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Heljan announce re-tooled Class 86 in OO


Andy Y
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34 minutes ago, stovepipe said:

...by way of a little appetiser..

 

E3134 Lichfield Trent Valley 4Z61 GW 1966-03 20

 

Lovely :)        Note that 3134 has the longer cab roof gutters that I mentioned in a previous post.

I think I like the look of the earlier batch best as they carried the contrasting red buffer beam which gives the front end a little more presence IMO.

Edited by NorthenElectric91
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3 hours ago, NorthenElectric91 said:

Point taken RE the cost/benefit of offering a dummy loco.  I thought (based on the prices I have payed for such parts from Bachmann) that the electronic bits made up a larger percentage of the total price than has been suggested.

In light of this, I wonder how Hornby managed to put together a business case to produce their Class 82/1 DVT?  

 

 

 

Simple its a coach.

 

No motor.

Technically not a class either its number range falls within tops for npcs.

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7 hours ago, Ian Fisher said:

 

Simple its a coach.

 

No motor.

Technically not a class either its number range falls within tops for npcs.

Albeit a coach with complicated lighting more akin to a loco and a few more detail bits to hang off the front buffer beam, hence the pricing at the top end of the range for coaches...

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13 hours ago, NorthenElectric91 said:

On a different note - A couple of examples of modelling on a budget - Here is a Class 91 and 86 (AL6) I did a few years back.   Both started out as cheap second hand Hornby items off eBay.   

The 91 was repainted, fitted with Shawplan nameplates, PH designs side skirts, modified class 92 pantograph, some tweaks to the bogie frames and my own LED lighting system using 1.5mm fiber optic cable.

 

The AL6  (my third attempt at one), and was a full repaint with Craftsman 86/0 conversion kit (anyone know what happened to them?), adapted Sommerfeld SF968 pantograph, SouthEastern flush glaze and as with the 91, etched details by shawplan.

 

I think each one cost me around of £60 in total to make including the donor locos.   That said, I will definitely be buying the new releases of these models when they become available, as much for the smoothness and quietness of the mechanism and enhanced lighting options as for the overall appearance.

Screen_Shot_2020-11-17_at_22_58_12.png

Screen_Shot_2020-11-17_at_22_57_26.png

Screen_Shot_2020-11-17_at_22_56_58.png

Gorgeous!

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11 hours ago, NorthenElectric91 said:

Totally, completely missing the point.. but,  we're gonna end up completely off topic if we go down that avenue so lets just leave it there.

 

 

I beg to differ.

 

A Mark 3b DVT aint a class 82/1.  

 

The model could actually be cheaper to produce as unlike a coach to convey passengers this has no interior to model after a small cab desk.

 

 

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On 18/11/2020 at 23:03, NorthenElectric91 said:

 

The AL6  (my third attempt at one), and was a full repaint with Craftsman 86/0 conversion kit (anyone know what happened to them?), adapted Sommerfeld SF968 pantograph, SouthEastern flush glaze and as with the 91, etched details by shawplan.

 

 

Given that there is frequently far too much negativity and nasty comments around on here, I'd just like to balance that with my congratulations for that 86, Northern Electric. That looks very neat indeed. Excellent work on an older model, on a decent budget and a superb result - really looks the part. Now, was shade of blue did you use for it? 

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Thanks! I'm glad you like them.  I am currently working on an 82 for someone else as it happens, and an 86/4 for my own collection.

 

I used RailMatch Rail Blue for the body and Rail Grey for the roof, and white mixed with a tiny bit of Rail grey for cab ends. 

One thing that is often missed about the original AL6 livery is the colour of the cab ends was not actually white, but a very light grey. It isn't immediately obvious until you see it next to an 85 for instance that you notice the subtle colour difference.  There is a photo on flickr of the two side by side circa 1966, I will see if I can find it.

 

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On 19/11/2020 at 00:02, Wagpnmaster said:

They look great NorthernElectric 91! I too welcome the interest in ac electrics, but my period is a little older. Perhaps Heljan might consider Classes 82, 83 and 84? The 82 would probably be the most commercially viable with the number of liveries they carried, but I would quite like an 84.

