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Class 66 in OO Gauge - New Announcement


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1 hour ago, charliepetty said:

The Hattons loco's are overall really good, but the company I think we a little over ambitious, with the quantities and variations made available.  The DCC Side of the design is  spot on and does what others only wish for.   Hattons should have brought out a small number, then correct the enivitable issues that new designs have (look at Dapol & Heljan for that).  The Bachmann 66 is a hard act to follow, but after 15 years the 'Bugs' will be long gone.  We have three of the Hattons 66 and I am most impressed overall with the product, mainly just silly 'First Run' issues, some of which would have been avoided if they had not wanted an All Singing & Dancing Model!!!

We produced the sound for the model and advised on the speakers, Well done need to be said more often, as with experience Hattons will learn the In's & Out's of Chinese Manufacturers.

 

 

 

Nice sounds . I like the layout too , tidy.

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9 hours ago, rob D2 said:

I agree with most of what you say .

 

I’ve said it several times, but I’ll always take issue with  the notion that  declares fixing manufacturing faults as “ modelling “ as though the rest of us are lesser mortals . Thats  no more modelling than me changing the pedals on my bike is entering the Tour de France .

 

It should be “ plonk and play “. It’s a brand new product . It shouldn’t be the other end of the spectrum “ f£&k about for hours in frustration “. That’s not modelling .

 

I had to laugh when someone said they think it’s a great product , but they glue the axle boxes as they don’t need that . That was one of the USPs we were told and it doesn’t work . 
 

and yes the GW livery isn’t great  to my eyes, but they got the colour wrong so that’ll be the reason it hasn’t flown off the shelves .

I’m glad you have a laugh at my post about not requiring the rotating axle boxes. 
I like  having a laugh at an inferior product by a competitor that suddenly manages to drop almost £40 off the RRP thanks to Hattons Class 66 yet was telling us all along that costs were spiralling. 
 

Best of both world’s, I get cheap excellently detailed Class 66’s and Bachmann model is available for about £40 less. 

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5 minutes ago, NIRCLASS80 said:

I like  having a laugh at an inferior product by a competitor that suddenly manages to drop almost £40 off the RRP thanks to Hattons Class 66 yet was telling us all along that costs were spiralling. 

 

Oddly enough I was using that and the Hornby one today on Facebook as an example of why the ever increasing RRPs are not just down to increased manufacturing costs (which was the response to somebody else's complaint about the costs of things).

 

If the product is good enough I'll buy it at current prices I aren't complaining in that respect, they charge what they can get away with but it's the excuses that annoy me!

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10 hours ago, dogbox321 said:

Hi All,

 

To "Shed" a little light on the subject.......

 

66097 2nd Attempt, 66125, 66097 1st Attempt, 66528.

 

image.png.983f4b4c29a79824ce3644d3c6373bf9.pngimage.png.f76a5235e7d11eb1cfaf0fbb51392a33.png     

 

image.png.20b8d8dddd9f01ce1fff10ee7793b50e.pngimage.png.08288e6abb53922d84fa3bf372ffdd0b.png

 

 

 

 

Hi - all these are on plain and simple DC power......

 

Is it just a alot of bad luck?  Some of the reds appear to be illuminated from elsewhere, especially the last photo?  Hence asking light bleed or a fault????

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris.

 

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3 hours ago, NIRCLASS80 said:

I’m glad you have a laugh at my post about not requiring the rotating axle boxes. 
I like  having a laugh at an inferior product by a competitor that suddenly manages to drop almost £40 off the RRP thanks to Hattons Class 66 yet was telling us all along that costs were spiralling. 
 

Best of both world’s, I get cheap excellently detailed Class 66’s and Bachmann model is available for about £40 less. 

