brian daniels Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Nice Chris, still waiting for my local to get them in, I keep on at them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluex5 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Well mine has arrived belated Chrimbo pressie from my wife or is it next years? Not sure probably both. Anyway I didn't have it numbered and named by Tower as I still don't know what I want it to be.. Have to say I was tempted to let them number, name and weather it as I thought the price was reasonable. Anyway here is mine as it stands. Of course it will need a sound decoder fitting as well so as yet it has not been run. I have borrowed a DC controller so who knows this afternoon it may have to have a short trip up and down just to make sure it works of course. Chris Something about it just doesn't quite do it for me I'm afraid. Can't quite put my finger on it but there's something wrong above and beyond the nose side grille cock up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Something about it just doesn't quite do it for me I'm afraid. Can't quite put my finger on it but there's something wrong above and beyond the nose side grille cock up. Just sounds like Heljan didn't bother to listen. OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chriswright03 Posted August 30, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 30, 2011 Something about it just doesn't quite do it for me I'm afraid. Can't quite put my finger on it but there's something wrong above and beyond the nose side grille cock up. Well to me it looks like a Deltic and I suppose to me that is what matters. If you are concerned about the looks then I guess you will choose not to buy one. Having read the posts about the grille I understand what they say and having looked at the pictures can see the difference but as mine is blue it will not be as noticeable. Pay your money take your choice I suppose but I don't have the skill or time to build one from a kit and this will do me. It is a shame if Heljan have had errors pointed out to them and they have done nothing but I am sure many folk will be more than happy with the end result and if they are I suppose that is what matters. No criticism of anyone who wants their loco to be an exact replica. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Williams Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 jbg06003 and I had ours delivered today. Mighty fine pieces of work I reckon in relation to the cost. Yes there are minor errors in them, but I am impressed! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard carr Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I think they look great and do capture the look of the real thing. I shall have to wait until Christmas (unless I get tempted at Telford on Saturday) then the other half can buy me one as a present. I wouldn't be worried by the naysayers, they do not have to buy one. I think these will be Heljans best sellers. I just wish they would get on with the 31. Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluex5 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I think they look great and do capture the look of the real thing. I wouldn't be worried by the naysayers, they do not have to buy one. I would love to buy one, I don't even model in O gauge, if it actually looked convincing I'd buy one just to go in my display cabinet. In some ways it's worse than Bachmann's 4mm effort. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 Well I picked mine up yesterday and proceded to take it apart straight away! Well you have to put the bufferbeam detail on yourself and you need to remove the body to insert the two white pipe casting into the end with the hinged flap on the secondmans side. I found that I had to remove the paint from the locating lugs on the air pipes. Unfortunatly they forgot to paint the ETH jumper sockets so it was out with the orange paint. Also had to get the silver out as the steam pipes are painted white! I also pushed out all the side windows and painted the raised edge silver. With the body off I replaced the headcodes with my own domino ones as there are no alternatives suppled with this loco. With a screw driver I just pushed the headcode glass out from the inside. The nameplates are from Shawplan stuck on with double sided tape. I still have to put on the data and shed code panals i have from Precision Labels. As these are very fine it's better to add these after the weathering or you will rub them off again. One bit that was a bit of a surprise was having to glue the steps on the side of the bogies. There are no locating pips, just a flush back to the steps but they superglued on to the corisponding flats on the bogie ok. I will do a bit with the dry brush tomorrow. I will have it with me at Telford if you want a closer look. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Your going to have to take it back into the shed to get the hand brake chain sorted out. OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon020 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Brian... for results achieved in one day, my cap is doffed in your direction sir. There are inaccuracies, but these have all been discussed... and yes, with a little work, it's got the beginnings of a nice model... it's wouldn't really be modelling if it was perfect out of the box. Mind you... I can't really take those bogies seriously... but if one was done in preserved condition, it could be lived with. Actually... I've only just noticed... they've copied the Bachmann fuel tanks haven't they... oh well! For perfectionists there will be LH Loveless. For those on a budget (although still bigger than my budget), there's this... and I think it's a product that will do very well indead. J Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oldlugger Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I think the loco looks splendid and Brian's weathering really shows up the model's fine lines. I've checked the photos of Brian's loco against a prototype photo and I'm hard pressed to find the faults. In the mean time here's an interesting Class 55 moment:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9VENJeoUK0&feature=related Someone didn't lay their P4 track very carefully! The weight of a Deltic on old bullhead track, especially on switch blades must be a big ask... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 I can say with hand on my heart that nothing has been copied from anyone with Heljan stuff. I am still wondering if the fuel tanks could do with narrowing a bit, like most of their 7mm locos. I will do another at sometime as a re-furbished loco and see what Brian Hanson does to add a bit more detail. I really wanted to get this one in a weathered state at least for Telford this weekend hence why nothing has been done to it. I have those handbrake chains off until I am sure I don't want to get the body off again! I have also been thinking about the bogies and was wondering if you could slice the raised edge off at least to go some way to represent the cast bogies. You have to do this to the DJH Deltic and to be fare it does not look too bad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon020 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I can say with hand on my heart that nothing has been copied from anyone with Heljan stuff. Brian, yes sorry... hadn't meant to imply anything there... it's just that the tanks at the bottom look to be a very similar shape to the Bach ones... which are wrong. As for the bogies, you'll need to build up the outer ends... and move the tie-bar brackets (if that's what they're called) as they don't line up with the attachments on the body on fabricated bogies (as on RSG/GH/A/RHF today). Honestly.. it looks a good base to detail from. Odd that they didn't include the front end (bufferbeam) steps - an important aesthetic element. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 Hi Jon, I have never seen a Bachman Deltic that close up so I do not know how they have done theirs. Maybe drawings are showing a different arrangement? Wouldn't be the first time that the real loco differs from the drawings. I don't know why Heljan did not do the corner steps but as they would have been in plastic I would probably have broken them by now! It's on the list of etched bits to get done, got to keep the British cottage industries going. I think I might be able to get a "spare" bogie sideframe to play about with later and may as well try my luck and see if there are any spare fuel tanks to see what's the best way to narrow them rather than try on these weathered ones. The ETH will have to go but not until I have found some decent ones that I can get enough for 2 locos. I have a set of DJH ETH jumpers but only one set and as I will do a re-furbished loco later I want them both looking the same in that respect. I have done a bit of oil stains on it now and added the TOPs panels. One other little job to do later is make some better headcode dominos as the ones I have are a bit too close together. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon020 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Brian, the problem with the fuel tanks... and I didn't realise until Mr Hanson pointed it out is that there is no pronounced lower lip, the side face folds inwards and the lower piece comes out underneath to leave a channel... but not much of a lip... as in the photos you have on your flickr pages (which I admit to refering to from time to time). The Bachmann one has it the same as the Heljan one here - a big lip. I've doen soem alterations on my current P4 project and whilst this is now all on hold pending a body paint strip and start again, the chassis etc still looks ok. It's all blogged if you want to look. The ETH modules and bracket do need some work. In 4mm, there's not much available that looks particularly good close up - so I scratch built mine from plastic rod and wire... the upper piece fitting to the Extreme Etchings bracket... again, construction blogged by me. I'm sure that Brian's got plans for some etchings... time will tell. A headcode frame etch might help the front end look... and yes, when I repalced my Bachmann dominoes with soem precision labels ones - further apart, the look was much better... my currect project is going for the 1974 look though - TOPS and 4-digit code... gone for 1E05 and 1S17. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomstaf Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 The ETH will have to go but not until I have found some decent ones that I can get enough for 2 locos. I have a set of DJH ETH jumpers but only one set and as I will do a re-furbished loco later I want them both looking the same in that respect. Hi Brian, It's looking very nice indeed . I think the JLTRT ETH cables are great. Perhaps a purchase form Laurie... Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 That's funny Tom, I was thinking of those as well We will have to have a word with Brian Hanson to see what he will do for these models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DelticBlade Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I am hoping for the 1970's refurbished examples minus sandbox fillers, removed quarterlight and plated over headcode. Finished off with the white window surrounds. I don't even model O gauge but a Deltic is worth a dabble. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 You will have re-furbish one yourself as Heljan will not be bringing one out I'm afraid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raffles Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 That's interesting Brian. Do you know of a reason behind this policy? They never retooled the 47 for later versions so at least they are being consistent I suppose. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Flynn Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Hi Well i have read most of the bits n pieces on the Deltic and i have got to say if i owned Brians 55021 looking like that i would be a very happy chappie? Keep up the good work Brian Hugh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Saw loads of them today at the Telford show including Brians and it will do for me. Got one on its way from Tower Models and will be ordering another one soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Man's Handle Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 This is a nice looking loco and the work Brian Daniels has done is obviously to a very high standard. But to comment on the actual Heljan loco... I read through this thread last night, although not particularly thoroughly, and I found it quite interesting, or perhaps, confusing. I saw (but my recollection may be a little dim) a few points mentioning that possible flaws have already been discussed (I'm not sure where, though) and (I think) a couple of people saying something along the lines of "If only they'd make this in 4mm too". Would a scaled-down version of this really be so much better than the Bachmann offering? Yes, the Bachmann 55 has a bit of a dodgy ride height, presumably to enable it to get around tight corners. If you don't need it to go around tight corners, it is quite easy to improve matters (by taking the bogies out and cutting down a little bit of plastic. Yes, JimSW has another method that is a bit more difficult, which he believes to be better, but that's a bit beside the point). Perhaps this is the reason the Lima model has very under-scale bogies, but I don't know. My point is that if Heljan made a 00 version of this, they'd also likely have to bodge something to make it go around tight curves, or have a model that wouldn't work on a lot of people's layouts - it's just the same compromise (and I think the Bachmann situation is about right - those who want to take a loco out of the box and put it on their trainset are happy; those who have more serious layouts can do a bit of easy work and then feel a warm glow about how much better they've made it look). I suppose the other point to make is that this is a 7mm model and so of course some of the detail looks better than a 4mm one. If a 4mm version of this loco was made, it's likely quite a bit of detail wouldn't make the transition so well (although there is most definitely scope to improve on some of the Bachmann 'detail', some of which barely qualifies to be called such - like that black outline of a rectangle printed on one nose... uh). Anyway, regardless of scale, what hits me when I look at pictures of this loco is "What... have... they... done... to... the... nose?" I think there was a brief mention of this earlier in the thread - it's all rather 'round'. People seem more concerned with the slope of the top of the nose being correct, as that's what Bachmann made a (fairly slight, in my opinion) error with. Hey, it does look cute, but if you look at a 'corner' of the nose against any of a thousand class 55 photos, it's obviously way out. It's seems to be a bit of a Heljan tradition for locos to be quite nice but suffer from some glaring error which would be a real pain in the backside to correct (e.g. Western cab roof, 'Tubby Duff'). In 4mm, I'd much rather start with a Bachmann nose than a scaled-down version of this. Lord, maybe even the Lima one (okay, maybe not). It's not my intention to 'rubbish' this model - I'm sure it's a welcome addition - but there does seem to be a slight whiff of 'The Emperor's New Clothes' or something. "It looks close enough to a Deltic for me" is fine (I don't think there is any RTR alternative?) ... and there are those who 'just like' their tubby duffs (the ones that didn't self-destruct) despite there being a better alternative (in the majority of objective opinions, anyway) - fine also. But I just don't see much point in wishing for a 00 version of this. It seems to me to be a case of 'Better the devil you don't know' - perhaps people have been reading about the Bachmann faults for years and have a 'newer must be better' thing going on. Or maybe the nose shape just isn't that important, or people see it differently to how I see it. Some questions might be answered when the final version of the Heljan 00 DP2 comes to light, if it's along the same lines. Ade 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverstreak Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 One of our club members brought along a Blue Heljan Deltic this evening and I have to say i was pretty impressed with it as It looked much better in the flesh than from the pictures I had previously seen on the net. It had a real presence about it and so its reaching for the wallet time I really hope that Brian Hanson can be persuaded to do a Headcode box etch at some time in the near future as thats how I remember them. Has anyone on here contacted Brian to test the waters !! Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted September 10, 2011 Author Share Posted September 10, 2011 (edited) I think Pete Harvey may be doing one and cab steps and maybe a few more bits later Well when I get some pictures off to him. Edited September 10, 2011 by brian daniels 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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