Jump to content
 

Heljan Beyer garratt


Hugh Flynn
 Share

Recommended Posts

Reading the review Garrattfan linked, they were not overly impressed with the weathering. What have others thought of this?

I have a pristine rotating bunker version on pre-order, but am wondering if I should change to a lightly weathered version. I am happy to do the final weathering my self, but thought this might help with the wheels and valve gear.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Jamie

Link to post
Share on other sites

Bear in mind that people typically report bad news far more readily than good news (=no news) so there is every likelihood that the majority are reaching their purchasers in a satisfactory condition.

 

What I am reading is that the model is good in essentials, but vulnerable to smaller component and detail error and/or damage at either or both of the assembly or packaging stages. Giving me a nice warm fuzzy feeling about the prospects for the O2...

Very much my feelings, that this forum gets to air what 'may' be a small proportion of 'unfit' purchases.

 

I receive quite a few models by air packet in NZ and most are ok but a few, maybe 20% have minor easily fixable damage probably from vibration, packet-throwing, and so on. Very rare to have a seriously bad-un like a non-runner, although condolences to those who do get one.

 

I await my 'in the post' lightly-weathered bunker version. It certainly won't be ripped out its cradle in a hurry, more likely a period of meditative appraisal before touching anything! The bogie brakes do look like a fragile feature, also the footrests.

 

Roll on, courier!

 

edit; p.s. the light weathering looks good to me, but the heavily weathered factory version will certainly better represent the reality of appearance these engines had most of the time, as ever, a buyer can try to do their own touches.

Edited by robmcg
Link to post
Share on other sites

The bogie brakes weren't successful on the real Garratts either and were consequently removed very early on in their careers.

Yes, but you have to have them on fixed-bunker versions, as they were on them in the first two years. The brakes were superfluous really because the engines had very great braking power without them, and improper use was a danger to guards 80 loose-coupled wagons back!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Lots of interesting stuff about appearance, but has anybody measured B2B on the Garratt models? Some Heljan models apparently have small B2B and it might be useful for those of us how make 00SF track to know what it is.

 

Robert

Link to post
Share on other sites

Lots of interesting stuff about appearance, but has anybody measured B2B on the Garratt models? Some Heljan models apparently have small B2B and it might be useful for those of us how make 00SF track to know what it is.

 

Robert

Robert,

 

Back to Back varies between 14.10mm and 14.20mm for the drivers. The Pony trucks are 14.20mm and 14.30mm on mine.  As I am not an OO modeller what would you expect?

 

Tony

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, but you have to have them on fixed-bunker versions, as they were on them in the first two years. The brakes were superfluous really because the engines had very great braking power without them, and improper use was a danger to guards 80 loose-coupled wagons back!

Not quite Rob, they had roughly the same power as two 4Fs but only 6 braked axles (ignoring the pony trucks) compared to 12 on a pair of 4Fs (including tenders).

 

They were briefly trialled on heavy iron ore trains, over the Peak District, to Lancashire Steels Irlam works, west of Manchester. Though they coped well with the climb up, they struggled to hold the load on the way down and haulage returned to pairs of 4Fs

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Robert,

 

Back to Back varies between 14.10mm and 14.20mm for the drivers. The Pony trucks are 14.20mm and 14.30mm on mine.  As I am not an OO modeller what would you expect?

 

Tony

That's going to be very tight. Anybody have advice on how to open driving-wheel B2Bs? Anybody tried one on 00SF track yet?

 

Robert

Link to post
Share on other sites

If the drivers are push fit on axles, I would normally tap an axle end in situ with a drift to open out b-t-b. But be cautious on this model, bearing in mind the compensation.

 

Probably better to discover how the keeper plate is removed, and drop the wheelsets out. Then support each one in a slot in a steel plate over the vice jaws, administer a gentle tap on the axle end, and re-measure. This procedure is pretty reliable in ensuring no disturbance to either quartering or true running, although one has to be careful that the back of the wheel is flat: no protrusion of a projecting crankpin on the wheel rear lying on the plate for example.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If the drivers are push fit on axles, I would normally tap an axle end in situ with a drift to open out b-t-b. But be cautious on this model, bearing in mind the compensation.

 

Probably better to discover how the keeper plate is removed, and drop the wheelsets out. Then support each one in a slot in a steel plate over the vice jaws, administer a gentle tap on the axle end, and re-measure. This procedure is pretty reliable in ensuring no disturbance to either quartering or true running, although one has to be careful that the back of the wheel is flat: no protrusion of a projecting crankpin on the wheel rear lying on the plate for example.

Thanks for that. Not sure if I want to try it for the first time on a £200 model!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

well where do I start,in the middle of gales, flooding from 300mm rain and electric cuts (no internet)the posty had the nerve

to stick a package in the post box, when back home in the dry, fear crept in a touch, only to dashed by the sight of a Perfect

4970. So don't be afraid hold your head high have faith and order one there b***dy marvelous.

 

PS many thanks to Hattons for commisioning Heljan for production,and finally DHL for delivery(and NZ post)

Edited by Stevie
Link to post
Share on other sites

Some pictures of "good " working models would be good as would confirnation of same.

There is another complaint on MRE mag today re one which works at one end only and the prominent tangle of wires on show underneath the Boiler.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for that. Not sure if I want to try it for the first time on a £200 model!

To have confidence in this procedure, you have to start getting on 50 years ago with some H-D, knocking the driving wheelsets out of the solid chassis block (no keeper plate, the wheelsets were only removeable by taking a wheel off each axle) with a blunted nail as a drift.

 

I shall suggest that on my then pocket money of 3d a week if lucky, an H-D A4 was the current equivalent of £200...

 

Seriously, try it on wheelsets from an old chassis to get the feel of it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
34theletterbetweenB&D 

Your experience obviously allows you to do the wheel?axle tapping with confidence, could you post a picture of how you grip them in order to tap them, Even then I would probably be very hesitant to go belting the wheels on £199 worth of Garratt

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

It's a camera free zone chez nous...

 

What I would normally do, is cradle chassis in left palm, with thumb and third finger holding the drift on the axle end, administer smart tap to drift with a pin hammer held in the right hand. Relies on the inertia of the model and rigidity of the chassis block.

 

But on this model, with the compensation especially to consider, (and with the proviso that the engine unit would need to be separated from the rest of the model for the 'in the hand' method) I would resort to finding out how to get the wheelsets out of the chassis, so that I could use the slotted plate on open vice jaws technique described above.

Edited by 34theletterbetweenB&D
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm staggered: damaged Garratt returned to Hattons on Monday afternoon. First post this morning a replacement arrives. And its flawless, too. Interestingly, its arrival coincided with my giving my wife a new necklace. Timing, or what ?!

 

Tony 

  • Like 9
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm staggered: damaged Garratt returned to Hattons on Monday afternoon. First post this morning a replacement arrives. And its flawless, too. Interestingly, its arrival coincided with my giving my wife a new necklace. Timing, or what ?!

 

Tony 

 

No. Pure luck for you. :angel:

Every man deserves a break once in a while.

 

Sounds like good karma.

 

 

PS nice banner ad from Hattons at the bottom of each page on this thread!

 

Did yours arrive Colin ?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds like good karma.

 

 

PS nice banner ad from Hattons at the bottom of each page on this thread!

 

I'd better go to Specsavers as I can't see one….

 

(Apple Mac and Safari)

Edited by gordon s
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...