Pennine MC Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Is it just me or does it look a bit, well, toy-like? Jury's out here. The prototype is a bit 'slabby' anyway, and the overall blue doesnt flatter it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I thought the yellow ends and fittings looked a bit plasticky but it is not really fair to pass judgement on a pre-production sample. They have said that there are adjustments to be made. The bigger questions are: Does it look like a Co-Bo? Is it accurate enough to justify the price tag, regardless of livery? I think, from past experience with Heljan mechanisms (class 17 excepted), it should have excellent running qualities. p.s. I don't have answers to those questions; only the prospective purchasers can answer them, each person to their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think the toy-like appearance may well be down to the paint scheme, though as stated, it's not the final model. And to be honest, the prototype wasn't big on external details really... http://www.preserved-diesels.co.uk/2004/5705_5.htm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 The real ones actually had a very fine finish externally but with some rather odd details, particularly when first built with the little wrap arounds at the corners of the windscreens and also the smooth sides with the "funny" recesses approaching the buffer beams/headstocks. The first green livery was just plain bizarre! I wonder whose idea it was to paint the bogie frames (but not the equalising beams!) and battery boxes cream/off white!!! From that pre-production model, Heljan appear to have captured all of the quirks of the modified design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Still way too early to judge, chaps. I think we need more evidence before a balanced assessment of the model can truly be made. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 30, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2011 Very difficult to judge at this stage but do a quickie comparison with a pic of D5712 I took at Lakeside 'a long time ago' (a p*** poor reproduction of which should appear below) I'd say it's not too bad with the biggest potential headache being an excessive amount of 'pillar' between the front and cabside windows (but that might also be a result of the yellow/blue colour junction fooling the eye?). My pic is of the other side of the loco so a direct comparison isn't possible but the overall impression dosen't look too bad - the biggie in my view will be the extent to which they have managed to capture the very distinctive 'sad face' look of the locos. (and 'yes' it was working a branch passenger train, and 'yes' I did travel on said train hauled by this loco - but I was still at school in those days) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I really like the look of the blue Co-Bo overall. I think it would look better if the print was thicker, the window rubbers were black, not yellow, and the blue was less plasticky. Also, the handrails are a bit heavy. I think its better than the Hornby Dublo, possibly on a par with the Silver Fox, but probably with a better chassis. Who's going to be the first person to model the oil train in the famous 'Grange Over Sands' picture? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Piszczek Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 http://www.ehattons.....aspx?SID=33380 The basic shape and layout of the various panel lines looks very good. Agreed the yellow window beading throws the front off, but at least the window glazing doesn't look overly thick. Not so sure about the vertical stiffeners on the body side grills. All three of the small square grills have a prominent vertical stiffener bisecting the grill. These don't appear in the photos I've looked at, some of which have more than enough resolution for such things. Maybe some had the stiffeners, some not? FYE BR blue, on a Wonder Loaf, has to be the antithesis of aesthetics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluex5 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think it looks pretty good but as Pete says this is a locomotive of odd aesthetics, and no amount of prototype accuracy will make the blue livery look good on this loco! I'd like to see one in BR Green but I'm quite happy with my preorder based on what we've seen so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigherb Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I don't think the blue livery has helped but it cetainly captures the look. The handrails look a bit heavy. Harsnapes fleet survay has a nice side profile of the cab using the wheel dimensions for scaling the pillar between the front and cabside windows looks bob on measured to the edge of the yellow front, still undecided about the small grills most photos show no verticle stiffner but one picture shows bent grills either side of what would be a stiffner but certainly nothing as prominent as the Heljans ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Piszczek Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 , still undecided about the small grills most photos show no verticle stiffner but one picture shows bent grills either side of what would be a stiffner but certainly nothing as prominent as the Heljans ones. Is it possible they have gone and added detail to a grill when that detail is not normally visible? On a wild hair I checked the Marsden / Fenn drawings. Maybe they were at fault. But they seem to agree with all the photos I've seen, no prominent vertical stiffener on the smaller grills, like that demonstrated in the linked photos of the Heljan model. You would expect when you pay extra for a limited edition, that you are also paying for an extra set of eyes to check details. Hatton's track record in this regard on the Class 14 was iffy, and that is being polite... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NINJA Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Cab view of perhaps D5712 leaving Workington. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cctransuk Posted February 9, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 9, 2011 The March issue of BRM prints the now familiar photo of the blue pre-production version of the Heljan Co-Bo. Beneath it are a couple of photos of what I initially took to be the green version - and I was much reassured. Now THIS looked much more like the Metrovicks that I recalled on the Midland Mainline. Subtle, understated curves in all planes instead of the 'punched on the nose' slab-fronted appearance of the blue version. But wait !! A closer look at the lower photos revealed them to be of an O gauge kit-built model. This only served to accentuate my feeling that the 4mm. scale model fails to catch the character of the prototype. Have a look and see what you think. Obviously, we can't make a valid judgement until we see the finished product, but I'm not confident that we're going to get a Co-Bo to the standard of Heljan's preceding diesel prototypes. Regards, John Isherwood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold LH&JC Posted February 9, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2011 Personally I think the difference is that the green one has got the wrap around windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D605Eagle Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Personally I think the difference is that the green one has got the wrap around windows. Its a shame the Heljan wrapround version got canned. I might have be tempted if there was. The Heljan guys spent alot of time measuring up D5705 last summer, including taking pictures of grills etc, so I would be supprised if they have got grill detail wrong unless D5705 was modified somewhere down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spackz Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Don't know if anyone else has but I just noticed on Hattons that there are another 5 or 6 variants being produced by Heljan, model numbers now from 2807 to 2812. Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Cheese Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Don't know if anyone else has but I just noticed on Hattons that there are another 5 or 6 variants being produced by Heljan, model numbers now from 2807 to 2812. Paul All green'uns though....what about the Loadhaul version we all secretly want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 All green'uns though....what about the Loadhaul version we all secretly want? I'm sure Hattons (or any of the other model shops) could supply you with some stuff ... what's it called? ... you know, ummm ... PAINT!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Oops! Forgot I took these the other week. Apologies for Nokia E71 quality, it was a decidely off-day for the device. Yes, Scouse did give me his blessing to put these on line! Hope they're of interest to some Wonderloaf enthusiast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D605Eagle Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 The roof pannels look like they were when Metrovic built them, as single pieces, is that the case? Quite soon after they were built the roofs were cut into two and hinges fitted so they could be opened as access to the top of the engine was required a little more often than was originally invisaged! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 guys, if anyone can help with good close up pics of the roofs, roof hinges, exhausts etc, and also the handrails id be very greatfull cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 47107 Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Some new pictures of the model are on the Hattons site. A green one this time. http://www.ehattons.com/StockDetail.aspx?SID=33377 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 28, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 28, 2011 Don't know what it is, can't put my finger on it, but......., something doesn't look "right". Still have a couple though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluex5 Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Looks spot on to me - and I've built a couple in the past (both Silver Fox and Dave Alexander kits) and it's far superior in shape and detail to either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Don't know what it is, can't put my finger on it, but......., something doesn't look "right". Again though it's a FYE one, relatively uncommon in reality and photos thereof. I wonder if it's just that we're subconsciously more familiar with the look of green around the windscreens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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