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Bachmann 9F "Evening Star"


Garry D100

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Hi

 

why when you fit lights do yous insist on fitting a tail light on the loco tender? If a tail light is fitted it is fitted to the REAR vehicle not one half way down the train or the loco tender. The same goes for diesels the rear lights are only on when a loco is running light loco or pushing a train (the loco becomes the rear vehicle) and not when coupled to a train

 

Fair call.....You are more than likely right if we go by the rules. Again I just copied what I saw in a video of the real Evening Star running, it actually had 2 rear reds mounted on the tender but I didn't really like that. When you have a rake of coaches behind it and the light switched off you wouldn't notice it unless you looked for it.

 

Plus I have many many train mags from the late 30's to early 60's on steam and you would be surprised how many locos actually had lights on them plus some with them on during the day. I have 2 good photos of lights mounted on the tender while pulling coaches from the 50's. "Human error" I know but it justifies what I have done on a prototypical level. Modelling human error.

 

Look up "Snow" on youtube a video from the 60's and you will find footage of even Southern locos running during the day with their lights on. It also has the Blue Pullman and the LMS "Turbomotive" for those that are interested.

 

Secondly because I have the basic skill to build and get the light working why not? its my railway. I have built 6 more NRM 9f Evening Stars for others and all wanted the rear light on the tender one asked for 2 after seeing the video.

 

I hope you understand now why I do it.

 

Thanks she does look a lot better weathered.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

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Basically all locos should have at least one head light (on the S.R. disc or head light). It matters not if it is lit during the day, but at night or dusk all lamps are to be lit (railwaymen being railwaymen just lit them most of the time).

Normally the only locos that would have head and tale lights would be shunters or station pilots. This would be one red and one white light above the buffers. But if they were on the main line the rear vehicle would still have a tail light.

 

OzzyO.

 

PS. Rule 1; its your loco, rule 2 if it's wrong see rule 1.

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Hi folks, ag'in

On re-apraising, I've just noticed this. A drooping RH smokebox step.

post-7009-0-50422000-1299588457_thumb.jpg

 

Now... did I break this ? (me , being more than slightly cack- handed, at times)....or. was it damaged beforehand ?

 

I'm thinking... Is the best bet / option, for me, to send it back to the retailer, including all the hassle involved, especially for overseas enthusiasts (Bill, in Canada, for example), asking for a replacement ?.

Or,.. to fix it ourselves ?..

And, by fixing any simple defect ourselves, would this invalidate the product's guarantee ?.

 

Time for a separate thread, somewhere else, methinks.

 

Cheers.

 

P.S.... Bill, I had the same Red Warning, but I didn't take much notice.(me, being me)... That draw-bar wants shortening anyway.

 

Regards

Ceptic,

First, thanks for all your pics.

Second, I personally operate on a 3-strikes policy. If there are 3 niggles on a loco or loco body that get me, its going back! (recent examples - O4 with bent running plate + scratched buffer beam paint + scratched smokebox number)

Sending locos back mean the mfg will eventually take not of the faults and lack of QC in their products.

Looking at pics of your model you have:

1. Broken front footsetp (easily fixed) - difficult to break yourself - what would your hand have been doing there?

2. Bent running plate (impossible to fix - casting/assembly fault) - MAJOR

3. I also notice the smoke deflectors are at funny angles (they seem to bow/splay outwards based on the worms eye view and the drivers eye views)

 

If the chassis is good (smooth and wobble free), speak to the retailer and see if they will do a body swap. At the end of the day they have a loco to send back to Bachmann.

 

Bachmann will not up their game unless they get feedback and faulty returns from customers and retailers.

Despite a guarantee, the hassle in repair of small faults may be less than that involved in sending the item back.

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Sending locos back mean the mfg will eventually take not of the faults and lack of QC in their products.

 

D'you know, I never realised it was *that* simple

 

Bachmann will not up their game unless they get feedback and faulty returns from customers and retailers.

I can assure you they do get returns, you're not exactly re-inventing the wheel herewink.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Mine arrived today in Oz, definite bend in the footplate but not as pronounced as the photographed ones here, also have a droopy smokebox step and no copper paint below the lip of the chimney which is conveniently loose, so a dab of glue for the footstep,a drop of paint on the chimney(does anyone make a copper casting for this?),footplate not resolved how to fix yet. Agree that boiler bands on 4mm models should hardly stand out from the boiler.

All that apart, this model really captures the essence of the prototype(I saw her at Derby in the sixties at the Horticultural Exhibition, :man_in_love_mini: there were always a couple of bulled up locos brought in for display).

 

Rgds......Mike

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I wonder if Bachmann are addressing the footplate issue - I note that some major suppliers (and indeed my 'local') have not had stocks yet. This includes Antics, Rails of Sheffield, Gaugemaster, Holt Model Railways and Modelfair.

For some time the release date has been April-May. Could this have reflected the need to do rectification work, and what we have seen is a few orders slipping through the net? I have not known such a disparity between stocks in major retailers

 

Time will tell. Bit strange though.

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I wonder if Bachmann are addressing the footplate issue - I note that some major suppliers (and indeed my 'local') have not had stocks yet. This includes Antics, Rails of Sheffield, Gaugemaster, Holt Model Railways and Modelfair.

For some time the release date has been April-May. Could this have reflected the need to do rectification work, and what we have seen is a few orders slipping through the net? I have not known such a disparity between stocks in major retailers

 

Time will tell. Bit strange though.

 

I heard only 50 arrived in the country and Hattons got them all. No idea if that is true, but could explain why no one else seems to have any.

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I heard only 50 arrived in the country and Hattons got them all. No idea if that is true, but could explain why no one else seems to have any.

 

Thats not true i got one and bought it from Modellers mecca think it was one of 5 they got.

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I heard only 50 arrived in the country and Hattons got them all. No idea if that is true,

 

No source named + no idea if the info is correct = a post which serves only to promote rumour and is no use to this forum.

 

No more like this, please.

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Guest 47107

I heard only 50 arrived in the country and Hattons got them all. No idea if that is true, but could explain why no one else seems to have any.

 

Signal Box had them in stock when I popped in last week and Howes had them the week before.

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  • 2 months later...

Having seen a boxed 32-850A yesterday part of the instalment that reached the shops this month (rather than feb), it appears they DO come with etched brass name plates, commemorative plaques, AND steel works plates (is this a first for an RTR loco?) Look exquisite.

 

Someone reported above that this batch don’t have etched plates. If you bought yours earlier and didn't get the plates, worth contacting Bachmann about that!

 

On the down side, i am pretty certain now the ENTIRE BATCH have a bent RH running plate, and will be contacting Bachmann about this. If anyone finds a box of straight ones, please let me know! I had believed my own suspicions that the delay was due to remanufacturing the bodies. Oh how wrong I was.

 

I will say again, its all very well us demanding, and manufacturers designing, highly detailed models, but if the manufacturing process messes up basic dimensional aspects (like straight lines!), we're back to square one. A railroad 9F at half the price gets that bit right!

 

Some do appear worse than others though, so worth inspecting a few and pick the best one.

 

G-BOAF (not looking foward to dismantling ANOTHER £100+ loco to try correct manufacturing faults – and this looks in some respects more tricky than the A2 – which itself was not a walk in the park!)

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  • 1 month later...

Problem - tender - hunting and not sitting on all fours.

Tender hunts to one side while running (light). When one grips tender on track, it appears to rock as if its only resting on 3 wheels (the centre axle has play and doesn't carry weight). When placed on flat surface, daylight visible under one of the rear flanges. Just taken a look in Display Cabinet of MZ and sure enough that example too is not sitting true, same axle.

 

Just for sake of comparability, another 9F tender (from 2007) is fine on the same flat surface or piece of track.

 

Wheels all look true when spinning, all identical diameter. Chassis does not appear twisted (although can't get tank off chassis - screws come out but two clips at other end won't slide out).

 

Having seen this in two tenders (from different shops), I'm intreagued. Not worth exchanging if they're all like that... ho hum.

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If this 'resting on three wheels fault' is consistent then a possible cause is damage to that part of the moulding tool which forms one of the tender axle bearings. Certainly no such problem on my 9F purchases all obtained close to the original release date, and collectively the most trouble free group of loco models I have ever bought - as in all perfect.

 

 

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http://railsofsheffield.com/image-handler/full-size.ashx?image=img_5289may11.jpg

 

Showing daylight under the front LH wheel, (rather than rear on examples I've seen) but principle is the same.

 

My guess too is the tool is slightly damaged... maybe a letter to Bachmann is in order. Shame.

 

But it may be the surface it's on isn't dead flat.

I usually check things for true-ness on an old (thick) mirror. It's also useful when building wagon kits to get the chassis sitting on 'all fours'. If there's any rocking, you can just hear an audible click when the 'high' wheel taps on the mirror.

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checked on glass surface (in shop), seen on glass shelf (in MZ) and further checked on track at several locations and flat wood (checked with straight edge) at home. Other tender fine in same locations. No visible rocking, not expected given wheels are true on axle. Ths leads me to suspect its tender frame moulding, which is why I posed question on here.

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  • 4 weeks later...

OK, even by my standards a maybe over-critical review, but hopefully offering some advice. I will try to post a step-by-step if/when I get round to sorting the bent running plate (no promises).

Unfortunately the video reflects my annoyance over the quality of these models. I'll be honest and say I went through about models 7 until I found one that ran well, had an undamaged cab, and tender which sat true on the track...

Surprised no one else has noticed the fact that the 1G tender leans back on the chassis. (get a ruler out against the tank side rivet detail - it really does!)

This aside, and the chimney and running plate, I'm now a happy bunny! Runs like a cream over strawberries (talking of which, I'm off to the fridge).

Hope I haven't been too harsh on Bachmann. Having watched my production I now see why magazines aren't too critical, it sounds ridiculous!

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  • 1 year later...

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