Lynton & Barnstaple OO9 Loco from Heljan

[Pre Grouping fan]

You know what. I was looking at the extra details earlier this evening. They would be vacuum (both liveries) and steam heat (Later SR version only).

 

The instructions for the first batch (which my model comes from) are terrible and even mention removing the location pins on the pipe detail as the clearly haven't put them on the model and look the sane for this new batch. My instructions don't even mention which side of the model they should be fitted so reference to prototype photos is required.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Pre Grouping fan

[sjgardiner]

You know what. I was looking at the extra details earlier this evening. They would be vacuum (both liveries) and steam heat (Later SR version only).

 

The instructions for the first batch (which my model comes from) are terrible and even mention removing the location pins on the pipe detail as the clearly haven't put them on the model and look the sane for this new batch. My instructions don't even mention which side of the model they should be fitted so reference to prototype photos is required.

 

Thanks, I don't think i'm going to bother trying to figure out where they go to install them now. Two bits of black acetal plastic aren't going to do anything to improve the appearance of the locomotive, especially if i get them on in the wrong place!

 

I did put up a post with some more thoughts on my Taw yesterday: https://sjgardiner.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/lynton-barnstaple-railway-taw/

 

Long story short, IMO at least it was worth the wait and I'm glad to have it. Hopefully those who have had problems with Go Around #2 are able to get them resolved, I'm just glad that thus far it appears I don't have to mess about with return overseas shipping and the CBSA on taxes if it was returned.

 

Stephen

[dibber25]

I have Exe from the original run and Taw expected shortly. Both from the L&B shop at Woody Bay. I don't know if we'll do a supplementary review but may just do a mention that the lining errors have been corrected. (CJL)

[Nile]

What about the colour Chris? Or is that a whole new can of worms?

[N15class]

What about the colour Chris? Or is that a whole new can of worms?

06.JPG

Upon reading information about SR liveries, it seems that you could have many olive greens. It seem from the written word locos by the sea tended to go to the blue spectrum of green and the ones within the city tended to go to the yellow side. Added to that the hand measuring and mixing of the paint.

 

Even now if you buy two tins of the same colour from different batches they will not be identical. Plus painting on different size object will give a perceived darkening of the colour on the smaller.

[Stevelewis]

SJGardiner, …. Noting  that  you  have  tested  your loco on  Unitrack,  I was  wondering  if  you  have had  the  opportunity  to  test  it  on  other manufacturers  track  and  points,  most  of  the running  faults   so far  reported  appear  to  occur  on  the  points ( switches) 

[dibber25]

Ref post 1056. As has been said many, many times before, colours for models have to be interpreted. Using the full-size paint colour on a small model will look much too dark. Once you open up interpretation, no two people see colours exactly the same. The photograph shows models by three different manufacturers so there are three different interpretations of the colour. They will also, probably, be using three different factories with access to three different paint manufacturers and will be obliged to choose the nearest colour match from the available range. I couldn't begin to say which is 'correct', or if any of them are, as what looks correct to me, won't look correct to you and the only SR greens I've ever seen were on preserved locos. Here's a small flake of the actual SR green applied to Taw - (probably the last surviving paint from the actual locomotive). Of course, it's over 80 years old and considerably enlarged, it's been through my camera and your computer and it is full size paint not interpreted for 1:76 scale, but make of it what you will. (CJL)

Edited January 1, 2019 by dibber25

[The Dorset Wanderer]

Bear in mind that lead hasn’t been used in paint for years so possibility of a correct match to anyone’s memory is fairly remote

[sjgardiner]

SJGardiner, …. Noting that you have tested your loco on Unitrack, I was wondering if you have had the opportunity to test it on other manufacturers track and points, most of the running faults so far reported appear to occur on the points ( switches)

Not likely to, the points I have on my little narrow gauge shelf are Peco St-405/406 which I know are too tight for the wheelbase of the Manning Wardell. I may at some point down the road try to take it to one of the couple of people I know with N Scale layouts to see how it runs over other trackage, but in my setup I don’t have suitable points to be running it through.

 

Stephen

Edited January 1, 2019 by sjgardiner

[roundhouse]

My replacement TAW was delivered and left outside our front door (checked using our CCTV) but luckily is now in safe hands till I get back to open the box and first check it all works Ok before fettling the pony trucks as per EXE.

 

If this one runs Ok then I may well buy a third one to renumber to YEO. That will just leave LEW and LYD to sort out. I can see my L & B layout jumping the queue over the Harz layout as I already have enough stock to run Blackmoor Gate. Will be a good excuse to visit my brother in Devon.

[Georgeconna]

Two Manning Wardle's arrived last Monday across the Irish Sea. I asked Dundas models to test them which they did but it looks like one under test popped a Crank Pin. The Second loco on a bit of Test track ran Fine and it looked superb with a rake of Coaches behind it.

 

Bit Annoying but no surprise

 

Edited January 2, 2019 by Georgeconna

[D9020 Nimbus]

Yes, this is a big loco for 2ft gauge—about the same length as a "Terrier".

[rockershovel]

If this is really such an issue with these locos, as handsome as they are, I think I’d just remove the motion and run them with just the con rod and coupling rod.

[PaulRhB]

The drop link just needs bending out very carefully so it doesn't hit the con rod, all three of mine were doing it but I was looking for it so avoided failure. Mine have all run over an hour now without any further jams.

[dibber25]

What about the colour Chris? Or is that a whole new can of worms?

