Stevelewis Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 5 minutes ago, muddys-blues said: Rob,going off the Class 24 which is out, and which I have a couple of, and the pictures of the pre-production 25 samples, I would bet my weeks wages it will be on the same par as the 24. I can’t see why Heljan couldn’t put in photo etched grilles as well, as I just see this as a release akin to the Bachmann 25 from years gone by. I have to agree as the purchaser of more SLW 24s than I should have, I have to add that in my opinion SLW 25s will probably be hard to beat or even equal. 1 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zunnan Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 On 09/03/2021 at 17:15, Richard Croft said: Mine came today, I'm very pleased with it. Its particularly good for sound fitting with plenty of space at each end. Richard Can I ask an awkward question here? What is the all up cost for this spec install? That is the Class 25 itself, plus decoder, plus speakers, plus installation cost. I can't see that coming in at under £300 unless the user is fitting it themselves, and even then it only marginally comes in below £300 if the loco is bought at box shifter prices. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
61661 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 (edited) 49 minutes ago, muddys-blues said: I can’t see why Heljan couldn’t put in photo etched grilles Our new 25 does have etched metal grilles. Many moons ago we asked RMweb members whether they’d prefer moulded or etched grilles and although it was not unanimous, the preference was for the latter. We also showed photos of two styles of grille here and we went with the more popular option. However, I don’t disagree that they could be improved even further. Hope this helps Ben Edited March 10, 2021 by 61661 Spelling error 4 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
61661 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 38 minutes ago, Stevelewis said: I received a WEATHERED GREEN Ref 2531 class 25 today, it is now packed up and awaiting ROYAL MAIL Collection service tomorrow for its return to the supplying retailer ( Not a long journey for it from our North Wales address!!) I was apalled when I opened the box the weathering is the worst factory applied I have ever seen on a RTR Loco, vertical brush marks are apparent on the body sides (vertically) the roof appears to have been randomly daubed with weathering paint and even the cab windows have had the treatment! so much so the interiors are not visible, (would have been nice if the person doing the so called weathering had wiped an arc on the windscreens to indicate the windscreen wipers 'path') I would advise any one thinking of a Heljan weathered 25 purchase to try to actually see the model first, but currently this is rather difficult! Really sorry to see that you got one of the duff weathered locos. Returning it is the correct thing to do so that we can get the affected examples out of circulation ASAP. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Zunnan said: Can I ask an awkward question here? What is the all up cost for this spec install? That is the Class 25 itself, plus decoder, plus speakers, plus installation cost. I can't see that coming in at under £300 unless the user is fitting it themselves, and even then it only marginally comes in below £300 if the loco is bought at box shifter prices. The most recent SLW 24 I bought was FEB 21 fully fitted with sound on board total cost inc shipping was £305, it must be considered though that when the SLW 25s are released the price will most likely be higher, very nice people to deal with though. I cannot answer your query though but there would possibly not much in it! Edited March 10, 2021 by Stevelewis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Patriot87003 Posted March 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 10, 2021 There’s a rat in my kitchen .... ... and now it’s on my layout! An action shot below showing the domino marker lights (my layout is currently DC) Within the box are the accessory bags with mini ploughs, plates, tension lock couplings and pipes etc. My WCML layout is from around mid 1980’s to early 2000’s and during my first trip along the WCML during 1986, I can remember seeing a Class 25 at Stafford. Very pleased with the purchase so far ... very smooth runner. 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Zunnan said: Can I ask an awkward question here? What is the all up cost for this spec install? That is the Class 25 itself, plus decoder, plus speakers, plus installation cost. I can't see that coming in at under £300 unless the user is fitting it themselves, and even then it only marginally comes in below £300 if the loco is bought at box shifter prices. I was going down that route buying a Heljan 25/3 from TMC and having them fit Legomanbiffo sound. Comes out at over £300.00, so I'm going with a sound fitted SLW model. Edited March 10, 2021 by Alcanman 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, 61661 said: Really sorry to see that you got one of the duff weathered locos. Returning it is the correct thing to do so that we can get the affected examples out of circulation ASAP. My contact at the supplying retailer (Big H) seemed fully aware of the situation! They are OK and very efficient, I have dealt with them since the late '60s I used to have many a chat on a wet Liverpool afternoon with Norman Hatton, my job used to take me to Liverpool quite frequently!! Edited March 10, 2021 by Stevelewis 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 3 hours ago, The Ghost of IKB said: I think the point he has made about the way the lights work (unprototypically) is more informative and useful than your mocking his use of grammar . I don't. Heljan never specified working internal cab lighting. Sounds as though the rear cover sealing any extraneous light from the headcode marker led board has either come adrift or is missing. Quite unprofessional for a retailer to go on a rant such as that, same with last weeks photos. If a new release loco lands on my bench and has any issues during initial inspection, I'll take it up with the supplier. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37403 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 31 minutes ago, Patriot87003 said: There’s a rat in my kitchen .... ... and now it’s on my layout! An action shot below showing the domino marker lights (my layout is currently DC) Within the box are the accessory bags with mini ploughs, plates, tension lock couplings and pipes etc. My WCML layout is from around mid 1980’s to early 2000’s and during my first trip along the WCML during 1986, I can remember seeing a Class 25 at Stafford. Very pleased with the purchase so far ... very smooth runner. The pictures everyone has uploaded are great. Is it me or is the centre windows on the model appearing to be falling in the way? Looks like they need popped out towards the front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 52 minutes ago, 61661 said: Our new 25 does have etched metal grilles. Many moons ago we asked RMweb members whether they’d prefer moulded or etched grilles and although it was not unanimous, the preference was for the latter. We also showed photos of two styles of grille here and we went with the more popular option. However, I don’t disagree that they could be improved even further. Hope this helps Ben Hello Ben, thanks for the reply, okay great to see the use of photo etched grilles, but may be an another improvement would have been to have holes behind them in the body shell, to aid the sound improvement. Best regards Craig 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedlington North Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 50 minutes ago, Patriot87003 said: There’s a rat in my kitchen .... ... and now it’s on my layout! An action shot below showing the domino marker lights (my layout is currently DC) Within the box are the accessory bags with mini ploughs, plates, tension lock couplings and pipes etc. My WCML layout is from around mid 1980’s to early 2000’s and during my first trip along the WCML during 1986, I can remember seeing a Class 25 at Stafford. Very pleased with the purchase so far ... very smooth runner. Lovely to see a 25 in prototypical surroundings. Great stuff. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zunnan Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 55 minutes ago, Richard Croft said: £135 is a standard install, Plus £8 for the second speaker and postage at cost. Cheers, just weighing up whether to pull the trigger on fitting out a Heljan model as a stop gap being as I exterminated my fleet of older Bachmann Rats. That comes in at £296 (£153 loco plus £143 install) plus postage for the Heljan model with a decent twin speaker install and a quality decoder, or a shade lower doing the install myself. I'll have to see if I can abuse my club discount and source through the club in order. It'll be interesting to see how much lower it can be done for. 1 hour ago, Stevelewis said: The most recent SLW 24 I bought was FEB 21 fully fitted with sound on board total cost inc shipping was £305, it must be considered though that when the SLW 25s are released the price will most likely be higher, very nice people to deal with though. I cannot answer your query though but there would possibly not much in it! When I rang SLW to put my order in for a couple, Phil was quite reassuring that the base DCC sound models (no extras like supercap or EM/P4) would come in at £295 when they arrive late summer. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 Struggling to work out how it could have been designed to have the body framework visible through the smaller grille and not the larger grill; such a distinctive feature of a 25 side on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maico Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 3 hours ago, Stevelewis said: I received a WEATHERED GREEN Ref 2531 class 25 today, it is now packed up and awaiting ROYAL MAIL Collection service tomorrow for its return to the supplying retailer ( Not a long journey for it from our North Wales address!!) I was apalled when I opened the box the weathering is the worst factory applied I have ever seen on a RTR Loco, vertical brush marks are apparent on the body sides (vertically) the roof appears to have been randomly daubed with weathering paint and even the cab windows have had the treatment! so much so the interiors are not visible, (would have been nice if the person doing the so called weathering had wiped an arc on the windscreens to indicate the windscreen wipers 'path') I would advise any one thinking of a Heljan weathered 25 purchase to try to actually see the model first, but currently this is rather difficult! The photos at Olivia's Trains show the factory haven't quite grasped the weathered look... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 11 minutes ago, maico said: The photos at Olivia's Trains show the factory haven't quite grasped the weathered look... Yes my returned Green one was rather similar but the cab windows were almost total obscured and its yellow panels were much more messy BUT the buffer heads were totally untouched!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 1 hour ago, Zunnan said: Cheers, just weighing up whether to pull the trigger on fitting out a Heljan model as a stop gap being as I exterminated my fleet of older Bachmann Rats. That comes in at £296 (£153 loco plus £143 install) plus postage for the Heljan model with a decent twin speaker install and a quality decoder, or a shade lower doing the install myself. I'll have to see if I can abuse my club discount and source through the club in order. It'll be interesting to see how much lower it can be done for. When I rang SLW to put my order in for a couple, Phil was quite reassuring that the base DCC sound models (no extras like supercap or EM/P4) would come in at £295 when they arrive late summer. That is very good and welcome news Well done SLW 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted March 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2021 (edited) 12 hours ago, 97406 said: Proper! Needs a dirty weekend at some point! Think the cab front handrails may get replaced with wire. The cab windows would benefit from black around the inner edges which is what I do with FYE locos (the ones without bonnets) I stand corrected on the cab front handrails, they are wire. The bow can be got rid of by removing and putting back on the other way up, it seems! A couple of tiny blobs of thin superglue on the little mounded pips that they sit on to keep them in place and they sit straight, now. Edited March 11, 2021 by 97406 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted March 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2021 15 hours ago, adb968008 said: ..... at this point, meet me... I went undercover for this...shrunk myself down.. modelu scan in 2018 of me... I’m not normally red in real life. I tried to access the Heljan cab... I have cabbed several class 25’s in my lifetime, indeed cab rided them too. now its been a few years and ive gained a few pounds... but there just isnt any way i’m squeezing through that door or those handrails... I don't think those funky 70s platform soles help with the matter. On a more serious note, I do like your Sulzer fleet a lot and to me the Bachmann one stands out the worst due to the curve on the cab roof. So much so that mine ended up with Hornby cabs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathcartCircle Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 Very pleased with my Tamworth Castle which arrived yesterday. Always impressed by Heljan's models. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AY Mod Posted March 11, 2021 Moderators Share Posted March 11, 2021 8 hours ago, maico said: The photos at Olivia's Trains show the factory haven't quite grasped the weathered look... That was done to death several pages ago, why restart it? Did you read those parts or not? 1 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2021 12 hours ago, 61661 said: Really sorry to see that you got one of the duff weathered locos. Returning it is the correct thing to do so that we can get the affected examples out of circulation ASAP. , or flog 'em off cheap to those of us with a IPA/Dettol/Dot 4 bath of death? Of course, that's assuming you'd sell one to a Blade?!! Mike. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 12 hours ago, Patriot87003 said: There’s a rat in my kitchen .... ... and now it’s on my layout! An action shot below showing the domino marker lights (my layout is currently DC) Within the box are the accessory bags with mini ploughs, plates, tension lock couplings and pipes etc. My WCML layout is from around mid 1980’s to early 2000’s and during my first trip along the WCML during 1986, I can remember seeing a Class 25 at Stafford. Very pleased with the purchase so far ... very smooth runner. Lovely looking layout Sir 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted March 11, 2021 Share Posted March 11, 2021 12 hours ago, Stevelewis said: The most recent SLW 24 I bought was FEB 21 fully fitted with sound on board total cost inc shipping was £305, it must be considered though that when the SLW 25s are released the price will most likely be higher, very nice people to deal with though. I cannot answer your query though but there would possibly not much in it! For £305 I'm guessing you didn't get the super cap option? I have 2 SLW 24's that have cost me £325 ea + delivery , I also have one that I bought second hand that had been seriously mistreated by it's previous owner , fortunately after a lovely chat with Phil all the parts on the model that were missing/damaged were in the post to me , also there will be no difference in price with the 25's when they are released 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 97406 Posted March 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2021 Well an unsettled night, probably as an after effect of the Covid jab meant an early morning identity change. Ready for some dirt. I'm pleased with it as a model. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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