Heljan ES1 exclusive for Locomotion and Rails of Sheffield

[Mallard60022]

Q fifty mini layouts of Trafalgar Yard/Quayside.

Brilliant, except for the fact I gave away my pre used EM Layout version Of T Yard, (made by a super Modeller in 36E) to the North Shields based Club, about ten years ago...ar$£.

 I tried making the Kit from Mike Edge and wife. I almost succeeded but it were damn 'ard.

There is absolutely zero excuse for me getting this for Seaton Junction (LSWR)

P

[Mallard60022]

Dear Friends on here. £220 is the new 'inexpensive' cost of Locomotives of this quality. Sorry and all that, but that is how it is going to be and increasing.

I am not having a poke and for many Modellers this is taking things to a level that may not be within their  budget and that is a challenge.

I genuinely  would have loved one of these just as an ornament, as I saw both several times when travelling to/from Whitley Bay in 1960/1/2. I don't think I can now justify that.

Phil

[30368]

1 hour ago, Mallard60022 said:

There is absolutely zero excuse for me getting this for Seaton Junction (LSWR)

 

Well Phil, I have a couple of V2's and a B9 and plan to build the JEdge V4 kit in the near future on my 70D shed layout. The V2's are easy, they did run on the ex LSWR main line. The other two a wee bit problematic. Enthusiast Specials?

 

I can see though how an EM loco and catenary down at Seaton might be tricky.....

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

PS Have been following chats about the new Bachmann Bulleid coaches. Can you please advise on which three to buy to create a 3 car set? (Either livery). Thanks.

[micklner]

3 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

I suspect that the decision to make this model was quite strongly driven by the NRM who like to be able to sell models of things in their collection. As preseved items they are also available for scanning, measuring, etc.

 

It has also probably been in development for at least a couple of years, so may have been aimed at a cheaper RRP but has been overtaken by more recent economic events.

I am sure you are right Jol no idea of the logic though!! .

 

The other Locos at the NRM are far more important that have been ignored . Aerolite, Q7, J21( ok preserved elsewhere) , D17, Tennant  and this beauty

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NER_901_Class

[47164]

 Credit to all concerned it looks a nicely detailed model and as some have noted in tune with pricing for a niche item which makes sense , I guess some of us will have to keep waiting for an 84,74 and HST prototype….and of course these could be also deemed to be niche. !!

[Compound2632]

Grumbles seem to fall into two categories:

1. it isn't a 1960s+ electric locomotive;
2. it isn't one of the commoner NER locomotives, even from the choice offered by the National Collection;

1 hour ago, 47164 said:

 … and of course these could be also deemed to be niche. !!

 

Here's a Q: did these locomotives ever work with chauldron wagons?

[woodenhead]

I think we need to consider the other operative decision making angle this model has come from; that it is one that Hornby would not have in development - it is not a Liverpool & Manchester vintage nor is it any steam engine that Simon Kohler will fondly remember as being somehow inextricably linked to Hornby at any time in it's existence.

 

That and it's a quirky model that will find it's way on to many a layout or collection.

[Porcy Mane]

7 hours ago, D6332 said:

The flamecut numberplate from 26501 turned up on a dig recently

 

A dig for a new fence.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-21742168

[Porcy Mane]

5 hours ago, micklner said:

The other Locos at the NRM are far more important that have been ignored . Aerolite, Q7, J21( ok preserved elsewhere) , D17, Tennant  and this beauty

 

Maybe plans are afoot? 

 

Something to ponder is we are just over two years away from the bicentenary celebrations of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. Maybe the model manufacturers have been rubbing their collective R&D chins and glancing skywards, thinking to themselves "Hmmmmm, money making opportunity approaching ???".

 

Locomotion Number One from Accurascale perhaps?

Edited October 29, 2022 by Porcy Mane
Insert missing word.

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, Porcy Mane said:

 

A dig for a new fence.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-21742168

 

Having seen E Type Jags and Ferraris rebuilt from less source material I reckon there's a chance of second ES1 being built!

 

Mike.

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Having seen E Type Jags and Ferraris rebuilt from less source material I reckon there's a chance of second ES1 being built!

 

Mike.

Many 'rebuilt' locomotives are more like grandfathers axe.

[Legend]

I think there are parallel economies going on . There is no doubt that there are people who are really struggling  in this with energy , food and even mortgages going up . On the other hand there are a tranche of people who are comfortably off , who might complain about energy prices being triple what they were last year but can still absorb the impact , and having no mortgage are still relatively comfortably off . Im probably one of them.  I would suggest that the majority of people into model railways are in this latter category .    However there has to be a limit as to what people will pay and what they are interested in . To me a rather bespoke electric loco , of which there were two, spending most of their times in tunnels in Newcastle is stretching it . This locos not high on the list it’s not even on my list ! Coupled with a £220. Price it’s just a non starter for me. I really wonder if this was a wise choice , but then there are people signing up for Clayton DHPC I think that’s it - it’s a version of something I never knew about , and I don’t think  ever ran on BR, from KR models , so what do I know ?  Incredible !
 

I’m coming to the conclusion that I’m out of touch with the market . I can’t understand why things like this are being made  while , to me , more obvious candidates like a 313/314/315/507/508 are ignored .  
 

