Class 205 in Conjunction with Kernow Model Shop

[Electrostar]

Thank you. I forgot (GoVia) SouthCentral kept the typeface for a while after removing the Connex and logo. Before that I'm sure Connex removed their circular logo and kept the original Connex wording but that might have only been on the SE franchise.

 

Back to the model. Will it receive branding. If not does this date the model to a particular timeframe?

[Gwiwer]

In terms of the models being produced now or held over for future batches Kernow MRC has taken great care to ensure that they only offer 2-car versions in livery and number combinations which have been documented as existing at some stage.  The green V variant was a slightly later addition (and perhaps perversely is the first to arrive!) because it took a while to source a photo proving that the livery existed before the centre trailers were inserted.  Once that was provided the livery variant was announced immediately as an addition to the six initial versions.

[90rob]

In terms of the models being produced now or held over for future batches Kernow MRC has taken great care to ensure that they only offer 2-car versions in livery and number combinations which have been documented as existing at some stage.  The green V variant was a slightly later addition (and perhaps perversely is the first to arrive!) because it took a while to source a photo proving that the livery existed before the centre trailers were inserted.  Once that was provided the livery variant was announced immediately as an addition to the six initial versions.

 

I actually remember the first day when I first saw the V livery appear - I was standing with a friend on Portchester station, and the porter explained to us that it was to indicate the van end. Strangely, I always remembered the V as being yellow - I know I'm quite wrong, but either they faded or it is one of those tricks which memory plays on you. I've got the all green version on order, and I am now trying to resist buying the V version to go with it.....Oh dear.....

[Gwiwer]

As applied the V was definitely orange.  Some faded to a yellowy shade.  

[90rob]

As applied the V was definitely orange.  Some faded to a yellowy shade.  

 

Thanks for confiming that, I thought that that had to be the answer.

[John M Upton]

The fade away at the ends of Connex livery was indeed a transfer vinyl that would fade badly and on some units fall victim to overenthusiastic carriage washers (on the very rare occasion Connex used them, their livery seemed to standardise on an overall brake dust brown if I remember rightly).  The Thumpers carried the full Connex South Central with round 'C' device from first repaint.  When Connex got the boot those units both EMU and DEMU that had full CSC fleetnames lost the logo and the Connex bit but retained the South Central lettering, those later repaints that had just a logo and Connex name became nameless.

 

Thumpers only had one fleetname per unit on the drivers side of the engine room portion of the motor car, due to grilles and doors there was nowhere else to put it!!

[90rob]

I always thought that faded Connex looked truly awful - it can't have helped the companies image.

BR blue my favourite, especially when first applied and clean.

Edited February 26, 2013 by 90rob

[Electrostar]

Thank you for the info. I remember the first Monday of Connex South Central. The train was full of pamphlets promising a new era, new livery, whitewashed stations, bright blue uniforms (and hats!) and a South London metro. Soon after the pamphlet was re-edited for Connex South Eastern's first Monday albeit showing a 365 with vinyl stripes and the NSE blue upper body. When first applied the Connex South Central livery suited the 455s and the sole repainted 456 but less so the slam door stock which as you say always looked grubby.

[The Stationmaster]

Mine arrived today - a 'sentimental' purchase as I always liked them in green with the orange 'V' on the van end.  Only had a quick look so far (and took some atrocious pics) but it is very, very, very impressive with some amazing lettering detail on the vehicle ends to name just one feature.  Definitely in the top notch JLTRT category

[dibber25]

Thanks for confiming that, I thought that that had to be the answer.

The orange had a luminescent 'day-glo' look to it on some vehicles and on others it seemed to fade quickly to a yellowish shade.

[Ceptic]

The orange had a luminescent 'day-glo' look to it on some vehicles and on others it seemed to fade quickly to a yellowish shade.

Yep.... 'Day-Glo', or Fluorescent paint was in it's infancy, at the time. The top colour was very thin in pigmentation. More like a coloured lacquer / varnish and needed a a White base coat to be fully effective. 

