Heljan 7mm Class 20

[NIRCLASS80]

Go for it, hattons are selling them for £350 great value.

Well I took the plunge and got one today in the post. Lovely loco and runs great.

 

Just wondering if anyone has fitted Loksound and what chip? I have just a small shunting plank and on checking the current draw if never went above 0.7amps.

 

I also model in the small scales and have a spare 21 pin V4 decoder, has anyone tried this?

[delticfan]

Well I took the plunge and got one today in the post. Lovely loco and runs great.

Just wondering if anyone has fitted Loksound and what chip? I have just a small shunting plank and on checking the current draw if never went above 0.7amps.

I also model in the small scales and have a spare 21 pin V4 decoder, has anyone tried this?

Pleased you like it what livery did you go for.

 

I would like to fit sound also so interested to hear how you get on forgive the pun. Heljan models have a reputation for big power draw but i tested my Class 40 on a friends layout and it struggled to show 1.5amps with an 11 coach train! so i would back you up with your reading and also was tempted to go for a smaller chip than the XL.

[daveymills]

to use a smaller chip you may have to remove one of the motors, even then....

[daveymills]

Howes' sound in this one, sounds good but the driveability on Legomanbiffo's sound files is better.  

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/daveymills/15779724158

[NIRCLASS80]

Thanks lads for your advice. I will give it a go and let you know.

[neal]

I’ve ordered a gsyp version, and am looking for prototype images pre-preservation.

 

These appear to be thin on the ground, can anyone point me towards a resource such that I can target a loco and know it’s lineage?

 

Neal

[delticfan]

I’ve ordered a gsyp version, and am looking for prototype images pre-preservation.

These appear to be thin on the ground, can anyone point me towards a resource such that I can target a loco and know it’s lineage?

Neal

I’ld try an Ian Allan spotters book from whatever era maybe get one on eBay then google the numbers.

[47606odin]

Hi Guys, well it’s been a while since anything on this thread, but I have just succumbed to a 20, to be 20901 in hunslet livery. Now given time has passed since the previous posts, what sound chips are people recommending now? I had Legomanbiffo in my OO, but obviously I need a bigger chip, so suggestions would be appreciated 

[AeBor]

19 hours ago, 47606odin said:

Hi Guys, well it’s been a while since anything on this thread, but I have just succumbed to a 20, to be 20901 in hunslet livery. Now given time has passed since the previous posts, what sound chips are people recommending now? I had Legomanbiffo in my OO, but obviously I need a bigger chip, so suggestions would be appreciated 

 

I am currently using the XL Chip with Legomanbiffo sound. One of the motors is disabled due to being used for light loadings and I am not bothered about having a working fan.

 I plan to get another for my 2nd Class 20 but not sure on mixing different sounds from different people 

[47606odin]

1 hour ago, AeBor said:

 

I am currently using the XL Chip with Legomanbiffo sound. One of the motors is disabled due to being used for light loadings and I am not bothered about having a working fan.

 I plan to get another for my 2nd Class 20 but not sure on mixing different sounds from different people 

Thanks for that. Wasn’t sure as it had been said the XL chip is too big to fit

[Airport2010]

Evening all. This thread has been quiet for some time so I thought I’d reawaken it! 
 

Has anyone attempted to fit a driver to their 20? If so, how on earth are you supposed to gain entry to the cab area? 
 

I’m currently sat looking at the inside of the bodyshell and the whole cab assembly seems to be glued solid into it. Too much hassle and not worth the effort maybe? Another Heljan ‘special’ so it seems. 

 

Thanks Phil

[english electric]

1 hour ago, Airport2010 said:

Evening all. This thread has been quiet for some time so I thought I’d reawaken it! 
 

Has anyone attempted to fit a driver to their 20? If so, how on earth are you supposed to gain entry to the cab area? 
 

I’m currently sat looking at the inside of the bodyshell and the whole cab assembly seems to be glued solid into it. Too much hassle and not worth the effort maybe? Another Heljan ‘special’ so it seems. 

 

Thanks Phil

 

remove the wiper blades and pop the front windscreens out. on the  bulk head at the rear of the cab theres 2 small screws remove these and the the cab removes from the bonnet section and then pop the cab floor out n its that simple

[Airport2010]

34 minutes ago, english electric said:

 

remove the wiper blades and pop the front windscreens out. on the  bulk head at the rear of the cab theres 2 small screws remove these and the the cab removes from the bonnet section and then pop the cab floor out n its that simple

Hi EE

Thanks for that! I expect Heljan intended to include those fitting instructions in their data sheet but just, err, forgot! 

 

I’ll take a deep breath and get stuck in tomorrow!
 

Best regards 

[47606odin]

18 hours ago, Airport2010 said:

Hi EE

Thanks for that! I expect Heljan intended to include those fitting instructions in their data sheet but just, err, forgot! 

 

I’ll take a deep breath and get stuck in tomorrow!
 

Best regards 

Good luck with that, my windscreens were well glued in, and I had to force out the side windows which broke the frame so I could force then cab end windows out

Edited November 6, 2019 by 47606odin

[Airport2010]

2 hours ago, 47606odin said:

Good luck with that, my windscreens were well glued in, and I had to force out the side windows which broke the frame so I could force then cab end windows out

Ha ha thanks for sharing your experience. I was about to respond to EE’s kind advice above with a ‘match report’ from earlier today.

