D605Eagle

I couldn't agree more! Lined black (derived from the Midlands arch enemies!) suits this loco so well. I always thought they looked a bit gawdy in red.

Well that was a disaster...It seems when the gloss varnish is applied it lifts the matting compound out of the paint and dries matt. Even after 4 coats its not getting better. Perhaps Johnsons Kleer might do the trick?

I just cut the wires to mine. In reality 99 out of 100 you couldn't see that a headcode was lit anyway except at night, and I dont run my layout in the dark.

I wish to hell they had done that instead of wasting time on the B1. The Bachy V2 once you know its wrong really grates!

The coloured parts were in the bag. I've decided to try and give the loco a gloss coat to match my other Heljan westerns which are all in gloss. Will Humbrol acrilic gloss varnish do the job do you think?

They are BUTT ugly.compared to Robinsons beautiful original design, and mores to the point they were no improvement either like most of Thompsons meddlings.

I'll take a look later. I'm sure they will be as the model has never been run and all the detail bits are still bagged. You've cheered me up no end!

I've just bought a model of D1015 Western Champion in baby pooh brown, but the front part of the valance where the foot steps are is painted black. I've looked on ebay history and it seems some are black, some are body coloured. Which is correct?

Yes but the signs were put on locos to warn of the dangers. Just because they are there all the time with an electric loco is no reason to leave them off. I think MaxStafford answered the question best, theres no need to get aloft, plus theres no steps or anyway of getting up there.

What struck me as a little odd was theres no OHE warning flashes on the model, then I looked at pictures of the real things in that era, and they don't have any too. Why was that? I thought everything had them after about 1961.

Its running very well now, goes quite fast, but boy is it noisy! I noticed when I was rebuilding that the motor is very coggy indeed. Is it only a 3 pole?

From what I can tell, its the worm drives being very loose in the bogie towers that are thrashing around, and this gives the impression that the driveshafts are distorted. If you read the thread I stared about 6 axled Heljan locos I posted on there how I cured it.

Without doubt:- for steam, a Robert Whitelegg GSWR 4-6-4 Baltic tank in its original livery, and for diesel an NBL D600 class Warship in its orginal form with headcode discs.

I've just been given a Ribble livery 17. It runs, but slowly. Now if I do what some on here have done and make the gear towers very free running, do you think the original motor will be ok?

Try turning it round. Mine was on the wrong way round when I got it.