Bachmann 94xx

[Miss Prism]

12 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

Ian Pemberton

 

errr, Chris Pendlenton.

 

[PMP]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

Split chassis was a revolution in its day.

Indeed it was, judging by the number of really bad runners we had through the shop, of all types 56xx 57xx J72 43xx std4 it was a revolution in how not to make a good RTR chassis. We used to do a good trade in replacement Perseverance chassis’s 

[The Johnster]

Err, yes, Chris Pendleton.  Perhaps the chuff chuff noises are fogging up my brain (or perhaps the senior moments are coalescing...).

[adb968008]

24 minutes ago, PMP said:

Indeed it was, judging by the number of really bad runners we had through the shop, of all types 56xx 57xx J72 43xx std4 it was a revolution in how not to make a good RTR chassis. We used to do a good trade in replacement Perseverance chassis’s 

Not sure what your shops issue was then.

 

the shop I was volunteering in, was clearing 60 odd Bachmann split chassis models a week.. we only opened at weekends (a preserved railway).

Rejects were in the odd ones, in most cases the issue was quartering, which was a five minute fix.

 

The main source of failures was valve gear snapping off at lugs into the chassis, which I recall Stanier 4-6-0’s and v1’s were good at, 4MTs would lose their inner piece of the cylinder slide bar... neither fault of the chassis... things like J72/03/04/57xx were unbreakable.

 

Conservatively say I handled more than 2000 of them in the early 90’s...repairs.. maybe a few dozen, returns..I dont think we ever did need to... any repair was hotly challenged by 3 eager repairers...

 

£23.95 for a J72, £29.99 for a 4MT.. £39.95 for a Jubilee in those days...
 

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by adb968008

[PMP]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

Not sure what your shops issue was then.

 

the shop I was volunteering in, was clearing 60 odd Bachmann split chassis models a week.. we only opened at weekends (a preserved railway).

Rejects were in the odd ones, in most cases the issue was quartering, which was a five minute fix.

 

The main source of failures was valve gear snapping off at lugs into the chassis, which I recall Stanier 4-6-0’s and v1’s were good at, 4MTs would lose their inner piece of the cylinder slide bar... neither fault of the chassis... things like J72/03/04/57xx were unbreakable.

 

Conservatively say I handled more than 2000 of them in the early 90’s...repairs.. maybe a few dozen, returns..I dont think we ever did need to... any repair was hotly challenged by 3 eager repairers...

 

£23.95 for a J72, £29.99 for a 4MT.. £39.95 for a Jubilee in those days...
 

 

Well the issue our shop had was poor quality running stock.

I didn't bother volunteering, I did it professionally working at a shop in central London that was open six days a week, I don't know how many Mainline products we sold, but it was 'many' as I'm sure you can imagine being open six days a week and all that. I used to send many worldwide overseas, as I ran the mail order side of the shop.

I don't know how many I've handled, but its 'a lot', you know, central London, six days a week, mail order and trade accounts to service I'm sure you can imagine..

We used to run each model before sale, and sometimes a customer in the shop would be happy with something that ran like a dog, I was uneasy about selling a model like that, but 'the customers always right'. We didn't used to try repairing them, we were too busy, and spares weren't available.. Its possible we were more discerning about running qualities than you were and had a higher number of rejects as we didn't want a load of returns

Regardless, the Mainline and early Bachmann split chassis were poor quality designs and build, that's why the contemporary Hornby/Lima/Wrenn models are still around, and working, and the Mainline/Bachmann versions aren't

Edited March 16, 2021 by PMP
moby auto spelling

[Butler Henderson]

Its often overlooked that the Triang Rocket had a split chassis proving such works perfectly fine if the materials are right.

[PMP]

Meanwhile back in the world of Bachmann 94xx’s

[Black 5 Bear]

18 hours ago, PMP said:

Well the issue our shop had was poor quality running stock.

I didn't bother volunteering, I did it professionally working at a shop in central London that was open six days a week, I don't know how many Mainline products we sold, but it was 'many' as I'm sure you can imagine being open six days a week and all that. I used to send many worldwide overseas, as I ran the mail order side of the shop.

I don't know how many I've handled, but its 'a lot', you know, central London, six days a week, mail order and trade accounts to service I'm sure you can imagine..

We used to run each model before sale, and sometimes a customer in the shop would be happy with something that ran like a dog, I was uneasy about selling a model like that, but 'the customers always right'. We didn't used to try repairing them, we were too busy, and spares weren't available.. Its possible we were more discerning about running qualities than you were and had a higher number of rejects as we didn't want a load of returns

Regardless, the Mainline and early Bachmann split chassis were poor quality designs and build, that's why the contemporary Hornby/Lima/Wrenn models are still around, and working, and the Mainline/Bachmann versions aren't

The shop you used to work at wouldn't have been Guy Norris in Long Acre by any chance?

[PMP]

22 minutes ago, Black 5 Bear said:

The shop you used to work at wouldn't have been Guy Norris in Long Acre by any chance?

Nope. MRM at KX ( they had a second branch of Eames Reading) worked at KX 82-88 full time/part time. Our competition was Beatties Holborn, W&H, Puffers, Victors, Engine Shed Leytonstone, and Hadley Hobbies. MRM closed due massive rent increases and the KX re-development proposals. Can’t recall Norris being open in that period.

[Miss Prism]

2 minutes ago, PMP said:

(they had a second branch of Eames Reading)

 

cough, splutter... Eames was the original !!

 

[Black 5 Bear]

That famous emporium alongside Kings Cross of which I was a regular customer.

[PMP]

3 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

 

cough, splutter... Eames was the original !!

 

I’m not sure what point you’re making, I did work for them 82 through to 88, and so did my late half brother (who worked in Eames Reading), so I do know a good bit of the story. 
Eames was founded by Ted Morris at Reading, MRM by Keith Dann at KX. Keith was killed in a car accident on the A1 and Ted Morris bought/took over the company. I believe in accounting Eames came under the MRM umbrella, MRM was a Limited company, can’t recall if Eames was. Eames closed a few years before KX did. We (kx) referred to them as our Reading branch and I believe vice versa KX as Readings London branch.

Edited March 17, 2021 by PMP

[Miss Prism]

15 minutes ago, PMP said:

I’m not sure what point you’re making,

 

Merely that Eames came first (sometime after WWII).

 

[adb968008]

 

I stand by my belief in their day nothing wrong with Bachmann split chassis (I note the edited post to insert Mainline), mainline certainly had its flaws I will grant that, but Bachmann largely resolved them, hence why so much business in spare chassis for upgrades was created.
Hindsight is a good thing, so is looking after them.. mine still work.

Sticking them in a reject pile, instead of a mail order box, using central London real estate isn't very scientific, or cheap i’d imagine.

 

lima steam was in my opinion worse, but I’d be biased as for a number of years I did a large number Riko repairs for their reps... Diesels were easy.. there wasnt many...

split chassis’s only became problematic as the nylons corroded years later.

 

but...

 

Meanwhile back on 94xx’s...

 

this sits on its 1990s split chassis still, originally a chassis pack, sat under a 7754 for 25 years, then repurposed 3 years ago here, and its retirement is only down to its newly released model...

 

The chassis will see another loco yet, ive had my £30 quids worth I reckon...The original Lima chassis... well thats another story.

 

Much of the life of a model is how you treat it... remove the flywheel add a yoke or a worm and that Bachmann can motor will give another decade in something else.

Edited March 17, 2021 by adb968008

[New Haven Neil]

On 16/03/2021 at 17:20, The Johnster said:

Err, yes, Chris Pendleton.  

 

Nope!  PendLENton !!

[Miss Prism]

Sorry, typo.

[PMP]

3 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

Sorry, typo.

You didn't type anything wrong, you spelt his name right!

[PMP]

4 hours ago, adb968008 said:

 

I stand by my belief in their day nothing wrong with Bachmann split chassis (I note the edited post to insert Mainline),

If that comment refers to me, I wonder why you're making things up? I haven't edited any post here to 'insert Mainline'

 

Prior to the introduction of the Blue Riband range Mainline and subsequent Bachmann split chassis' were poor, and had that reputation unfortunately, deservedly. And you can add the 03 shunter to the list as well.

Having personally owned several Bachman Standard 4's and  03's  both types suffered from poor running and failures of the jackshaft on the 03. And there was plenty of physical evidence at the time, let alone those now who are digging them out of their lofts in lockdown and wondering why they don't work, whereas their old contemporary Lima and Hornby still does

[adb968008]

your mixing historic and current.

When it was released, Branch-line range was very well received.

 

If it was panned as badly as you claim, it wouldn't have endured for the next 20 years (I think 7819 in the SVR set around 2015 was the last release using it).

 

Yes time hasn't been good, but in 1990 rtr DCC didn't exist for a start, Technology moved on, but compare apples with apples.. against its contemporaries in 1990.. Replica, Dapol, Hornby, Lima.. i’d take a Branchline 4MT over a repackaged Dapol,ex-Mainline Scot, or a new Lima Crab..  you cannot compare it, sat in your mailing office in 1990 against a golden ball predicting a Midland 1p in. 2021

 

I think we just agree to disagree and move on, i’m not really that bothered so take the last word.

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by adb968008

[Miss Prism]

8 hours ago, PMP said:

You didn't type anything wrong, you spelt his name right!

 

Ah well, I can't really remember now. Hey ho.

[The Stationmaster]

17 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

 

Merely that Eames came first (sometime after WWII).

 

Very definitely first by an extremely long way.  My first layout was built for me by my father and was Peco individulay laid as 3 rail for teh Duchess of Atholl that came as a present for my second birthday. (yes, I was started young).  At that time Ted Morris was still in his original shop at the top end of The Butter Market near St Laurence's church - the last time I passed that way it was an estate agent's premises.  That shop would definitely have been there c.1948/49.  i can't remember when he moved to Station Road but very definitely there long before KX Models appeared on the scene.

 

After the takeover Ted's son David - who I knew quite well and who died some years back - took charge of the KX branch of the company  and I occasionally used to see him in Reading on his way up to London.

 

Alas all a long time ago now.  the Reading shop eventually had to close when its very long lease expired as the site was going to be redeveloped - although the various buildings on the site stood vacant for some time before the subsequent office block was constructed.

[The Johnster]

On 16/03/2021 at 17:14, Miss Prism said:

 

errr, Chris Pendlenton.

 

Who the .... was Ian Petherton, then, and what is he doing in my head confusing himself with Chris Pendleton?

 

I went to a show at Wembley specifically to see 'North Sheilds', and had a wonderful view of the backs of the punters that were about 6 deep around it.  A phenomenal layout which, along with some of Iain Rice's output at that same time, was very influential on my thinking, and still is. 

Edited March 18, 2021 by The Johnster

[w124bob]

On 16/03/2021 at 18:50, PMP said:

Meanwhile back in the world of Bachmann 94xx’s

One of Lickey banker locos for the last couple of years prior to the closure of Bromsgrove if my info is correct. Could you repost image in colour? 

[AY Mod]

25 minutes ago, w124bob said:

Could you repost image in colour? 

 

What's the magic word?

 

PMP has done a great job on reworking this particular loco for an article in BRM May with step by step colour pics.

[w124bob]

Please.