A good few years ago there were a couple of occasions when costs shot up.  So ever since they have just told us about rising costs.  As I have said many times - if the costs of a component (whether a material, labour etc.) in model manufacturing goes up - its a percentage of a proportion.  Likewise - apart from models most technology gets depreciated, so actually you could absorb some cost increases through this.  But some manufacturers I believe are just out there to sell what they can for the highest price they can possibly get.  I don't think the internet and e-bay has helped either - as if a model sells for £150 on ebay then someone in China is going to say well why are my products being sold for £50 and I'm getting £20, when someone is prepared to pay £150?  Likewise if one gets away with it - others try it too.  You could argue the same with another Class 66 that retailed for about £100, but now is £75!

 

Its not rocket science - just business.

 

You can also compare prices for example on something like the new tooled Seacow/Sealions of a few years back.  Both were produced originally at the same same sort of time and have similar levels of details.  One retails circa £30, whilst the other is now circa £50. 

 

Best Wishes,

 

Chris.

 

 

 

 

 

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42 minutes ago, dogbox321 said:

 

Hi - all these are on plain and simple DC power......

 

Is it just a alot of bad luck?  Some of the reds appear to be illuminated from elsewhere, especially the last photo?  Hence asking light bleed or a fault????

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris.

 

 

I presume the swtiches are set OK?

 

Gut feel is that you have been unlucky. Normally I'd say given you have two there it's more likely something else is wrong/you're missing something but I have had a different lighting issue exhibit itself on 2 locos that arrived at the same time, I was checking my decoders and all sorts but nope it was the locos with the same fault.

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On 02/01/2021 at 15:35, charliepetty said:

The Hattons loco's are overall really good, but the company I think we a little over ambitious, with the quantities and variations made available.  The DCC Side of the design is  spot on and does what others only wish for.   Hattons should have brought out a small number, then correct the enivitable issues that new designs have (look at Dapol & Heljan for that).  The Bachmann 66 is a hard act to follow, but after 15 years the 'Bugs' will be long gone.  We have three of the Hattons 66 and I am most impressed overall with the product, mainly just silly 'First Run' issues, some of which would have been avoided if they had not wanted an All Singing & Dancing Model!!!

We produced the sound for the model and advised on the speakers, Well done need to be said more often, as with experience Hattons will learn the In's & Out's of Chinese Manufacturers.

 

 

 

Lovely sound, lovely layout - what I miss on both locos is a driver...

OK, hat, coat and out....

 

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13 minutes ago, Vecchio said:

Lovely sound, lovely layout - what I miss on both locos is a driver...

OK, hat, coat and out....

 

 

I think the dilemma a lot of us face with this is if one uses a loco bidirectionally then it complicates things somewhat. My Hattons and Hornby stuff are driven by ghosts, my Bachmann stuff is driven by a driver very good at driving backwards 50% of the time. We maybe need the next step in model cabs to have a servo activated pop up driver.

 

Now my layout is looking more and more like I have less of a need for bi directional locos it might mean I will add drivers, and fit the appropriate air dams at the driver end.

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Well I rather put two drivers in and do not leave it empty. Also I have seen quite frequently staff sitting in the second cab (This was not a 66 but trains on the continent).

This is a point of compromise all the time, as if a loco sits in the yard or half in it's shed you always have a driver in it.

 

There are even countries where two people are in the cab - Italy is one of them. I heard some stories this is because their unions are very strong - and after the end of steam the fireman was replaced by a guard sitting in the electric loco next to the driver... No idea if this is the truth. Anyway I tried to take that into consideration...

 

50450223963_a44f5f99b7_b.jpg

 

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1 hour ago, Vecchio said:

I heard some stories this is because their unions are very strong - and after the end of steam the fireman was replaced by a guard sitting in the electric loco next to the driver... No idea if this is the truth.

 

I heard that happened in the UK for a short time but again don't know if there's any truth in it.

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3 hours ago, Vecchio said:

Well I rather put two drivers in and do not leave it empty. Also I have seen quite frequently staff sitting in the second cab (This was not a 66 but trains on the continent).

This is a point of compromise all the time, as if a loco sits in the yard or half in it's shed you always have a driver in it.

