Moderators AY Mod Posted February 24, 2022 Moderators Share Posted February 24, 2022 MODEL RAIL SCOTLAND 2022 NORTHERN LIGHTS! INVERNESS CLASS 26s SET TO SHINE IN OO GAUGE *O gauge model shown above. HELJAN is introducing an all-new version of its popular OO gauge Class 26 to fill a significant gap in the fleet. In response to overwhelming public demand since the announcement of our new O gauge Class 26/1s with twin car-style headlights for working the Far North Lines, a new OO gauge model will also be released with twin car-style headlights, as fitted by Inverness depot for Far North Line operation in the early-1970s and retained until the mid-1980s. The new models are the first stage of a complete revamp of our OO gauge Class 26/1 which will also include mechanical, detail, DCC and electronics upgrades to meet the expectations of modellers in the 2020s. New features include separately switchable headlights, marker/tail lights, cab and engine room interior lights, a 21-pin DCC interface with easy access through a removable hatch in the roof, plug-and-play DCC sound capability and a wealth of new details to bring the model up to the latest standards. The Inverness locomotives will be joined in due course by a wide range of upgraded Class 26/1s covering the entire BR career of the hugely popular BRCW Type 2s from the late-1950s through to withdrawal in 1993. An upgraded Class 26/0 variant is also planned and will follow later. Details of the other new Class 26/1s will be confirmed later this year. The initial release will feature two models depicting locomotives in typical 1970s condition and a mid-1980s machine with Inverness depot ‘Highland Rail’ emblem. Both will also feature the early style circular radio pods fitted to Class 26s to improve communications when operating over the long and isolated Far North line routes from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh, Wick and Thurso. #2625 BR Blue 26039 with twin headlights (full yellow ends) #2626 BR Blue 26032 with twin headlights (Highland Rail stag emblems) *O gauge model shown above. Contact your local HELJAN stockist to reserve your favourite versions now. As ever, all of these models will be produced in limited quantities and, based on the response to our O gauge Class 26 with twin headlights, demand is expected to be extremely strong for the OO models. Look out for more updates soon, including some exciting announcements on all-new products, new versions of existing products and reruns of popular models that are not currently available. *O gauge model shown above. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 (edited) Best announcement so far in 2022 as far as I'm concerned Would be interesting to see if we see Heljan now offer provision for/and drop in EM/P4 wheelsets as it's now becoming a trend @61661 , Ben , I hope the radiator grilles will be produced as nicely as the O gauge version and the centre cab window size is addressed from the original tooling , Edited February 25, 2022 by sulzer71 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Decorum Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Interesting. Looking at the spec, it would seem that, with Ben Jones on board, Heljan is looking at what other manufacturers are doing and upgrading its models to stay in the game. That’s very welcome. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 2 minutes ago, No Decorum said: Interesting. Looking at the spec, it would seem that, with Ben Jones on board, Heljan is looking at what other manufacturers are doing and upgrading its models to stay in the game. That’s very welcome. Indeed , I was about to embark on major upgrades to all my current 26s but I think my focus will now switch to actually building the layout and looking forward to acquiring a fleet of nicely improved models Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted February 25, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 25, 2022 Aaaarrrggghhh! I’ve just finished this! oh well I’m sure I will need some more! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Might be in the market to finish off the NYMR theme I have going on Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Legroom Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 This is great news. Looking at the locos around in my preferred timeframe (late 70s/early 80s) I think it's just the class 40 and 50 left to bring up to the latest standards. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MikeParkin65 Posted February 25, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 25, 2022 1 hour ago, SHerr said: Aaaarrrggghhh! I’ve just finished this! oh well I’m sure I will need some more! Thats the thing now - with virtually any model from the last 20 years a new version is going to be an incremental improvement rather than instantly make the older version superfluous. Even more true where you added your own enhancements. I happily mix old and new together and look forward to the new 1960's version of the 26 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 5 minutes ago, MikeParkin65 said: Thats the thing now - with virtually any model from the last 20 years a new version is going to be an incremental improvement rather than instantly make the older version superfluous. Even more true where you added your own enhancements. I happily mix old and new together and look forward to the new 1960's version of the 26 I now have to now make the decision of what to do with my stack of 26s , I've been collecting them over the last couple of years but still don't have a layout to run them on , I have also been accumulating a stack of parts for improving them such as etched grilles/laserglaze etc but now I'm thinking that much better versions are down the line so to speak so do I sell mine off and use the finances to actually crack on with the layout build and look forward to getting my hands on these eventually Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MikeParkin65 Posted February 25, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 25, 2022 Just now, sulzer71 said: I now have to now make the decision of what to do with my stack of 26s , I've been collecting them over the last couple of years but still don't have a layout to run them on , I have also been accumulating a stack of parts for improving them such as etched grilles/laserglaze etc but now I'm thinking that much better versions are down the line so to speak so do I sell mine off and use the finances to actually crack on with the layout build and look forward to getting my hands on these eventually Depends purely on what brings you joy. Personally I'm getting a lot of relaxation from building up things from the spares box now so am only buying new where it really is a 