Piko DB BR 218...Differences between Hobby and Expert Versions?

[SimonHMT]

I'm contemplating purchase of a Piko DB BR218 diesel loco as a first item of motive power for a late Ep.IV/early Ep.V layout.

I'm rather attracted by the low price of the Hobby version compared to the Expert. I guess that the latter has more/better details, but what about the mechanism...are they fundamentally different? I'm talking the difference between, say, central motor with flywheels and gear towers and perhaps something like the old Lima/Hornby mechanism with drive on only one bogie...and if this is the case, how good (or not) is the cheaper mech?

Not particularly fussed about working lights, bells and whistles or DCC suitability as I'll be sticking with analogue and even haulage capacity needn't be huge as this initial effort will be pretty small. I've had a bit of a look on line but not really found anything that answers my question! 

Thanks in anticipation, 

Simon.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

I had a Hobby version for a while - I would definitely say it was good value (esp. as I bought it used) and it ran well.  There were headlights, but only the white ones in the direction of travel (no red at the rear).

 

The key thing is whether the more basic detailing bothers you - eg: the side grills are clearly quite simple:

 

 

Mine did come with a driver (always a nice touch, I feel);

 

 

A lot depends on how close up you’re viewing your layout - in a larger scale (which I define as HO or above), the opportunity to model (or marvel at) the level of detail possible maybe runs contrary to the philosophy of these entry level models?

 

 

I have noticed some retailers / eBay sometimes trade Expert level models at prices more akin to those I’d pay for a Hobby level product.  While such bargains may be rare, and rely on a trader maybe not knowing all the subtleties, they can be worth looking out for.  I certainly didn’t regret my purchase at all - as a ‘layout locomotive’ it was a nice addition to my small fleet.

 

Hope that helps.  Others will know more - especially about the Expert models.  Keith. 

[rekoboy]

The difference between Hobby and Expert is also noticeable in motor type and quality. The Hobby series locos generally have basic 3-pole motors, the Expert series locos have flywheel-fitted 5-pole motors.

[SimonHMT]

Thank you both, gentlemen...most useful!

I'm really looking more for a "layout" model; as this is a very tentative exercise and I'm trying to keep costs under control, most of the wagons I currently have for it to do its thing with are older or "starter" models from Fleischmann, Piko and Roco and I've managed to buy several suitable building kits and road vehicles for bargain prices, so the Hobby version is perhaps a better choice than the Expert, though I will bear in mind Rekoboy's advice on motors...I might see if I can compare the different versions running. 

Keith, thanks for the close-up photos, they're far more useful than any others I've seen.

We have met several times...I'm AKA Spitfiregoggles over on NGRM.

Kind regards, 

Simon. 

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

5 minutes ago, SimonHMT said:

Thank you both, gentlemen...most useful!

I'm really looking more for a "layout" model; as this is a very tentative exercise and I'm trying to keep costs under control, most of the wagons I currently have for it to do its thing with are older or "starter" models from Fleischmann, Piko and Roco and I've managed to buy several suitable building kits and road vehicles for bargain prices, so the Hobby version is perhaps a better choice than the Expert, though I will bear in mind Rekoboy's advice on motors...I might see if I can compare the different versions running. 

Keith, thanks for the close-up photos, they're far more useful than any others I've seen.

We have met several times...I'm AKA Spitfiregoggles over on NGRM.

Kind regards, 

Simon. 

 

Aha!  That makes you one of the very few people who has actually seen me actually operating an exhibition layout at a show 😃 (I was just the lunchtime relief operator at Statfold).  Good luck with the project - but beware: I find European modelling can get very addictive very quickly, whether in Standard Gauge or Narrow Gauge.  Keith.

[SimonHMT]

2 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Aha!  That makes you one of the very few people who has actually seen me actually operating an exhibition layout at a show 😃 (I was just the lunchtime relief operator at Statfold).  Good luck with the project - but beware: I find European modelling can get very addictive very quickly, whether in Standard Gauge or Narrow Gauge.  Keith.

I've been fiddling around with European stuff since my Dad gave me a few items of Fleischmann H0 at an impressionable age. There have been a number of false starts over the decades, in scales from Z, through French Nm, German N and TT, Austrian H0e, "somewhere in Europe" H0m trams to French era V and era III H0, and now German era Va H0.

One of the things that started this particular project off was a number of German H0 cars plus a few lorries that I bought from the 009 Society Sales stand at Statfold, mostly for £1 each. They're all appropriate for the late 1980s/early 90s, but while I already had a few building kits, there wasn't any rolling stock...a local(ish) model shop had a few suitable items in stock at moderate prices and I was able to buy a couple more wagons BNIB from another that deals in second hand. Not sure what form the eventual layout will take, it'll largely depend on available space and there's also a plan for a 1950s French SG layout. It's a bit of a shock to realise that the period for this project is already over 30 years ago! 

In the various boxes of stuff we have stored is quite a collection of (more) H0 vehicles,  as well as bits left over from structure kits that I have bashed into other things so it'll be good to make use of some of it.

I've always been a sucker for odd H0 cars, I just like the size of them I suppose. 

I would probably achieved a lot more over the years had I kept to one thing, but whenever I've tried that I soon get bored!

