Heljan LNER Tango 2-8-0

[Rshakes3]

I received LNER 3962 yesterday from supplier. Haven't run her in yet but so far I'm impressed with her

Hi all - I also received my 3962 yesterday and I`m very impressed as well. I`ve only run it on the rolling road but no issues with the motor/valve gear - appears to run very smoothly so far. I did 'lose' a lamp iron at the front but at the end of the day its no bother. So I'm a very happy customer!

[cheesysmith]

My father picked up one of these yesterday off the evil bay for £90. Upon testing it, it would only run for about 90secs in each direction. He has taken it apart, remove the excess grease that everything from china comes with, and reassembled it. In his own words it now runs sweet as a nut, and has been tested on the rolling road for 20mins in each direction twice (total running time of over a hour) with no further problems.

 

This raises the question, what was the problem with some of these not working? If it is a assembly fault during manufacture, what has he done right by mistake?

[45568]

Where on Ebay??? Are there more?

(Jammy sod!)

cheers,

Peter C.

[Brit70053]

<Snip>

This raises the question, what was the problem with some of these not working? If it is a assembly fault during manufacture, what has he done right by mistake?

A friend received a BR version last week, but reluctantly had to contact the retailer and arrange for return and exchange.

The problem was that the loco Driving Wheel pick ups did not seem to be connected to the motor. The Tender pick ups were ok, so the loco would run, but problems were experienced where the short tender wheelbase was insufficient to enable continuous smooth running.

He had dismantled the loco up to a point, expecting to find a loose wire or some other problem he could fix for himself, but said that the wiring arrangement was 'novel' and left him unsure how to proceed.

He is now awaiting a replacement, which he has been assured will be test run before despatch.

 

Regards,

 

              John

[mardle]

I notice that Howes are already advertising a range of 02 spares including a sprue with both side window and GN style cabs.

 

Geoff Hodson

[Horsetan]

I notice that Howes are already advertising a range of 02 spares including a sprue with both side window and GN style cabs....

They can be very quick on the draw. Worth buying all of the different sprues, not just to have spares available, but also because some of the parts may be useful for other LNER classes.

 

Just remember that once they're gone, they're gone. Unless of course Heljan produce another run.

[gr.king]

Mmmmm, not sure about plastic coal rails for tenders though, and that GN cab may be the right style but it isn't the right size for much bar a 2-8-0. I think the true application of the side window cab is equally limited. Many of the small fittings may of course be very handy.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

A friend received a BR version last week, but reluctantly had to contact the retailer and arrange for return and exchange.

The problem was that the loco Driving Wheel pick ups did not seem to be connected to the motor. The Tender pick ups were ok, so the loco would run, but problems were experienced where the short tender wheelbase was insufficient to enable continuous smooth running.

He had dismantled the loco up to a point, expecting to find a loose wire or some other problem he could fix for himself, but said that the wiring arrangement was 'novel' and left him unsure how to proceed...

 Three pairs of wires with plugs on the board in the tender. Lift the board out to work more easily on it (only held down by tape, plenty of wire slack) and push home the little plug at the rear of the board, which is from the loco pick ups. The red/black wire pair plugged in at the front of the board are the tender pick ups: you can trace the board paths to the rear socket, indicating that this must be the loco pick-up connection.

[alexandali]

Purchased a LNER stepped tender O2 from a supplier at the Alexandra Palace show yesterday - there were varying prices and I bought the cheapest one (supplier based somewhere near GCHQ).

Tried it out today to run it in, on my rather imperfect Peco code 100 layout. Its a nice looking model, very quiet and smooth, lots of pulling power, but not happy on my worst bits of track, problems with the front pony wheels derailing.

Also, all the wheels quickly became very dirty - as mentioned elsewhere in this forum, looks like the blacking applied to the wheel treads picks up additional dirt rather too quickly. Testing the continuity from the pick-ups, all 4 driven axles and 3 tender ones have pickups, but several pickups are not making contact with the wheels - which caused stalling when the wheels became dirty.

The pony truck has spacing washers between the wheels and the bogie, which were all fitted on one side - this was easy to fix by popping out the axle and refitting correctly.

However this didn't fix the derailing, as the pony truck is very light and I think it needs extra weight. 

I have Hornby O1 and P2, Bachmann O4 and a Wrenn 2-8-0 all of which stay on my dodgy track. I'm sure it'd work fine on  a perfect code 80 layout.

Although a very nice model, and very well packed, the manufacturer quality control does not appear all that good. I'm sure I'll sort it out (I've no intention of returning it as it's too much bother)

[John Tomlinson]

I notice that Howes are already advertising a range of 02 spares including a sprue with both side window and GN style cabs.

