Bachmann announce Class 117 and Class 121 at Collectors Club event

[chrisf]

 

And also, I'm extremely happy to hear this announcement about the Class 117 and the Class 121. However, I do believe that I'm getting rather concerned that no one has mentioned whether they can be easily converted to P4 yet.

 

That thought had occurred to me too but I've caused enough trouble on this thread already!   I also hope that the mechanism can be confined to the brake compartment and not encroach on the passenger saloon, unlike some of Bachmann's other DMUs.  Hopefully by the time the model comes out one of the clever people who make springy bogies will have come up with something suitable.

 

Chris

[6959]

That thought had occurred to me too but I've caused enough trouble on this thread already!   I also hope that the mechanism can be confined to the brake compartment and not encroach on the passenger saloon, unlike some of Bachmann's other DMUs.  Hopefully by the time the model comes out one of the clever people who make springy bogies will have come up with something suitable.

 

Chris

 

Replica Railways in Swindon has added a new web page showing its low profile motorised chassis that may suit some multiple units.

 

http://www.replicarailways.co.uk/die-cast-chassis

 

May also be suitable to motorise some types of coach.

[MJI]

DMUs didn't go to Old Oak until much later - the depot had no way of dealing with them until the HST servicing shed was extended although they could stable in the yard ) if there was room.  When new the Pressed Steel units were split between Reading and Southall for servicing/maintenance as they were the only depots on the London Division which could deal with them.  Units were also allocated to diagrams effectively based on Slough (but Southall diagrams mainly I think) and possibly West London; West London certainly had limited dmu servicing facilities at some time so could manage fuel & inspection but I'm not sure when it was closed - possibly it was still open when the Pressed Steel sets arrived?

A few sets probably stabled overnight at Oxford plus a number of SPCs and DETs were stabled overnight on two, possibly three, London Division branchlines for as long as they retained locally based Drivers (which I think was probably not very long).

I was thinking of the L sets. Was not sure of the depot

[Rugd1022]

I generally agree with Chris (dibber)'s comments about 117 etc although I honestly can't recall any arriving with round buffers but some very definitely acquired them later but both Reading and Southall held spares of both the 'chopped off' pattern and ordinary round headed buffers.  I would be a little surprised in fact if Pressed Steel had switched from one type to another during production (unless they were short of supplies for some reason?).

 

Equally I cannot recall the 104s appearing on the Henley - the atrocious 103 yes but not 104s unless it was in the rare event of a failure somewhere however Reading supplied the cars for the Henley branch and I'm far from sure if it acquired any of the 104s but as Chris has already noted some very strange things went on with London Division dmus in their final 'Modernisation Scheme' era.

 

Anyway here's an early Class 117 picture

 

New Pressed Steel 3 car unit .jpg

 

Mike, you really should gather all your excellent Thames Valley photos together in one thread.... the stations, branches, DMUs, Hydraulics, signals etc

[Clive Mortimore]

Thanks Chris L, Chris F, Mike etc for some interesting comments and photos.

 

If you have a look at Class 118 at www.railcar.co.uk you will see a 118 without marker lights. Railway research.....never easy, is it!

 

Brian

Hi Brian

 

The first four sets, http://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-118/description.php

[Market65]

That thought had occurred to me too but I've caused enough trouble on this thread already!   I also hope that the mechanism can be confined to the brake compartment and not encroach on the passenger saloon, unlike some of Bachmann's other DMUs.  Hopefully by the time the model comes out one of the clever people who make springy bogies will have come up with something suitable.

 

Chris

I'm hoping that the mechanism will be the same as or similar to that in the LU S stock unit - where the motor is just below floor level and the saloon is completely unobstucted.

 

With regards,

 

Market65.

[Rich Papper]

I'll be having one of each at least. I grew up in Oxford in the 1980s and have great memories of these rattling along the Thames valley. As a kid I can always remember the fun of trying to work out which types of units had been cobbled together when you got an odd set. I can remember at least one occasion of having to jump out of one coach at a stop to get in the next in order to reach the toilet because there was a cab in the middle of the train. To me it always seemed to be a case of throw anything out for a service as long as there is cab at each end.

 

I'll still keep my heavily tweaked Limas, but my challenge with the new one will be extending the electric pick up couplings to the end of the unit so they are easier to run in hybrid combinations. Hopefully well have an NSE 101 by then as well.