 

There are even countries where two people are in the cab - Italy is one of them. I heard some stories this is because their unions are very strong - and after the end of steam the fireman was replaced by a guard sitting in the electric loco next to the driver... No idea if this is the truth. Anyway I tried to take that into consideration...

 

50450223963_a44f5f99b7_b.jpg

 

Marklin have found a Solution as you would know.

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Ive nearly finished my first conversion..

 

66118 converted to 66001

 

A5FB544A-03EF-4750-98D1-82BE9336F925.jpeg.52904d4d1000d0ae7f2c9404e7497688.jpeg
 

mods included removing the buckeye / uncoupler, removing the lugs


89BFBD19-E763-44A9-A46D-000E670B438F.jpeg.a5a26e2faa183a28f8bc2470dcf13a3b.jpeg

(note I initially added the unique pipe on 66001 under the footstep, when in reality its above it).

 

Added draw bars (Hornby), filled the gaps... if the gaps look white its because I used Colgate ;-) - its good for preventing cavities.

C5325CFE-422A-47DA-9D34-EB0E94D18622.jpeg.b4d48b3d785f1e82e4708eb67f78cbd3.jpeg

 

renumbering is straight forwards.. nothing more than a cocktail stick to remove them, less than a minute..

9C1F17AB-DFD6-4A6D-96E8-B039A8EC1C01.jpeg.b3063d451515409fb0522eaa6bf67a89.jpeg

 

Some have reported light bleed in the cab, Ive found that on my 118, the cab fitting wasnt tight into the lugs of the windows (Yellow circle).. pushing this home cured most of the issue, there was a tiny residual, which painting the box black (Green circle) cured.

6382F66E-88F3-4B20-B815-973416A096B7.jpeg.cfc619d9cbe7167f3f6a118fd9c2b378.jpeg

 

result..

018063A7-9C93-4450-A4F5-9AE9A6999684.jpeg.21f11bb64b250016b77fdf86ea32fb52.jpeg

 

Tip for refitting the body... use paper as a guide to protect the steps / pipes, its purely to stop the pipes getting under the chassis block..

C029723A-A557-47EB-A4F4-1CE9953C2E53.jpeg.c01e599d152c18d5c0424fa404ff9177.jpeg

 

the end result..

Numbers are Railtec 1960’s diesel rub on numbers. (replica and fox also supply). Yellow end was Precision Paints post 1985 BR Warning panel yellow.. Hattons seem to have used an exact match, I didnt need to any anything to lighten / darken it.

 

AF6DE694-E84D-456A-B4A2-BFFED9FCBFCD.jpeg.32f3a2cf64340a5d0e3e2ec9fcef38b6.jpeg

Thanks to @dogbox321 for getting my mojo back into gear for an afternoon !

 

remaining job.. i’m going to reposition the front numbers, and maybe fill that lower uncoupler hole again not quite as I want. Also refit the axle boxes (ive drilled the holes to 2.8mm and cut the excess spring).

 

Am thinking about 66790 next... the first and the latest 66’s left East Croydon Eng works with in 30 mins of each other last month !!

 

98DC7D40-1149-4606-BE2B-C46C77B786EA.jpeg.e9775bd42003d81fb4e5bf94c648c1a5.jpeg2F48BBDE-D0D9-4EB3-A834-176A5AEDA616.jpeg.fdcffaf5007987b34b8cbeb62bcc8f1d.jpeg

Edited by adb968008
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17 hours ago, Vecchio said:

Well I rather put two drivers in and do not leave it empty. Also I have seen quite frequently staff sitting in the second cab (This was not a 66 but trains on the continent).

This is a point of compromise all the time, as if a loco sits in the yard or half in it's shed you always have a driver in it.

 

There are even countries where two people are in the cab - Italy is one of them. I heard some stories this is because their unions are very strong - and after the end of steam the fireman was replaced by a guard sitting in the electric loco next to the driver... No idea if this is the truth. Anyway I tried to take that into consideration...

