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Bachmann announce Class 117 and Class 121 at Collectors Club event


Andy Y
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On 04/11/2018 at 16:07, PMP said:

 

 

Bachmann’s EP for the class 121 at Spalding yesterday, some more images here https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2018/11/03/Bachmann-class-121-at-spalding/post-68-0-98121000-1541347781_thumb.jpeg

 

I saw the latest production-ready samples of the 117 and 121 at Spalding this year and they do look lovely with some nice detailing. Sadly the cab roof corners are not correctly domed, but more 'ski slope' than the real bulbous shape. Not as bad as the Bachmann 108 is, but nevertheless a disappointment as this is one of the units' most distinctive features. Dapol managed to nail the shape. It's not a grumble as such, just an observation. I accept that it's a tricky shape to get right. Anyone for Chris Leigh replacement ends! Pictures show the Bachmann and Dapol examples for comparison. 

Class 121.jpg

Bachmann 117.jpg

Bachmann 121.jpg

Dapol 122.jpg

Edited by Mel_H
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On 15/10/2019 at 20:18, MJI said:

Lima based 117s are around £100 and about 20 hours work.

 

So not THAT bad really.

 

dmu.jpg.6c8739b28691c024143fa41908df319a.jpg

 

After the time and money I've spent on this Lima conversion, the Bachmann prices look like good value to me.

 

Amazingly, I still had the email receipt for the 8 pounds 50 I paid for the Silver Fox resin parts in 2006.

 

The Ultrascale wheels were another 40-odd pounds or so. Later I replaced most of the wheels with Bachmann coach wheels,

yet retaining the Ultrascale axles.

 

Then a Black Beetle power bogie as I was never satisfied with the Lima pancake, even with the Ultrascales and extra pickups. I

have had good Lima mechanisms but this one was always a jerky starter.

 

Then a sound decoder, then lighting strips ... not to mention paint and decals, all of which add up on top of the cost

of the original donor vehicles.

 

In my case the 20 hours was spread over more than a decade, too. I'm pleased with the end result but if I wanted

another one, I'd definitely prefer to pay Bachmann for the parts and labour.

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On 15/10/2019 at 20:18, MJI said:

Lima based 117s are around £100 and about 20 hours work.

 

So not THAT bad really.

I bodged a 116 out of Lima coaches back in the early 80s and still run it occasionally, classic cut'n'shutting.  It represents one of the Bristol area all 2nd class sets without headcode panels, and was cheap enough to do back then, but don't ask me the actual cost as I've slept since then...  It took 5 vehicles, and included filling the ends to get rid of the gangway connection holes, new buffers, and various other bits of 'working up'.  It runs well enough but requires constant cleaning attention to do this!  About 30 hours work.

 

The old Lima was, IMHO, one of the best things they ever did, with a nice level of moulded detail, but the Bachmann is clearly gonna run rings around it.  Reports of full depth seating suggest it's gonna run rings around the Dapol as well, and a 121 is going to be difficult to resist.  

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2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I bodged a 116 out of Lima coaches back in the early 80s and still run it occasionally, classic cut'n'shutting.  It represents one of the Bristol area all 2nd class sets without headcode panels, and was cheap enough to do back then, but don't ask me the actual cost as I've slept since then...  It took 5 vehicles, and included filling the ends to get rid of the gangway connection holes, new buffers, and various other bits of 'working up'.  It runs well enough but requires constant cleaning attention to do this!  About 30 hours work.

 

The old Lima was, IMHO, one of the best things they ever did, with a nice level of moulded detail, but the Bachmann is clearly gonna run rings around it.  Reports of full depth seating suggest it's gonna run rings around the Dapol as well, and a 121 is going to be difficult to resist.  

 

Bristol 116 sets?

 

I do not know much about those, just the Cardiff and Tyseley sets

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Check out chrisf's 116 thread on Prototype Questions, Martin.  All second class for Bristol area suburban work, cabs with 3 marker lights across the front and one incorporated in the destination blind panel at the top, delivered 1960 IIRC.  There were at least two other types of 116 on the WR, with 2 marker lights and a 2-character headcode panel with second class centre trailers and with composite trailers, the composites in sets allocated originally to Tyseley for Birmingham suburban work and the all-seconds to South Wales, though later transfers after the composites were downgraded to second class mixed things up a bit.  I think I'm right in saying that the ER's Lea Valley sets were all-seconds identical to the original South Wales sets.

 

The Bristol sets were transferred to South Wales or Tyseley in favour of 117s or 118s in quite a short time, but worked services such as Severn Beach and Portishead.

