Class 66 in OO Gauge - New Announcement

[Hilux5972]

Received an email this morning saying there is extremely limited stock of their remaining class 66’s. Had a quick look at their website and just in the “celebrity” section, most are still showing as more than 10 in stock. Is this what is considered extremely limited now?

[Roy Langridge]

3 hours ago, Hilux5972 said:

Received an email this morning saying there is extremely limited stock of their remaining class 66’s. Had a quick look at their website and just in the “celebrity” section, most are still showing as more than 10 in stock. Is this what is considered extremely limited now?

It is all relative isn’t it? If I only earned £11 a day, that is a very limited income...

 

If Hattons are selling a good few a day still, and some models have sold out, is it not unreasonable to let people know?
 

Roy

[Northmoor MPD]

I finally purchased a Freightliner 66 last week after years of considering it (and after hearing the horror stories).

It arrived the next day and I was instantly impressed with the weight of the parcel. Upon unboxing It I thought the model looked excellent with massive amounts of detail. It ran super smooth on test with no issues what so ever.

I am aware that problems may arise in the future but for the price I’ve paid I can deal with that, I’ve gone on to order two more in DB livery this afternoon. 
I think for £119 it’s an excellent model.

[newbryford]

Anyone else had a missing horn cover? 

 

 

 

I'll be contacting their spares dept on Monday.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by newbryford

[Jack97m]

Ordered colas rail 66848 after getting the email about the limited stock, completely out of my era but at that price I just wanted to try one. I’m now thinking of buying some PCA wagons and doing a micro layout of aberthaw cement works

[PM47079]

2 hours ago, Northmoor MPD said:

I finally purchased a Freightliner 66 last week after years of considering it (and after hearing the horror stories).

It arrived the next day and I was instantly impressed with the weight of the parcel. Upon unboxing It I thought the model looked excellent with massive amounts of detail. It ran super smooth on test with no issues what so ever.

I am aware that problems may arise in the future but for the price I’ve paid I can deal with that, I’ve gone on to order two more in DB livery this afternoon. 
I think for £119 it’s an excellent model.

I too got my first one last week 66502, very pleased with it. I don’t have any 66s at all so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but things like the handbrake mechanism are a work of art and the cab is equally superb. 
As I am aware of the rest of the range selling out I have been quick to order 66504. I doesn’t seem over 20 years ago I had to pick up 66503/04/05 from Wembley brand new and take them to Ipswich, having just learnt 66s on 66501 and 66502. The  early 5 will always be special for me.

[Sir TophamHatt]

On 29/01/2021 at 00:11, adb968008 said:

looks like we are near the end of the road for EWS 66’s... just 3 James Nightalls left and end of story.

Which is a shame as I was going to re-buy a plain jane 005 EWS.  But after seeing that sell out, I thought the mirrored version wouldn't be too bad.  So had 207 in my basket but funds didn't arrive from the sale of something else so couldn't afford it (I could but didn't want to spend extra).  And now that's gone and even James Nightalls are sold out now!
I have some EWS coal wagons specifically for this and when I look at a 66, I always think EWS as that's all I really saw when I was younger.

Have added it to my Wishlist in case any mysteriously are added to the site again.

 

Guess I'll wait for second batch

Edited January 30, 2021 by Sir TophamHatt

[GEARJAMMER]

Just after a bit of info on the Freightliner locos and if what I have researched is right.....

 

I'm after one that is accurate for the modern day scene, with the absence of the Dapol 59 I'm potentially looking at a Freightliner 66 instead to put on a stone train.. So, I'm after a no frills original green liveried one, this straight away rules out 66502 and 66513 as these two have both had cab refurbishments/repaints with yellow light clusters and the new style Freightliner branding on the front and cab sides. I'm not keen on purchasing 66621 with the big bug eye lights (as much as I like the look of it) as I've heard many horror stories about the lights not functioning correctly. This leaves 66593 and 66957, research seems to suggest that these two are currently running on the network as per the Hattons models? Can any one confirm if this is the case.

I've never been to keen on the later Powerhaul livery so not interested in those locos, and I'm not totally sold on the shade of Orange Hattons have used on the latest G&W Freightliner 66623, it seems a bit pale, the real thing being a much deeper/brighter shade (pic included to prove my point), maybe some one who has that one or seen it could comment on that. Its a shame as i was one of, if not 'the' first to photograph 66623 when it rolled out the gates at Eastleigh after its repaint on my 40th birthday.

And lastly....no, I don't want a pink 'ONE', I'm not even sure that one has even been down to the Mendips to work stone trains?

 

Any feed back/info/conformation would be great.

[YesTor]

1 hour ago, GEARJAMMER said:

Just after a bit of info on the Freightliner locos and if what I have researched is right.....

 

I'm after one that is accurate for the modern day scene...

 

As far as I'm aware:

 

66593 and 66957 are indeed in the same state as per the Hatton's model - the only addition required would be the 'Zero Injuries' logos on the upper cabsides which are available via Railtec.