Oh well sorry for the rant . I hope it makes money for Rails  so that other special  commissions are made, but this one’s not for me . Locomotion are just too difficult  to deal with and Heljan are presumably covered in their exposure as it’s a limited edition for Locomotion/Rails . I forecast bargains at Model Rail Scotland at the locomotion  stand  next year . And even then I’m not interested . 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Legend

[drmditch]

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Grumbles seem to fall into two categories:

1. it isn't a 1960s+ electric locomotive;
2. it isn't one of the commoner NER locomotives, even from the choice offered by the National Collection;

 

Here's a Q: did these locomotives ever work with chauldron wagons?

 

Highly unlikely.

Recommend (amongst others) 'The Electric Locomotives of the North Eastern Railway' by Ken Hoole.

 

[Compound2632]

2 minutes ago, drmditch said:

Highly unlikely.

 

It was a tease. Perhaps I should make more use of emoticons?

 

That sounds like an interesting book.

[PhilJ W]

I am interested as my interest is in early traction. The only thing that is putting me off is the price but I am counting the pennies and I might just be able to afford one.

[mckinneyc]

My twe cents is that I would rather pay £220 for a limited edition model of an interesting or unique prototype with museum model quality livery and detail than pay over £250 for models in a manufacturers standard range with awful quality control issues etc.

 

I preordered the late British Railways version. I love how old liveries like the NER green was applied in the last days before the corporate image came in

[MarkC]

11 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

That sounds like an interesting book.

It is indeed 😎

[steve1]

2 hours ago, mckinneyc said:

My twe cents is that I would rather pay £220 for a limited edition model of an interesting or unique prototype with museum model quality livery and detail than pay over £250 for models in a manufacturers standard range with awful quality control issues etc.

 

I preordered the late British Railways version. I love how old liveries like the NER green was applied in the last days before the corporate image came in

 

Whilst that is a fair point, it’s not guaranteed that even this loco will not have QC issues. Heljan do have form  in this area.

 

steve

[micklner]

1 minute ago, steve1 said:

 

Whilst that is a fair point, it’s not guaranteed that even this loco will not have QC issues. Heljan do have form  in this area.

 

steve

Personal experience of Heljan, from whom I doubt very much that I will ever buy from again.

LNER O2 simply overall very poor . Flimsy valve gear, oversize cab Windows, poor quality mouldings, which appeared to have not even been painted. Plastic Handrail Knobs,Different length Tender Handrails etc etc.

Mine was bought secondhand and sold on, hardly ever used ,as I expected to self destruct at any minute.

 

NER Autocar worked ok on a straight track, I never bothered trying it on curves for the following reason.

The LNER version I bought at £200, Heljan and/or Rails  ignored a very prominent Engine Exhaust pipework and large Silencer and Radiators system sitting on top of  the whole length of the offside of the Roof. This was pointed out to Rails when the first samples  shown and ignored. Prior to release every photo always showed the nearside of the Carriage. Which on seeing the model on arrival explained the one side only photos.

Returned for refund, simply not fit for purpose.

 

[Compound2632]

On 29/10/2022 at 13:33, micklner said:

The other Locos at the NRM are far more important that have been ignored . Aerolite, Q7, J21( ok preserved elsewhere) , D17, Tennant  and this beauty

 

I'd put my money on Aerolite, since the preference is for unique quirky engines of limited usefulness.

[Allegheny1600]

I’ll start off by admitting that I have no interest in this model despite it being an early electric locomotive, which I am usually very interested in - it’s simply the wrong scale for me as well as era, location, everything.

What astonishes me is that none of the usual suspects have been braying about how this manufacturer can’t be trusted to make a worthwhile model, you’d be far better off becoming a “proper modeller” and building a kit etc, etc.

Should I name names?

I’m sure many of you will know to whom I am referring! And to which other manufacturer, they deeply criticise! 

It just seems rather lob sided to me, particularly when, as noted above, Heljan have been criticised for numerous errors over the years.

Just needed to get that off my chest!

John

[PhilJ W]

I have the railcar and I have had no problems with it so I've no worries about buying this model despite Heljan's reputation for fragility.

[298]

On 28/10/2022 at 21:48, friscopete said:

I have an overwhelming desire  to pull the buffers off ,install kadees and paint it yellow.Mercifully I cant afford it .

 

And which loco might that be?

[298]

On 29/10/2022 at 09:49, Nearholmer said:

These were effectively American locos, designed in the US, with the core parts built by British subsidiaries of American firms, BTH being GE, and near-identical locos were built by GE subsidiaries in France and Italy, so open your mind to a model of Gare D’Orsay in 4mm/ft scale!

 

I'm not saying they're not similar, but there are quite a few major visual differences between the British, French and GE home locos and between these and the Kearsley Power Station locos. Some of the electrical gear on the ES1 looked similar tho to GE, but the styling tended to follow what the builder was used to for contemporary steam locos, which for alot of US builders meant a steam loco cab and tender trucks. It'd be like repainting a Lord Westwood back to green and sticking any name on you liked...

[friscopete]

28 minutes ago, 298 said:

 

And which loco might that be?

my one