Class 07 Diesel

[tractionman]

Sale at Kent Garden Railways, 29101 Heljan 00 Class 07 V1 D2993 Blue for £100:

 

https://kgrmodels.com/product/29101-Heljan-00-class-07-v1-d2993-blue/

 

1 only!

[Going2theDogs]

Hi All,

I see Heljan have introduced some new versions of their class 07.

I am particularly interested in ‘army’ olive green variant (2938).

What feedback do owners of these models  concerning both the running qualities & the fidelity of the model.

I look forward to your responses.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Going2theDogs

[SRman]

I like them and they seem to be very good, accurate models of the prototypes. See my earlier post for a solution to the pickup problems caused by the pickups being too soft and the leading axle having too much side-play. These minor niggles, to be honest, exacerbated by uneven track or tight curves. The latter is a little ironic because the very reason for being for the real locomotives was to be able to work tight curves on the Southampton Docks lines. The actual motor and gearing is quiet and smooth.

[Ruston]

14 hours ago, Going2theDogs said:

Hi All,

I see Heljan have introduced some new versions of their class 07.

I am particularly interested in ‘army’ olive green variant (2938).

What feedback do owners of these models  concerning both the running qualities & the fidelity of the model.

I look forward to your responses.

The running qualities are good but as far as an 07 in army livery is concerned, it's fiction. What BR called Class 07 was the Ruston type LSSE, which was a diesel-electric. The army had LSSHs, which were diesel-hydraulic and had a jackshaft drive from the reversing gearbox at the rear. The compartment at the rear did not extend all the way back to the end of the running plate as it does on the 07 and the cab roof profile was completely different. The panels and louvres on the engine compartment sides were also different to those on the 07.

 

Heljan have been very lazy with this one and have simply given an 07 a different livery, hoping that no one notices or cares.

 

Here's one I converted to an LSSH earlier. The only thing it lacks is the jackshaft but I reckoned that was a bridge too far.

 

 

[PMP]

 

It’s one of Heljan’s best models. It’s accurate dimensionally and in shape, and the two I’ve had through the mancave have run exceptionally well, and have been faultless.

I repainted a BR blue version into the MOD style above very easily. 
https://albionyard.com/2021/04/12/transformation-tuesday-Heljan-07/

 

 

So if you don’t want a colour scheme it’s sold in, it’s a quite simple repaint into your preferred livery.

[Phatbob]

As previously discussed, a shunting locomotive should display a red and white light at both ends.  Unfortunately, Heljan have fitted this locomotive with directional lighting, so the lights are only illuminated at the “front” end and not both ends.  Has anybody any experience of modifying the wiring in these locos so that both ends are lit when the power is applied and not just the front? 

For the avoidance of doubt, I use old school analogue DC and not any kind of DCC digital witchcraft.
Cheers,
Bob.

[zr2498]

On 02/01/2023 at 19:08, Ruston said:

I have fitted two with sound. Zimo MX649 decoder, with Class 07 sound project, from Digitrains. The speaker, a 7x11x15mm, from Youchoos, goes in the small compartment/bonnet behind the cab. A Lais Kung Fu Stay Alive goes in the cab itself, on the floor, and out of sight.

 

 

Hello @Ruston. I am just getting around to fitting sound to the Heljan 'ICI Langbaurgh' 07.

I have a Zimo decoder (now it is the MS490F) from Digitrains with their sound file. Also a Lais stay alive has gone into the chassis under the rear body and the speaker will go on the floor of the cab.

As this has to be hard wired the existing PC board will come out completely. I notice on the YooChoos desciption they mention adding resistors to protect the LEDs. Did you find that was necessary?

I am basically following the install done by Paul Chetter in Hornby magazine May 2020, but he does not mention extra resistors.

 

Dave

 

Sorted - please see link:

 

 

Edited April 1 by zr2498
Extra info added

[Ruston]

3 hours ago, zr2498 said:

Hello @Ruston. I am just getting around to fitting sound to the Heljan 'ICI Langbaurgh' 07.

I have a Zimo decoder (now it is the MS490F) from Digitrains with their sound file. Also a Lais stay alive has gone into the chassis under the rear body and the speaker will go on the floor of the cab.

As this has to be hard wired the existing PC board will come out completely. I notice on the YooChoos desciption they mention adding resistors to protect the LEDs. Did you find that was necessary?

I didn't find it necessary because I tend not to bother with lights, if they are going to make wiring difficult and also because my 07 became a Ruston LSSH and didn't have all the extra lights that BR needed on their LSSEs.

 

 

 

[zr2498]

For information

Just finished a Class 07 sound and stay alive installation. Here is a link: