Ressaldar Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 and the tanks are within the width of the body as well! Money box is being filled as I type. cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 47107 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Hattons are estimating delivery around August. http://www.ehattons.com/42895/Heljan_UK_3100_Class_31_Brush_diesel_electric_in_BR_Green_limited_edition_with_certificate_Due/StockDetail.aspx Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Minimum radius should be the same as the 37 etc. So 6ft radius (an accepted 'minimum' for scale 3-link coupler stock?) no problem at all, then...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Does anyone else understand that when I was a kid they reminded me of "Daleks" when seen approaching our local station? Contextually they were seen at the end of steam locos on the old GER. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 My Heljan 37, 47, 55 will happily go around 48 inch radius and have tried them down to 44 inch as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 My Heljan 37, 47, 55 will happily go around 48 inch radius and have tried them down to 44 inch as well. My Hymek just about managed 2ft Lima points once!! ... but I've no experience of Heljan 6-axle locos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CME and Bottlewasher Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Here are some pictures of a pre production 31 that was given a loaded test run recently. It has a working rad fan and illuminated instrument lights! The rear bulkhead detail is rather nice but no doubt will be painted all over grey. I am painting this one in blue and will pick out all the details in the cab whilsh I have it in bits. Hope you like it. Hi Brian, Found this thread at last - via google, dont seem to have much luck with the RM 'search'..... The 31 looks pretty good to me - the cab detail is really impressive - it will be easier to gauge the rest when painted in a livery, I see the glazing is still quite 'prismatic' (shame) - on a practical note; have Heljan sorted out the quality issue with the faulty gears yet?...They do seem to have captured the look of a 31 well though.....will have to look harder at grills, dimensions and things, yet it's looking really good, nice looking model, I wonder how it compares to/with the DJH kit? Suffice to say making arrangements to sell of some old kit and saving up .... ATVB CME Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CME and Bottlewasher Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Hi 31 looks great ,I think a 25 wont be far away?? But what about a 50 same type bogies as 37 and Deltic so half way there. Hugh Hi Hugh, Yes I have been wondering about 'RATS' too as they got everywhere, further afield than my beloved hydraulics, so a popular choice and one that may encourage more over to 7mm modelling, which is good for all! ATB CME Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltic17 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Brian, What are the rubber seals/mouldings around the windows like on the cab ends - are they moulded on the 'glass' like on the class 20 or on the body like the class 37? I much prefer the class 20 approach but I fear they've done it like the class 37- I just can't see from the photos. That glazing does look very much like too thick a plastic - hopefully it will not show up too much when all painted up etc. All in all it really looks like a 31 - can't wait to purchase! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 At the moment the rubber window seals are not there! they should be on the body moulding. For some reason they did not transfer over from the CAD to the model but they are aware of it and hopefully they will get put on another pre-production model. They are seeing what they can do about the windows. This model, painted in BR Blue, will be on show at the Model Rail Scotland show this weekend together with my re-furbished Deltic and class 26. Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltic17 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Brian, Thanks for that - they really need to get the rubber window seals right otherwise it just won't look right, in particular, on a blue/yellow version. Hopefully this can be sorted along with the windows - atleast it has been pointed out and they are looking into it. Fingers crossed they correct it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 A couple of pictures of the pre-production 31 that I painted and numbered so as to see what it was like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
50A55B Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Very nice, thanks for that Brian. There's something not quite right about the interface of the bodyside windows and the waistband, is this just an optical illusion? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I suspect it's an effect of the (possibly too thick) clear plastic..... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 Don't worry the stripe/windows are ok but would have been better if I had painted the moulded window rubber black Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Flynn Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Looks a great paint job Brian , now what do we know about Hattons regarding the limited edition they are doing? Hugh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Very nice indeed!! Just needs a two-dot 'headcode' and a TOPS number, though.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridwatcher Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Saw it at GLasgow Show and it looks very nice indeed, certainly 'sits' well. The only gripe is prismatic glazing, somehow much worse than (for example) their 4mm 47. A job for Brian and Lazerglaze? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 A job for Brian and Lazerglaze? I have been thinking the same thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltic17 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 That would be excellent if some lazerglaze could be produced for 7mm..everyone will probably need it for this 31 in it's present condition! I've said this before but how those front windows fit is poor. If they (hopefully) add the black rubber seals around the front windows there will still be a yellow patch in between the rubber and the glass (at the top of the window frame on Brian's model). You would think the 'glass' should just be pushed home but I suspect it is too tight a fit as on many a Heljan 37 & 47 in 7mm. Also those side windows look like they've frosted over - they should be clear plastic. In every other respect it looks 100% fantastic but lets hope it can be corrected in time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomstaf Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 A couple of pictures of the pre-production 31 that I painted and numbered so as to see what it was like. Brian, The door looks a bit like there is no division between it and the body. Have the door frame verticals been included on the tooling, or is it just lighting in the pictures hiding the lines? Cheers Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Also those side windows look like they've frosted over - they should be clear plastic. To me it looks like the side glazing IS clear - it's the chassis block behind making it look frosted... compare the 'body-off' pics on page 1 of this thread. There's concern elsewhere that the body-side rivets look a bit prominent, and the 'porthole' by the water filler steps "chunky" (I assume it's the water tank/boiler gauge..??) although that's not an issue for those who do a 'Boiler removed' version. I think Brian at Shawplan will sell a lot of laser glazing sets, though.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltic17 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 tomstaf - well spotted - that door does look very flush indeed - it will be interesting to see what Brian says having seen it in the flesh. F-Unitmad - I agree those rivots look a bit big - I don't think it'll show up too much on the final version though - I agree the porthole looks too big also - I guess they are unlikely to sort these issues out but hopefully they can. For me they just have to sort the front windows out - I much prefer the way they did the front windows on the class 20 - a push fit from the front with the seals moulded on - instant flush glazing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CME and Bottlewasher Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 As always Brian, great work! Overall it looks like a fine model, yet I see what you guys mean about the rivet detail, in natural light it looks very heavy - if it were an aero kit, I would have pared such down, yet who would want to ruin a great paint job? Perhaps as the Heljan models seem to use a build format akin to that of a large scale plastic aircraft kit, we could request a batch of a more cost effective version 'in the white'/self col. plastic and save the modeller some wonga whilst the modeller finishes such themselves and rights any wrongs.... The issue with the glazing seems an ongoing one - perhaps with the exception of the Cl20 - I dont understand why Heljan dont seem to offer 'continuous improvement' ie each model is better than the last in terms of tweeks and improvements.....however it aint in production yet (I hope), so why might get lucky with the glazing etc. It is interesting that small tweeks, such as windows can almost instantly transform a model from good to great, I know that manufacturers have to look at production costs, yet as far as glazing is concerned that shouldnt be a biggy if it is right from the start. When one looks at the 4mm Cl33 and the 7mm Cl33 from Heljan, the fuel tanks on the 4mm model are nearer to being right than those on the 7mm version - yet Heljan seemed to use the same drawings etc. (would be foolish not to). When I asked TPTB why this and other things were so, I was told that it was 'down to tooling costs'. Okay I understand all about tooling costs yet what Heljan were effectively saying was/is that even though 7mm models are a 'considered purchase' and a higher price point, the modeller of 4mm scale gets a better model!? I know that the production runs on the 7mm models are smaller than those of 4mm but....... I hope that Heljan at least sort the glazing as the 31 seems so nearly there, it would be good if the rivets were toned down a bit too. Brian, do Heljan 'listen' to modellers of 7mm (from RM Web) et al., as Dapol seem to do, in terms of putting things right/making tweeks before the final production tooling is set and the model enters into production proper? ATVB CME Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltic17 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Just thinking more about these front end glazing issues - if as Brian states they have missed the rubber seals off the bodywork (as was intended) then why notice have a change of approach and produce some class 20 style front windows (ie glazing with the rubber seals added on the edge) which are a push fit from the front - then we should have perfection. CME it would be interesting to know if Heljan do follow updates/feedback - they'd be silly not too - but....??? - hopefully they are reading such comments....and spot these issues that have occured on the pre production model. Getting the model as near to 100% correct is so important especially if you are wanting people to part with £500 for a model. An extra few quid in final development could lead to lots more sales for them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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