 

Proper OHLE is a minefield. Round by me (WCML Coventry and Trent Valley), every post seems different. 

 

There appears to be about three or four variants from what I can gather on the main four tracks sections (Stafford area)

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On 18/11/2020 at 23:03, NorthenElectric91 said:

On a different note - A couple of examples of modelling on a budget - Here is a Class 91 and 86 (AL6) I did a few years back.   Both started out as cheap second hand Hornby items off eBay.   

The 91 was repainted, fitted with Shawplan nameplates, PH designs side skirts, modified class 92 pantograph, some tweaks to the bogie frames and my own LED lighting system using 1.5mm fiber optic cable.

 

The AL6  (my third attempt at one), and was a full repaint with Craftsman 86/0 conversion kit (anyone know what happened to them?), adapted Sommerfeld SF968 pantograph, SouthEastern flush glaze and as with the 91, etched details by shawplan.

 

I think each one cost me around of £60 in total to make including the donor locos.   That said, I will definitely be buying the new releases of these models when they become available, as much for the smoothness and quietness of the mechanism and enhanced lighting options as for the overall appearance.

Screen_Shot_2020-11-17_at_22_58_12.png

Screen_Shot_2020-11-17_at_22_57_26.png

Screen_Shot_2020-11-17_at_22_56_58.png

 

Hi there,

 

Is this your layout in picture three ?

 

Kind Regards,

Kat@johnsonstreetIEMD

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43 minutes ago, DBC90024 said:

 

There appears to be about three or four variants from what I can gather on the main four tracks sections (Stafford area)

 

The OHLE is fairly easy around Stafford. Four track portal gantries on the TV line and north with a bit of single posts from Stone. 

 

However, come and have a look around Coventry, Birmingham and Rugby etc. As I say, on some sections every post seems to be different!

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1 hour ago, Wagpnmaster said:

 

The OHLE is fairly easy around Stafford. Four track portal gantries on the TV line and north with a bit of single posts from Stone. 

 

However, come and have a look around Coventry, Birmingham and Rugby etc. As I say, on some sections every post seems to be different!

 

I think what you should have taken from that is we too have numerous gantries, i have spent many a lunchtime up close to them, I too have studied most if not all of the catenary on the WCML as far as Glasgow and as far south as London Euston and i have caught a few of these on my youtube channel Johnson Street IEMD.

 

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17 minutes ago, NorthenElectric91 said:

The 91 was photographed on my small home layout, the AL6 was on a local club layout.    My layout will (eventually) bare some resemblance to Crewe electric depot.

I love the look of both your Class 91 and AL6.  Just shows what can be done with older models.

 

I reckon Hornby captured the basic shape of their 86, 90 and 91 really well, and were great models to super detail, as you have so expertly done.  It's just a shame that the mechanisms and pantographs were so basic, but then I suppose they had to cater for more of a robust product at a reasonable price. 

 

Model railways are so different today and the quality of mechanisms is now fabulous.  I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that Heljan may possibly finally "nail" the 86, but at the same time have a hope that Hornby may announce one in January with quality equal to their fabulous 87 but hopefully with better lighting and DCC sound provision.   

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I can't imagine Hornby would bring out an all-new 86 right after Heljan have announced theirs. That would be rather pointless duplication.

Though I must admit it struck me as a little strange when Hornby announced an all-new 87 in preference to an 86.  The 86 seemed (to me) like the obvious choice to renew first since there were so many different sub classes and liveries carried compared to the 87 (and, unlike the old 87, the old 86 was actually a Hornby design/product!).  Anyway, they obviously thought there was a market there to justify it.

 

What WOULD be good from Hornby is a re-issue of their Class 82/1 DVT,  as since it first came out all-new versions of 86, 87 and 90 have come on the scene and for anyone who models the Intercity or Virgin era, a DVT is must.  They are pretty scarce now and judging by the inflated (£100+) price they currently sell for on eBay,  very much in demand!

