RBE Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I managed to scratchbuild one ok 7 years ago and it still works perfectly. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Having scratchbuilt several of these myself over the past 30 years or so, I eventually found them somewhat simpler to build - or at least rather less time consuming - than the Cross-arm version which involved the fabrication of considerably more parts, which by the nature of the design needed to be sufficiently consistent, accurate and repeatable. With the B/W there is, by and large, only one of everything that matters whereas the Cross-arm needed four of most things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
letterspider Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Having scratchbuilt several of these myself over the past 30 years or so, I eventually found them somewhat simpler to build - or at least rather less time consuming - than the Cross-arm version which involved the fabrication of considerably more parts, which by the nature of the design needed to be sufficiently consistent, accurate and repeatable. With the B/W there is, by and large, only one of everything that matters whereas the Cross-arm needed four of most things. Wish I could produce BW pantographs as good as those. What I meant to say is that it is apparently very hard for the manufacturers to (affordably?) mass produce a well detailed, working (sprung and/or current collecting) OO scale BW pantograph. Hornby have said their Class 87 will not feature one, the Bachmann Class 90 - sounds like it should be very good if they are going to the trouble of putting in a servo motor - however my guess is the link wire from the motor is serving the job of holding the pan against the wire, instead of a spring. As for DJM Models' Class 92, Dave so far seems a little coy about providing details in his thread. It seems to me that it would be easier if the model manufacturers approached the locomotive manufacturers and ask them to design pantographs that in future are easier to model and to mothball the BW pan! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 It seems to me that it would be easier if the model manufacturers approached the locomotive manufacturers and ask them to design pantographs that in future are easier to model and to mothball the BW pan! A similar thought along those lines occurred to me the very first time I saw a real B/W pan on 86244 in Willeseden yard back in the mid-80's, basically "if the model manufacturer's can't make cross-arms, what chance have they got of making one of those?" This was, of course, an era when Lima thought it OK to fit their 87's with diamond frame pans - or 'spring donors' as we would refer to them, being the only parts of it worth keeping. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 has anybody ordered the new edition 85040 (weathered)? Looks good. tempted to get one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
letterspider Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 has anybody ordered the new edition 85040 (weathered)? Looks good. tempted to get one. Holding out for a price drop or special offer... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 New AL5s available from RoS for £89.50 which seems a bit of bargain if you want this small yellow warning panel version......this is a heads up for those that do not know about this deal rather than the odd brightspark who reckons Rails might have been advertising these at this price for god knows how long. I've only just spotted it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 They were £79 from ROS not that long ago! Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black 5 Bear Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Still showing as £79.50 on ROS website plus p+p. By all accounts, there are loads in stock at Barwell should the retail outlets run out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 thought that livery would be quite popular with those modelling the demise of steam and the introduction of electric. i hope to see the weathered 85040 at this price but doubt it..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 thought that livery would be quite popular with those modelling the demise of steam and the introduction of electric. i hope to see the weathered 85040 at this price but doubt it..... I'm surprised too - Maybe the TOPS numbered BR Blue livery is unusually the more popular livery for this class Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad McCann Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 Probably this reflects the wider utility of the Class post 1974. D4. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRAILRAGE Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 So far my two 85's have done around 2 hours of running on Bee Lane and the Pan dose seem to be up to the job of riding up against the wires. One of them even got the better of a base board joint wire that had unclipped from a head span. The wire was left buckled so I think the Bachmann Pan is as robust as the Summerfeldt ones. One thing a lot of you may find is the pin that holds the elbow of the pan together is a loose fit and it may work it's way out over time. I found one of the pins already missing in one of my 85's on delivery and had to make a replacement out of brass rod that is a tighter fit. Carl Hello Carl BR you were right about the elbow pins. Both of mine have been in the box since being run in . It was only when renumbering one of them as 85006/85101 different number each side that I spotted a nice shiny little pin on the Table! I thought to myself I wonder what that is? as my Pantograph separated at the elbow! B****X I think the word I used was. I must have dropped that little half a dozen times trying to refit it and it was only when I was on the Kitchen floor with a torch when the wife walked in and said "I'm not even going to ask"! luckily I found it again and managed to refit. Just out of curiosity what size rod did you use to replace yours? I only ask as now there out having a run I'm sure I'm gonna loose another one. Cheers Trailrage Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 I put back the OHE onto the layout following a house move a few years back. OK its tarted up Triang stuff but allowed me to exploit it vis-a-vis a modern AC model and the Heljan EM1. The Heljan EM1 was a disaster, moved one inch and the pantos went from diamond shape to square (basically tilted backwards). They would be best as pose type or could do with characteristics of the much older Triang EM2. The 85 was better, but the panto head tips backwards. Personally I now think pose type is best for fine scale pantos. On the 85, I found it could be improved by removing one of the two springs that hold the panto up (not photoed) so that it drags on the wire less. I'm half a mind to drop the OHE completely and run the 85 dead being pulled by a 45.... A final bug bear, the APT-E nose hangs over too much that it strikes some panto posts directly with the nose, so some posts will have to come down with I run that. It already cannot run on the inner circuits as those have 3rd rails and the bottom of the APT-E bogies run against those. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 (edited) Yes the head needs modifying on the 85 as they fitted the wire that sets head angle the wrong way around. What that ends up doing is tilting the head the wrong way as the pan goes up. Its a simple fix, my 85 pan ran faultlessly afterwards on my superfine catenary on Outon Road. In fact it was a great pan. This is how it should be modded. Edited September 27, 2018 by RBE 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clydebridge Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Excellent tip fella, I was always trying various methods to get it to sit properly. I tried using the original linkage but it still needed some tweaking so I made a new one out of 0.4mm silver plated jewelers wire that did the trick. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 That is one superb looking class 85 cav, the weathering is spot on!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covkid Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 That is one superb looking class 85 cav, the weathering is spot on!!! Second that the colouring is so authentic. Great work even down the mankiness of the bodyside double arrow - exactly as they used to be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Thanks guys. I loved that loco. It had sound fitted too. Sadly it was sold on when I switched to N gauge in 2013. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37501 Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Mine has the motor and gearing removed and the pan secured in the down position. It gets hauled on diversions away from the WCML.... John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Expensive coach that Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37501 Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Not really. It was second hand with broken pantograph for £40. Glue marks around the BR arrows as well but I managed to remove most of that and hide the remainder with weathering. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Quick question, How many TOPS numbered 85's have Bachman done please? Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 2 so far..... 85026 85040 imminent Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted September 27, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 27, 2018 2 so far..... 85026 85040 imminent Add 85101 to that list Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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