Differences between the Bachmann and Mainline 57xx bodies

[dougidle]

Hi All,

For my next project I'm looking at building a High Level Kits 57xx chassis and adding a Bachmann or Mainline 57xx body. There's quite a big difference in cost for them and I was wondering what the principle differences between the 2 are other than the Bachmann ones are likely to have a smarter finish.

 

Are they principally the same model? I'm not to worried about the finish as I plan to strip it down, detail it and then repaint.

 

Thanks,

Doug

[mike morley]

Handrails would need replacing on the Mainline version.  They stick out an extremely long way.

[nickwood]

The early and later Bachmann versions have different screw positions for mounting the body to the chassis. I suspect that the Mainline fixing points may be different again or possibly the same as the earlier Bachmann version. It might be worth checking with Chris at High Level to ask if the chassis kit relies on these fixing points and if so which version.

 

Edited April 20, 2020 by nickwood
typo

[d00m]

5 minutes ago, mike morley said:

Handrails would need replacing on the Mainline version.  They stick out an extremely long way.

 

That's funny, I have 6. four Mainline, two Bachmann. I can't tell the difference.  The oldest Mainline body seemed to have more 'space' inside - it was second hand maybe the previous owner had done that, but I don't know. All of mine run on new Bachmann chassis, Mainline ones all died.

[mike morley]

Could it be the Bachmann handrails are as bad as the Mainline?  Or is that my Mainline version was one of the very first and that they were later improved?

[d00m]

Don't know, but I did have a problem with one body. The hand rail kept coming away from boiler. In the end with a pin and the tiniest bit of superglue, it was sorted. That was seven years ago.

[Butler Henderson]

The 1982 tooling was used by Kader to make models for Mainline until 1984, Replica in 1986 and 1988 and Bachmann between 1991 and 1999.

The current model dating from 2005 was a retooling of the 1982 one with a new bunker and cab "with good interior detail", circular water fillers and lamp brackets as well as not having a split chassis. Source: Ramsays British Model Trains Catalogue.

[dougidle]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like other than the mounting points to the chassis there aren't any fundamental differences. 

 

I was planning on replacing the handrails in any case so that's not a big deal.

 

If I can find a retooled body at a decent price I'll get one but if a cheap old one turns up I'll go for that.

 

Thanks again,

Doug

 

[d00m]

1 hour ago, dougidle said:

Thanks everyone. It sounds like other than the mounting points to the chassis there aren't any fundamental differences. 

 

I was planning on replacing the handrails in any case so that's not a big deal.

 

If I can find a retooled body at a decent price I'll get one but if a cheap old one turns up I'll go for that.

 

Thanks again,

Doug

 

There's one on bay for £9.99 at the mo!

[dougidle]

2 hours ago, d00m said:

There's one on bay for £9.99 at the mo!

 

That was the one that made me ask

[57xx]

The dome on the Mainline model was copied from a preservation example that had been repaired, making it look like it had a large nipple on top. Bachmann fixed that when they did the retooled version. It's probably the easiest thing to look for when determining the original manufacture.