Bachmann announce Mk2f's

[cravensdmufan]

I visited a model shop yesterday to check both flavours of the new Mark 2 as I also have a DC analogue layout and wanted to check out the best option to buy that works for me. Summary of both types for us analogue users:

 

- 39-650: No lights fitted, however all the wheels are fitted with electrical pickups.

 

- 39-650DC: Interior lights fitted and work while analogue power is applied. Carriage end flashing lights also work. There is a small three position switch underside where the lights can be turned off, have interior lights only, or have both interior lights and flashing lights operating. Note that there is no stay-alive/capacitor fitted, so the lights only work while power is applied.

 

They do look damn fine and quality carriages so did purchase one! I’ve opted for the non-light fitted type in order to save over £20, as I reckon I’ll be able to install some interior lights with a stay alive capacitor for much less per carriage and have the benefit of the lights staying on during station stops etc.

Nice to see the well matched Rail Blue of the 87 and mk2f. The shade looks spot on.  Thanks for posting.

[Simon Bendall]

Are the decoders in these MK2F's  21 or 8 pin ?

 

They don't have a chip as such, its all hard wired as part of the circuit board.

[Brian Kirby]

Comparing four different 4mm RTR Mk2 air-con First Opens. Which one's which?

You'll never guess which one has the most recessed saloon windows? (Click on the pics for enlargements) BK

 

Edited September 29, 2018 by Brian Kirby

[Andrew F]

I'm guessing from the top: Airfix Hornby Bachmann Lima.

 

The most recessed windows are on the Bachmann coach? To be fair though, you have flushglazed the Airfix and Lima coaches. Weirdly I prefer the look of the Lima one out of that lot for its windows and shape. The Bachmann coach seems to have a too pointy cornered roof at the ends where it should be more domed; quite noticeable  on the DBSO.

[Brian Kirby]

Correct.

Yes, the Bachmann is straight out of the box, the others "have been got at", with various alterations.

Each product has it's merits, I too still have a soft spot for the earlier versions. I tend to run them

in rakes of each brand, mixing the brands is tricky, the human eye starts spotting differences in profile, etc.

So if I want a mixed d/e/f rake, i've converted Airfix Ds into Es, Lima Fs into Es, etc., thus maintaining a

uniform profile. More pics later. BK

[tractor_37260]

Very interesting comparison - looks as if you've sorted out the low hung sole bars on the Hornby ?  photos also shows the under-scale length of the Lima version.........the glazing on the new Bachmann version could have been a bit more flush, shame really as it's a really nice model, abeit a tad expensive...................

[Brian Kirby]

The Hornby "chassis solebar" problem is quite straightforward to fix, as detailed later on in the Hornby

2E thread on RMweb. You will need a coach, a cutting saw, and a bottle of whisky. You start by sipping the whisky,

until you have gained enough Dutch courage to start cutting, drink too much whisky and you won't be able to cut in

a straight line. Seriously though, it's not too difficult, i've done quite a few now, still using the whisky.

Here are some views with the modified chassis and roof Hornby 2E (nearest) and Bachmann 2F side-by-side.

I still reckon the Hornby glazing is better, it's flusher with the bodyshell, a tighter fit, and darker tinted.

Bachmann's Rail Blue shade is good, certainly for the 1970s, officially it never changed, apart from the very early

matt finishes, like on XP64, but to me it seemed to be a deeper shade in later years, perhaps it was beefed up to

last longer, or maybe as a result of hand-painting? Hornby's rail blue is perhaps a bit too dark, i'm quite tempted

to repaint some 2Es in a brighter shade? BK

 

[reevesthecat]

Waiting for my intercity rake but found a blue/ grey FO in a model shop today and in the excitement bought it (clearly need to get out more). First impressions really good it's a sturdy well detailed model, one of my Hornby mk2's has a window pushed in from new but no worries about quality with this one. Loads of detailing bits. Will treat myself to a b/g brake with DCC when they come out I think.

