Model Rail/Rapido Trains GER/LNER 'J70' 0-6-0T 'Project Toby'

[mdvle]

Entirely speculation on my part, but if they still have stock on 9 out of 10 versions close to a year after arrival I would guess that a second run could well be years away if it happens at all.

 

Anyone really wanting a GER version will either have to wait and hope, or opt to buy one of the existing models and modify/repaint as necessary.

[dibber25]

12 hours ago, mdvle said:

Entirely speculation on my part, but if they still have stock on 9 out of 10 versions close to a year after arrival I would guess that a second run could well be years away if it happens at all.

 

Anyone really wanting a GER version will either have to wait and hope, or opt to buy one of the existing models and modify/repaint as necessary.

The sell-through on all our previous exclusives (Sentinel and USA 0-6-0T) has generally been longer than one year. A particularly popular livery/number may sell out more quickly but, in general, a run of several thousand should last longer than a year, otherwise you get frustrations from customers who have missed out. Though we welcome and encourage pre-orders (currently on the 16XX) we don't just order enough to cover the pre-orders, unlike Rapido's own practice with many of their models. However, I wouldn't expect to be thinking about a second run until after most of them have sold out. (CJL)

[mdvle]

1 hour ago, dibber25 said:

The sell-through on all our previous exclusives (Sentinel and USA 0-6-0T) has generally been longer than one year. A particularly popular livery/number may sell out more quickly but, in general, a run of several thousand should last longer than a year, otherwise you get frustrations from customers who have missed out.

 

Yes, to be clear I wasn't suggesting that the model wasn't popular or that still having stock is a problem - just that if there still is stock there isn't going to be any reason to produce another run in the near future.

[47137]

Please excuse a rather long post out of the blue but I'm a very happy purchaser.

 

I unpacked my MR-204 yesterday. I've taken some photos of it, these are the photos I've been searching for online and failed to find, these are all as the camera sees it without retouching and show the model I received (I have a question at the end!)

 

The chassis is quite tiny; most of the weight of the model is in the body; the motor has a flywheel; the white lump is the loudspeaker; the use of a six-pin decoder socket seems a bit cheap and cheerful when something more modern like Plux would include integrated loudspeaker connections - perhaps size is the limitation:

 

The body shell is a composite construction of metal and plastic; the steps are a part of the body not the chassis:

 

The marketing for the MR-204 is unclear and I felt I was taking a chance on whether cowcatchers are supplied. The advert in Model Rail shows a model with cowcatchers but the web site shows a model without. The narrative is ambiguous, "Replacement cowcatchers with no coupling aperture". Rest assured, the model does not have cowcatchers fitted but the accessory pack includes all four. Fitment is a push fit into holes at each end:

 

On this model, the safety chains are factory-fitted. The factory put too much glue on one at the firebox end and it's not hanging down properly. However, with my eyesight I can only just sense this with my naked eye, I need a photo to see what has happened:

 

 

At the smokebox end, you can see the end windows are separate parts, ready to be popped out to fit the opened windows:

 

 

Running is noisy and lumpy on my KPC Kentrol Feedback, quite smooth but difficult to achieve slow running with a Gaugemaster non-feedback controller, and very good indeed ("excellent") with a lash-up using a Zimo 617 on a harness. I've orderd up a Zimo decoder with built-in pins to to install permanently.

 

Now, my question is this. I want to fit the opening windows. The photos in the instruction book show a fair amount of surplus glue dropped onto the model! I don't want to do this and I'd like to take the ends out of the body to fit the new cab windows. Please can someone post instructions on how to dismantle the body and indeed put it back together. So I can lay the ends flat on the bench. Many thanks.

 

- Richard.

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by 47137

[Gilbert]

32 minutes ago, 47137 said:

 

Now, my question is this. I want to fit the opening windows. The photos in the instruction book show a fair amount of surplus glue dropped onto the model! I don't want to do this and I'd like to take the ends out of the body to fit the new cab windows. Please can someone post instructions on how to dismantle the body and indeed put it back together. So I can lay the ends flat on the bench. Many thanks.

 

- Richard.

 

Post from CJL on p38 shows you how.

[47137]

1 hour ago, Gilbert said:

Post from CJL on p38 shows you how.

 

The post from CJL tells you what you want to achieve but not how to do it. Specifically, how do we release the tabs holding the ends? Also, can we get the sides out as well, to get these flat on the bench? This is why I ask about dismantling the body.

 

- Richard.

[Pre Grouping fan]

1 hour ago, 47137 said:

Running is noisy and lumpy on my KPC Kentrol Feedback

These models have Coreless motors fitted and they shouldn't be used with a feedback controller. I'm sure the booklet should mention this. 

[47137]

18 minutes ago, Pre Grouping fan said:

These models have Coreless motors fitted and they shouldn't be used with a feedback controller. I'm sure the booklet should mention this. 

 

The book makes no mention of the coreless motor nor feedback controllers, but there's more than ample coverage of the subject here. I made my remark about controllers as a way of providing feedback to the community.

 

I do wish someone could tell me how they took the body apart, from first-hand knowledge.

 

Richard.

[Gilbert]

1 hour ago, 47137 said:

 

The post from CJL tells you what you want to achieve but not how to do it. Specifically, how do we release the tabs holding the ends? Also, can we get the sides out as well, to get these flat on the bench? This is why I ask about dismantling the body.

 

- Richard.

I found this quite helpful

"The end unclips with a long tab under the roof and three tabs along the lower edge. Release the roof tab first and the end will just lift out. When re-assembling, locate the lower tabs first, then the roof. (CJL)"

[47137]

I'll confess, the word "unclip" fills me with dread, and thoughts of something pinging across the room in bits destined to never go back together again - but by the sound of it you got the end panels out and back in again without harm?

 

- Richard.

[Gilbert]

Contemplating it as we speak but hopefully gentle persuasion will work. Pingy bits can be restrained if you do the job inside a clear plastic bag!

[47137]

Don't go harming the model for the sake of me or the forum!

 

- Richard.

Edited April 13, 2020 by 47137

[dibber25]

10 hours ago, 47137 said:

 

The post from CJL tells you what you want to achieve but not how to do it. Specifically, how do we release the tabs holding the ends? Also, can we get the sides out as well, to get these flat on the bench? This is why I ask about dismantling the body.

 

- Richard.

The ends have the tiniest of locating tabs on the top and bottom edges. Just hold the end with thumb and fore-finger, lift slightly and it will come out. They aren't glued in and they come out incredibly easily. I wrote the instructions. I really didn't think I needed to go into any great detail - indeed, if you take the body off, it's likely that the ends will just fall out. The sides, however, are an integral part of the body moulding and will not separate. (CJL)

[47137]

9 hours ago, dibber25 said:

The ends have the tiniest of locating tabs on the top and bottom edges. Just hold the end with thumb and fore-finger, lift slightly and it will come out. They aren't glued in and they come out incredibly easily. I wrote the instructions. I really didn't think I needed to go into any great detail - indeed, if you take the body off, it's likely that the ends will just fall out. The sides, however, are an integral part of the body moulding and will not separate. (CJL)

 

Ah ha! I've misunderstood your explanations.

 

The ends of the body are separate parts, retained by lugs and slots at the base and a curving rebate at the top. For me, I simply eased the edge of the roof moulding upwards (I used my thumbnail) and then lifted the end away.

 

Here's a photo showing the three lugs on the end and the rebate in the roof. For anyone who is still a bit nervy of taking their model apart, reassembly is even easier - engage the three lugs at the base and press the end back into place.

 

- Richard.

