Bachmann announce Class 117 and Class 121 at Collectors Club event

[robertcwp]

Sometimes a 117 ran with a DET (Drive End Trailer) ie a 121 DTS.

[Pteremy]

Great to see the excellent reviews. Let us hope that this increases the chances of seeing 116s, 118s and driving trailers for the 121/122s, either directly or via commissions. (But selfishly SYP versions in first batch(es) please!) Until then I will be happy with a Rule 1 whiskers 117 on a 'mystery excursion' from London.

[charliepetty]

On 25/06/2020 at 22:52, Clearwater said:

If I was looking to renumber one of these, what’s the best source of new transfers?  Would want to go for one of the Birmingham area units.

 

thanks

 

david 

DCKits do a comprehensive Blue-Grey pack for assorted DMU's, loads of number sets.

 

See:  https://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=809&search=transfers&page=3

[BR(S)]

Does anyone know how easy it is to replace the buffers on the 121?  I know they're sprung.  I want the blue/grey version, but with round buffers.

[richard w]

Very impressed.  Adding some passengers is well worth the effort if you have time.

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by richard w

[Mark]

43 minutes ago, richard w said:

Very impressed.  Adding some passengers is well worth the effort if you have time.

 

When it was dark the driver usually had his blind down so he could see without distraction from lights behind. Sometimes if you were lucky the second mans blind was left open.
 

Mark

[Market65]

Well, having said that about the blinds beng down in the dark, I recall a journey back, from York to Hull, in January, 1980 in a two car class 101. The driver left the blinds up, and you could see all the signals changing their aspects as we went along the line. I found it absolutely fascinating.

 

Rob.

[Market65]

Just seen this of a class 117 on the Leicester service, coming off the Cricket Ground Curve in Hull, from the Scarborough branch, on the 31st, August, 1991. It’s a photo’, by Philip Wheldale on Flickr, and the unit it is 117306. Who says you cannot have a 117 in East Yorkshire?

 

117306 by Philip Wheldale, on Flickr

 

Best regards,

 

 Rob.

[Oldddudders]

That pristine 117 appears to be full of, and surrounded by at track level, enthusiasts. 

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

That pristine 117 appears to be full of, and surrounded by at track level, enthusiasts. 

Definitely a Crankex and doing some little used track too.

[Oldddudders]

But 6 Bells Junction knows nothing, as far as I can see. 

[fiftyfour fiftyfour]

Let's hope Bachmann have made provision for addition of working high intensity headlight for the late 1980's and 1990's models. Got my 121 this morning, very happy, especially with the ability to control lighting in DC control. Now when do I dare take it apart to change the blinds to St. Erth and St. Ives?! If anyone has done this already and they have determined the font size to use please feel free to say what worked best...

 

[The Johnster]

On 27/06/2020 at 18:01, Pteremy said:

Great to see the excellent reviews. Let us hope that this increases the chances of seeing 116s, 118s and driving trailers for the 121/122s, either directly or via commissions. (But selfishly SYP versions in first batch(es) please!) Until then I will be happy with a Rule 1 whiskers 117 on a 'mystery excursion' from London.

Regettably, I reckon the presence of this (excellent) RTR high density dmu will corner the market; and render the idea of a 116 or 118 less likely.  The 116 would, IMHO, have been a much better choice on the basis of numbers built and geographical spread, but I think the attraction for Bachmann may have dimmed a little with the realisation that there are different cab front profiles and two varieties of trailer car, an all second and a composite.  The 117s are all the same apart from time related alterations such as gangways, and can be used as the basis of a 121.  The 116 can be used as the basis of a 122, of course.  

 

Lima must have come to the same conclusion when they introduced their 117.  I cut'n'shut a 116 out of this years ago which I still have and which gets an outing now and then; still runs perfectly on it's original carbon brushes, nearly 50 years old.  But it took 5 coaches to make up a 3 car set  Doing the same to the Bachmann would need 4, as a DMS is provided, but you still need an extra trailer to provide the second class, a pricey conversion!

 

With regard to driver's blinds. the purpose was to prevent his night vision being affected by reflections on the inside of the cab windows from the passenger saloon lights (and the antics of the passengers!).  Most drivers left them up during the day, but some preferred the privacy of having them closed.  Some drivers would at night leave the central door and secondman's side blinds up, which would mean you could observe the action from the rh front seat, which conveniently faced the window.  The all-round views available to passengers were much appreciated when the early dmus were introduced and became a selling point. especially to passengers used to 10 seat compartments!

 

Sorry, but a Rule 1 whiskers 117 down from London for a day at Barry Island or Weston Super Mare would be unlikely.  The composite has toilets, but until gangways were provided, which was not until quite late in the green livery era by which time whiskers had been superseded by SYP, only passengers in the TCL could access it.  A long distance journey requires toilet access from all seats in the train.  

 

Cue avalanche of photographic evidence proving me wrong...

Edited June 29, 2020 by The Johnster

[The Johnster]

43 minutes ago, fiftyfour fiftyfour said:

especially with the ability to control lighting in DC control

This is a new one on me.  How does it work, and is it a system I can install in my coaches?

[fiftyfour fiftyfour]

18 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

This is a new one on me.  How does it work, and is it a system I can install in my coaches?

