Heljan O Gauge Class 37 - new versions being discussed

[Richard Pike]

Just been notified to expect a delivery of 37's on Wednesday, 1st March.    

[84B Oxley]

Hattons showing them as in stock......

 

Jeff

[84B Oxley]

Hattons showing them as in stock......

 

Jeff

Strangely, no large logo ones showing....

[blueeighties]

Strangely, no large logo ones showing...

Heljan as per usual, have underestimated demand. Not enough large logo have been supplied to cover pre orders. My supplier is awaiting an answer from Heljan as to what they are going to do. I would have thought a 5 month wait, if they decide to go ahead with the next batch, in their words "if there is sufficient demand." I would have thought that the whole lot selling out before Heljan have actually shipped them, and then still not being able to fulfill pre orders is a fairly good indication of what demand is out there.

[JeffP]

Aye...but a certain large dealership scares Heljan away from producing in large numbers, so they would rather disappoint those who want them than have locos standing on a shelf awaiting sale.

[John Tomlinson]

Aye...but a certain large dealership scares Heljan away from producing in large numbers, so they would rather disappoint those who want them than have locos standing on a shelf awaiting sale.

An interesting comment if true.

 

Presumably as a result of the Hymek oversupply, a fantastic model that eventually had to be sold off at £300 or thereabouts to clear. Must have helped get a lot of people into "O" gauge however, so in retrospect a piece of inspired marketing!

 

John.

Edited February 28, 2017 by John Tomlinson

[Oliver Rails]

Our delivery arrived early this morning. All 9 versions currently still available. Some are in low numbers.

 

I am just adding the images to our site now. I personally think they look great.

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/manufacturer/JJP0-JJM4-JJS2-JJC1.aspx#skip_to_list

 

Thanks

Oliver

 

 

 

 

[blueeighties]

An interesting comment if true.

 

Presumably as a result of the Hymek oversupply, a fantastic model that eventually had to be sold off at £300 or thereabouts to clear. Must have helped get a lot of people into "O" gauge however, so in retrospect a piece of inspired marketing!

 

John.

And if it is true, a complete lack of market awareness of what diesel classes will sell until the cows come home.

[Hal Nail]

Presumably as a result of the Hymek oversupply, a fantastic model that eventually had to be sold off at £300 or thereabouts to clear. Must have helped get a lot of people into "O" gauge

 

John.

Surely this completely illustrates the problem with batch production slots tho. They couldn't shift the Hymeks at the time - now they fetch double that when they come up. Demand is there but spread over a time (perhaps the cost means people need to save up for repeat purchases). Frankly it's no great loss to the manufacturers to under-estimate initially and do a re run later when demand has built up again. That way it means easy sales for little or no development work in future years and no capital tied up in stock in the meantime.

[forest2807]

Isn't the elephant in the room those bufferbeam skirts on the models in later liveries? I can't believe more hasn't been made of this issue; many commentators seem to be praising Heljan for this model and ignoring the glaring error(s). I can't help thinking that if this was a 4mm model the criticisms would be absolute scathing. And rightly so.

[Oliver Rails]

 

Check out our latest video of the new Heljan O Gauge Class 37 locomotives. 

 

Not our usual kind of video but just shows a quick run through of the various Heljan O Gauge Class 37 locomotives available with close up images, small amount of testing and list of features.

 

Thanks

Oliver

Edited February 28, 2017 by Oliver Rails

[daveymills]

terrible music

[Oliver Rails]

terrible music

 

 I quite liked it (well I did when I first started editing it together!) I guess thats why they invented the MUTE button 

Edited February 28, 2017 by Oliver Rails

[84B Oxley]

Isn't the elephant in the room those bufferbeam skirts on the models in later liveries? I can't believe more hasn't been made of this issue; many commentators seem to be praising Heljan for this model and ignoring the glaring error(s). I can't help thinking that if this was a 4mm model the criticisms would be absolute scathing. And rightly so.