 

50450223963_a44f5f99b7_b.jpg

 

 

Ah yes, and typified very nicely in the presence of the lovely Adtranz FS Brennerlok model - a Roco I assume?  I had two of them until recently: excellent multi-current roof detail and super smooth operation. Now I wish I had kept them :banghead:.

 

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5 hours ago, 70000 Britannia said:

 

Ah yes, and typified very nicely in the presence of the lovely Adtranz FS Brennerlok model - a Roco I assume?  I had two of them until recently: excellent multi-current roof detail and super smooth operation. Now I wish I had kept them :banghead:.

 

Yes, Roco. Well I had a border layout - Austria - Italy, so I have some Italian rolling stock and of course some multi-system locomotives like the ES 64U2 Hupac (rolling road, Piko) or the Swiss Re474 (Piko) in cargo livery. On that one I motorised 2 Pantographs, so it can realisticly go over the border. Just a stop, panto down, other one up, on we go. And of course the normal locos need to be changed at the border. Lots of fun, very large layout (7 modules), 3 times at an exhibition. I saw the Hupac and cargo locos almost every week as I worked in Milan and used the train to go to work. The large Hupac terminal is northwest of Milan, but there is a smaller one at Greco Pirelli, the station I had to get off the train...

Unfortunately I couldn't take the layout with me, 2 modules I could sell, the others I gave to the local club... But: I kept all rolling stock.

And my Italian past explains also the nickname. Vecchio means old.

 

Sankt Georg/San Giorgio at the opening of the show in 2007 (Trenini in mostra - Carnate)

49771796968_8dda2a158c_h.jpgIMGP3708

 

And a little show off with the Re474 (click into the picture to get to the video)

38414315196_d2a12183ef_h.jpg2 0151009185750 by Gerhard Novak, on Flickr

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12 hours ago, Johnfromoz said:

Relevance to Hattons 66 thread???.....

Dear oh dear.  A modest aside on a post that was initially related to the issue adding cab personnel in locos. My transgression being motivated by a natural reaction to recognise a quality model loco.

 

My deepest and humblest apologies if it offended you and caused you to have to post a somewhat churlish remark.

 

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2 hours ago, Johnfromoz said:

Apology accepted! If it gets this thread back on topic,  then my ‘remark’ was worth it...

 

I think the thing is though a little diversion like that is often a good thing. I'd never have gone looking for that story but I found it quite interesting. So long as it doesn't dominate the thread what's the harm?

 

If we only read the topic we exactly look for we don't find unusual stuff out half the time.

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7 hours ago, TomScrut said:

 

I think the thing is though a little diversion like that is often a good thing. I'd never have gone looking for that story but I found it quite interesting. So long as it doesn't dominate the thread what's the harm?

 

If we only read the topic we exactly look for we don't find unusual stuff out half the time.

 

I aren’t sure about that.....

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Ok..

 

i could leave you all confused there.

 

@The Johnster mentioned a pub in wales linked to Welsh pirates, and them being left on a beach to drown by being buried to their necks... Pannier 94xx thread.

 

Intrigued, I googled it., and stumbled on John Trenchman, a 17th century Carribean pirate who was buried in Croydon.

https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/4608422

(Story here)

 

As its not too far fron me, we planned to go look.. afterall its not everyday you find a 400 year old caribbean pirate in a remote Surrey village.

 

At the same time, we Stumbled on Engineering works in Croydon, that provided 66001 and 66790.

 

Hence I came home, and last week decided on making 66001 from 66118.

No pirate from the 1680’s there would be no 66001 on my layout.

 

I said it wasnt off topic !

 

ooo arrr !

 

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Wow!  I’m surprised by the skull and crossbones emblem in a Christian churchyard, especially from the 17th century when they were more concerned about that sort of thing, and not in a ‘momentum mori’ context either.  Nothing unchristian about pirates of course; not the sort of people you think of as churchgoers perhaps but the psychopathically sadistic and cruel Welsh pirate Bartholomew Roberts, Black Bart, had Welsh hymn singing on his ship on Sunday mornings.  Not my country’s most noble son...
 

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