It was due to the U/V light vs. pigmentation issue, that the fade rate was considerably quicker than normal, as the Royal Navy found out, to it's cost.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67307569@N00/232691636/

 

I would imagine that the colours' stability has improved, over the years, with the advent and evolution of vinyls, and the like.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Ceptic

[The Stationmaster]

A few pics on the dining room table - although actually it's science experiment (well the track is as it really was - for daughter's A Level Physics exam practical  )

 

Firstly the front end detail on the power car - and although it's out of my area of model railway interest (so far) the last lift date fits nicely for period, a really top class lettering job although there are no valve handles at the top of those air pipes - I seriously wonder who will notice that perfectly understandable and eminently sensible omission?

 

 

Front three-qurater - and just as impressive (off the track to get the light - you try moving a 5 foot long physics experiment on a dining table!)

 

 

Two car unit at rest - a truly delectable job and while I haven't seen a Hornby 2 BIL in this sort of close-up detail I reckon Kernow's Bachmann Thumper really justifies its pre-order price and will still be good value at the increased price,  It performed beautifully at the hands of one of my H&M Powermasters so what it might do with something rather more modern that a 50 year old controller should be interesting to see.

 

[Ceptic]

Yup,...Top Dollar,...My Green with 'V' arrived this morning  .... Hastily, carefully, de-boxed and placed on track,.,.. result...Well pleased*.......*Understatement...read 

Many thanks & congratulations must go to Kernow, Dapol and Bachmann for their perseverance in producing this model.

 

My early (1960's) attempts included fret / band-saw cut plywood sides applied to Hornby's Mk.1s.   A DC kit provided later entertainment, but, even this, fell by the wayside.

 

Time is short,... although,... all comes to those who wait (including Hornby's 2-BIL....maybe ?)

 

Regards.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Ceptic

[Gwiwer]

It's here!  It's superb!  It's been well worth the four-year wait.  And in a curious coincidence unit 1115 was placed on the doorstep at exactly 11.15am!

 

I'll arrange for some pictures in due course.  For now I'm sitting admiring my new unit and finally moving a "pre-order" to a "delivered order" in my records.

 

Proper job to the lads (and ladies) in Camborne and to all the others involved along the way.  3-car unit in early blue with SYP next, please?

[Gwiwer]

Something new approaches Treheligan.   

 

 

And was placed on the branch for trials

 

 

Taking the St. Agnes token before snorting away up the branch on its first trip.   The lighting in this view also shows some of the interior detail in the signal box.

 

 

I'm very happy with the unit.  It's one of the definitive RtR DMU sets and while the limitations of cost-effective modelling have meant there are a few small irritations these are minor and most observers may never know the difference.  The representation of the livery matches my recollection very closely with the green (often the subject of debate among modellers) precisely what I would have expected, the creamy yellow first class stripe spot on and the as-new mid-orange V and detail likewise.  Cab interiors are the correct shade of pale green.  It's true that the orange detail faded quickly to a golden yellow shade in many cases but we have here, as is normal,  a model in as-delivered condition.  Printing and detail is sharp and very well executed.  The seat mouldings differ in colour between first and second class and represent in a single shade the moquette patterns used at the time.

 

As Mike noted above there are no valve handles on the jumpers.  The conundrum of how to best represent ever-changing headcodes on a fixed display means we have "square" (double white blank) at both ends though correctly for the period with larger displays than the later standard.  Fitting a number of choice shouldn't be too hard neither should be the addition of an oil lamp on the rear car for those who only run in one direction.   Back in the early 60s which is the time period represented by the V livery double red blank with the lighting fed from the traction batteries had not yet been authorised as an end-of-train marker and an oil lamp had to be carried with the blinds usually set to double white blank.  There is a faint coloured glow in daylight from the rear but not what I would call red.  I'll check how it looks at night in a few hours time.

 

Detail is generally superb.  Intermediate jumpers can be bent and glued with extreme care to form a permanently coupled two-car unit if desired.  I don't have an issue with the gap between the cars although the rubbing plates are a few millimetres apart which could be resolved using a shorter bar coupler.  They are not sprung however so doing that might cause them to over-ride and lead to derailments.  Having sprung plates would be technically feasible but would no doubt have added somewhat to the price.

 

Scores on the doors?  9.8 out of 10 from here.  The remaining 0.2 is accounted for by those very minor items which are beyond the scope of reasonably-priced mass-produced models.  More please.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Gwiwer

[phil gollin]

.

