Bachmann announce all new Class 37

[Knapdale]

46 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

Don’t forget that Hatton’s no longer sells new Bachmann products, so unless they reach an agreement Hatton’s won’t receive any new Bachmann 37s to sell.

They do sell new Bachmann stuff, just a limited range. New tool 20s, 37s and 47s are available, just not as cheap as elsewhere:

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/siteresults?search/sources/New/scales/OO/product-types/Diesel locos/brands/Bachmann Branchline

 

 

[Albie the plumber]

Just browsing ebay now and I noticed 37 305 announced only a couple of days ago as being available to buy now ! 

However,   I'm sure I saw a green centre headcode version being announced in the spring .

Anyone know what happened to that model ? 

 

[Phil Bullock]

3 minutes ago, Albie the plumber said:

Just browsing ebay now and I noticed 37 305 announced only a couple of days ago as being available to buy now ! 

However,   I'm sure I saw a green centre headcode version being announced in the spring .

Anyone know what happened to that model ? 

 

I am told it will be here in the next month or so. Hope they have sorted the lamp irons out….

[Albie the plumber]

8 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

I am told it will be here in the next month or so. Hope they have sorted the lamp irons out….

Thanks Phil , thought I had imagined it 

[St. Simon]

7 hours ago, Knapdale said:

They do sell new Bachmann stuff, just a limited range. New tool 20s, 37s and 47s are available, just not as cheap as elsewhere:

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/siteresults?search/sources/New/scales/OO/product-types/Diesel locos/brands/Bachmann Branchline

 

 

Hi,

 

Bear in mind that Bachmann does not list Hattons on their retailers list, so whilst these are ‘new’, they aren’t coming direct from Bachmann (I.e. from another retailer).

 

In this case Bachmann will not honour the warranty as the product hasn’t been brought from an official Bachmann Stockist, so you are buying at risk.

 

Simon

[stationroad]

Now that the latest batch have started to drop in price a bit, I’ve been looking at renumbering options. I’m coming up a bit blank for easy options for 423 though - I’m not averse to a bit of modelling but does anyone have any ideas of fairly easy projects from that one?

[97406]

5 minutes ago, stationroad said:

Now that the latest batch have started to drop in price a bit, I’ve been looking at renumbering options. I’m coming up a bit blank for easy options for 423 though - I’m not averse to a bit of modelling but does anyone have any ideas of fairly easy projects from that one?

 

I’m doing 37422, but I needed to standardise the black door and windscreen surrounds and add a lamp bracket above the headcode box. It is currently being varnished and will be outshopped in a few days’ time.

[Matt]

1 hour ago, stationroad said:

Now that the latest batch have started to drop in price a bit, I’ve been looking at renumbering options. I’m coming up a bit blank for easy options for 423 though - I’m not averse to a bit of modelling but does anyone have any ideas of fairly easy projects from that one?

I don’t think any other 37/4 were painted in RF metals. If you’re ok changing the logo on side then there were a few in RFD, at least one in construction and at least one in petroleum (428)

[meatloaf]

12 minutes ago, Ricochet said:

Just received my green 37 and had a little test. Runs alright but worth noting that it will not go around 2nd radius curves, period. Assume it runs alright through 2nd radius points or does it struggle there as well?

Mines fine on 2nd radius but mines the plain br blue one. Still new tool tho

[andyman7]

It should manage 2nd Radius. Are any of the bogie chains twisted or restricting bogie rotation?

[meatloaf]

40 minutes ago, Ricochet said:

One more question, is the green split headcode 37 supposed to have white/yellow directional lights on the front? Mine only seems to display red tail lights and glowing headcode boxes, with no headlamps. 

Yes the headcode versions just have the light up boxes and the tail lights. 

[97406]

6 hours ago, Ricochet said:

Okay nice one, thanks. I'm intrigued as to why this is the case, was it prototypical to not have headlights or is that a DCC-specific feature? 

Headlights weren’t a thing when the 37s were introduced. Aside from depots fitting their own headlights to a few locos over the years, the square official headlights began to be fitted from the mid 80s.

