Colas locomotive 37099 named ‘Merl Evans 1947 – 2016’

[big jim]

its such a shame i never got to get 37099 to aberystwyth before i left colas, i'll have to leave it to someone else to try and accomplish it for me!

 

 

nicely for me though 37099 was the final class 37 i drove at colas, working to from sheffield to derby via the erewash having been to buxton and manchester piccadilly earlier in the evening

 

 

 

looking forward to getting hold of this model when i get back home at the end of the week

Edited August 14, 2018 by big jim

[andyram]

The Bachmann model is superb. My stock arrived today.

[G-BOAF]

The real thing doesn’t have a nose Ariel (no NRN fitted any more) and the ‘stub’ is barely noticeable and painted yellow anyway

 

Hadn't realised that NRN was totally done. You tell me it is, and I see from the interesting article (linked below) that it ended two years ago.

https://www.railengineer.uk/2016/02/29/farewell-to-the-nrn/

Thanks for the new knowledge!

Interestingly I see that many/all recent photos of Colas 37s show the NRN aerials removed. DRS 37s still have them; though I guess the on loan heritage locos (401/403) will keep them anyway)

 

I'm very tempted to get the Bachmann 099 - a celeb, almost heritage loco, and in honour of an individual who did so much for taking model railways to the quality we see today (plus I don't have a split headcode tractor yet)

[robf]

Quick thought, I noticed that quite a lot of people have posted photos of this fantastic model.  I also notice that the big box shifters haven't received them yet.  Do Bachmann (and other manufacturers for that matter) supply the smaller shops first? 

[andyram]

Quick thought, I noticed that quite a lot of people have posted photos of this fantastic model.  I also notice that the big box shifters haven't received them yet.  Do Bachmann (and other manufacturers for that matter) supply the smaller shops first? 

 

 

I cannot comment about the big box shifters but I have my supply in.

[Alcanman]

I called into my local model today and 37099 was in stock. However, the proprietor told me they were selling out fast.

[andyram]

I called into my local model today and 37099 was in stock. However, the proprietor told me they were selling out fast.

They are going very quickly. I have only got a limited amount left.

[Krieghoff]

I received a phone call today from Transport Models to say my Class 37 Merl Evans was ready to purchase as it had arrived. Im really looking forward to this model as ive waited so long. What a fitting tribute to Merl Evans but so very sad at his passing following his retirement from Bachmann.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Krieghoff

[classy52]

Apologies in advance and I may be having a blonde moment but have Bachmann done away with sprung buffers on their Class 37, got my 37099 and the buffers are static.

Can't compare it with my other Bachmann Class 37's as they are all packed away due to moving house and haven't looked at them for a while, anyway info on this will be appreciated.

[dave56]

Apologies in advance and I may be having a blonde moment but have Bachmann done away with sprung buffers on their Class 37, got my 37099 and the buffers are static.

Can't compare it with my other Bachmann Class 37's as they are all packed away due to moving house and haven't looked at them for a while, anyway info on this will be appreciated.

I brought 37421 in Colas in June and the buffers are sprung.

[classy52]

I brought 37421 in Colas in June and the buffers are sprung.

 

Thanks for that, I took out 37099 again to double check and yes they are definitely not sprung...interesting.

[dave56]

Thanks for that, I took out 37099 again to double check and yes they are definitely not sprung...interesting.

Interesting, bit of a bast from the past. I cannot remember when I had a 37 without sprung buffers, going back to the original Tre Pol and Pen (2004) and also have 37038 (2008), plus many others with sprung buffers.

[classy52]

Interesting, bit of a bast from the past. I cannot remember when I had a 37 without sprung buffers, going back to the original Tre Pol and Pen (2004) and also have 37038 (2008), plus many others with sprung buffers.

 

Not particularly bothered by this as it was just an observation as the first thing I do when unpacking a new loco is to push the buffers knowing they would be sprung.

Perhaps someone else can shed some light on this tooling change which is effectively going backwards or a bit of cost cutting by Bachmann???

[G-BOAF]

I seem to recall when the 37/0 was retooled (into its latest iteration) Bachmann said the buffers would not be sprung, partly to allow for the complexities of the valanced loco.

HOWEVER what I don't understand is that with the unvalanced loco, the buffers should be the same as the refurbished 37... (as indeed should the whole underframe I believe) so why the difference?

[tractor_37260]

Not particularly bothered by this as it was just an observation as the first thing I do when unpacking a new loco is to push the buffers knowing they would be sprung.

Perhaps someone else can shed some light on this tooling change which is effectively going backwards or a bit of cost cutting by Bachmann???

 

I think you'll find that most Bach 37's with ROUND buffers are fixed non-sprung, unless of course somebody else knows different ? 

 

Edited to align with dave56's post............

Edited August 19, 2018 by tractor_37260

[Krieghoff]

Its such a shame that this is the case. These locomotives now aren't cheap by any standard. For the extra price they should have done them all sprung. its the same as the opening cab doors. I have some earlier ones with them and most without. if Hornby can do it, im sure Bachmann shoud be able to do it. at the price of modern RTR locos the extra cost is acceptable in my opinion.