 

You're correct on the others being not quite bang up-to-date, particularly with 66502 & 66513 having the new light clusters; although 66621 would be physically suitable, all that's needed there are the light mod kit from Illuminated Models and the aforementioned 'Zero Injuries' cab logos, along with new numbers and cab FL lettering.

 

You are also correct on 66623 being finished in the incorrect shade of orange - the one used seemingly being the lighter shade as per 66413...

 

 

Personally though, 66623 will always be best in its former Bardon Aggregates blue livery, but hey, that's just my viewpoint... 

 

 

Best

Al

Edited January 31, 2021 by YesTor

[Steadfast]

10 hours ago, GEARJAMMER said:

And lastly....no, I don't want a pink 'ONE', I'm not even sure that one has even been down to the Mendips to work stone trains?

The pink one did a month - 6 weeks on Mendip work quite early in the contract.

 

66957 has been on Mendip work recently.

 

66621 has worked Mendip traffic too, but the Hattons model has too much yellow on the front so you'd need to get the black paint out.

 

Jo

Edited January 31, 2021 by Steadfast

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

13 hours ago, GEARJAMMER said:

Just after a bit of info on the Freightliner locos and if what I have researched is right.....

 

 

And lastly....no, I don't want a pink 'ONE', I'm not even sure that one has even been down to the Mendips to work stone trains?

 

Any feed back/info/conformation would be great.

 

heres 66587 0n Mendip stoneat 30 mins in,this chap puts loads of Mendip suff on so great for reserch so give him a sub and like as its not my content but check out his playlist as theres years of stuff there.

If you want 66957 be quick as its next to sell out........now at 10 in stock and yes the orange on 66623 is wrong.

All the issues on these are fixable so dont be put off and miss out.

[Steadfast]

Best thing I can suggest (forgot to add this earlier) if you're into Mendip workings, just bang the loco number, plus either Whatley or Merehead (or Westbury, but would bring up infrastructure stuff too) in the search function on Flickr

 

Jo

[NickL2008]

On 30/01/2021 at 16:16, newbryford said:

Anyone else had a missing horn cover? 

 

 

 

I'll be contacting their spares dept on Monday.

 

 

 

Just the missing handrail, dodgey axle boxes and the head and taillights not working in one direction on my one

 

NL

[adb968008]

On 30/01/2021 at 16:16, newbryford said:

Anyone else had a missing horn cover? 

 

 

 

I'll be contacting their spares dept on Monday.

 

 

Yes, they supplied a replacement, in 2 days.

 

Hatton's after service has been fantastic on these 66’s... ive 30 of them now... love them.

 

Ive more than I need but am laying some down for future projects, as that price your not going to see again.

 

Models like 66704 i’m surprised havent sold, it is the “future” livery as Europorte examples are being reverted. Certainly one of the armed forces GBRF 66’s uses this body shell config.

 

Similarly DB Red, ive 3 of (one is already 66001 with modified buffer beam air pipe).

 

I used the £150 class 66 as a benchmark, it seemed to have around 20 left, so if you sort by “lowest remaining”, anything higher in the list.. is less than 20.

 

Similarly at the bottom of the list G&W 66 seems odd. But the rest are predictable First GBRF, Pink etc.. though they will make good respray candidates.. one of them is an Evening Star shell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steadfast]

3 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Models like 66704 i’m surprised havent sold, it is the “future” livery as Europorte examples are being reverted.

Sadly there's a lot of variations between the post Europorte livery and the original GBRf livery. The post Europorte livery is actually closer to Europorte, but with straight ends to the cab side orange. Look at things like logo type face, position and thickness of horizontal orange stripes, orange on the doors, yellow panel shape for examples.

 

Jo

[TomScrut]

9 hours ago, adb968008 said:

G&W 66

 

It's the wrong colour. If it was the right colour they'd definitely have one less.

[BJMorley]

Im considering getting 727, but renaming it something completely different (It was the first 66 I saw new). 

Has anyone had any luck removing the nameplates? Will it damage the paintwork below if I take them off, or is it relatively easy?

 

Thanks in Advance.

 

Brandon.

[YesTor]

2 hours ago, BJMorley said:

Has anyone had any luck removing the nameplates? Will it damage the paintwork below if I take them off, or is it relatively easy?

 

Thanks in Advance.

 

Brandon

 

Hi Brandon

 

The bodyside plates themselves are straightforward enough to remove, being affixed to the surface with what appears to be some kind of double-sided tape.  Simply prise the plates away very carefully using a fingernail, or failing that use the edge of a very sharp scalpel blade.  You'll be left with a slightly 'gooey' section of tape stuck to the ribbed sides, which usually comes away easily by careful removal with fingers or fine tweezers.  The odd ones I've found to be slightly more stubborn, but even so these can be removed with either a small piece of sticky tape pressed firmly over the surface and pulled off, or/and a pointed cotton bud lightly moistened with white spirit. 

 

Underneath there will be a fine white line marking the positioning of the original plate.  To remove this simply moisten a sharp cotton bud with T-Cut and very gently stroke the surface in one direction until the white lines gradually disappear, being careful of course not to remove any of the underlying paint finish.   

