Class 66 in OO Gauge - New Announcement

[Pre Grouping fan 331]

2 hours ago, 159220 said:

 

I too am a tad worries about this, the body sample of 66783 is too 'orange' yet what strikes me is the packaging now seen on 66504 page is very similar to Dapol's. I have found Dapol always get the GBRf orange (well it is actually called gold by GBRf) wrong, it would seem Hattons are using the same factory so this does not look promising. I am not ordering any 66 until I can see them by my eye and not on a screen. As perhaps it shall look fine in real world settings? If the factory has actually used the Pantone spec, it should be correct. If they have matched it to the closest RAL, it is going to be too dark. I have put these questions to Hattons Dave before without reply. A manufacturer who does not want to interact with customers, gives me more hesitation to want to give that said company a penny of my disposable income. I am worried about the GBRf colours on the 66s, if wrong. I just hope and pray Bachmann shall re-tool their 66 and offer throughout their retail network!

I think they learnt customer interaction with the Genesis project, there's been many changes and the additional 6 wheel full brake because of customer feedback on here and elsewhere. 

[chris37422 162]

4 hours ago, 159220 said:

 

 I just hope and pray Bachmann shall re-tool their 66 and offer throughout their retail network!

Seems a bit of an extreme comment to make but each to their own.

[mdvle 940]

5 hours ago, 159220 said:

 I just hope and pray Bachmann shall re-tool their 66 and offer throughout their retail network!

 

The last thing Bachmann needs at this point is yet another duplicate high end model, they need to invest their tooling resources into a model where they can be the likely only option at the detailed end of the market.

 

 

[atom3624 354]

I thought Bachmann just about got it spot on - unlike the 70 which is WAY too light despite the detail - but this Hattons 66 has quite simply moved the ball quite a lot further up the pitch, ready for Harry Kane to net it, shall we say.

 

Al.

[7013 1,028]

Bachmann are highly unlikely to retool their 66 at this stage, what would be the point? Hattons have moved the 66 to its zenith really and Bachmann would be wiser pursuing other models. As has been pointed out, the Bachmann Cl 70 is a bit lightweight despite the detail, so that could be vulnerable to another retailer/manufacturer producing one up to Hattons 66 standard. 

[newbryford 36,384]

17 minutes ago, 7013 said:

Bachmann are highly unlikely to retool their 66 at this stage, what would be the point? Hattons have moved the 66 to its zenith really and Bachmann would be wiser pursuing other models. As has been pointed out, the Bachmann Cl 70 is a bit lightweight despite the detail, so that could be vulnerable to another retailer/manufacturer producing one up to Hattons 66 standard. 

 

Digressing from the main item.

 

There isn't a lot wrong with the 70 apart from the weight. As there is very little room inside the body, this can only really improved by using a much denser material than mazak, and/or replacing the moulded lower solebar/framing with a cast one

 

There are however, ways of improving the haulage capability with careful use of magnets and steel plates.

[atom3624 354]

As you say, digressing, and meddling to the extent of iron plates and magnets obviously works, but is a bit OTT - I suppose that is what our hobby is in the search of realism.

I just found it disappointing when I had one, finding the Bachmann 66 had no problem with a big rake of bogie hoppers, but the so-called British-based railways powerhouse 70 couldn't touch it - so I sold it!

 

Back to HATTONS' 66 - not long to go now, and can't wait - should be excellent by all accounts, and several 'unveiling video' could be interesting.

If any of you out there do these, how about an 'independent comparison' between the 2, or more, particularly wrt performance - smoothness, slow, fast, load hauling?

 

Al.

[Pete the Elaner 1,471]

20 hours ago, 159220 said:

I just hope and pray Bachmann shall re-tool their 66 and offer throughout their retail network!

Why would they do that? There is no market for one.

 

If you want a high quality one & are prepared to pay, the Hattons one is suitable & has stolen the market from Bachmann.

If you are not prepared to pay that price & would accept a less detailed one, Hornby have a model.

There seems little point in doing an 'in between' one.

[7013 1,028]

Just a query, is there anything different about the Freightliner Powerhaul liveried 66s and the 'normal' liveried Freightliner 66s? Or is it just to signify their different sphere of work?

[Mark Saunders 1,528]

6 minutes ago, 7013 said:

Just a query, is there anything different about the Freightliner Powerhaul liveried 66s and the 'normal' liveried Freightliner 66s? Or is it just to signify their different sphere of work?

 

This is just a newer livery applied on repaint and now superseded by Genesee & Wyoming house colours!

[Sir TophamHatt 892]

23 hours ago, 159220 said:

I just hope and pray Bachmann shall re-tool their 66 and offer throughout their retail network!

 

So unlikely that it's not worth thinking about.

 

Wasn't there a video about the GBRF colours?

I'm sure I gleened from that they even they (GBRF) changed the colour tone.  When it got sun bleeched, it seemed like no loco had the same colour tone.

[atom3624 354]

If Bachmann retool their 66 just to 'compete at the same level' as the Hattons' 66, it will both confirm that they accept their current 66 is inferior and also consign their current 66 to the 'half-price brigade' as they won't sell any more.

 

I don't think it's that far off, it's a superb model, just that the Hattons' 66 has moved the level higher again.

 

The Bachmann is definitely NOT Railroad grade. It's far better than that, just not as good as the Hattons' seems to be ...

