EFE Rail launches N gauge Class 17 and Mermaids

[rogerzilla]

SYP Class 17 D8594 turned up today. Terrible prototype but really stylish model!  Will run later.

[BusDriverMan]

I received mine yesterday - D8606, BFYE, weathered, and very pleasing!

 

It's my first loco with a Next18 socket and I haven't ordered a decoder yet. Was wondering if anyone can advise how many LEDs are used for the head and tail lights and can they be individually switched? By the look of the exploded diagram there's two LEDs under the nose at each end - one for the headcode box and one for the tail lights. I'd like to be able to control all four LEDs explicitly from four decoder functions - is that possible?

 

Tail lights switched on when the loco's not running light is a particular annoyance of mine. Another is having both tail lights on at once - until the late 80s the only train that did that were the Edinburgh-Glasgow push-pulls and trains carrying the head of state. Looking at the diagram, the tail lights operate with a lightpipe from a single LED, so turning one of them off would be a permanent operation by removing part of one lightpipe - has anyone done this?

 

Finally has anyone customised the headcode panel and retained the lighting? Applying Rule 1 - in the alternate universe my layout is set in, by a quirk of fate, these designs turned out to be reliable and became the standard Type 1 loco. So I'd rather like to give it a domino headcode and TOPS markings for that post-1977 look

Edited January 15, 2021 by BusDriverMan

[John M Upton]

I have seen from the RofS product images that the Mermaids still have the horrendously large protruding coupling.  Alternatives may need to be sought if I pick up a few but it seems the Dutch yellow grey ones are already sold out!!

[Les1952]

36 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

I have seen from the RofS product images that the Mermaids still have the horrendously large protruding coupling.  Alternatives may need to be sought if I pick up a few but it seems the Dutch yellow grey ones are already sold out!!

 

They do look a lot better when a short NEM coupling is substituted for the standard one.

 

Les

[grahame]

46 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

I have seen from the RofS product images that the Mermaids still have the horrendously large protruding coupling.  Alternatives may need to be sought if I pick up a few but it seems the Dutch yellow grey ones are already sold out!!

 

Yep, and they still look too leggy. I'm surprised that the Dutch livery ones are sold out at RofS as a lot of people moaned that they were the ones produced by DJM and claimed they didn't sell. But I noticed that they are also OOS at Kernow. Has EFE produced Dutch ones? And presumably Hattons don't stock EFE Rail being associated with Bachmann - or do they?

 

 

 

 

[John M Upton]

I noticed my local retailer seems to have the same situation as per the Class 17's, receiving just two of each variant!!  I am guessing these are extremely small production runs....

[Roy L S]

I got four Mermaids first time round so I'm waiting for upgraded Dapol Dogfish. We are getting a bit spoiled with Mermaids, Grampus and Dogfish ballast wagons RTR in N! 

 

Dutch ones still available from a number of sources on you evilbay, this is just one example who shows more than ten in stock (no connection and I don't buy from them personally): -

 

EFE Rail E87514 N Gauge 14T 'Mermaid' Side Tipping Ballast Wagon BR Engineers Gr 5023219875141 | eBay

 

Good luck those searching!

 

Roy

[mca0004]

This might not get a response, but; does anyone know how to get the cab off of these things?

 

I want to fit a driver, but I can’t figure out how to do it, and I don’t want to break it.

 

The foldout doesn’t cover this, and I can’t find anything useful online.

[Mike Harvey]

17 hours ago, mca0004 said:

This might not get a response, but; does anyone know how to get the cab off of these things?

 

I want to fit a driver, but I can’t figure out how to do it, and I don’t want to break it.

 

The foldout doesn’t cover this, and I can’t find anything useful online.

This post refers to clips at the bottom of the cab moulding. So presumably spread or squeeze the cab sides and lift.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Mike Harvey

[John M Upton]

Is there anything on the corresponding DJM Class 17 thread that may help?

[46444]

Recenty I've been working on my two EFE Class 17's addressing the headcode lettering/numbers and also the excessive ride height of the models.

 

Steve (Pixie of this parish)

has previously posted his modifications he had carried out on his Class 17 on here rectifying the issues. Sadly, I think his snaps have been lost from the thread due to technical issues earlier in the year.

 

I was fortunate enough to catch up with Steve at the 2mm Fine Scale Derby bash earlier this year. I was able to discuss his modifications and see his Class 17 in the flesh so to speak. 

 

Armed with Steve's words of wisdom I started work on my pair.

 

The bogies were gently pulled off and the excessive gear greasing was removed with cotton buds.

 

 

Using Xuron track cutters the vertical pick up prongs were reduced in height. Using Graham Farish coupling springs on each pick up prong the ride height is suitably reduced.  

 

Strips of suitably cut to size black insulating tape covered over the headcode boxes. 

 

I also took the liberty of removing the bodyshells and isolating the headcode lighting using insulating tape.

 

 

Fox Transfers 2mm Scale headcode blind lettering/numbers were applied using headcodes from the North Eastern Region.

 

Owing to the incorrect size of the headcode boxes the lettering/numbers were applied in an uneven manner to give a prototype resemblance.

 

 

DG Couplings to be fitted and parts of the detail pack have been added. I am trying to work out how to fit the front steps without fouling the bogie swing. 

 

The headcode modifications are certainly worth it for lifting the appearance of this model.

 

My pair will be the workhorses on a layout based on Ford Works paper mill siding. 

 

 

For those interested in the prototype the book on the Class 17's by John Hooper; An Illustated Historical Review: Clayton Type 1-Class 17 published by Book Law Publications is a recommended read.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by 46444