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7 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Check out chrisf's 116 thread on Prototype Questions, Martin.  All second class for Bristol area suburban work, cabs with 3 marker lights across the front and one incorporated in the destination blind panel at the top, delivered 1960 IIRC.  There were at least two other types of 116 on the WR, with 2 marker lights and a 2-character headcode panel with second class centre trailers and with composite trailers, the composites in sets allocated originally to Tyseley for Birmingham suburban work and the all-seconds to South Wales, though later transfers after the composites were downgraded to second class mixed things up a bit.  I think I'm right in saying that the ER's Lea Valley sets were all-seconds identical to the original South Wales sets.

 

The Bristol sets were transferred to South Wales or Tyseley in favour of 117s or 118s in quite a short time, but worked services such as Severn Beach and Portishead.

 

 

So they were what became the Cardiff sets.

 

I am quite pleased though that my CF 116 is gangway fitted

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6 hours ago, MJI said:

 

 

So they were what became the Cardiff sets.

 

I am quite pleased though that my CF 116 is gangway fitted

Leaving the gangways on saves a bit of work in the Lima conversion, but gangways were not fitted to Cardiff 116s until, I think, 1966, in connection with the introduction of conductor guards and unstaffing of Valley Lines stations.  Some sets in the later dark lined green livery with swp had the gangways, but I can't recall any gangwayed. with earlier liveries, and a blue livery, even transition blue with swp and white cab roofs, definitely meant a gangwayed set.

 

AFAIK no sets retained their 'speed whiskers' with gangways.

 

It's not just the gangways; if you remove them you need to provide the original style of full width compartment dividers without doors.  They had a row of wooden framed rectangular windows above full width bench seats.

Edited by The Johnster
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On 16/11/2019 at 10:44, Mel_H said:

 

I saw the latest production-ready samples of the 117 and 121 at Spalding this year and they do look lovely with some nice detailing. Sadly the cab roof corners are not correctly domed, but more 'ski slope' than the real bulbous shape. Not as bad as the Bachmann 108 is, but nevertheless a disappointment as this is one of the units' most distinctive features. Dapol managed to nail the shape. It's not a grumble as such, just an observation. I accept that it's a tricky shape to get right. Anyone for Chris Leigh replacement ends! Pictures show the Bachmann and Dapol examples for comparison. 

Class 121.jpg

Bachmann 117.jpg

Bachmann 121.jpg

Dapol 122.jpg

And my replacement ends didn't have the benefit of laser scanning or CADs. Can't now recall how I made them - possibly using Lima ends as a guide. (CJL)

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3 hours ago, dibber25 said:

And my replacement ends didn't have the benefit of laser scanning or CADs. Can't now recall how I made them - possibly using Lima ends as a guide. (CJL)

 

Are you sure it is not a modified Lima end?

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I took a few of the upcoming units and in my humble opinion they look very nice to the eye.

 

Warley NEC

 

Warley NEC

 

Warley NEC


And if I get time I’ll post a few others of the sealed beam class 45’s with the updated body shell in the relevant topic.
 

cheers Peter

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Green non-gangwayed 117 looks nice.  I daresay not too many of us remember them in that condition but I certainly do.  Mine are already ordered but I do hope they come up with green SYP and plain blue versions next time around.

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Conversion to 116 looks as if it should be easier than it was with the old Lima, as at least Bachmann have made a proper DMS, so that's a DMBS you don't have to sacrifice.  Still a cut'n'shut for the centre car, which for a 116 can be a TS or a TC depending on the actual set, and of course the cutting down of the headcode panels to make destination panels is still needed.  And if you can get hold of non-gangwayed vehicles, which Lima never made, you've saved that bit of work for green livery sets as well.

 

I won't be doing it; dmus are nowadays a bit to modern for my period and I'm happy to run my Lima conversion on an occasional excursion.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Latest Bachmann Times gives details of Kernow Limited Edition 117 (35-500Z) and 121 (35-525Z) in GWR 150 special livery (Chocolate and Cream). Now in production:D!!!!

 

New PluX22 Decoder sockets have also been introduced.

Edited by 89A
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17 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

Anybody any idea when the blue Grey 117 is coming ? Availability section on bachy website doesn’t seem to work 

Last time I checked it said April 2020...  I don't think a pinch of salt would be sufficient, but you never know!

 

I tend to take the view that "it'll get here when it's ready" - I've got so much on pre-order that I'm always paying for something, and as long as everything gets here in the end I don't mind which order it turns up in!  Having said that, only the GWR Steam Railmotor has been on my "pre-ordered" list longer than the 117...

Edited by 3rd Rail Exile
add a word I missed out!
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