 

Al.

[adb968008 5,512]

A couple of close ups of the 66’s.

 

Large Logo Blue will be in stock next month, in batch 2 (which is mostly the newer liveries G&W, Pink one etc).

 

I do like the paint finishes on these, perhaps the DRS is a tad glossy but they’ve got these pretty much on to my eyes when looking at them in person

[SouthernMafia 954]

That GBRf orange still looks too dark, it will change in different lighting conditions I'm sure, but I'm not convinced it looks right, even if it is the correct shade.

 

Also, one end has a big gap in the front for the NEM coupling, if the front is one part, how does the lower valence bit get swapped over, if at all, for the correct solid piece?

[34theletterbetweenB&D 9,315]

Bogie footsteps. There seems to be a somewhat random distribution of alignments with the bodyside step, in the above most useful selection of photographs posted by adb968008.

[The Black Hat 1,449]

33 minutes ago, SouthernMafia said:

That GBRf orange still looks too dark, it will change in different lighting conditions I'm sure, but I'm not convinced it looks right, even if it is the correct shade.

 

Also, one end has a big gap in the front for the NEM coupling, if the front is one part, how does the lower valence bit get swapped over, if at all, for the correct solid piece?

 

Going to say that I think shade for 66756 looks ok and as I have said before you need to check the GBRf 66s carefully as they were painted in batches. The main ones will be 66740 as that should be different to 66756. 

[7013 1,028]

I do not know enough about 66s to comment on shades of yellow/orange or the  alignment of foot steps etc. However looking at the detail on the bogies and the variations according to operator these locos look like they are going to be hugely popular. I have two on order and will be pleased as punch when they arrive. 

[gary_lner 27]

4 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

Bogie footsteps. There seems to be a somewhat random distribution of alignments with the bodyside step, in the above most useful selection of photographs posted by adb968008.

It's quite possible the ones on show today arnt the final production samples. In the photos that Dave posted on the previous page of final production samples they look to be in line.

[sirwilliamfrs 20]

21 hours ago, SouthernMafia said:

 

 

Also, one end has a big gap in the front for the NEM coupling, if the front is one part, how does the lower valence bit get swapped over, if at all, for the correct solid piece?

It's all in here and looks like a brilliant idea!  http://images.hattons.co.uk/mediaimages/General instructions - pdf.pdf

Edited November 24 by sirwilliamfrs

[john new 928]

19 minutes ago, sirwilliamfrs said:

It's all in here and looks like a brilliant idea!  http://images.hattons.co.uk/mediaimages/General instructions - pdf.pdf

So if I’ve read that right only one coupling enabled end is supplied  plus a blank. How do we order the second coupling and slotted air dam so as to have a coupling at both ends?

 

Edited November 24 by john new
Typo

[franciswilliamwebb 86]

2 minutes ago, john new said:

So if I’ve read that right only one coupling end is supplied . How do we order the second coupling and slotted air dam so as to have a coupling at both ends

You've not read it right, fortunately,  you get two of each.  One of each on the loco and one of each separately.

[James Makin 4,036]

I was looking at them in the display cabinet yesterday, very shiny and exciting! 

 

My eyes were all over the EWS 66005 I’m shortly going to buy, from first impressions, the bodyside EWS lettering looked *perhaps* a little ‘skinny’ compared to the bulk of the number digits though, but probably subjective and easily sorted with some new decals as part of the renumbering process anyway! We don’t want every layout having a 66005 otherwise, doh! 

 

I was in in-depth mid-thought on this lettering topic when a friendly Hattons staff member saw me gazing lovingly up at the cabinet containing my next purchase and I had to stutter out some random words that hopefully sounded something like ‘it looked good in the plastic’ 

 

Looking forward to it lads 

[Hilux5972 1,662]

Did anyone get any close up images of the Royal Scotsman bodies?

[Hilux5972 1,662]

4 hours ago, sirwilliamfrs said:

It's all in here and looks like a brilliant idea!  http://images.hattons.co.uk/mediaimages/General instructions - pdf.pdf

Looking at the images in that link, the buffers and piping are all part of the air dam moulding? Or am I missing something. 

[YesTor 463]

On 24/11/2019 at 13:43, James Makin said:

My eyes were all over the EWS 66005 I’m shortly going to buy, from first impressions, the bodyside EWS lettering looked *perhaps* a little ‘skinny’ compared to the bulk of the number digits though, but probably subjective...

 

Agreed on the EWS lettering looking 'thinner'/lighter than the number font.  This was raised several months ago when the pre-production shots first emerged, so if it is still the case on the production sample of 66005, then it seems as though this was not corrected, ignored, or deemed to be correct as it stands.  I'm glad that someone else has picked-up on it though.  

 

I'm in a similar mindset with regard to the 'Barbie' liveried GBRf versions in that the bodyside GBRf text and loco numbering appear somewhat 'slender'.  I did mention this again to Dave at Warley, although he is adamant that having worked from official GBRf spec that it is indeed correct.  While I agree that the GBRf text on 'Barbie' livery is/was somewhat 'thinner' than the text/logo of GBRf's current livery, I'm still not entirely convinced that it's quite as slender as it is now portrayed on the model, which to my eye still appears somewhat too thin.  Benefit of the doubt etc...  although I'm happy to be proved entirely wrong of course.

 

Al

 

 

Edited November 27 by YesTor