 

Rich

[cravensdmufan]

I used to work at Paddington until 1995.  Took lots of photos in the NSE era mostly locos but regrettably not many of DMU's.

 

However, this is one of a cobbled together Paddington to Reading service (unfortunately undated) - Class 104 DMBS, Class 117 DMS, and Class 121.  Interestingly all powered so no lack of acceleration here!

 

I remember exhaust fumes coming up through the floors could be problem, so there was no escape on this occasion (those regular commuters in the know would hope for a full 3 car 117 and head for the unpowered centre car!).  

 

Interesting variations of NSE livery on each car. Apologies for the quality of the scan from my print, but only had a cheap 35mm camera at the time!

 

 

[Tim H]

Wonderful photo.  Reminds me of the 122/108/101 combos in Cornwall around the same time.

 

I remember the first few 121s in NSE had the upsweeps at both ends, before they changed to the style in the photo,

[cravensdmufan]

Wonderful photo.  Reminds me of the 122/108/101 combos in Cornwall around the same time.

 

I remember the first few 121s in NSE had the upsweeps at both ends, before they changed to the style in the photo,

Thanks, I'd forgotten about the upsweeps on the 121's.

 

Interestingly the livery on the 104 in my photo looks more or less ex works and is in the revised (darker) NSE blue, yet still has upsweeps.

 

Anyway, at least all the cars look nice and clean!  I reckon Western Region (or should I say NSE Thames) depots always did their best keeping the old rattlers going in very difficult circumstances in the year or so before the arrival of the Turbos 

Edited September 9, 2015 by cravensdmufan

[Karhedron]

Interestingly the livery on the 104 in my photo looks more or less ex works and is in the revised (darker) NSE blue, yet still has upsweeps.

IIRC it was only the bubble cars that lost the upsweeps. Vehicles with a cab at just one end seemed to keep them but switched from a sharp angle on the upsweep to a more curved "golf club" swoosh.

[Tim H]

The lack of upsweeps was unique to the 121 motor brake seconds. Think even the surviving driving trailers had upsweeps, since they ended up paired with things other than 121 bubbles - at least one was formed with a 101 motor brake to form a 2-car set.

 

Who said DMUs were boring?

[Swindon 123]

I must admit to looking forward to the arrival of the Bachmann 117's and possibly other derivatives. I remember working on a fair few of them as London based set used to get across to Hereford on services from Oxford, or Bristol sets from Bristol, where a few were based in the 1980's. The odd fill in turn saw them get up as far as New Street and in the mid 1980's even up to Crewe once in awhile on one of the diagrams we had. All had received Blue/Grey by then. Whilst digging through some photos of the class I have I came across this unusual example. The shot is of set B450 traversing the still double track Hereford-Worcester line near Whitestone, between Hereford and Ledbury in January 1984. It is probably working a Hereford-Oxford service, or even Didcot as some services extended to there. According to my 1983/4 Ian Allen ABC of Coaching Stock the set consisted of DMBS 51352 + TC 59539 (a Class 101) + DMS 51394. What's interesting, although not relevant to the 117 thread as such, is the TC's lack of roof vents. It stands out so much.

 

 

Paul J.

[Dunsignalling]

The lack of upsweeps was unique to the 121 motor brake seconds. Think even the surviving driving trailers had upsweeps, since they ended up paired with things other than 121 bubbles - at least one was formed with a 101 motor brake to form a 2-car set.

 

Who said DMUs were boring?

Depends whether you were:

 

(1) an enthusiast, who enjoyed the Thames Valley in that period as a fascinating working museum, or

 

(2) an ordinary commuter, who might have considered it more akin to a mobile scrapyard.   

 

John

Edited September 10, 2015 by Dunsignalling

[Clive Mortimore]

The lack of upsweeps was unique to the 121 motor brake seconds. Think even the surviving driving trailers had upsweeps, since they ended up paired with things other than 121 bubbles - at least one was formed with a 101 motor brake to form a 2-car set.

 

Who said DMUs were boring?

Hi Tim

 

Very boring....................must get on with these.

 

Am I allowed to link to modelling on a RTR thread

[brushman47544]

I have a shot of an unlined unit at Staines West on the evening through working from Pdn. Not easy to see whether or not it has marker lights as the platform barrier is in the way. I'll see if I can post it - it's a rare shot of a 117 at Staines other than on the last day when a 117 replaced the 121 all day.

CHRIS LEIGH

 

A rare shot as you say. I for one would be very pleased if you posted more of your photos - whatever you may think of their quality I'll bet there are some historical gems amongst them.