'must have' and affordable. If you've got a stash of current 26's in store you know they are going to run beautifully, you have the parts to personalize them and they are of course already paid for Happy modelling 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 1 minute ago, MikeParkin65 said: Depends purely on what brings you joy. Personally I'm getting a lot of relaxation from building up things from the spares box now so am only buying new where it really is a 'must have' and affordable. If you've got a stash of current 26's in store you know they are going to run beautifully, you have the parts to personalize them and they are of course already paid for Happy modelling The issue for me is that I have models in my collection that are a lot better than the current 26s I have (SLW 24s) and have other models on order that are also better , plus I am contemplating modelling either EM or P4 so that's another expense , the stack I have is currently waiting to go to a friend for all the upgrades as I've tried myself and I'm too ham fisted/cack handed so who knows when/if they will ever get done , the new generation of models we are seeing now are far much better than we have had before and if I'm honest I'm on the verge of a fleet cull anyway as I feel I've just become a collector and would probably never end up using the majority of what I own so ridding myself of say 10 older variants and replacing them with 3 or 4 new models wouldn't bother me if I'm honest 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Does anyone know why the Class 26038 on the NYMR appears to have more central lights and disc's in the middle than other Class 26's which appear more to the left of the front ? Curious Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 lot of advances in this new model...........if you read the spec. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BR traction instructor Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 On 25/02/2022 at 12:54, sulzer71 said: I now have to now make the decision of what to do with my stack of 26s , I've been collecting them over the last couple of years but still don't have a layout to run them on , I have also been accumulating a stack of parts for improving them such as etched grilles/laserglaze etc but now I'm thinking that much better versions are down the line so to speak so do I sell mine off and use the finances to actually crack on with the layout build and look forward to getting my hands on these eventually I would be switching to modelling other required stock items and waiting to see one of the new 26 models in the flesh, checking that it is an accurate scale model of one, reading reviews by credible sources etc before doing anything to dispose of/change current projects. BeRTIe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 Great announcement from Heljan although I already have 26032. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted February 27, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 27, 2022 mmmmm …. I‘ve already got a 26 with car headlights, made from a standard Heljan one a few years ago. I also fitted it with sound and the big speaker in the fuel tank produces very good 26 thrash. Carefully weathered too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w124bob Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 On 25/02/2022 at 14:46, Chilly said: Does anyone know why the Class 26038 on the NYMR appears to have more central lights and disc's in the middle than other Class 26's which appear more to the left of the front ? Curious Certain class 26's had there middle disc's moved to the vertical centre line, this predated the fitting of headlights. it's also worth noting that the headlights were not fitted until the about 75/76 just as the cl 24's were disappearing and some loco's never received them (eg 037)others ran a cyclops headlight (eg 021) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted February 28, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 28, 2022 Does anyone have a list of those Class 26's fitted with the headlights? As @w124bob said, 26037 was never fitted with them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Anyone know when 26032 and other Inverness 26s acquired the yellow/black highland stag. On my photos all Inverness 26s had white stags. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PJ10 Posted February 28, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 28, 2022 Evening Alcanman, Been trying to answer that question myself. I had a look on Flickr last night and it seems 26032 carried it for only a few months in 1985. Around May/June as far as I can ascertain. https://flic.kr/p/fVPYzy The above link (hope it works) shows 26032 and 26041 at Inverness in May 1985 PJ10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 47 minutes ago, PJ10 said: Evening Alcanman, Been trying to answer that question myself. I had a look on Flickr last night and it seems 26032 carried it for only a few months in 1985. Around May/June as far as I can ascertain. https://flic.kr/p/fVPYzy The above link (hope it works) shows 26032 and 26041 at Inverness in May 1985 PJ10 Thanks for the info. I thought I had taken my photo of 26032 in the summer of 1985 but I guess it must have been 1984. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w124bob Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 According to the Pip Dunn book "British Rail Mainline Specification Guide" Inverness converted the following to twin headlights in 1976, 26015/022/030/032/035/038/041/042/043/045 & 046, cyclops headlight to 26021/024/040/044. Variations did occur particularly with regard to discs. 26015 being the odd one out as it was a lowland machine, oval buffers no plough brackets and the longer cantrail grills. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 I've decided I will keep my current collection (or some of them at least) as there are a few specific loco's I'd like to model and wouldn't fancy hacking new loco's up @ circa £200 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted March 4, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 4, 2022 Did the headlight fitted Class 26’s run together with headlight fitted Inverness Class 24/1’s? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PJ10 Posted March 5, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 5, 2022 (edited) Hi Jools1959. I believe that headlights were fitted to the Inverness 26s following the transfer of the Class 24s away from Inverness/withdrawal. So probably not but I'm sure there may be the odd photo showing examples together. PJ10 Edited March 5, 2022 by PJ10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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