 

Geoff Hodson

Really helpful post - thanks. I wonder if its me being thick, or if they've gone, but I can't see the boiler/firebox included in the spares list?

 

John.

[Horsetan]

Really helpful post - thanks. I wonder if its me being thick, or if they've gone, but I can't see the boiler/firebox included in the spares list?

.

Probably the one part that's not available. You could make your own from suitable tubing, though....

[John Tomlinson]

Probably the one part that's not available. You could make your own from suitable tubing, though....

Indeed, although a nice moulded job with roundtop firebox does I think have uses for some of the 04 variants, amongst other things - 5ft 6in diameter boilers plus cladding being quite well used in eastern parts. I did see the smokebox is available however.

 

John.

[Horsetan]

.... Many of the small fittings may of course be very handy.

As patterns for resin mouldings?

[Brit70053]

Three pairs of wires with plugs on the board in the tender. Lift the board out to work more easily on it (only held down by tape, plenty of wire slack) and push home the little plug at the rear of the board, which is from the loco pick ups. The red/black wire pair plugged in at the front of the board are the tender pick ups: you can trace the board paths to the rear socket, indicating that this must be the loco pick-up connection.

Thanks very much for taking the time to post this potentially very useful information, which I'll relay to my friend in case he has any problems with the replacement model in future. I do hope he won't need to 'fix' anything though.

 

Regards,

 

John

[Brit70053]

 

Purchased a LNER stepped tender O2 from a supplier at the Alexandra Palace show yesterday - there were varying prices and I bought the cheapest one (supplier based somewhere near GCHQ).

Tried it out today to run it in, on my rather imperfect Peco code 100 layout. Its a nice looking model, very quiet and smooth, lots of pulling power, but not happy on my worst bits of track, problems with the front pony wheels derailing.

Also, all the wheels quickly became very dirty - as mentioned elsewhere in this forum, looks like the blacking applied to the wheel treads picks up additional dirt rather too quickly. Testing the continuity from the pick-ups, all 4 driven axles and 3 tender ones have pickups, but several pickups are not making contact with the wheels - which caused stalling when the wheels became dirty.

The pony truck has spacing washers between the wheels and the bogie, which were all fitted on one side - this was easy to fix by popping out the axle and refitting correctly.

However this didn't fix the derailing, as the pony truck is very light and I think it needs extra weight. 

I have Hornby O1 and P2, Bachmann O4 and a Wrenn 2-8-0 all of which stay on my dodgy track. I'm sure it'd work fine on  a perfect code 80 layout.

Although a very nice model, and very well packed, the manufacturer quality control does not appear all that good. I'm sure I'll sort it out (I've no intention of returning it as it's too much bother)

Perhaps my friend's observations following receipt of his (satisfactory) replacement model (See posts #361 & 371) might be of interest:-

 

"I did notice one cause of the pony truck derailing on both of the O2s I have had hold of.

The lower end of the vacuum pipe sticks below the buffer beam by about 5mm and if you fit a front coupling into the NEM pocket on the pony truck the coupling can foul on the end of the vacuum pipe and prevent the pony from having full movement. There is also a possible clash with the 3 link coupling ready fitted to the loco at both ends. I have removed the front one from my loco as that was also catching on the front tension lock coupling.

Those people with perfectly flat trackwork will probably not have this issue but it may be worth posting on the thread."

 

Apologies if similar has been posted earlier, but others' experiences can be informative in these cases.

 

Regards,

                  John

[gr.king]

As patterns for resin mouldings?

 

Heavens! How could you possibly suggest such a thing?

 

As the availability of the spares from Howes had started to be broadcast on this thread I decided over the weekend to wait no longer to put in an order. My package arrived this morning and will be put away for a rainy day.....

[jonny777]

Well, as it is a public holiday in a couple of days time - a rainy day may not be too far away.

[BrushVeteran]

Heavens! How could you possibly suggest such a thing?

 

As the availability of the spares from Howes had started to be broadcast on this thread I decided over the weekend to wait no longer to put in an order. My package arrived this morning and will be put away for a rainy day.....

Ah. I thought it was for you Mr.King!...........................I do have something else for you now or did you claim 3965?  I will probably leave it with TW next Tuesday.

[Horsetan]

Heavens! How could you possibly suggest such a thing?.....

Given your famenotoriety, there wasn't any other option really....

[it's-er]

I notice that Howes are already advertising a range of 02 spares including a sprue with both side window and GN style cabs.

 

Geoff Hodson

Aha! Does anyone know if you can fit this GN style cab to a Bachmann K3? I suspect it won't work (too neat!), but if it does, that would allow us to readily backdate Bachmann's K3 to a GN cab version.