Edited May 11, 2023 by 97406

[97406]

Just putting the finishing touches to this. I'm having fun getting the lights to work correctly with a Lokpilot 4 decoder as the marker lights and tail lights come on together at both ends and I've not worked out how to sort in Decoder Pro, or if it's a fault on the decoder itself. I've swapped it for a LaisDCC one for now, so no headlights. If anyone has any ideas, that would be great!

 

ETA It looks like the ESU will need some programming after reading up. First step will be to load all the settings into Decoder Pro and see what they are. I’m still quite new to DCC.

 

Stuff it! Have read the manual and gone for the proper Bachmann 36-570A decoder. The Lokpilot will get deployed elsewhere.

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by 97406

[SouthernMafia]

On 11/05/2023 at 20:26, 97406 said:

Just putting the finishing touches to this. I'm having fun getting the lights to work correctly with a Lokpilot 4 decoder as the marker lights and tail lights come on together at both ends and I've not worked out how to sort in Decoder Pro, or if it's a fault on the decoder itself. I've swapped it for a LaisDCC one for now, so no headlights. If anyone has any ideas, that would be great!

 

ETA It looks like the ESU will need some programming after reading up. First step will be to load all the settings into Decoder Pro and see what they are. I’m still quite new to DCC.

 

Stuff it! Have read the manual and gone for the proper Bachmann 36-570A decoder. The Lokpilot will get deployed elsewhere.

 

 

Looks great, what did you use to lift the original sector logo? Be interested to know if enamel thinners are still ok as on the previous versions of 37s and 47s

[97406]

1 hour ago, SouthernMafia said:

 

Looks great, what did you use to lift the original sector logo? Be interested to know if enamel thinners are still ok as on the previous versions of 37s and 47s

 

I masked off around the lower portion and put a thin coat of rail grey over the original sector markings and that was enough to prevent them showing through the new transfers. The nameplates and other tampo printed items came off with IPA on a cotton bud followed by some cocktail stick action. It’s worth masking off the flint grey at the join with the rail grey above the nameplate as I eroded it on the side facing the camera, but reinstated the join using a mix of rail grey and Railfreight grey blended in. I normally cock something up and have to sort it, but that’s part the fun of it all, and a reason why I look for discounted versions to tweak!

Edited May 17, 2023 by 97406

[Daddyman]

Anyone planning to replace the sector logo say with Mainline or Transrail should be aware that Bachmann haven't painted the darker (flint grey) upper bodysides behind the sector logos - they've left it in the paler lower bodyside grey. This means it's not just a question of removing the sector logos (for which I used 1500 sandpaper with Microset as lubricant) and replacing with ML or T ones - the whole upper bodyside has to be repainted (or patch painted if you can get a match). I spent 30 minutes or so with combinations of all the Railmatch greys I own trying to get a match. But then I noticed that the grey on a faded Transrail loco (37406 or 37423) about 1996/97 doesn't look much like the flint grey anyway - the picture on p.47 of Scottish Class 37s Volume 3 (Nick Meskell) shows this well as do online photos (see below). After testing various combinations on a scrap body I've decided to go with two parts Railmatch or Precision LMS grey and one part Humbrol white (that is, to match photos of 423, not to match Bachmann's colour). 

https://www.jules-merlin27.com/Railways/Loco-hauled-on-the-West-Highland-Railway/i-dJ3Cfsx/A

 

[97406]

5 minutes ago, Daddyman said:

Anyone planning to replace the sector logo say with Mainline or Transrail should be aware that Bachmann haven't painted the darker (flint grey) upper bodysides behind the sector logos - they've left it in the paler lower bodyside grey. This means it's not just a question of removing the sector logos (for which I used 1500 sandpaper with Microset as lubricant) and replacing with ML or T ones - the whole upper bodyside has to be repainted (or patch painted if you can get a match). I spent 30 minutes or so with combinations of all the Railmatch greys I own trying to get a match. But then I noticed that the grey on a faded Transrail loco (37406 or 37423) about 1996/97 doesn't look much like the flint grey anyway - the picture on p.47 of Scottish Class 37s Volume 3 (Nick Meskell) shows this well as do online photos (see below). After testing various combinations on a scrap body I've decided to go with two parts Railmatch or Precision LMS grey and one part Humbrol white (that is, to match photos of 423, not to match Bachmann's colour). 

https://www.jules-merlin27.com/Railways/Loco-hauled-on-the-West-Highland-Railway/i-dJ3Cfsx/A

 

I rubbed away some of the flint grey removing a nameplate and got a decent match from using a mix of railfreight grey and rail grey. I mixed it by eye and don't have the ratio, but it looks spot on.