 

Lets not go backwards Bachmann !!!

[dave56]

I think you'll find all Bach 37's with ROUND buffers are fixed non-sprung, unless of course somebody else knows different ? 

Just had a look through my whole collection, not one Bachmann has non sprung buffers. 32-778 D6826 in Br Green Centre head code has round buffers but these are also sprung.

Edited August 19, 2018 by dave56

[Krieghoff]

I wonder if this is a cock up on Bachmanns part or indeed a cost cutting measure. if its the latter I will be really annoyed

Edited August 19, 2018 by Krieghoff

[classy52]

I wonder if this is a cock up on Bachmanns part or indeed a cost cutting measure. if its the latter I will be really annoyed

 

The plot thickens with regards to everyone's input on this thus far, this is why I had to do a double take when I first inspected the loco and was a bit surprised by the fact the buffers weren't sprung hence my query on here as per original post.

It will be intriguing to see a definitive answer to this by someone in the know who is aware of this and the reasons why?...but yes it would be poor from Bachmann if this indeed was a cost cutting exercise.

[Krieghoff]

I have just sent an E-Mail direct to Bachmann asking for an explanation as to how and why the decision was made to omit the sprung buffers. In my opinion its one of two reasons

1. Cost Cutting

2. Factory/Mistake on the part of Bachmann

 

I will post the reply when I receive it

Edited August 19, 2018 by Krieghoff

[G-BOAF]

Just had a look through my whole collection, not one Bachmann has non sprung buffers. 32-778 D6826 in Br Green Centre head code has round buffers but these are also sprung.

As I noted above, the current iteration of retooled 37/0 does not have sprung buffers. 32-778 was the previous generation of the 37/0 where the shape was a bit off (Bachmann's second attempt at the 37). Bachmann got things right with the 37/4/refurb tractors in around 2010. Following that there was YET ANOTHER retool of the 37/0 (can't remember which year) which is the current generation. This has buffers which are not sprung.

 

At danger of kicking off a debate on sprung buffers, unless you are using scale chain couplings and actually buffering up to stock, or regularly run your locos into the buffer stops, they serve no purpose (and even if you buffer up to stock, the springing is usually not soft enough to have the desired effect).

For me the only real advantage is that the buffers and buffer shanks are necessarily separated in the correct place, where the buffers are sprung. This avoids the moulded look that can result if the buffer/shank split is not carried out correctly. But if the split is correctly done, cosmetically there is no difference, especially if the actual buffer is itself metal.

 

Open cab doors are more of a mixed blessing. The result of these is that there is often a more-than-scale gap (e.g. Hornby Class 50). Bachmann 37 did it well, and also introduced wire door handrails where previous 37/0 and 37/4 versions had moulded handrails and fixed doors. However given Bachmann has perpetuated wire handrails with moulded doors, the only remaining advantage of opening doors is being able to pose them open. I agree is a loss as it adds character to the model, and this regard more of a loss than sprung buffers. But for normal operation and viewing, is minimal imho. The actual door mechanism is quite complex, and doubtless difficult to fit as it needs to be glued against the spring. Cutting this out doubtless saves production costs - how much more would today's RRP be with opening doors?

The original (current generation) 37/4s had opening doors, but I don't know if the latest releases still have them. The 37/5 tooling certainly dispensed with them, as did the 37/0.

[newbryford]

Does anyone actually make use of the sprung buffers?

[tractor_37260]

The plot thickens with regards to everyone's input on this thus far, this is why I had to do a double take when I first inspected the loco and was a bit surprised by the fact the buffers weren't sprung hence my query on here as per original post.

It will be intriguing to see a definitive answer to this by someone in the know who is aware of this and the reasons why?...but yes it would be poor from Bachmann if this indeed was a cost cutting exercise.

 

AFAIR the early Bach 37/0's with buffer cowls had sprung "round" buffers, the chassis BB being modded at the time to clear the cowlings ( they only had a partial BB to clear the cowls) When the later 37/0's with revised BB cowlings was released, the chassis AFAIK was altered to allow clearance AND this also resulted in the now infamous "bulbous" extended nose ends  - that are fitted to all later 37/0 models since................

Edited August 19, 2018 by tractor_37260

[tractor_37260]

Does anyone actually make use of the sprung buffers?

 

Certainly not if one's using Kadee's - perhaps on a depot scene with no stock involved , locos could be stabled buffer to buffer..................?

[G-BOAF]

AFAIR the early Bach 37/0's with buffer cowls had sprung "round" buffers, the chassis BB being modded at the time to clear the cowlings ( they only had a partial BB to clear the cowls) When the later 37/0's with revised BB cowlings was released, the chassis AFAIK was altered to allow clearance AND this also resulted in the now infamous "bulbous" extended nose ends  - that are fitted to all later 37/0 models since................

Arg - that was one thing that was (still is) making me hesitate about 099 - is the bulbous nose only an issue with the skirted noses or all 37/0s (even if cut away)?