 

As you said about your 20, my windscreens were also well glued in and there was no way I could prise them out of the frame from the outside. My Plan B was then to superglue a piece of matchstick diagonally across one of the windscreens and then try to use a pair of pliers to grip the matchstick and pull the window out of the frame. That didn’t work either as the superglue wasn’t man enough to overcome the Heljan windscreen adhesive.

 

So in the end I destroyed one of the windscreens by drilling right through the centre of it, and then using the drill bit to lever out the windscreen. While this was successful there was still a reasonable amount of force required to get it out of the frame. So if anyone has a spare windscreen panel (secondman’s side) looking for a home, please get in touch!. I managed to get my little finger into the cab and then pushed out the other windscreen from inside, so that was easy.

 

Even after releasing the two little screws that hold the cab to the body, it still took some effort to get to the cab interior before a crew can be fitted.

 

 

 

The rest of this message is directed to Ben Jones -61661- who I hope sees this as he’s on here. I’m not sure if it can be forwarded/directed to him as I’m not fully conversant with the website, so if anyone can advise me?...
 

Ben, this process described above is beyond insane. Can I kindly request that you give consideration to facilitating the installation of appropriate locomotive crews into driving cabs during the assembly process in China going forward. I appreciate there is a cost implication in this as figures would need to be painted in relevant uniform to match the loco livery in question, but you must surely agree that fitting a driver/crew at the assembly stage is a very small modification to make your customers lives easier? Having to undertake significant dismantling of a model just to stick a driver in is bonkers. 
 

No doubt there are individuals on here who would be dissatisfied with the quality of the factory offering and would want to install their Omen Miniatures etc example, which would require them to do what I’ve just had to do anyway, but I would suggest about 90% of modellers would be satisfied just with a person ‘up front’.

 

We all have our various issues with different Heljan locos, some of which can be improved using modelling skills and experience and that’s part of the fun of the hobby, but IMHO leaving customers to fit (with some difficulty) what is a cheap basic component of the product is something I’d expect of the ‘old’ Heljan and not the bright shiny customer focused organisation that you’re now part of?

 

I hope the picture below says it all!

 

Regards

[47606odin]

The reason I had to break in to mine was because one of the wires to the LED’s had broken and I’ve had to destroy the loco to fix it

[Hal Nail]

Don't know if it would have helped in this case but popping things in the freezer helps make glue brittle.

 

Edit: just in case you didn't know, looks like Howes still have the glazing as spares.

Edited November 7, 2019 by Hal Nail

[Airport2010]

1 hour ago, Hal Nail said:

Don't know if it would have helped in this case but popping things in the freezer helps make glue brittle.

 

Edit: just in case you didn't know, looks like Howes still have the glazing as spares.

Thanks for that HN. I hadn’t looked at Howes yet but good to know they’re available. Like many folk, I’ve got a second 20 which is also waiting for this treatment, so if the windscreens differ slightly from driver’s to secondman’s side, I’ll make sure I break into the other loco from the drivers side in case Howes only sell them as pairs!

[meatloaf]

Has anyone tried there 20 round the new set track pointwork?

[meatloaf]

On 24/10/2020 at 20:53, meatloaf said:

Has anyone tried there 20 round the new set track pointwork?

Anyone?

[Hal Nail]

6 hours ago, meatloaf said:

Anyone?

Try asking here. Andy had a set track point on this layout at one point and class 20s.

 

 

[Andrew P]

13 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

Try asking here. Andy had a set track point on this layout at one point and class 20s.

 

 

And I still have but it has now been severely modified @meatloaf.

 

Originally it led to the MOD Branch / Fiddle Yard but and would have been fine with the pair of 20's, but because it had a reverse curve it did not work with them so well as a pair.

 

Now its moved further back and most of the curve of the Point has been cut off, so it reduces the curve, but everything, including the Class 40 run through without a problem.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Edited December 7, 2020 by Andrew P

[meatloaf]

14 hours ago, Andrew P said:

And I still have but it has now been severely modified @meatloaf.

 

Originally it led to the MOD Branch / Fiddle Yard but and would have been fine with the pair of 20's, but because it had a reverse curve it did not work with them so well as a pair.

 

Now its moved further back and most of the curve of the Point has been cut off, so it reduces the curve, but everything, including the Class 40 run through without a problem.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Thanks andy.

 

I'll only be operating mine as a single loco with small wagons. Maybe a MK1 BG. Before i invest in the points ill get hold of a couple of the set track curves and see how it copes with them. 

[meatloaf]

So to answer my own question above :

 

The loco on on its own runs thru the poins no issue - even the s bend of a crossover. Pulling wagons again isnt a problem. However pushing wagons results in buffer lock and the wagon being derailed.

 

So ive settled on streamline pointwork which hasnt been an issue

[w124bob]

The giveaway error on the Heljan is the profile of the hood roof , looking long hood end on and see the difference, highlighted by the size of of OHL sticker.  JLTR from the top of the sticker to the horn grill is just a small gap on the Heljan that looks to be near a scale foot and the horn grill itself is also out of proportion. Here is the nose end of 20067 at Mantle Lane , my own picture. Note also the battery box flush with the frame.

 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2020 by w124bob