Bachmann announce Class 117 and Class 121 at Collectors Club event

[Kaput]

Ultimately it will depend where the decoder socket is. If its in a driving car then 2 car operation shouldn't be a problem. if its in the center car then its a bit more trouble.

[Rich Papper]

My money's on a driving car. From experience bashing together DMUs with a decoder in each vehicle, it is very hard to hide one in the TCL. You might get one in the toilet but it'd be much more difficult to get to.

Edited June 7, 2020 by Rich Papper

[Market65]

With the decoder socket being in the guards van in the class 121, I feel confident that it will be in the guards van of the DMBS  of the class 117. It makes sense, and keeps it out of difficulty trying to hide it away in the TCL. If right, two car sets should not be a problem. Certainly we don’t now have long to wait, and will be finding out one way or the other on their arrival  in the shops.

 

Best regards,

 

 Rob.

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, Rich Papper said:

You might get one in the toilet but it'd be much more difficult to get to.

Anyone who has attempted to squeeze through the narrow gangway doors and reach the toilet on a 117 knows they are much more difficult to get to

[adb968008]

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Anyone who has attempted to squeeze through the narrow gangway doors and reach the toilet on a 117 knows they are much more difficult to get to

There like George soros’s bathroom compared to the Ryanair loo’s of a 142.

so small even the cleaners never went in there... that’s probably why the 142’s rotted, certainly their scent matured with age.

Edited June 7, 2020 by adb968008

[Market65]

Yes, I always had to do the sideways shuffle to get in the bog on a 142! 

 

Rob.

[SouthernMafia]

The couplings on these look the same as the 158 which is certainly clunky. The 4TC whilst similar is narrower and only has 4 contacts. 

Strangely I don't really notice it on the TC but I do on the 158. I think it will be even more noticeable on the 117.

The alternative solution would be two (sound) decoders...so we would probably be talking over £400 for the model.

 

[Gwiwer]

I must have an earlier 158.  Mine has a small hook / loop arrangement between the cars, not even a power-bar let alone a multi-function coupler akin to a model Dellner  

[Geep7]

20 minutes ago, SouthernMafia said:

The couplings on these look the same as the 158 which is certainly clunky. The 4TC whilst similar is narrower and only has 4 contacts. 

Strangely I don't really notice it on the TC but I do on the 158. I think it will be even more noticeable on the 117.

The alternative solution would be two (sound) decoders...so we would probably be talking over £400 for the model.

 

Oh wow, that does show quite how big the connector will be, even compared with the TC version. I'll take back what I said earlier. Those little, ex-Collett, gangways won't disguise it very well....

 

I run DCC and sound myself, but does it really need 14 pins? It does seem rather overkill to me.

[wombatofludham]

To be honest the size of the coupling isn't an issue for me, I much prefer it to the fragile and easily broken coupling bars and cam housings on the 150 and Voyagers.  The number of coupling bars I used to get through for my 150 fleet when I used to take Kings Oak to exhibitions was surprising, as I had to separate the units every night and I would guarantee breaking at least one a day, plus I was always a bit nervous of damaging the cam coupling housing trying to insert the coupling bar.  I suspect the move to these couplings is in part due to the less than robust nature of the Class 220/221/150 style couplings.

[Derails Models]

2 hours ago, wombatofludham said:

 The number of coupling bars I used to get through for my 150 fleet 

 

Amen to that!  The 150 was the primary reason I changed my fiddle yard to primarily form of cassettes......I could save more money by changing half the layout and leaving the 150 permanently coupling than I spent on the bars! I don't think I've uncoupled my Arriva unit for a good five years now....

 

Back on topic - having coupling and uncoupled a lot of them during pre-despatch testing, the these big type connectors on the new 158's, I find aren't too bad at all. They're quite easy to put together on the track and uncoupling just requires tipping the unit onto it's back (on a suitable soft surface or large loco cradle as we use, of course) and 'helping' them apart.  In terms of aesthetics, having seen the production sample 117 in the flesh, I didn't find the coupling noticeable at all and I think the benefits they bring in the functionality of the model outweigh any downside.

 

All personal preference of course.

 

HTH

[89A]

e mail notification from Bachmann just received. Arriving in Barwell in the next few days.