On the whole, 7mm. scale modellers are a tolerant lot and are prepared to roll up their sleeves and do any necessary work to remedy such 'faults'. It has to be acknowledged, I feel, that Heljan have done a massive amount for 7 mm. scale for what are probably fairly small returns. To tool up for different variants is almost certainly asking too much. How many variants of a 37 are there? A rhetorical question ! Sales volumes are probably a small fraction of what they are in 4mm. scale. Anyone who isn't happy with the Heljan offerings has the option of building their own bespoke model from a JLRT kit. For not far off double the Heljan price!

Photo below was taken with sleeves rolled up!

 

[F-UnitMad]

Isn't the elephant in the room those bufferbeam skirts on the models in later liveries? I can't believe more hasn't been made of this issue; many commentators seem to be praising Heljan for this model and ignoring the glaring error(s). I can't help thinking that if this was a 4mm model the criticisms would be absolute scathing. And rightly so.

It's not an Elephant in the Room issue, though. It was done with some re-liveries of the first version, but not by Heljan. This time they've pre-empted that market. If people want to buy it in that state, good for them. I am not one of them, but I wanted this version as it comes anyway, for a mid-70s loco. Unlike 4mm, what alternatives are available are rather more expensive, & not R-T-R.

What "more" do you want made of the issue? Given Heljan's track record, they'd do b*gg*r all about it anyway, so we might as well save our blood pressure for all the good "scathing criticism" would do.

[forest2807]

It's not an Elephant in the Room issue, though. It was done with some re-liveries of the first version, but not by Heljan. This time they've pre-empted that market.

Not sure I understand what you mean here, sorry!

Whilst I admire the 7mm fraternity for their tolerance and forbearance and willingness to modify and alter what is available in order to create some magnificent models, I wonder whether a little more vociferous constructive criticism of blatant errors might not put pressure on manufacturers to get it right first time. Surely this would negate the need to 'make do and mend' in what is an expensive scale in which to model. To put it bluntly: considering the price at which these models are marketed, there should be no room for basic errors/compromises like these bufferbeams.

[delticfan]

I agree with you but looking at how this has sold it hasn't deterred anyone from buying it, me included having said that I did buy the br blue one.

[Hal Nail]

I agree with you but looking at how this has sold it hasn't deterred anyone from buying it, me included having said that I did buy the br blue one.

I think there is a big difference between producing an inaccurate model, and producing a pretty good one of one variant and offering some additional liveries of a different variant, which are a compromise.

 

At the end of the day Heljan have produced a popular central headcode early variant, which was always expected to have skirts. It has sold well, including what I see as bonus liveries, which a 3rd party would have done, at extra cost, if Heljan hadn't.

 

This success can only encourage them to keep making models - if they think there is demand, they might even be persuaded to do a proper no skirt version later on.

 

I do personally find it a bit surprising people would pay that much for such a compromise, but I don't really feel Heljan can be faulted in this case, for correctly assessing demand for an easy option. At least they bowed to calls for a central headcode rerun, which is encouraging for variants of other classes.

 

Usual disclaimer - I'm an accountant not a creative!

Edited March 1, 2017 by Hal Nail

[F-UnitMad]

Not sure I understand what you mean here, sorry!

Whilst I admire the 7mm fraternity for their tolerance and forbearance and willingness to modify and alter what is available in order to create some magnificent models, I wonder whether a little more vociferous constructive criticism of blatant errors might not put pressure on manufacturers to get it right first time. Surely this would negate the need to 'make do and mend' in what is an expensive scale in which to model. To put it bluntly: considering the price at which these models are marketed, there should be no room for basic errors/compromises like these bufferbeams.

 

But it isn't a "basic error" with the buffer beams - it's the early skirted version, suitable for BR Green & early TOPS Blue. I agree that the later liveries are the compromise, which means a "basic error", but that's a different issue altogether - the issue of making a later variant of the 37, which Heljan aren't doing. No one has to buy the inaccurate liveried versions - I wouldn't, either.

My "pre-empted the market" comment was about the fact that some Dealers like Tower offered their own re-liveries of the split-box 37, and did exactly the same thing with the buffer beam as Heljan themselves have done this time. Other modellers have done the carving-about required themselves, or  some like Pete Harvey have, I believe, done it on commission.

