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Bachmann E4


Graham_Muz
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A Paypal transaction is immeadiate so most shops won't (can't) accept it for pre-orders. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the conditions of Paypal is that the vendsor is in possetion of the goods at the time of sale. In this case the pre-order price gurantee could not apply.

I've pre-ordered books from The Book Depository using PayPal so some retailers clearly can accept it for pre-orders.

Edited by brushman47544
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  • 2 weeks later...

This week I received my LBSC Umber E4 . Nice livery on this loco and I can't help but wonder if Bachmann will do the Brighton Atlantic in LBSC umber livery.

Anyway, upon trying out this E4 loco on my track it ran very jerkily in forward, but fine in reverse. Further attempts to run it forwards resulted in a lot of wheel spin but no forward motion. Seemed like something was jammed on the track preventing it going forward. Upon investigation I could see that one of the sandpipes  was bent down lower than the others. This was duly corrected by bending up with a fine pair of needle nose pliers and all is well now.

Great loco. Well done Bachmann.

 

Cheers,

  Chris

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  • 1 month later...

Regarding the running, as per other comments, shame they didn't look at a sprung central driver as this would have reduced slow-speed stalling over point work.  Either that or contacts to to the rear wheel set.  I returned mine, rather than get irritated by the stalling on some points.  I tried a Hornby M7 - despite having contacts on all wheels, the assembly quality was far worse, so that stalled far worse.  

 

Has anybody compared the performance to the DJ Models O2?  Am thinking of trying one of those, or maybe revisit the E4 but see about adding contacts on the rear wheels?

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I have both a Bachmann E4 and a Kernow/DJM O2.  They both ran a lot better after running in.  In fact, they both nearly went back.  Now, I would say that they were both, on the whole, good runners.  I do have electro-frog points, though.

 

The Bachmann gave trouble at first with the back wheel derailing on points.  After running in, it rarely does that now.  Earlier in the thread, a couple of people suggested remedies.  I copied and saved their posts, but so far have not been provoked into trying their methods out.  As you said, there is no pick-up on the rear wheels, which disappointed me a little.

 

There were two main issues with the O2 that I bought.  Firstly, like some others, the back-to-back measurements of the driving wheels were not correct.  It couldn't even cope with my 30" radius scenic curve.  However, on the RMWeb O2 thread, some kind person mentioned it, and explained what needed to be done.  Fortunately, I happened to have a back-to-back gauge and was able to follow the suggestion to press the wheels into the gauge so that it was tight, with my fingers.  Instant success!

 

The second issue (which was my fault) was that some of my ballasting had been a little clumsy.  The O2 didn't like tiny grains of ballast stuck to the insides of the rails, even where my other locomotives didn't even notice them.  This was easy for me to sort out with a small screwdriver  (I didn't even disturb the track weathering too much).  Let me stress that I see it as a fault of the layout, not the locomotive.  You might want to be aware of it if you are as cack-handed as me, though.

 

Before running-in and lubricating, the O2 was a bit noisy.  Afterwards, it was (and is) smooth and quite.

 

There are a few further that you may want to know about the O2.  Firstly, it has a coreless motor and Kernow recommend that you do not use either 'electronic- track cleaners' or pulse-width modulation controllers.  Of course, if you a DCC user, that won't affect you.  I installed an on-off switch for my Gaugemaster HF1 'electronic track cleaner' for when I am using the O2.

 

Certain knowledgeable people on certain forums believe that the construction is a variant of of the 'split-chassis' type.  They have formed an opinion of how well that worked for some Mainline and early Bachmann locomotives.

 

You can't (apparently) open the body easily without damaging factory installed detailing.  However, there is provision for the fitting of a decoder, and, I believe, a speaker.  I think that the decoder socket is in the smoke box.  The smoke-box door is just attached magnetically, so is easy to open.   The coal load comes out easily.  I didn't look too closely at the DCC possibilities because I don't use it.  The cab roof can be taken off so that you can stick some crew in.  On the other hand, sticking lead in the body to aid running and haulage might be a bit of a thinking exercise.

 

Ironically, in view of your comments, if anyone needed a locomotive that didn't stall on dead-frog points, I would have suggested the Hornby M7.  My first layout had Hornby track, and the M7s didn't mind the Hornby points one bit.  On the other hand, they can get a bit troublesome on one set of much better points, going through the curved path from  toe to heel forwards. I stuck a bit of lead in them before, but I might have to see where else I can stick it inside them.

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Since returning the Bachmann E4, I thought I'd try a Hornby M7 instead.  Although the M7 did have pick ups on all wheels, getting them to marry up consistently was a mare.  As a result the M7 was more prone to variable stalling than the E4.  Rather than graft at replacing the very flimsy contacts on the M7 I thought I'd give the Kernow DJ Models O2 a go.  The O2 looks truly wonderful and it runs very smoothly over point work and crossings.  No issues with stalling or derailing.  However, she can barely pull two to three free-running Bachmann coaches.  I experimented with the springing of the rear bogie and also trying to get more weight over the front driving wheels.  None of these cured the poor adhesion.  If only the E4 or M7 had the same pick-up set up as the O2!

Edited by liathach
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Have a feeling that with any locomotive it is pot luck how good the one you end up is.  Interestingly, with my O2, the pick-ups on one side of the driving wheels don't seem to work.  Because I now use live-frog points (albeit not wonderfully laid), I only noticed it when wheel cleaning, so it doesn't bother me.  The pick-ups of both my M7s haven't given trouble, so far.  I have had the M7s for a lot longer than either my E4 or O2.

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Bachmann E4.  added Phosphor bronze contacts to either side of the rear truck.  After a bit of tweaking the truck holds its centreline and doesn't drag.  I looked at filing room for the centre driver to float a bit, but that was prevented by the drive gears being meshed to the centre.  No issues with derailing so far with the modified truck.  Vast improvement with slow speed over all the frogs.post-21288-0-94378300-1456930074_thumb.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Does anyone know what planned new BR lined black E4 (Cat No. 35-079) number 32494, smoke box door design it will have, I can't find a pre-production image or a photo of the real engine to confirm it has the Brighton style or Ashford style door.

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  • 4 weeks later...

A very nice model all round, it is pleasant to see the quality so improved on RTR locos on the current offerings. I ordered one yesterday, Sunday, and it arrived from Hattons on Monday morning, great service.

 

Runs fine on first tests, will need longer running in to settle it to slower running, but very good already. The level of detailing on the Southern Green version is excellent, even providing head code discs. I wonder why the various makers do not include dummy lamps?

It hauls four coaches on test, and could take more.

 

I can't find any pickup problems at all, it runs over Peco code 75 track and Electrofrog points very well indeed, no stalls or glitches, even at the slowest speeds. The rear radial truck mounting is well done, and just about the right springing as well.

Cab details are well done, worth decent driver and firemen figures.

 

The wheels are accurate and no wobbles, and the back to back is OK, at 14.51-14.52. The rods are scale size and properly split with a joint. The drive appears to be to the middle axle via a string of gears. It is a tiny bit noisier than a direct drive, but it is barely audible.

 

Simply not worth building a model from scratch to this standard these days. The only reservation is the availability of suitable coach stock, a very limited choice at present.

Stephen

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I've got a late crest E4, which has not been a good runner and frequently derailed at a couple of curved points on my layout.  After reading through this thread, I removed the rear bogie and ran the loco, and behold, not a problem anymore with derailment even at full speed.  I refitted the wheels and fittings, making sure that they all fitted snuggly, and moved freely, and applied a film of oil on all the moving internal parts.  

 

Result!  The loco now runs much better over the curved points, with very few derailments.  Thanks to everyone for the info.

Edited by Dad
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  • 2 weeks later...

Wanted to join in the E4 discussion as it is probably my favourite loco on my layout followed closely by my C Class. It runs SO smoothly and it looks beautiful, I have the Southern livery one, I'd wanted one from the moment they were announced but only had the funds to get one recently, couldn't resist when I saw them listed for £80 on ehattons, I'd love to do an LBSC layout with one in the future too.