Well done Bachmann although it took you long enough

Mark

[Brian Kirby]

And here's the Bachmann Mk2F (on the left) coupled to the other manufacturer's offerings, which reinforces my belief that the

different makes shouldn't be mixed together, but kept within their own separate rakes. The Lima 2F has replacement Shawplan

windows, which are very good, however my use of sticky tape for the back of the loo windows hasn't worked, i'll re-do them

with off-white paint. My yellow stripe looks a bit washed out as well, this used to be in Scotrail livery, which was too modern for me. BK

 

Bachmann v Airfix

 

 

Bachmann v Hornby

 

 

Bachmann v Lima

 

[MJI]

Interesting to see the different versions.

 

One issue is that you have to modify to do realistic trains, which means carving up these models and I would rather carve up something cheap.

 

I have two rakes of Airfix and a few loose Lima.

 

Do not look right in same train so run the Lima seperately

 

My two Airfix sets are a 5x2D TSO, 2D FK, buffet BG and a 2C BSO, 2D TSOT, 2 x 2F FO, 4 x 2E TSO, 2D BFK

 

So I have quite a few Airfix 2E and more 2F FO than 2D FO.

 

I wonder if it is worth Bachmann doing 2D and 2E as well?

[MJI]

I see what you mean, they definately do not go together.

[tractor_37260]

The Hornby "chassis solebar" problem is quite straightforward to fix, as detailed later on in the Hornby2E thread on RMweb. You will need a coach, a cutting saw, and a bottle of whisky. You start by sipping the whisky,until you have gained enough Dutch courage to start cutting, drink too much whisky and you won't be able to cut ina straight line. Seriously though, it's not too difficult, i've done quite a few now, still using the whisky.Here are some views with the modified chassis and roof Hornby 2E (nearest) and Bachmann 2F side-by-side.I still reckon the Hornby glazing is better, it's flusher with the bodyshell, a tighter fit, and darker tinted.Bachmann's Rail Blue shade is good, certainly for the 1970s, officially it never changed, apart from the very earlymatt finishes, like on XP64, but to me it seemed to be a deeper shade in later years, perhaps it was beefed up tolast longer, or maybe as a result of hand-painting? Hornby's rail blue is perhaps a bit too dark, i'm quite temptedto repaint some 2Es in a brighter shade? BK20180929_130829.jpg20180929_130846.jpg20180929_130859.jpg

Got the malt - hic...lol and some "brave" pills would appreciate a link to the Hornby MK2E thread as above...

TIA

Edited September 30, 2018 by tractor_37260

[Andrew F]

Brian's work starts here (not sure if there was a separate thread):

 

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/81887-Hornby-mk2e-coaches/page-6

 

  I fancied following this route too but it's still quite an expensive base model for that kind of project. The window frames and glazing on the Hornby model are impressive though and I hope Brian's latest rtr acquisitions don't put him off his excellent work

 

   I'm still looking for a masochist that's lengthened a mk3 shorty so's I don't end up doing it.

[Brian Kirby]

SNAP! Seems two of us found it at the same time!

 

Here's page 6 of the old Hornby Mk2E thread, the surgery starts here, plus more on following pages,

including rebuilding the lighting with two Hornby light bars. BK

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/81887-Hornby-mk2e-coaches/page-6&do=findComment&comment=1665653

Edited September 30, 2018 by Brian Kirby

[John M Upton]

Managed to have a look at a FO at the Worthing show.  Very nice, very nice indeed but at that eyewatering price I am glad I shrunk my modern image interests down to N scale.  Mind you the N scale version of the same is on my shopping list (to become a declassified version!) all be it I won't be shelling out for all the unnecessary electronic bells, whistles and lamps.

