Heljan announce re-tooled Class 86 in OO

[Scottish-Exile]

Delighted with this announcement even if too early for my era. I've 6 of the first batch of Heljan 86's and they are great locos, just badly let down by the looks.

 

Hopefully there will be sufficient demand for later class 86's that will allow me to upgrade.

['CHARD]

.......gement, which is missing from the CAD.

 

* Thrust rod.

 

Changed your handle, Clive - or should I say 'Rod.'  ???    

[Clive Mortimore]

Changed your handle, Clive - or should I say 'Rod.'  ???    

No the thin tube thingy is called a thrust rod but if I said the thrust rod is in the wrong place 99% of you lot would be scratching your backsides wondering what I was on about. 

[ThaneofFife]

at least they havent totally gone off 4mm ..........

 

people were moaning that the Hornby 87 pan would not work correctly with catenary and so those same people need to understand that with this models pan saod to be designed to work with model catenary there has to be a little bit of give and take compromise in its appearance - taking the example of the high speed pan on bachmanns 90.   

 

As for Bens new name...…….we could run a book.    how about a bit of Snatch terminology and we call him "Danish"? LOL.

 

He might just want to stick to Ben though...………...

[adb968008]

Well i’m in for the 1960’s & 70’s 86’s.

I hope they do 1980’s (end to end) too.

 

86211 here in 1979 has the headcode box still fitted, and orange cantrail..

https://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rail-online.co.uk%2Fimg%2Fs%2Fv-3%2Fp834185413-3.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rail-online.co.uk%2Fp550810423%2Fh31B8A8C5&tbnid=ltvXw8tHmY8S0M&vet=1&docid=qdmwR3uGYtEByM&w=580&h=372&hl=en-gb

 

And 86027

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/86_027_at_Kenton.jpg

 

I have an original aluminium painted silver class 86 double arrow amongst my stuff.

Edited November 22, 2018 by adb968008

[luke_stevens]

I’m confused!

 

At one point the 86 is described as “completely re-tooled” and “It's new tooling” but it is also described as having “Improved body-side grilles”, “improved tooling” and “improved body-shell”.

 

I didn’t get one first time round, not because of the body-side grills but because the cab looked as if it had been “face-palmed”.

 

I wonder if the cab, front windows angle and roof going to be retooled? If so, I’m interested!

 

Luke

[MGR Hooper!]

This has really got me excited. I wish Heljan at least shared a few more CAD images for us to have a closer look...Ben if you're listening!

 

I'm quite happy with the single image showing the CAD model. The body looks far better than the older one. I really cannot express how happy I am with this.

 

The only thing still a let down is the pantograph. Something just looks off about it. It may be the lower arms (which someone already mentioned) but most importantly something looks wrong with the shoe/head/blade whatever you'd like to call it. But I'll study a few pics first and then comment/remove my comment about it.

 

Cheers!

[75B]

Nice to see that an original Class 86/0 will finally be produced, looking forward to seeing the decorated samples of the BR Blue versions.

 

Keith

Edited November 22, 2018 by 75B

[ThaneofFife]

wonder if they will get around to an 86 fitted with the HST with buffers prototype cab that was tested near Tring?  LOL.

 

if indeed that was an 86/0......dont have my book to hand to check.......

[75B]

It was E3173 with the experimental Flexicoil bogies fitted.

 

Keith

[Wolf27]

Well done to Ben for pushing this forward. So far the cad looks promising and a vast improvement on the previous release. As for a future run of the flexicoil versions, the bogie mouldings from the first run mean you are 95% there. Just a minor modification to the body to accommodate the springs. Be nice if Heljan made the complete chassis available to repower the Hornby models that abound.

 

Cheers

 

Shane

[47164]

Great news at last , thank you Ben. .., cash waiting !

 

I suspect for many of us the pantograph will be the deal breaker, I would hate to see a revamp let down by another monstrous effort, particularly when our European cousins seem to enjoy good offerings ... which also don't look out of place on the Hornby 86.