 

Finally, rinse away any T-Cut residue before it dries:

 

 

If you need to renumber 66727 then even more care will be required to remove the numbers from the ribbed sides.  I've found the numbers to lift incredibly easily from smooth cabsides, but ribbed sides may well be another matter, but with enough patience and care it should be possible...

 

 

 

Best

Al

 

Edited February 3, 2021 by YesTor

[GEARJAMMER]

Well i took the plunge and purchased my first Hattons 66.... in the end i went for Freightliners 66957.

 

Ive never been so nervous at opening a new model, sadly it had a number of faults, starting with the minor... One of the nameplates wasn't applied straight, luckily as implied in a post above they are held in place with double sided tape so straitening it wasn't to bad. The etched grill on the roof isn't glued down and lifting away from the roof on one of the corners, this will be an easy enough fix. And so predictably we get on to the rotating axle boxes..... One was loose in the bottom of the box, another was hanging by a thread of glue so i removed it before it got lost, two others were attached to the bogie frame but not the axle so did'nt rotate.

Im now left with a dilema, i put the loco on a bit of track just to run it up and down, it displayed a very slight sign of wobble but nothing that bothers me, i also looked at the rotating axle boxes that were still on the loco, as good as they are you have to get your eyes right down by the loco to see them actually going around. So what to do, do i mess about trying to reattach the axle box covers so they rotate, or just remove them all, cut themdown and glue them back in place on the bogie frame so they don't rotate. Im not really sure that rotating axle boxes really adds much to the model and if im honest, mine will spend the most of its time in a cabnet anyway.

[Dicky L]

Haven’t posted a photo in here for a while, Here’s 66593

 

 

[adb968008]

I had a particularly wobbly one last night..

 

 

[Martin-C]

Just a quick heads up to any modellers looking for guidance on correcting the large headlights 66 lighting error.....

My earlier web page on the subject has been updated to include comments on the Illuminated Models lighting boards and can be found on my new website at

 

 https://loco-updates.uk/class-66hattons-big-headlights

 

(New website is still work in progress, but is now "https" to avoid the "http" security warnings and to allow Facebook access.) 

 

Cheers Martin

[mi-go-a-go-go]

Disaster struck and my 66 got dropped. 

 

I have managed to fix it up and I am sure some OTT weathering will sort out the body damage.

 

Sadly it is now only one bogie drive as the connecting 'shaft' from motor to bogie broke (the nylon rod).

 

Just called Hattons and they are not doing spares for that bit. 

 

Still its powering away on on the one bogie.

 

 

[adb968008]

6 hours ago, mi-go-a-go-go said:

Disaster struck and my 66 got dropped. 

 

I have managed to fix it up and I am sure some OTT weathering will sort out the body damage.

 

Sadly it is now only one bogie drive as the connecting 'shaft' from motor to bogie broke (the nylon rod).

 

Just called Hattons and they are not doing spares for that bit. 

 

Still its powering away on on the one bogie.

 

 

There is hope...

Ive been noodling these 66’s to find the manufacturing commonality, figuring what parts work...or might work..

Above is the Dapol 121/122 driveshaft and gearbox lid.
below is Hattons drive shaft and gearbox lid for the. 66.

 

The dimensions of the gearbox lid are identical, in every dimension, except the lugs.

The worm is identical.

The shaft ends that connect to the motor /gearbox worm.. are identical.

 

The differences

is the length of the shaft

use of circular rather than square bushes

(and of course one is metal).

 

The Dapol 121 worm, with bushes will sit and fit in the gearbox.

The ends of the shaft will fit in the motor.

 

so...

 

Plan A. 

using a Dapol 121 shaft, (121/122 drive shaft.. £3.60)

https://www.dccsupplies.com/item-p-113324/class-121-and-122-drive-shaft-oo-gauge.htm

 

cut out exactly 5mm from the centre of the shaft.

insert & glue both sides into a k’s brass tube with a 1.5mm inner diameter, until both ends meet in the tube (max length from shaft bearing ends is 58mm*, specifically for this fix (you could go full length or just make a tube patch).

Plan B, if the shaft is snapped but otherwise ok..

you could fix your existing 66 shaft, with a upto 52mm* long brass rod with an internal circular diameter of 1.98mm, and push/ glue both ends of a broken shaft until they meet into it (you could go full length or just make a tube patch).

 

and refit.

 

 

if you need a new gear box lid..

also £3.60..

https://www.dccsupplies.com/item-p-113425/class-121-and-122-bogie-clip-pair.htm

You can the create a retainer by screwing or gluing lugs onto it.

incidentally the Dapol 68 and 52 use a completely different shaft/ worm/ gearbox, but the 68 does share common LED circuitry components, inc switches

 

* difference in length is due to differences in bearing cup/rod length to the worm.

Edited February 8, 2021 by adb968008

[mi-go-a-go-go]

Wow I never expected such a comprehensive reply and solution. I think I may well give that a try. Thank you so much. Have a great evening