TMC Exclusive Heljan 47 in BR Blue pre-TOPS

[AY Mod]

 

 

https://www.themodelcentre.com/hel4715

 

 

 

[wombatofludham]

That looks nice, there's a photo of it on Flickr from about 1968 at Crewe depot so I could probably justify one on "Wednesford" for the '68 timetable!

[Halvarras]

This is only the second RTR model* of one of the last nine Brush-built 47s released, the first* being Lima's D1957 (I know the BR logos were large on these nine but Lima's were so large they spoiled the appearance of the model).

 

D1960 was built new with ETH equipment (as was D1961), so lower cab front connectors should  be included in the detail pack........

 

*Could have been third and second respectively if Trix had produced D1959, as illustrated in their 1968 catalogue. But no doubt it would have been to their odd 3.8mm scale, so never mind.

[brushman47544]

Wasn’t D1960 delivered with ETH fitted, so presumably the production version will have an ETH plug fitted above the buffer beam?

[Halvarras]

Yes you're right - perhaps I should have said that the ETH equipment should be factory-fitted to the model since the real D1960 was never seen without it, rather than being in the detail pack (assuming it is). The lack of any obvious provision for fitting this is a concern. Perhaps Heljan should have followed Trix's intention and selected D1959 instead, that would have solved the problem!

 

By pure coincidence (I seem to get a lot of those nowadays!) I've ended up with a spare unnumbered blue original Heljan Class 47 and always fancied doing one of these - I could add it to my collection of mainly WR 1974 locos as 47514 - which used to be D1960! Here it is at Liskeard (on a Newquay - Nottingham working IIRC) - all the excuse I need!

I first saw it with TOPS numbers at St Pancras and at the time noted the red dot route restriction symbols below the BR logos, visible in this photo (honorary WR loco?!) I'm aware that the train heating boiler roof arrangement would require changing. D1956 briefly became 47260 too.

 

Curiously during the summer of 1971 several of the D1953-61 blue batch turned up in Cornwall on inter-regional workings, including D1961 which I photographed at Truro (can't retrieve the image at the moment) and D1960 itself, a photo of which appears in page 18 of the Bradford Barton album 'Diesels on Cornwall's Main Line' approaching Bodmin Road on an up working (misidentified as D1650, one of several such instances in that album). These early blue locos had always been allocated to the LMR but shortly after that summer many would go through Crewe Works to be fitted with ETH, repainted into standard blue with central logos and reallocated to the WR to work the new air-conditioned Mark 2 stock between Paddington and Bristol/South Wales. Later still they would gain regional names including 'Albion', 'Fair Rosamund', 'Thames' and 'Severn'.

 

[tmc]

On 11/02/2024 at 13:45, brushman47544 said:

Wasn’t D1960 delivered with ETH fitted, so presumably the production version will have an ETH plug fitted above the buffer beam?

Correct. We have two samples, a very early sample [shown above] and a pre-production sample, photographs of which have now been uploaded onto our website on the link above showing the ETH plug. The parts pack has also been fitted prior to photographing. Apologies for putting old photograph on this link, although it has at least provided a talking point! Actual model isn't too far away now, so not long to wait now hopefully.  

[MidlandRed]

Very impressed with my D1960, which was delivered today. This was a must for me, for my 67/68 set layout - back in the day, D1953-61 and D7660-77 were quite a regular (and notable) sight in my trainspotting days in that era. The loco runs very smoothly and represents the prototype very well (notwithstanding the glitch in the depiction of the engine roof hatches mentioned in the Heljan topic). Looking at the photo of the prototype loco on Flickr it’s a very good representation - looks great. 

 

Edited March 19 by MidlandRed

[Howard Smith TMC]

Watch The Model Centre's exclusive Heljan Brush Type 4 D1960 on Tony Wright's 'Little Bytham' OO gauge layout!

And yes, tension-lock couplings are provided 😉 Check out our custom 'Deluxe' weathering applied to this model, too!

Tony was impressed - order your model of D1960 today from our website: https://www.themodelcentre.com

[Legend]

15 minutes ago, Howard Smith TMC said:

Watch The Model Centre's exclusive Heljan Brush Type 4 D1960 on Tony Wright's 'Little Bytham' OO gauge layout!

And yes, tension-lock couplings are provided 😉 Check out our custom 'Deluxe' weathering applied to this model, too!

Tony was impressed - order your model of D1960 today from our website: https://www.themodelcentre.com

That really is interesting . If I understand Howard correctly this is a DCC sound loco running on analogue. Looks like it’s achieving a fair speed 

[Howard Smith TMC]

2 hours ago, Legend said:

That really is interesting . If I understand Howard correctly this is a DCC sound loco running on analogue. Looks like it’s achieving a fair speed 

 

Yes, DCC sound running on analogue is rarely featured in videos. One of our followers wanted to know if the top speed of the locomotive would be affected, but I think that video proves there's little to no change. Don't think I'd want it running much faster than that!

H