Edited September 10, 2015 by brushman47544

[Martin_R]

I think I will hang on to my various conversions for the time being as they are unlikely to be produced anytime soon!

[dibber25]

A rare shot as you say. I for one would be very pleased if you posted more of your photos - whatever you may think of their quality I'll bet there are some historical gems amongst them.

Another 117 at Staines West. This was the last day of service in March 1965. Unit has SYP and no marker lights. This was mid-day and the branch was quiet as usual. Crowds came for the last up service in the evening and it was still this unit.

CHRIS LEIGH

[Chris Higgs]

That thought had occurred to me too but I've caused enough trouble on this thread already!   I also hope that the mechanism can be confined to the brake compartment and not encroach on the passenger saloon, unlike some of Bachmann's other DMUs.  Hopefully by the time the model comes out one of the clever people who make springy bogies will have come up with something suitable.

 

Chris

 

Hey guys,

 

This is a tra tra ta ta announcement. You surely don't think anything actually exists yet except as an idea in a marketers head...

 

Chris

[scottrains29]

Hopefully Bachmann will team up with Harburn Hobbies again for a limited edition Scotrail Haymarket based example (preferably weathered as they always were in the late 90's). Harburns Ltd Ed DMUs always sell well.

[6959]

That thought had occurred to me too but I've caused enough trouble on this thread already!   I also hope that the mechanism can be confined to the brake compartment and not encroach on the passenger saloon, unlike some of Bachmann's other DMUs.  Hopefully by the time the model comes out one of the clever people who make springy bogies will have come up with something suitable.

 

Chris

 

To quote Chris from post above, "I also hope that the mechanism can be confined to the brake compartment and not encroach on the passenger saloon, unlike some of Bachmann's other DMUs"

 

Needing a hidden chassis for a project, I asked Replica Railways about availability of its low profile chassis and received this email reply:

 

We have sold out of both the 12mm and 14mm wheeled variants of our 64' powered chassis.  The final samples have now been approved for our 'shorter' 57' powered chassis (only one variant to be fitted with 12mm wheels) and we hope that the production batch will arrive with us before the end of the year.  Our intention is to submit an order to re-run another batch of both the 12mm and 14mm 64' powered chassis upon receipt of the 57' batch.

 

We encourage anyone interested in finding out more information (further to what can be found on our website) to contact us at our 'enquiries@...' email address as we are then able to answer an individual's particular enquiry on an individual basis.

 

Gareth Hayes

REPLICA RAILWAYS

 

Usual disclaimer - I'm jjust a customer for spares and transfers.

[BR(S)]

Price now showing for 121 (£127.50) and 117 (£170):

 

http://www.ehattons.com/145015/Bachmann_Branchline_35_525_Class_121_Bubble_Car_single_car_DMU_in_BR_green_with_speed_whiskers_Price_is_est/StockDetail.aspx

 

http://www.ehattons.com/145013/Bachmann_Branchline_35_502_Class_117_3_car_suburban_DMU_in_Netrwork_SouthEast_livery_Price_is_estimated_we/StockDetail.aspx

 

Can only see prices on the Hatton's website and it says they're estimated and could change. 

Edited September 14, 2015 by BR(S)

[chrisf]

Hey guys,

 

This is a tra tra ta ta announcement. You surely don't think anything actually exists yet except as an idea in a marketers head...

 

Chris

 

Which is a perfect reason for making those points so that they may be heeded when the time for design comes.  

 

What the heck, it is probably too late already.

 

Chris

[br2975]

I think I will hang on to my various conversions for the time being as they are unlikely to be produced anytime soon!

I take it you don't like 'bubble cars' ?

[The Stationmaster]

Price now showing for 121 (£127.50) and 117 (£170):

 

http://www.ehattons.com/145015/Bachmann_Branchline_35_525_Class_121_Bubble_Car_single_car_DMU_in_BR_green_with_speed_whiskers_Price_is_est/StockDetail.aspx

 

http://www.ehattons.com/145013/Bachmann_Branchline_35_502_Class_117_3_car_suburban_DMU_in_Netrwork_SouthEast_livery_Price_is_estimated_we/StockDetail.aspx

 

Can only see prices on the Hatton's website and it says they're estimated and could change. 

In other words they're following past form and simply guessing - and a 3 car dmu to 2015 standards for a good way south of £200 sounds miraculous to me