 

The Bachmann flint grey is not quite correct as the real flint grey has a slight purplish tinge to it.

 

 

[Daddyman]

20 minutes ago, 97406 said:

I rubbed away some of the flint grey removing a nameplate and got a decent match from using a mix of railfreight grey and rail grey. I mixed it by eye and don't have the ratio, but it looks spot on.

 

The Bachmann flint grey is not quite correct as the real flint grey has a slight purplish tinge to it.

 

 

Right, yes - I could match Railmatch's flint grey with their RF grey and rail grey, but couldn't match Bachmann's. But as you say, it's academic as Bachmann's grey isn't quite right anyway, or at least not right for 423 in the period I'm doing it. Hell of a job masking all the grilles  and windows though... 

 

[rob D2]

7 hours ago, Daddyman said:

Right, yes - I could match Railmatch's flint grey with their RF grey and rail grey, but couldn't match Bachmann's. But as you say, it's academic as Bachmann's grey isn't quite right anyway, or at least not right for 423 in the period I'm doing it. Hell of a job masking all the grilles  and windows though... 

 

I feel for you and thanks for the gen . I was thinking of 423 to 409 "loch awe " in transrail but surely not getting into that much bother 

[Krieghoff]

anyone know When are we likely to see the next batch of 37's arriving from Bachmann. I have a Civil Engineers Dutch livery on order 

 

 

[Paul.Uni]

Release dates are on the Bachmann website.

[GD]

37196 in railfreight and 37207 in blue available now exclusive to kernow, also available as a freightwagon bundle to make the price very attractive. I have just ordered 37196 and the IZA wagon bundle for £269.

[Bloodnok]

Has anyone else seen flickering lights on one of these? I picked up a 35-301 (37034) recently, fitted a shiny new Zimo MN330P22 decoder to it, and the marker lights and tail lights are constantly flickering. If I turn the headlights on, they are brighter in the direction of travel, but e.g. the tail lights at the front stay flickering when travelling forward, even though the lights are on. If I usee the "lights off no.1 end" / "lights off no.2 end" functions, the end does go dark. But that prevents having the headlight on.

Anyone seen anything like this before?

Edit: For anyone finding this in future and saying "I also have this problem" ... , setting CV124 bit 7 to ON will fix this.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Bloodnok

[zr2498]

Had a 37/0 D6710 (35-302SFX) delivered today. Looking good, and then went to do the testing.

DCC using ECoS. I had to work out what M4 protocol was all about as that completely stumped me initially.

It's a Zimo decoder but is clearly M4 compatible. ECoS seems to make the decision for you and the usual DCC protocol was not available. M4 is strange as there is no CV1 address allocated. It just gives M4 and the given name of the loco.

It was not possible to read or write CVs in the usual way, but I googled help with this and found that the Motorola graphics displays seem to be the way to alter parameters. Easier in some ways but 'different'.

So a bit of a learning curve. It would have been useful to know about this in the Bachmann literature.

Anyway all seems to be working OK, but have to say the sound is not a patch on the Accurascale 37. I will look for speaker upgrading which might help.

Note that on the 37/0 the fan operation is continuous (as the prototype), so the function button as on the 47 is not available.

 

[97406]

As mentioned on another 37 thread on here, there is a lack of plain blue 80s style 37s being released. I do have the RFD 37194 on order, so I am toying with detaching the nose ends and stripping and respraying the body into blue after a short spell in RFD. A shame that it won’t have laserglaze fitted during its RFD time!

Edited June 19, 2023 by 97406