Also, unlike those rather strange DVT/90 "Charter packs" that Hornby sold a while back, an 87/DVT pack would stack up as a package without the 25 year age gap between the two models being immediately and painfully obvious...

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1 hour ago, NorthenElectric91 said:

 

What WOULD be good from Hornby is a re-issue of their Class 82/1 DVT,  as since it first came out all-new versions of 86, 87 and 90 have come on the scene and for anyone who models the Intercity or Virgin era, a DVT is must.

82116 in INTERCITY livery was in their 2020 announcement.

 

Duplication isn't really an issue as far as Hornby are concerned, Terrier and Class 71 being two examples. 

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On 19/11/2020 at 04:45, NorthenElectric91 said:

 

 

 

In any case, I am really enjoying this resurgence of interest in AC electrics and it is great that UK modellers are finally being offered a range of models of comparable quality and detail that like minded modellers on the continent have enjoyed for years.     Now if someone would just develop some catenary (Properly!) to go with them! :rolleyes:

 

This I completely agree with!

 

The 70s and 80s WCML was a fascinating period of time but has not always been easy to model unless you're a scratch build genius with a degree in micro engineering!

 

On the subject and on the heels of these new ACs, for me the missing piece of the jigsaw would be a RTR AM10 Class 310/312 which would've been seen alongside all these locos for more than a decade. With such a variety of liveries and regions they worked under I would like to know others opinions if were ever likely to see a RTR version. Are Southern Pride the only option in the near future?

 

I would love to model an area of Northamptonshire in the Eighties but its impossible to do that without some 310s, several indeed!

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1 hour ago, InterCitySpud said:

This I completely agree with!

 

The 70s and 80s WCML was a fascinating period of time but has not always been easy to model unless you're a scratch build genius with a degree in micro engineering!

 

On the subject and on the heels of these new ACs, for me the missing piece of the jigsaw would be a RTR AM10 Class 310/312 which would've been seen alongside all these locos for more than a decade. With such a variety of liveries and regions they worked under I would like to know others opinions if were ever likely to see a RTR version. Are Southern Pride the only option in the near future?

 

I would love to model an area of Northamptonshire in the Eighties but its impossible to do that without some 310s, several indeed!

... and a Class 303 and 304 and you’d have the whole WCML covered.

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Its a really interesting area within railway modelling, if you are a continental modeller either here or abroad, you're reasonably well catered for, if you are modelling for UK OHLE however, a sparse collection of gantries are available, for the single masts, you're asking yourself am I going with Dapol or PECO - and for the multi-track masts, if you are modelling the WCML, then its either nBrass or one of the other kit form masts, like scalemodelscenery and having to scratch build your cantilevers, if you're not modelling the WCML and are looking at the ECML or elsewhere, then its a case of scratchbuilding, there are three really useful youtube channels to have a look at when it comes to scratchbuilding OHLE,

 

1 - Dave at Dean Park Station has built some very good ECML three-track masts, which are about as good as I have seen - i am pretty sure Dave has a video for how he did these

 

2 - Minsterley - there is also the OHLE on Minsterley's layout which is equally impressive, maybe slightly more so due to the complexity and variety of structures, this appears to be more WCML in its style.

 

3 - Wratting Road - Jack has adapted both the catenary wires presenting them in a more realistic blackened look - and also adapted both the PECO masts for greater accuracy and also the masts before the tunnel entrance are brilliant as is the terminating single mast which I am going to try to replicate on my layout and he has a video for this aspect - check out his youtube channel for more

 

 

For my forthcoming layout, Johnson Street IEMD, i've opted to adapt nBrass multi-track gantries for the sections of several parallel tracks - the basic framework of these are pictured below - having studied the knitting outside Crewe Electric depot - and am also using PECO for the single track sections. I am also adapting a gantry from Hornby for the terminating gantries which are postitioned at the rear of the electric shed and also the two holding sidings - and adopting Wratting Road's approach to terminating single track OHLE too.

 

OHLE NBrass - update - 4 x 4 track and 3 x 2 track gantries.jpg

Edited by DBC90024
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