temple Meads with its fantastic of the erstwhile and late-lamented Bath Road MPD. I copped all of the Hymeks, Westerns, Warships and surviving Class 22s.  My Heljan Hymek and Western and in due course Warships are pure nostalgia indulgences and one day I will buy a JLTRT 22.

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Four actually Steve. You forget the pioneer Ixion, which was first in the field of RTR injection-moulded mass-produced locos, and the more recent Minerva.

 

Of course Chris I feel slightly Red faced for not mentioning your good self/ Ixion & the upcoming Minerva Peckett . As much as I like kits and always will I'm happy to see that there are manufactures who are willing to use plastic for construction, it seems for a long time if it was O gauge it has to be Brass or some metal. Once it had a coat of paint who cares! I've heard people moan about resin boilers on the JLTRT steam kits yet are still happy to put an electric motor in an all metal model.

I'm quite excited about the prospect of the large prairie and what will follow from any of the mentioned manufacturers or from those that have not yet taken the plunge.

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I welcome the news that Heljan are to introduce a steam loco but oh no not another GWR Prairie! There are many locos that could have been chosen but honestly GWR fans are so well catered for both with kits and ready to run locos. It makes one think that the GWR was the only company worth looking at.

 

I know that I will get a lot of flack from this post but....

 

Rod

 

Simples-it will sell.

 

Ed

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£650 for a large prairie? Me, me, me, yes, yes, YES, meeeee! I shall be talking to Tower quite soon.

It compares reasonably with kit prices - Warren Shepherd kit, £300, ABC motor/ gearbox, £80?, Slaters wheels, £90, - £470 plus paint solder, flux, bits of wire, pickups, & other fiddly bits, plus DCC sound decoder which I guess is an add on to the Heljan price too. Few months to build...., but that's all part of the fun!

Sounds great.

Simon

Aha but being a Heljan 7mm product you will still have the fun of building it, after you have dismantled it to detail, fettle generally tart it up and finally replace the split drive gear :)
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The large prairie is an astutu choice; look at how many GWR locos share the same wheel-base.  It will also pair-up very nicely with the Lionheart GWR A Set.

Agreed now if some one would do a 57xx pannier to move the empty coaching stock I'd be delighted!!!!!!!!! Cough cough

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Agreed now if some one would do a 57xx pannier to move the empty coaching stock I'd be delighted!!!!!!!!! Cough cough

Ordinarily, this is a no-brainer, but the 57XX/8750 have been done in RTR brass and there are a lot of them in service, whereas the large prairie is a gap in coverage.

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Guest Isambarduk

"I started the thread in the 7mm modelling section as I thought more O gauge modellers were more likely to see the news there"

 

Just as well for me that you did, Steve. I would never have found it in the Heljan thread as I have absolutely no interest in mainline diesels, despite what Chris said about babyboomers.  To me, when a  Peak, Deltic, Western or I cannot remember what Manufacture Type Number turned up on a train, it was a great disappointment that it was not a proper locomotive, that is a steam engine, such as a Scot, A4, King, Castle, Duchess ...  fifty plus years layer, my disappointment still appears at model railway exhibitions.  Watching trains appear on 'The Summit' (cracking exhibition layout) at Telford last weekend was a real rollercoaster of steam thrill and diesel utter let down!
 

David

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Yes, San Cheng/Tower have done 14xx and 57xx/8750 panniers, but £720 for a painted loco is a lot of money. And they both have their flaws. I purchased my DCC sound 74xx direct from Lionheart for just £650. Once you add the cost of sound to one of the Tower models you're looking at spending about £850.

 

If I was in the financial position to start my own company producing plastic bodied loco's, my first models would be the 14xx and 57xx/8750 panniers. Followed by the streamlined and razoredge railcars. I have no doubt at all that they would all sell. Of course this is all hypothetical because I'm poor!

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I agree, I wouldn't worry about models being made in brass as the plastic version will be considerably cheaper.

Based on the price difference between the San Cheng & Dapol terrier.

As for the razor edge DRC I'm trying to get a kit made up.post-5983-0-39326500-1442164271_thumb.jpg

Here's the cab that has been rapid prototyped. I won't go in to it too much on this thread but suffice to say it's the same person who did the 3D cad for the Betton Grange society cylinder block. He's a very clever guy and is doing the CAD work for the JLTRT 94 pannier.

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As for the razor edge DRC I'm trying to get a kit made up.

Here's the cab that has been rapid prototyped. I won't go in to it too much on this thread but suffice to say it's the same person who did the 3D cad for the Betton Grange society cylinder block. He's a very clever guy and is doing the CAD work for the JLTRT 94 pannier.

 

Steve,

Would it be possible for you to start a thread for this potential kit?

I would be very keen to have one.

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I think a thread for plastic kits on the whole would be the best, I agree with what most people have been saying here, people are too hung up in 0 gauge about modelling in brass, a few guys chaps down our club have produced some excellent locos and stock in card and once painted you could not tell the difference.

 

If we had a range of aifix type kits avilable for 0 railway modelling it could possible introduce so many more people to this scale, simple kits being like the flying banana Steve posted above along with a variety of DMU's and EMU's.

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I think a thread for plastic kits on the whole would be the best, I agree with what most people have been saying here, people are too hung up in 0 gauge about modelling in brass, a few guys chaps down our club have produced some excellent locos and stock in card and once painted you could not tell the difference.

 

If we had a range of aifix type kits avilable for 0 railway modelling it could possible introduce so many more people to this scale, simple kits being like the flying banana Steve posted above along with a variety of DMU's and EMU's.

Plastic based DMU kits you say! Like these? http://www.easybuildcoaches.co.uk

 

Cheers,

Andrew

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