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Class 158 - New Tool


TomE
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It's nice that Bachmann has released pairs of units with different destinations - "Liverpool Lime Street" is much more suited to my train-set than "Milford Haven". That said, having received my model it's a struggle to read it the text is so small!

 

The design is interesting. Neither half of the unit will move without being attached to the other. I believe the decoder and speaker are fitted in one half with the motor in the other. There's a four pin connector that makes up the coupling between the two halves - two wires for motor, two for control of the head/tail lamps. 

 

I'm still undecided about single decoders & large couplings vs multiple decoders and smaller couplings. The former certainly saves quite a few quid but is bulkier than a rapido coupling and at the loss of being able to adjust the coupling gap between vehicles. I think on a two car unit it's OK to have the fancy coupling, but on something longer (>3 cars) I think I'd prefer two decoders.

 

With the fragility of multi-pole electrical couplings I can see myself investing in a new stock box to allow class 158 and 148 units to be packed away without splitting the unit. I suspect the four car Revolution class 123 would be too long for that to be practical!

 

Steven B

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58 minutes ago, Steven B said:

the four car Revolution class 123 

 

Steven B

 

Steven, is that a typo or are you party to information not yet in the public domain? Or is it wishful thinking...?

 

Best


Scott.

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26 minutes ago, scottystitch said:

 

Steven, is that a typo or are you party to information not yet in the public domain? Or is it wishful thinking...?

 

Best


Scott.

But to dream ......  123 would tick many boxes after the 120 project. 

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How do people feel over the 158s top speed? I feel it should be a little quicker topping out. Tried tweaking CVs to with someone who knows what there doing and still feels like its a steady runner but not quick.

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9 hours ago, JBM37404 said:

How do people feel over the 158s top speed? I feel it should be a little quicker topping out. Tried tweaking CVs to with someone who knows what there doing and still feels like its a steady runner but not quick.

 

Seems to be a common observation with Farish new tools lately that they don't seem to go very fast.

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I have been running mine in.

 

I like it.

 

I just turned the interior lights off because really in day time the lights weren't all that noticeable, and the cab lights were annoying me.  I'll sort that another time.

 

mine is a bit slow at top speed as well.  it actually ran quicker with a different decoder in it I noticed.  with a zimo in it is smoother but slower at top speed.

 

if I can get round to it I will speed match it with a 156 and try running it coupled up.

 

I quite like the coupling arrangement but I can imagine some people will bend and break the pins or the holding latch. it is close coupled between the vehicles though so looks good.

 

cheers

 

 

tim

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13 hours ago, bluedepot said:

mine is a bit slow at top speed as well.  it actually ran quicker with a different decoder in it I noticed.  with a zimo in it is smoother but slower at top speed.

 

Thats similar to my Hornby Class 71 in OO, noticably faster running with a Lokpilot 5 in it compared with a new Zimo MN decoder.

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Got my Scotrail one today and it really is a beautiful model.

 

Sadly there is a real grinding sound at low speed, different to the one Kris reported having rewatched his video. Gave it the running in period just in case but no improvement

 

So hey ho, just bad luck on my part, these things happen and back off to a very helpful and understanding retailer for a replacement.

 

Rob

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Finally got mine today after it took royal mail  8 days to get it the 4 miles from Gatwick mail centre to me in Crawley 

a very nice model mine is very quiet and runs well but another model with a low top speed now this is not a problem for me as I run a terminus station  

but for others could be a problem 

 

John 

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On 25/01/2024 at 14:00, Gloucester Road said:

lovely model.

GWR158.jpg.8bc0f8383980980c621cba42fc9a15b6.jpg

These are lovely DMUs, I have ordered my GWR one this morning.

Edited by Kevin Johnson
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Got my replacement in the week and running it for the first time today- much much better and quiet before a full running in.

 

I see the point about top speed but not an issue for me for same reasons as JBQFC above

 

Slight shame it doesn't apparantly couple to Dapol units as I had a plan to run with the Gaugemaster Scotrail 153 when it arrives, provided the "banana" body has been addressed. Still, that's hardly a criticism of Farish.

 

For those of you with sound, is it just me that can't stop playing with the door opening/closing?

 

Hoping there's a 170 upgrade or new first gen DMU to this standard in the works at Bachmann.

 

Rob

 

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glad replacement is working

 

oh ok

 

I was actually going to try running it with a Dapol 156 just for entertainment but if the couplings don't work together I won't bother

 

speed matching them would have been a nuisance as well

 

I might make a review video for youtube if I can get organised and have some time

 

cheers

 

tim

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1 hour ago, bluedepot said:

...running it with a Dapol 156 just for entertainment but if the couplings don't work...

The Dapol and Farish BSI couplings don't work. I've tried already. Tiny dimensional difference!@

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It’s a shame Farish for the Regional Railways used TOPs numbers from the Phase 2 fleet, which didn’t really operate on the Regional Railways North East routes. These where mainly Phase 1 units. 
 

As for the speed I imagine these are gear to represent scale speed which to me personally is good. 
 

It would be ideally if a West Yorkshire PTE Metro Train liveried example is produced as Bachmann did in 4mm. 

Edited by richierich
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Finally got my Northern 158 today. Fully lives up to expectations and no motor noise on this one. I think they've absolutely nailed it.


Will do a full review for NGN at some point in the next week if I can squeeze it in around moving house!

 

farish158a.jpg.db0a75a41000984143ec9673f0bcfdbc.jpg

Tom. 

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