Bachmann announce Class 117 and Class 121 at Collectors Club event

[brushman47544]

7 hours ago, Geep7 said:

I agree, it will be a shame that to create hybrid units you'd have to hack about a £300 model.

 

Having lived right next to the Reading - Guildford line for the best part of 20 years from the late 1980s, I remember seeing the many different formations Reading depot put out, just to try and keep the services running until the Turbos came on stream. I think I recall seeing one set running round with a 117 DMS, a 101 TSL and a 104 DMBS. It was extremely common in the NSE era to see a 121 in place of a 121 DMBS.

I too recall the mixed sets but I never saw a 121 single car replacing a 117 DMBS or DMS on the Reading - Redhill line, presumably because the guard couldn’t walk through to collect fares and check tickets.

[Geep7]

16 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

I too recall the mixed sets but I never saw a 121 single car replacing a 117 DMBS or DMS on the Reading - Redhill line, presumably because the guard couldn’t walk through to collect fares and check tickets.

I remember seeing one at least once on the Reading - Guildford line (the line was at the bottom of the garden), very late on just as the Turbo's were being introduced. I only remember it so well, as it was coupled with the exhaust stacks outwards. As you say, not likely to be wanted very often. due to the pay on train....

[NickL2008]

21 hours ago, mdvle said:

For those who come looking in the future when they are no longer at the top of the twitter feed

 

 

 

Im glad Im not alone is saying those couplings are awful, theyre excessively big, the rest of the model does look good though

 

NL

[robertcwp]

Here is a mixed set c1967:

 

121_117_Moreton by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

[wombatofludham]

Is it true the unit comes with pre fitted speakers?  Perhaps that's why it has so many pins, and if so, I'm glad it only wants one chip.  Having the characteristic dyspeptic sound coming out of both motor cars will be great if so fitted.

[robertcwp]

7 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Four blue class 101 trailers replaced the Hawksworth stock on designated rosters making up 4-car units which were supposed to stick to those rosters due to the lower power:weight ratio available.  IIRC those 101 trailers might have arrived in lined green.  

 

 

This one did:

W59528_Weymouth_13-8-67 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

[robertcwp]

There seem to be 14 pins and sockets on the coupling. I suppose it's because there is end-to-end pickup connection. two motors, lights (interior, marker, tail, headcode), allowance for sound, etc. Not that I shall be bothered about that as I have a DC layout. 

[robertcwp]

7 minutes ago, wombatofludham said:

Is it true the unit comes with pre fitted speakers?  Perhaps that's why it has so many pins, and if so, I'm glad it only wants one chip.  Having the characteristic dyspeptic sound coming out of both motor cars will be great if so fitted.

I think Bachmann are making that standard on new models. The new 24s have speakers.

[AY Mod]

18 minutes ago, wombatofludham said:

Is it true the unit comes with pre fitted speakers?  

 

That's correct, a downward facing speaker in the battery box beneath each of the driving cars.

[wombatofludham]

Excellent news, giving me a soldering iron is like giving a five year old a flame thrower. Looking forward to these, hopefully a Reggie Rail one will come before too long.

[robertcwp]

2 minutes ago, wombatofludham said:

Excellent news, giving me a soldering iron is like giving a five year old a flame thrower. Looking forward to these, hopefully a Reggie Rail one will come before too long.

And a blue one! 

[Class 158 productions]

As a dc modeller, the pre fitted put up the cost for something I don’t use, also with the 158 the speakers are quite bad. Basically putting up the price for dc modellers and comprising the dcc fraternity, hopefully they stop it 

[bubbles2]

Is it possible to have basic sound with dc as supplied with the blue pullman?  I guess a sound chip of some sort would need to be fitted for engine sound but without all the bells and whistles

Edited June 6, 2020 by bubbles2

[robertcwp]

1 hour ago, Class 158 productions said:

As a dc modeller, the pre fitted put up the cost for something I don’t use, also with the 158 the speakers are quite bad. Basically putting up the price for dc modellers and comprising the dcc fraternity, hopefully they stop it 

I think it's now standard. I'm a DC modeller too so don't need the speakers. I understand they are not very good on models released so far compared to some makes of speaker.  What I object to more is paying for sound chips I don't need, but they seem to have backed away from just doing a model DCC sound fitted with several diesel models now shown in the catalogue both as DCC ready and DCC sound fitted,

[Phil Bullock]

16 hours ago, robertcwp said:

I think Bachmann are making that standard on new models. The new 24s have speakers.