If you've followed the various threads on here and elsewhere about Heljan's 7mm diesels, you'll know that no amount of constructive criticism - vociferous or otherwise, and from some highly influential individuals - seems to make any difference to what Heljan do with their models once the first test shots have been done. Take the 'schoolboy howler' error with the Loadhaul livery on the Class 60, for example.

Edited March 1, 2017 by F-UnitMad

[norman]

But it isn't a "basic error" with the buffer beams - it's the early skirted version, suitable for BR Green & early TOPS Blue. I agree that the later liveries are the compromise, which means a "basic error", but that's a different issue altogether - the issue of making a later variant of the 37, which Heljan aren't doing. No one has to buy the inaccurate liveried versions - I wouldn't, either.

My "pre-empted the market" comment was about the fact that some Dealers like Tower offered their own re-liveries of the split-box 37, and did exactly the same thing with the buffer beam as Heljan themselves have done this time. Other modellers have done the carving-about required themselves, or  some like Pete Harvey have, I believe, done it on commission.

If you've followed the various threads on here and elsewhere about Heljan's 7mm diesels, you'll know that no amount of constructive criticism - vociferous or otherwise, and from some highly influential individuals - seems to make any difference to what Heljan do with their models once the first test shots have been done. Take the 'schoolboy howler' error with the Loadhaul livery on the Class 60, for example.

 

I agree with much of what has been said.  Historically Heljan have not listened to criticism in that they have taken no action even when action is clearly required.  But that should not stop errors being pointed out so that fellow modellers have an informed view and may if they wish either not buy or take their own individual action to correct the errors.  There is no point in talking of gratitude to a supplier, its the business case that matters and a total sell out before release is hard to beat. Watch out for after sales prices and escalating prices for new releases as the market price is tested.

Norman

[John Tomlinson]

Well, a big blue box just arrived from Blackpool into our humble abode, containing a GSYP example, so no issue with skirts although I do sympathise with the comments above. The model is un-numbered but does have headcodes fitted, 1L22 and 9H15, so an express passenger and unfitted freight - no doubt these can be changed.

 

First impressions are excellent, the finish is without any blemish, and all pipes, handrails and the like look intact. There is a bag of goodies to replace any that might have been damaged, or indeed might be in future, which is very welcome. The bag contains also frost grilles in green for attachment if required, plus  nose lamp irons which the customer needs to fit, a sensible idea as these will be quite fragile. I think there are small snowploughs as well.

 

I pressed on the main bodyside grille whilst lifting the loco - silly me - and this has moved inwards a bit, and so will need pushing back and perhaps a bit of glue/varnish when I take the top off.

 

All for now,

 

John.

[F-UnitMad]

...that should not stop errors being pointed out so that fellow modellers have an informed view and may if they wish either not buy or take their own individual action to correct the errors.

 

I agree with that, & it has been done; I should imagine that everyone who has bought the 'later livery' versions is already well aware of the inaccuracy? Or is that too much to hope for, even in 7mm scale?

[84B Oxley]

 

Large Logo Blue model not inaccurate....but you would have to leave one snowplough off if you want 100% fidelity to prototype!

Photograph taken inside Inverness depot on August 25th 1984.

Jeff

[daveymills]

37183-25.8.84jpg.jpg

 

Large Logo Blue model not inaccurate....but you would have to leave one snowplough off if you want 100% fidelity to prototype!

Photograph taken inside Inverness depot on August 25th 1984.

Jeff

except that 37183 in the pic is an RSH-built machine and the model is a Vulcan-foundry built example.

 

Plus you need the headlight

 

But apart from that...not inaccurate

[84B Oxley]

except that 37183 in the pic is an RSH-built machine and the model is a Vulcan-foundry built example.

 

Plus you need the headlight

 

But apart from that...not inaccurate

Knocks my plans on the head then! Thanks for pointing it out. Back to drawing board. Headlight is a simple matter, grilles maybe not. Part of me wishes you hadn't told me and part of me is grateful....

 

Jeff