 

John Storey

[gr.king]

A much longer cab is needed for a correctly represented K3/1.

[Horsetan]

A much longer cab is needed for a correctly represented K3/1.

 

...but could the Heljan one be stretched? Or are the angles / curvature all wrong?

[gr.king]

As I understand it the Heljan cab is the O2/2 version, i.e. GN style but to LNER loading gauge. That may mean that the roof is more rounded than a true GN cab roof would be, with lower eaves. A good K3/1 drawing would have to be checked. That would show whether the cut out was suitable too.

[Theakerr]

Normally i read this forum in the early afternoon here in Canada so by posting now in the morning someone may have an answer when I read later.  Well I got my Tango yesterday!  I am not a happy camper and wish, after following this thread, had cancelled my order.

First, thanks to the folks who said watch out for bits in the box.  Two bits actually under the fold in sections of the main box, so damage must have occurred at the factory.  Put it on the track and it ran like cXXp especially at slow speeds where there is a distinct jerk.  Checked the wheels, all of them very tight with just about no side movement in the rear two sets  Took it apart, there are two plates that hold the wheels in place loosened them and got more sidewards movement in the front two axles.  Back axles still very stiff.  So took it all apart to clean out any grease and found what look like two curved plastic shims about 0.010" thick in both the back axles.  Took them out, now have play and runs better but louder.  However, the jerk is still there (in both directions) even after 2 hours of test running.  So far I cannot find a reason.  It looks like it might be associated with the valve gear in that it does seem to stick at a particular point although it could also be the con rod position.  I don't remember seeing anything on this thread and a search doesn't show anything but!  Has anyone else had this problem.  

Note, I live in Canada so returning to the Liverpool supplier is not really an option.  I do know though that I will not buy another loco from the UK except from a retailer who does test run.  

[Tony Wright]

Normally i read this forum in the early afternoon here in Canada so by posting now in the morning someone may have an answer when I read later.  Well I got my Tango yesterday!  I am not a happy camper and wish, after following this thread, had cancelled my order.

First, thanks to the folks who said watch out for bits in the box.  Two bits actually under the fold in sections of the main box, so damage must have occurred at the factory.  Put it on the track and it ran like cXXp especially at slow speeds where there is a distinct jerk.  Checked the wheels, all of them very tight with just about no side movement in the rear two sets  Took it apart, there are two plates that hold the wheels in place loosened them and got more sidewards movement in the front two axles.  Back axles still very stiff.  So took it all apart to clean out any grease and found what look like two curved plastic shims about 0.010" thick in both the back axles.  Took them out, now have play and runs better but louder.  However, the jerk is still there (in both directions) even after 2 hours of test running.  So far I cannot find a reason.  It looks like it might be associated with the valve gear in that it does seem to stick at a particular point although it could also be the con rod position.  I don't remember seeing anything on this thread and a search doesn't show anything but!  Has anyone else had this problem.  

Note, I live in Canada so returning to the Liverpool supplier is not really an option.  I do know though that I will not buy another loco from the UK except from a retailer who does test run.  

I'm very sorry to read of the problems you've had with your O2. 

 

Though it might appear that I have a vested interest (since I helped a little with the loco's development), it would seem that there might have been a batch which wasn't perfect (since I'm not involved in production or sales, I can only speculate). Unfortunately, it seems that you've got one of those. All I can say is that I've now had three production Tangos through my hands and every one has performed perfectly. None has had bits missing, none has derailed or been jerky and every one had handled a full load (60 wagons) with consummate ease. I'll be doing a modest 'make-over' of one for BRM in the near future - something I wouldn't contemplate if a model were less than 'perfect'. 

 

I certainly don't believe that the ones I had were hand-picked (from the wrapping, they'd never been out of their boxes). 

 

As, I hope, an act of good faith, I've offered to examine examples of 'returned' Tangos and see what I can do. I've no wish to insult anyone's abilities (least of all yours) but, might I offer a little anecdote, please? At the Glasgow show I couldn't resist buying (at the ridiculously low price of £99.99) a brand new Hornby Brit from Locomotion. Luckily, I asked mine to be put to one side because they sold out fast. I bought it on the Friday, but didn't try it until late afternoon on the Sunday. It ran, as you describe with your Tango, like cr*p! Somebody was watching and observed that he would return it immediately, were it his. I investigated, and what had happened was that part of the valve gear had been squeezed in, effectively causing it to lock up. Ten seconds' tweaking with snipe-nosed pliers and off she went; perfectly.

 

Clearly, what you've described is far worse than this, but it'll be interesting examining some of those Tangos which have been returned.