 

It looks lovely.

 

Does anyone know the correct timescale for a 2-car unit with day-glow orange "V" ?

 

.

[Gwiwer]

There is a faint coloured glow in daylight from the rear but not what I would call red.  I'll check how it looks at night in a few hours time.

 

Just reporting back from night-time operations with confirmation that the 2H is wired in exactly the same way as the MLV namely the headcode panels glow faintly when low power is applied and (on DC, since I cannot comment on DCC) the intensity of the illumination increases to maximum as power and therefore speed is increased.  Saloon lighting in my unit kicks in once it is in motion, is a dim glow at first and again increases to a fuller and well-represented incandescent bulb yellowy glow as speed increases.

 

I'm happy with that.  DCC users may find a greater degree of control or possibly that everything is constantly too bright for their taste.  Each to their own.

 

 

 

Does anyone know the correct timescale for a 2-car unit with day-glow orange "V" ?

 

1961 - 1962 IIRC, and with the V remaining on units after the centre trailer was inserted until around 1964 though of course with changeover periods meaning not all units received the V at first and by the time the last were removed the rest had gained the SYWP with inverted black triangle.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Gwiwer

[Guest maxthemapman]

Just a teensy weensy little gripe.

 

The green frame on the toilet window is a little bit too green, almost fluorescent.

[dcroz]

Hi everyone,

 

Just had an email from Kernow advising despatch of my sound-fitted version - 31-235ZDS K2007DS Bachmann Class 205 2H Thumper Unit number 1115 - so these should be reaching those with pre-orders over the next few days. 

 

Best wishes,

 

David

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Ees look very pretty. Almost tempted by one of these terrible heaps of junk that once nearly rattled my fillings loose: the demands on my budget of several equally rattly KX area essentials maintains discipline however.

 

That's a very fine St Ives school backscene to Treheligan, most witty.

[Ceptic]

Ees look very pretty. Almost tempted by one of these terrible heaps of junk that once nearly rattled my fillings loose: the demands on my budget of several equally rattly KX area essentials maintains discipline however.

 

That's a very fine St Ives school backscene to Treheligan, most witty.

 Heaps of junk ??,...I ask yer!.... heaps of junk ???,.... Heresy !!....,I say,....Sacrilege !!!..... Orf wid 'is 'ed *......

 

These units, along with the 'Hastings' 6-S & 6-L's were BR(S)'s pathfinders / forerunners into the unknown,...aka, the DEMU.....which resulted in,. none other than,.. the B*** P******  and the IC 125, not forgetting locos Cl. 73 & 74..

 

* Written here with tongue stuck, firmly, in cheek

Edited March 1, 2013 by Ceptic

[tetsudofan]

....looks like money been sucked from my card account for the sound versions....just awaiting the e:mail from Kernow. Happy bunny.

 

Keith

[Oldddudders]

 Heaps of junk ??,...I ask yer!.... heaps of junk ???,.... Heresy !!....,I say,....Sacrilege !!!..... Orf wid 'is 'ed *......

I am sure that St Leonard, Patron Saint of DEMUs, will ensure that justice is served.......

[petee19]

Mine arrived today,it really is a superb model and well worth the wait.

Many thanks to everyone involved in this project especially Kernow Models for having faith in the first place.

[zarniwhoop]

Back in the early 60s which is the time period represented by the V livery double red blank with the lighting fed from the traction batteries had not yet been authorised as an end-of-train marker and an oil lamp had to be carried with the blinds usually set to double white blank.  There is a faint coloured glow in daylight from the rear but not what I would call red

 

Mine is definitely a shade of red at the rear - a pinker shade than I would like, but passable.  I've also got some headcode prints from when Alistair was still with us at NNK, so I'll probably fit the red blinds from those when I've decided which direction it should run.

 

Experimentation showed that a trailer coach from a 4-CEP sort of works as a basis for the trailer that I would like to add.  The couplings pass current to the driving trailer in both directions, so that its lights work, and the interior lights of the trailer also work but only in one direction. If I reverse the trailer, its lights only work in the other direction. My plan is for unidirectional units (with tail lamps in this case), so since I've got a 3D kit, I think I'll purchase another 4-CEP for the trailer and 3D if I can get one cheap.

 

ken