In that there are six switches underneath the carriage allowing you to set how you want the lighting when using in old skool DC. Obviously not too realistic if a giant hand 76x larger than reality emerges from the sky and lifts the train off the track to change the setting mid way through a journey, but a level of control not available on anything else I've ever owned...

 

[The Johnster]

Thank you fiftyfour; all is now clear.  This might have potential but presumably the lighting dims according to track current.

[stationroad]

1 hour ago, fiftyfour fiftyfour said:

Let's hope Bachmann have made provision for addition of working high intensity headlight for the late 1980's and 1990's models. Got my 121 this morning, very happy, especially with the ability to control lighting in DC control. Now when do I dare take it apart to change the blinds to St. Erth and St. Ives?! If anyone has done this already and they have determined the font size to use please feel free to say what worked best...

 

 

It looks like the NSE 117 has a high intensity headlight, so that bodes well for a future 121 with a headlight!

[Gwiwer]

14 hours ago, Market65 said:

Just seen this of a class 117 on the Leicester service, coming off the Cricket Ground Curve in Hull, from the Scarborough branch, on the 31st, August, 1991. It’s a photo’, by Philip Wheldale on Flickr, and the unit it is 117306. Who says you cannot have a 117 in East Yorkshire?

 

 

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Definitely a Crankex and doing some little used track too.

 

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

But 6 Bells Junction knows nothing, as far as I can see. 

 

When did the Bridlington - East Midlands direct summer services cease?  Better known perhaps when they were loco-hauled and some served Filey Holiday Camp but the only time I have come around that curve was aboard a DMU on a very similar working and with heads out of the windows in the warm weather.  

[Market65]

7 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

 

 

 

When did the Bridlington - East Midlands direct summer services cease?  Better known perhaps when they were loco-hauled and some served Filey Holiday Camp but the only time I have come around that curve was aboard a DMU on a very similar working and with heads out of the windows in the warm weather.  

I’ve just referred back to the photo’, on Flickr, and in the caption, it is saying that it was the final working over the Cricket Ground Curve. I’m not sure if that would, therefore, have been the final ever Bridlington to East Midlands train, but it seems probably it was. I seem to recall the following summer being Pacers and Sprinters only.

 

Rob.

[Gwiwer]

5 minutes ago, Market65 said:

I’ve just referred back to the photo’, on Flickr, and in the caption, it is saying that it was the final working over the Cricket Ground Curve. I’m not sure if that would, therefore, have been the final ever Bridlington to East Midlands train, but it seems probably it was. I seem to recall the following summer being Pacers and Sprinters only.

 

Rob.

That was my thinking so thank you for the added information.  There have remained a few trains not requiring a change in Hull but reversing there and of course once things return to normal Hull Trains offers it Kings Cross - Beverley through services to this day but of necessity now reversing in Paragon station.  

[Pteremy]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

Regettably, I reckon the presence of this (excellent) RTR high density dmu will corner the market; and render the idea of a 116 or 118 less likely.  

 

Sorry, but a Rule 1 whiskers 117 down from London for a day at Barry Island or Weston Super Mare would be unlikely.  The composite has toilets, but until gangways were provided, which was not until quite late in the green livery era by which time whiskers had been superseded by SYP, only passengers in the TCL could access it.  A long distance journey requires toilet access from all seats in the train.  

 

Cue avalanche of photographic evidence proving me wrong...

 

I hope you are wrong. Today manufacturers are much more willing to consider variations on a theme, be it liveries or relatively slight prototypical changes or differences, than they were when Lima produced their 117. Of course there has to be money in it for them. But I reckon that the 116/117/118/121/122/149/150 family offers a good opportunity for someone. 

 

On the mystery tour, as it is a rule 1 journey there will be plenty of scope to include appropriate refreshment/comfort stops in the timetable.......

[dibber25]

On 26/06/2020 at 16:10, cctransuk said:

 

Exactly the same on mine!

 

John Isherwood.

...and on my choc and cream one, too, but not on the B&G sample I reviewed.

[dibber25]

As I've said in my review, I can't recall ever seeing a 117 with tail traffic although I've no doubt that they did on occasion. I'm thinking mostly of the early days (green livery) and feel pretty certain I would have taken a photo if I ever saw one. The only shot I have of tail traffic is a 119 at Newbury (reduced to two cars) with a horse box on the tail. As to going through the guard's van to the loo, I can' recall ever doing that but I was pretty timid as a youngster and wouldn't have dreamt of even trying. Plus, every station had a loo so there wasn't ever really a need. (CJL)

[caradoc]

I vaguely recall, in the mid-70s, an evening arrival into the then-unnumbered Up Bay at Oxford formed by a DMU plus parcels van; Possibly from Banbury, presumably the van was removed by the station pilot 08.

 

[smithdom]

I'm planning to model the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, whose Class 117 is, I believe the one scanned for this offering. The one on the GWR is in a green livery (mostly) but has corridoor connections and head and tail lights. It seems from photos that the Bachmann 117 in green has neither whereas the blue & grey has both. Am I missing something?

https://www.gwsr.com/enthusiasts/miscellaneous/DMURailcar_1.html

Edited June 29, 2020 by smithdom
Clarification