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Heljan Westerns (new batch)


vac_basher

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One of my pet hates is manufacturers choosing the longest names for their choices of locomotive. Couldn't we have Western Lady, Western King, Western Lord etc to allow renaming to be carried out without the risk of damaging paintwork? I couldn't believe Bachmann chose The Royal Naval Reserve as one of it's Warship subjects, making every other Warship nameplate too small to cover the transfer. Come on manufacturers! A bit of common sense wouldn't hurt.

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I don't think there is anything sinister in the apparently random selection of locomotive identity chosen for mainstream releases. Yes some nameplates are longer than others but Hornby did a maroon FYE "Western King", for example, as I have one in the collection. No doubt the Deltic fans will be mulling over the same problem; there's even more difference between "Meld" and the two-liners for example.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Can anyone advice me if they have attempted changing the poorly lit lights on dc to leds as the tail lights are really a waist of time.

Can they be replaced without changing the circuit board,just a bulb change and would they need resistors.

Anyone with advice and help most welcome.

regards.

richard.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The name plates in the box for gluing on would be better. Cant see that affecting profits!

 

One of my pet hates is manufacturers choosing the longest names for their choices of locomotive. Couldn't we have Western Lady, Western King, Western Lord etc to allow renaming to be carried out without the risk of damaging paintwork? I couldn't believe Bachmann chose The Royal Naval Reserve as one of it's Warship subjects, making every other Warship nameplate too small to cover the transfer. Come on manufacturers! A bit of common sense wouldn't hurt.

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  • 10 months later...

I did reprofile the cab roof on my one. There is enough plastic there to allow a simple file down, working around the horn box (or whatever it is) in the middle.

 

I have a few photos although a couple are a little blurred.

 

HeljanWesternDieselMaroon-05cropped.jpg

 

HeljanWesternDieselMaroon-04cropped.jpg

 

HeljanWesternDieselMaroon-07cropped.jpg

 

Yes, I know one of the wipers has gone missing in the photos and the handrail was not correctly located (rough handling!) and the blobs of glue where the wipers mount are unsightly. All things I have subsequently fixed or are to be fixed. A bit of judicious weathering disguised all the roof modifications.

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That's a good start and definite improvement, Richard, but it looks as if it needs yet more filed off (and please don't take that as a criticism). It is always a good idea to underdo it rather than overdoing it and just keep whittling away until the desired result is achieved.

 

I worked from photos of the real thing (and they are very well documented!) and noted that the front lip should end up almost parallelling the top edges of the windscreens.

 

:)

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Well both those roof profiles are an improvement. I'm waiting for the new Shawplan roof walkways to make a start on my fleet.

Over on the Kier Hardy site a similar process has been done but with removal of the roof cowl using a razor saw.

Do you guys reckon this is necessary to get the right radius on the roof curvature.?

Neil

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I used nothing more than a flat file with one side 'blind' (ie no ridges); that plain side was used against the roof box so as not to file any of it away while still filing the roof profile down.

 

I cannot vouch that i got the radius right but it looks right to me, according to the various photos I was using as a guide.

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On closer inspection i decided my 1015s photo does,nt show the roof profile to a degree due to the angle taken but on looking at the model looks ok.I have also done D1062s today using the file and fibre class pen method not easy on D1062 as was ex 1001 in gloss finish and was not easy to rematch the paint work so have give her a slight dirty roof to cover.Roof fans and walkways have also been added.It really does improve these models.

richard.

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When I did mine I repainted with BR maroon but it was not an exact match. however, since I wanted to weather mine the colour mismatch has all but disappeared under the dirty black anyway!

 

One of these days I will go the extra distance and add the etched walkways and other details. I'm glad it is all coming together well for you, Richard.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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