[Class 158 productions]

Rails are saying next week, rather exciting. Interesting to see how these sell. Will definitely test the market, hopefully they do well and Bachmann do more dmus 118s etc 

[Zunnan]

Will these couplers make me cancel my pre-order? No, I would have cancelled long ago if that were the case. But after the BP I am awaiting the 117 with some reservations as well as some regrets. They are certainly more of a restriction than a convenience as far as I am concerned. Even something as simple and commonplace as a 121 substituting a DMBS or another common '80s Tyseley formation of a DMS/DMS/DMBS 3 car will require warranty voiding surgery; that's without going into the more exotic hybrids that Tyseley were so adept at cobbling together. One can only dream of some of the hybrids they churned out with that clapped out NSE 119 when it was whittled down to just the DMBC...

 

I have my own little caveat to the point about the cost of replacement coupling bars. Repairing the damaged coupling mechanism on a Blue Pullman which was bought second hand cost more than several packets of 150 coupler bars. In fact, for the cost of the unit plus the cost of repairs I may as well have just bought brand new and would have had some change left...then another coupler mech on the unit disintegrated when being uncoupled after an op session at the club a few months later. If I were to get the BP repaired again (I got shot of it instead), the cost of the two repairs combined would cost about as much as a sound decoder. Having broken a few 150 coupler bars myself, I'd rather replace coupler bars than fork out to repair a more complicated mech. But to be honest, I'm much more amenable to the older approach of putting a chip in each car and have no problems with semi permanently coupled sets using expensive to repair unit specific couplers. I have enough of a stock of decoders to cover most bases.

[Market65]

Coupler concerns understood, but I must say I’m looking forward to next week, if correct,  and making my purchase of one of these sets in green. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep it permanently coupled - I just have to try getting my shelves rearranged.

 

Rob.

[Covkid]

5 hours ago, Class 158 productions said:

Rails are saying next week, rather exciting. Interesting to see how these sell. Will definitely test the market, hopefully they do well and Bachmann do more dmus 118s etc 

 

Oh no.  116s please.  Far more geographical coverage and potential sales. 

I want a couple of three car 116s minimum but dont want or need a 118. 

[Class 158 productions]

40 minutes ago, Covkid said:

 

Oh no.  116s please.  Far more geographical coverage and potential sales. 

I want a couple of three car 116s minimum but dont want or need a 118. 

True, I could see the 118 done like the 205 was. As an exclusive to a retailer, my guess would be kernow but they already have the gwr 150 things

[1977joey]

8 hours ago, Class 158 productions said:

Rails are saying next week, rather exciting. Interesting to see how these sell. Will definitely test the market, hopefully they do well and Bachmann do more dmus 118s etc 

 

Yup, I hope they do too & they produce an N gauge version, be it a 116, 117 or 118 I'd be grateful for lol!....everything crossed...

 

Cheers,

Mark

Edited June 10, 2020 by 1977joey

[pheaton]

Odd the nse one has appeared in reviews, and its listed as arriving June, but is not shown in the release any retailers know if this is due in the next few weeks or much later? I have one on order @Derails Models and just need to know if I need to keep the money this month for it.

[Not Captain Kernow]

You can run the 117 as a two car with no issues at all.

[Derails Models]

6 hours ago, pheaton said:

Odd the nse one has appeared in reviews, and its listed as arriving June, but is not shown in the release any retailers know if this is due in the next few weeks or much later? I have one on order @Derails Models and just need to know if I need to keep the money this month for it.

 

Edit - new post with new info posted on next page

Edited June 10, 2020 by Derails Models

[Market65]

Yes, it will be expensive next week.  But I’m looking forward to those models which should be the best first generation DMU’s ever.

 

Rob.

[lyneux]

Any clue as to whether these will easily accommodate EM or P4 wheel sets?

 

Do they have Bachmann's usual insulated split-axle wheels? EDIT: Yes!

 

Cheers,

 

Guy

Edited June 10, 2020 by lyneux

[Legend]

They look really nice , but I'm afraid just too expensive for something I'd occasionally run . Hopefully it will trigger a rash of Lima 117 sales on eBay for other dmu conversions

[Ian Hargrave]

I’ll be interested to see how the bubble cars compare with their Dapol counterparts.