 

 

 

[47137]

I settled on having one open window and all the end doors shut. I haven't got any non-fogging cyano at home so I used Humbrol acrylic varnish (matt) to stick the window frame to its glazing and the assembly onto the model. This seems to have held:

 

 

Than you Rapido you have done us proud.

 

- Richard.

[sumo]

Three quick questions before purchase.

 

If I buy a skirted model are the skirts (easily) removeable?

 

Is there a favoured DCC chip?

 

I found a dealer at the Bluebell Show last year who had a good price. Any leads? 

 

Thanks. 

[SomethingTrainLover]

Well from my experience, not particularly easy to remove although I believe they can be. Mind the skirted variants don't have the eccentrics as there's very little room with the skirts on.

[mdvle]

54 minutes ago, sumo said:

I found a dealer at the Bluebell Show last year who had a good price. Any leads?

 

Model Rail still has stock of all but one of the versions if you wish to buy new

http://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk/pg/160/Project-J70

 

 

[MarkSG]

6 hours ago, sumo said:

If I buy a skirted model are the skirts (easily) removeable?

 

You can't convert a skirted version into an unskirted version by removing the skirts. The skirted version lacks some of the motion detail that is present on the unskirted version.

 

If you have an unskirted version, you can interchange between fully unskirted (no cowcatchers) and partially skirted (with cowcatchers) by adding or removing the cowcatchers. But you have to make a decision at point of purchase whether you want the side skirts in place or not, you can't interchange between them on the same model.

[dibber25]

On 30/04/2020 at 04:22, sumo said:

Three quick questions before purchase.

 

If I buy a skirted model are the skirts (easily) removeable?

 

Is there a favoured DCC chip?

 

I found a dealer at the Bluebell Show last year who had a good price. Any leads? 

 

Thanks. 

This 'dealer' presumably had a secondhand model? The 'J70s' are not being sold, discounted or otherwise, through dealers - only from Model Rail. (CJL)

[47137]

On 30/04/2020 at 04:22, sumo said:

...

Is there a favoured DCC chip?

...

 

I bought a Zimo MX617N for my "Toby". This plugs in and works well with the coreless motor, without adjusting any CVs. It only costs £20 so seems to be a no-brainer unless you want sound.

 

- Richard.

[friscopete]

I dont have one of these but I did make a  brass 00 model up for a customer with a  Portescap motor and gibson wheels .It was the GER version and I seem to remeber making the GER blue panel by painting some decal sheet GER blue  ,lining and lettering it probably with HMRS  type sheets.i should think some enterprising type on here could  print some up and a complete side decal and making conversion easy .I leave it to the experts to pick my idea to bits but at least my customer was happy  .

[Steamport Southport]

31 minutes ago, friscopete said:

I dont have one of these but I did make a  brass 00 model up for a customer with a  Portescap motor and gibson wheels .It was the GER version and I seem to remeber making the GER blue panel by painting some decal sheet GER blue  ,lining and lettering it probably with HMRS  type sheets.i should think some enterprising type on here could  print some up and a complete side decal and making conversion easy .I leave it to the experts to pick my idea to bits but at least my customer was happy  .

 

Fox already do the transfers. Paint available from Phoenix.

 

Just that some expect everything to be done for them when they would probably sell about five. Then would probably still complain that they didn't want that number.

 

Why anyone decides to model pre grouping without wanting to do the modelling is baffling. I thought that was the point. You get something unique.

 

But we are just going to end up with layouts full of brightly coloured locomotives pulling Hattons carriages. I honestly worry about the way the hobby is going. 

 

 

 

Jason

Edited May 6, 2020 by Steamport Southport

[friscopete]

People just want enjoy themselves .Some like a challenge and others like to buy stuff and play with it .They keep the hobby going .

[dibber25]

Finally got round to figuring out how to do movie with my camera. John Gay at Digitrains has fitted one of my 'J70s' with sound and a 'stay alive' capacitor. Filming and driving it at the same time - on a diorama that's just 3ft long, was a bit challenging. (CJL)