[Bernard Lamb]

Simon,

For a starter layout model I would go for the hobby version. It looks like very good value. You can always add pipe work and other detailing as you feel like. I have even detaied GDR period Piko diesels and they look quite acceptable as layout locos. Just watch the prices, as some on Ebay look to be from chancers. Check the Piko web site for current retail prices.

Bernard

[SimonHMT]

Thank you,  Bernard! This was very much my thinking....even new, from a UK retailer,  they're about half the price of the Expert version. I've got a few GDR-era Piko items (also Berliner Bahn TT) and find them perfectly acceptable.

Kind regards, 

Simon. 

[Saxon IV K]

I'm definenitely not an expert when it comes to any of this, and I only have the Hobby 218, but I must say, I'm very happy with it! It is cheap so it lacks some details, but it runs very nicely from my experience. I only have this yellow one, since it was the cheapest in my area a few years ago. :)

 

Edited October 20, 2023 by Saxon IV K

[SimonHMT]

On 20/10/2023 at 12:50, Saxon IV K said:

I'm definenitely not an expert when it comes to any of this, and I only have the Hobby 218, but I must say, I'm very happy with it! It is cheap so it lacks some details, but it runs very nicely from my experience. I only have this yellow one, since it was the cheapest in my area a few years ago. :)

 

Thanks for that! The low-angled photo is very useful, and, like Keith's shots, shows that the detail looks fine.

I haven't pulled the trigger on one of these yet, but I have bought a first loco...a DB Köf 3 in the bright red which seems to have first appeared in the early 90s. It came as part of a set which includes a short bogie flat wagon carrying track panels, a long wheelbase van in departmental yellow, and a blue 6-wheel Umbauwagen lettered as a crew sleeping car....the latter give a plausible (to me) excuse to have a 6-wheeled passenger coach on a layout based in the 90s!

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Hi @SimonHMT, just wondered if you went ahead with this?  

 

Another option can be an older second hand loco from a more detailed range.  I’ve picked up a Fleischmann version of the BR 218. It is also in HO, but in the earlier Orient Red / White Bib livery.  I thought it might be useful to post some comparative photos here for anyone interested in getting started:

 

 

 

 

There’s quite a lot more detail - including the exhausts on the roof - and the mouldings (grilles etc) are crisper, plus this model has red directional lights at the rear in addition to the white headlights on the Piko Hobby version.  I don’t know if this is DCC compatible (I use DC), and it will need running in as I think it has been in storage for quite a while, but I’ve bought it from a reputable retailer with a good returns policy if needed.  Hope that helps, Keith.

 

Edited January 20 by Keith Addenbrooke

[SimonHMT]

Thanks, Keith...you're right, it is, indeed, crisper! I still haven't got round to purchasing a 218, though it's still on the target list. I bought a brand new Roco 212 in blue just after Christmas, and have also spent quite a bit on layout "stuff" (platform edging, a shelter, St. Andrew's crosses for crossings etc., etc.) as well as a few more applicable wagons for my late 1980s/early 90s branch line idea and 2 bulk packs of Profi-couplings, so it'll have to wait a bit. Those roof exhausts are quite a feature, though looking at prototype photos, it seems not all locos were fitted with them.

I need to get on with the layout, too, as it's scheduled to appear at the Wealden Railway Group Steyning show in March...less than 6 weeks, so no pressure!

Cheers,

Simon.

[SimonHMT]

Well, finally, after 5 months, yesterday I bought a Piko Hobby 218, from Scograil at the Ally Pally show. As they apply a 10% discount at shows, I paid £58 for it, which seems more than reasonable for a new loco. The livery has been applied beautifully and the basic shape seems right; I haven't yet had chance to give it a run as the layout is still packed away from its outing last weekend and we have a photographer coming tomorrow to photograph the house as we've changed agents. I've got as far as taking it out of its box...

Many thanks, all, for your helpful advice, I'll add a bit more once I have had chance to play with test run it.

Cheers,

Simon. 

Edited March 17 by SimonHMT

[GrumpyPenguin]

Generally, the Piko Hobby Locomotives have less detail & the early OHE's had plain wheels without the "discs" & no traction tyres (a good thing actually). Motors were often slightly lower quality and no flywheels.

 

As time goes on the Hobby range is getting better quality, anyway, they are great value & when on DCC run very well indeed.

 

As an aside the Fleischmann BR218 only drives at one end (FWIW although similar to the Hornby/Lima motor bogie it's far superior). Some of the earlier ones can be tricky to DCC due to the metal motor backplate.

[SimonHMT]

I've had time to test run my new loco and fit Profi Couplings this evening; to do this, you need to remove the coupling mounts from the bogies. I managed to lose the spring from the first one; as I'd tidied the dining room, I thought I had a fair chance of finding it, but it's vanished. However, while hunting for it, I found another spring in a corner of the floor that would do the job. It occurred to me that the original spring may have gone inside the loco body, so I removed it to check. No sign of the spring, but I was pretty impressed with the quality of the build. For the money, this loco is good value indeed. Perhaps there are a number of ways in which it's less sophisticated than the more expensive version, but as an everyday running loco I'm quite happy with it.

Another purchase at Ally Pally were 2 further conflats with round (cement?) containers, one swb with 3, one lwb with 5 to complement the lwb one I already had. A Lima twin cement silo wagon found a new home as well. At this rate, I'll need to build a larger layout...