[sub39h]

Thanks for your comparison Brian. I’m glad I managed to pick up all the Hornby Mk2Es I need for £12.50 in the clearance sale. The Bachmann ones undoubtedly look better but not 4x better than the Hornby ones which with your reasonably simple fettling seem perfectly reasonable.

Edited October 2, 2018 by sub39h

[cs233]

It is a great coach although I agree comparing the two I feel the Hornby glazing is better, overall it is a superb step forward but the Hornby former Airfix coach is still quite reasonable and way beyond the era it was developed and tooled.

[The Fatadder]

I have taken the other approach to fixing my Hornby 2es (as shown by James Makin) carefully cutting the plastic off the bottom of the chassis. It takes a lot of time but looks pretty good when done.

 

Going to be interested to see how a Bachmann 2F buffet looks next to a Hornby 2e when they hit the shelves, given the need to get one to finish off my Virgin XC rake.

[GordonC]

I have taken the other approach to fixing my Hornby 2es (as shown by James Makin) carefully cutting the plastic off the bottom of the chassis. It takes a lot of time but looks pretty good when done.

 

Going to be interested to see how a Bachmann 2F buffet looks next to a Hornby 2e when they hit the shelves, given the need to get one to finish off my Virgin XC rake.

 

Have you got a photo of how that turned out?

[The Fatadder]

Have you got a photo of how that turned out?

This photo taken halfway through the work shows it off rather well

 

I still have 2 more coaches to do, with a need to add another TSO and the restaurant at some point.

[Tony Walker]

Lovely coaches - though fitting the details is the usual fiddly ordeal.  

 

Has anyone yet succeeded in reprogramming them on DCC?  I have an ECoS, and simply get an error message when I place the coach on the programming track and try either to read from or write to the decoder (I having ticked the "Accessory Decoder" option first).  I am wanting to:-

(i)   change the decoder address from the default 3 to something else; and

(ii)  explore the CVs (and, in particular any brightness CV - since, to my eyes, the interior lighting is too bright).

 

Any help gratefully received.

 

Peter

 

Peter, I've programmed my coaches as though they were a loco and it worked. Coach on the program track, read CV 3 and then programmed a new number. Also read back CV29 to see what it was set on. Must say I was surprised and expected errors, as I assumed it was a function decoder that has been used. I use Lenz DCC system by the way. Tony.

[uk_pm]

Peter, I've programmed my coaches as though they were a loco and it worked. Coach on the program track, read CV 3 and then programmed a new number. Also read back CV29 to see what it was set on. Must say I was surprised and expected errors, as I assumed it was a function decoder that has been used. I use Lenz DCC system by the way. Tony.

 

Thanks for this Tony.  I too found this to be the case, after my initial fumbling with accessory decoders (which I can now see they would never have been - they are, as you say, a function decoder).  I still have had no luck in finding the dimming CV (or CVs); have you had any success?

[Waverley West]

Has anyone dismantled one of these yet? I'll be looking to fit passengers and maybe do a bit of extra interior detailing, so it would be good to know how easy or hard it is to get the body off.

 

Dave

[ThaneofFife]

those Hornby Mk2e's actually look better in terms of the windows to me.  the frames on the 2f do protrude a bit but they seem a bit too prominent on the Bachmann.

 

also see orange curtains inside the Hornby FO - was that a modelling add on or did these come from Hornby with the curtains printed already?  they do add to the overall look of a first class coach.

 

Bachmann have the colour of the toilet window spot on whereas Hornbys white window is inaccurate.

[Legend]

Has anyone dismantled one of these yet? I'll be looking to fit passengers and maybe do a bit of extra interior detailing, so it would be good to know how easy or hard it is to get the body off.

 

Dave

 

I think theres a review on YouTube, could it be by DaveClass47, who posts on here?  Good review and it looks like the body clips off although there is still some wiring joining the body and chassis .  Looks relatively easy .   Not for me at that price though. I'll stick with my Airfix/Dapol/Hornby Mk2ds

Edited October 2, 2018 by Legend