06.JPG

 

Have just received my 'Taw' and quickly checked it against the paint sample that I have from the real locomotive. To my eye they look really close and I suspect its as accurate as you could get from available paint shades these days. It's slightly more 'blue' and slightly less 'olive' than the real thing. (CJL)

[mcowgill]

The three original locos were painted SR green at Pilton rather than Eastleigh, the chances are that the paint was mixed on site and may well have shown variations over the 'standard' brew.

 

Martin 

[Edge]

From my experience with JdF on 'County Gate' I know that the paintwork on the L&B was nothing like as uniform as the higher ups in the SR would have presumed by ordering a standard livery. Coaches painted only days apart had wildly varying shades of SR green, and the locos shared a similar collection of variations on a theme. Considering that, i think that Heljan have done as well as could possibly have been expected with matching the colours. 

[AlfaZagato]

Also about the paint; green in the first-half of the 20th Centruy, especially olive, was known for wild variety in both fresh tone, and how it weathered.    Read up on paint guides for Sherman Tanks, there is a lot of discussion there.

 

 

These seem real attractive locomotives.   Do they come reccommended?

Edited January 4, 2019 by AlfaZagato

[Hobby]

These seem real attractive locomotives. Do they come reccommended?

I think you need to read the thread and then decide. It's a nice model that could have issues dependant on how lucky you are.

[PaulRhB]

These seem real attractive locomotives. Do they come reccommended?

I think so close but not quite rather than a recommendation

Exquisite to look at and once you fettle the pony contacts to put the weight back on the drivers and check if the drop link fouls the con rod, they run beautifully. It all falls apart on points and it seems the majority have this issue to varying degrees. I have one of the first batch which ran perfectly but all three of the latest derail identically.

I’m 80% of the way there but have been playing with other things and working too much so waiting for a few days off to sit down and tackle the derailing.

[Bill]

Well.. Exe arrived today - (Only time I have been delighted when an ex-e turned up.) So they have got as far as Halifax in Nova Scotia..

So I cleaned the track and set it running.

And it does indeed run, very smoothly on my ridiculous track building.

It traversed four sets of Peco points with no discernible problems.

The next thing will be to fit the coupling on the rear and see how Exe does with Clarabel, Annie and company..

[1099]

Got my 3 locos yesterday. First of all: They look really beautifull; much nicer then captured by the pictures.

Exe and Taw were drowning in oil. After removing the oil from the wheels, they run nicely, even through old Roco-points. On both locos the front boogie electrical pickups don't work; I guess I'll remove them anyway.

Yeo run badly because only the rear boogie pickups (no driver, no front) worked. I had to send her back.

Looking closer at these engines, I think they are well engineered. Only the assembling is really careless and sloppy. Why doesn't Heljan sell these Locos as semi-kits? It would be easier to build up a chassis from good parts than to correct the mistakes from some incurious Chinese workers.

 

Cheers,

 

Georg

Edited January 4, 2019 by 1099

[Stevelewis]

Got my 3 locos yesterday. First of all: They look really beautifull; much nicer then captured by the pictures.

Exe and Taw were drowning in oil. After removing the oil from the wheels, they run nicely, even through old Roco-points. On both locos the front boogie electrical pickups don't work; I guess I'll remove them anyway.

Yeo run badly because only the rear boogie pickups (no driver, no front) worked. I had to send her back.

Looking closer at these engines, I think they are well engineered. Only the assembling is really careless and sloppy. Why doesn't Heljan sell these Locos as semi-kits? It would be easier to build up a chassis from good parts than to correct the mistakes from some incurious Chinese workers.

 

Cheers,

 

Georg

 

Heljan  don't  make   semi  kits  for  any  of  their  other  locos!!!  so  why  should  they  do  it  with  the MWs?  Heljan  have  been in  the  business for  many   years  and  they  have  had  had some  problems  with   some  locos but  the  vast  majority  have been superb. 

 

If  they  are  well engineered  how  is  it  that  there  have  been  so  many  complaints  on  this  forum  &  NGRM  forum?

 

I personally  Have  returned  4 locos!  Having  been  a  Railway Modeller  for  around  60 years,     I have never  encountered  a loco which  has  had such  a poor record  as  this  one!

 

As  a  result  we  have  put  our  planned  L&B 009 line  on  hold once  more,  and  are  concentrating  our  efforts  on  our  developing  H0e  line (amongst  other  things )

 

It is  unfortunate  as  ready to run 009  motive  power  has been  long  overdue,  although  there is  also  the  Bachmann  009  Baldwin  available  which  is  a  superb performer   AND  made  in  China

Edited January 4, 2019 by Stevelewis

[Pre Grouping fan]

Heljans models do suffer with bits falling off even with the larger scales so its not a new issue.

 

Other than some of the baldwins DCC blanking plugs shorting out they are near enough perfect.

 

With all these issues the MW's have had. It makes you wonder if Heljan will learn anything for producing Lyn or the updated MW/Lyd models

[PrestburyJack]

Not likely to, the points I have on my little narrow gauge shelf are Peco St-405/406 which I know are too tight for the wheelbase of the Manning Wardell. I may at some point down the road try to take it to one of the couple of people I know with N Scale layouts to see how it runs over other trackage, but in my setup I don’t have suitable points to be running it through.

 

Stephen

 

I've been testing mine (TAW) on a circle of Peco OO9 Setrack laid loose on a kitchen worktop; both points (St-405/406) and curves are 9" (228mm) radius, below the Heljan recommended 12" (305mm). No issues with the curves, and points are fine taken in reverse, but she derails when travelling over facing points in forwards.