[jsp3970]

Another 86? (Yes I realize that Heljan already did the 86 before). When will someone do one of the earlier locomotives (AL1-AL4)

[50A55B]

I’d like to know what the colour difference is between the BR blue and Rail blue variants listed.

[Clive Mortimore]

I’d like to know what the colour difference is between the BR blue and Rail blue variants listed.

The AL6s were always in BR rail blue......see Brian Haresanpe's article on new BR locomotives in Modern Railways July 1965 where he states the new locos were being painted in the new BR blue.

[50A55B]

The AL6s were always in BR rail blue......see Brian Haresanpe's article on new BR locomotives in Modern Railways July 1965 where he states the new locos were being painted in the new BR blue.

Agreed Clive, hence the question. “Les Ross” is the only Electric Blue 86, and it looks a bit gaudy to my eyes.

[Clive Mortimore]

Agreed Clive, hence the question. “Les Ross” is the only Electric Blue 86, and it looks a bit gaudy to my eyes.

Hi

 

I don't know how many times "Were class 86's electric blue?" has come up over the years, so my reaction is to fire from the hip......sorry if my post was a bit blunt. 

[75B]

I’d like to know what the colour difference is between the BR blue and Rail blue variants listed.

I’m not completely certain, but I think that Rail Blue or “Monastral Blue” is the final gloss version whereas BR Blue was the original matt or drab variant very similar to XP64 colour scheme.

Can someone who knows more about this correct me if I’m wrong?

 

Keith

[75B]

Hi

 

I don't know how many times "Were class 86's electric blue?" has come up over the years, so my reaction is to fire from the hip......sorry if my post was a bit blunt. 

Totally agree with you that 86’s were not Electric Blue – the same also goes for the 73’s built around the same time.

 

Keith

[reevesthecat]

Maybe 86219 Phoenix would be an appropriate model and enable me to replace my old Hornby model.

Cheers

Mark

[wombatofludham]

Another 86? (Yes I realize that Heljan already did the 86 before). When will someone do one of the earlier locomotives (AL1-AL4)

 

Given the only currently reasonably available Class 86 is Hornby's dating from 1981, when I was doing my A Levels, and the previous Heljan releases are as rare as rocking horse dung (and when they rock up on eBay fetch daft prices unless you want an Anglia livery), I think we're overdue a decent model of the most numerous and long lived of the AC electric classes.

 

I do agree though a decent model of the AL1 would be nice, and Bachmann are well placed to do one as the Class 85 mechanicals should be the correct dimensions and they share bogie designs.  Daft as it seems, I also think an AL4 could do reasonably well despite the real locos being lemons, given one ended up as a mobile load bank in the always popular Research livery and one ended up becoming part of the National Collection, albeit more by accident than design.

 

However, let's rejoice in the news from Denmark.

[Dixie Dean]

Ben, what about the slightly odd shape to the front that many have previously commented on, was the previous model's front windows and above modelled right or wrong, and if wrong, has that been corrected?

 

And regarding models, I'm firmly in the EWS maroon/gold and early freightliner era, so will be waiting patiently for those to appear!

[adb968008]

Totally agree with you that 86’s were not Electric Blue – the same also goes for the 73’s built around the same time.

 

Keith

And painted in the same paint shop, (except the Doncaster built ones). Edited November 22, 2018 by adb968008

[cravensdmufan]

I hope these locos will be able to do a scale 100mph.

 

My new Hornby 87s achieve this, but the Bachmann 85 is slower (must renumber it to an 85/1!).

 

Whilst not ever wanting "toy train" speeds it is nice to have scale speeds for large layouts.

[YesTor]

Just consider that Heljan's UK operation are under a new person now, so by all means be cautious (which is true for pretty much any manufacturer) but there certainly is reason to be more optimistic now.

 

Let's hope so.    It always seems such a shame because when Heljan get it right they really do produce some cracking models, but when they get it wrong they seem to really get it wrong. 

Edited November 22, 2018 by YesTor