Now, when I built my model railway I had no idea that radius 1 curves were incomparable with almost everything these days, but all the time I have such a small space i dont have much choice, my current layout is mainly just to practice on anyway, but it is a lesson learnt for the future, the E4 can make it round them in reverse however, so it isn't the end of the world. EDIT: it is only my inner tracks that have radius ones, everything seems fine on the outer circuit 

I will definitely be getting no .2517 when that is released, I was rather hoping they'd release one in sunshine livery as that would be more appropriate for my WW2 layout, perhaps they will next year? I suppose if they don't, an early BR one would be an easy repaint?

I love the discs it came with too and have used some of them on my M7 too, I just wish Bachmann sold them separately because I want more!

I did read through most of this thread, am I right in thinking that it is modelled as it was in the 1930s and not as it is today?



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Edited by GreenGiraffe22
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You might find that locomotives tended to be about 7 years between full repaints (when they would be likely to get the current livery).  I strongly suspect that number 2517 in Maunsell green would not look out of place for World War 2.

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Certainly by the end of the war E4s would have been in black as all repaints post 1941 were plain black. Obvisoulsy for a 1943 setting then some would have still been in Olive Green but would have been with post 1931 2xxx numbering series.

Mine has just left the workbench having been repainted into SR black and weathered.
post-243-0-55575700-1462351602_thumb.jpg
 
More information at https://grahammuz.com/2016/04/23/workbench-witterings-5-o2-and-not-an-o2-is-this-more-weathering-i-see-before-me/

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The post 1931 renumbering removed the prefix (A for Ashford ex SECR, B for Brighton ex LBSC and E for Eastleigh ex LSWR locomotives) and ex SECR locomotives renumbered and centred, on either tank or tender sides, in the 1xxx range and for ex LBSC locomotives in the 2xxx range. the rest of the livery was unaltered at that time.

At the outbreak of WW2 some appeared in unlined olive green later Bullied lettering style depending on the time of repaint.

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Thanks Graham, I'd attempt myself but I don't have that sort of skill level just yet, I don't want to go and ruin it.

 

Slightly off topic but on sunshine livery for Terriers, should they be the same format - Southern on tanks and number on cab? Because the number decals I've got don't look like they'd fit on the cab so I put them under the 'Southern' on the tanks, but a limited edition Dapol released suggested the number should be on the cab, and the font looks a lot smaller.

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Hi

 

Yes for 'Sunshine' livery the number was on the bunker side not the tank. Where necessary a smaller number / letter height was used.

 

post-243-0-60275500-1462359031.jpg

 

Note: I have also removed the footplate mounted sandboxes on this model too. Some did have them rather than the below footplate boxes but the Dapol / Hornby model has both for some reason.

Edited by Graham_Muz
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Thanks again! I'll have to alter mine, are your letters and numbers hand painted or are they transfers? I've got some Bullied transfers but they're really too big for a terrier, can you point me in the direction of where I could get some to fit a Terrier, if any exist?

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I use Pressfix transfers from the Historical model Railway Society sheet 10 http://www.hmrs.org.uk/transfers/transferdetails.php?transferid=1013  either from them direct or other model shops, although supply has been disrutpted recently I now believe those issues have been resolved.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

has anyone tried DCC sound on the E4? Hornby Magazine showed one in a video but i can't find any info on the installation and setup.

 

I,ve got one in bits ready for conversion. Its quite a task, made more complex in my case by adding firebox glow feature (maybe a lamp as well). This is one model I know I will have fun when I put it back together.

 

Basically, you need to get rid of the blanking plate etc and hard wire a 6 pin sound chip. Then use a very small sugar cube. Both will sit in front of the motor, under the stack.

 

I am taking photos as I do, however I've just moved houses so I do not expect to finish this before September (my wife thinks decorating the house and emptying boxes is more urgent!).

 

(edited for typos)

Edited by JSpencer
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