 

It does seem like that.... but it is to be hoped that they can install something a bit meatier than the one in the 24 which doesnt perform well...we have already replaced ours with a better installation for the characteristic Sulzer rumble. DMU farting noises may be less demanding....

[Class 158 productions]

Will 2 car running be possible, especially in later nse days. Hopefully the couplings have been put in a way that allows it 

[Market65]

From looking closely at the photo’s, it appears it will be possible to run the 117 as a two cat set. There are the two lines of the pins spaced closely together on the DMS, and the DMBS has the ‘holes’ in a corresponding place on it’s plug. Shouldn’t be too long before we all find out, but I’m optimistic about that at least. 
But it must not be overlooked, that if the class 158 is comparable, then you won’t be able to run a hybrid set if only because both power cars have to be coupled together since one of them relies on the other car to enable it’s motor to actually work. On the 158 one of the two cars will not run without being coupled to the other.

I hope all this will be of some use.

 

Best regards,

 

 Rob.

[dj_crisp]

Overall I rather like it.... although those couplings are horrible and makes it look clonky. There must be a better way.

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Class 158 productions said:

Will 2 car running be possible, especially in later nse days. Hopefully the couplings have been put in a way that allows it 

Very good question.  2-car units appeared from quite early on in their lives.  Blue ones definitely so possibly green ones too.  

 

It depends how the trailer car is wired.  I believe the 4Cep and 4TC are wired such that in one intermediate coach the wiring is "crossed over" in order to command the front to show white lights including in the cab (selected by a microswitch underneath) and the rear of the unit to display red lights (again if you switch them on) and not the cab light.  

 

In the 2EPB I believe the same crossover is within one of the vehicles because there is no intermediate vehicle to act as the crossover point and likewise in the 2H Thumper.  

 

If the crossover is in the 117 trailer it may be possible to physically couple the two driving coaches but there may be issues with the wiring.  

 

Of course if someone with a more intimate knowledge knows I am talking from a lower orifice I am happy to be corrected.  

 

 

[pheaton]

No your not gwiver the Bachmann instructions state that the 4tc must be coupled a certain way to work properly, that said I'm sure someone stated you could run it as a 3tc, the couplings are  pain but Bachmann supply a tool to make uncoupling easier.

Edited June 7, 2020 by pheaton

[Kaput]

The 4TC can run as a 3TC but only the TFK coach can be removed. All the electrical control gubbins for the lights is in the TBSK and the couplers as said are designed so it can only be coupled in the correct order. You could physically couple both DTSO coaches together and run them but no idea what will happen to the lights.

 

The couplers on the 4TC are a bit chunky but they work perfectly. The set is stable as a rock in both directions and you don't have to worry about it uncoupling on the move.

[fezza]

I can understand the coupling frustration but Bachmann will have calculated 99% of purchasers will run them in fixed formation - and the other 1% are likely to be experienced enough to figure out an electrical workaround. 

 

My main worry on the 158 was that the connections were stiff and a little fragile. 

[Gwiwer]

36 minutes ago, Kaput said:

The 4TC can run as a 3TC but only the TFK coach can be removed.

And that is the only coach which should be removed to form a 3TC.  The brake (TBSK) is essential to either formation.  3TC units had no first class accommodation.  

[stationroad]

If I were Bachmann I would plan for 2 car operation so that I could sell a 2 car pack later on. In a similar way that the 158 has three and two car options. Hopefully they have the foresight for this!

[adb968008]

26 minutes ago, stationroad said:

If I were Bachmann I would plan for 2 car operation so that I could sell a 2 car pack later on. In a similar way that the 158 has three and two car options. Hopefully they have the foresight for this!

i wouldnt have thought it hard, couplings have a male / female connector pair so setting the couplings up as..  DMS+ -TS+ -DMBS would mean DMS+ -DMBS would be possible ?