Diesels in O

[gronk the shunter]

Hello. Being new to all this O gauge stuff (though I did have a triang hymek with mark 2 coaches and bright red plastic track in 1973) I'm unsure as to the quality/value for money of what's available. I very much like the look of the jltrt range, but am put off by the price and the fact that as a novice the risk having to build and paint it might mean I end up with £500 worth of rubbish. Etched kits are for that reason out of the window for now.

 

I'm interested in a 20 and a 37, so what are your thoughts on both the Heljan stuff and the jltrt? THe Heljan locos look pretty good to me (as opposed to their mark I's which I think look very basic for the money) and are idiot proof needing only a bit of weathering I think, or am I wrong? Please enlighten me!

[Redkiterail]

this might help:

http://pete.railnuts.com/2010/10/25/sale-of-a-collectsion-of-diesel/

JLTRT van kits are intresting the white metal supensions needs adjusting to fit but most of it is very easy to put together.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Gronk,

For what it's worth, IMHO go for the Heljan class 37 and 20 - FOR NOW!!!!

They will get you up and running in 7mm and all you need to do is add decals for the numbers and weathering if you wish. They are good, solid, reliable models that will pull the house down.

THEN, try something small from other ranges like JLTRT, Parkside, Slaters etc to get your kit building skills into order, all the while going to shows and talking to guys on the 7mm demo tables & layouts to pick up as many tips as you can.

 

Have a read through here as well;

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/20102-availability-of-7mm-diesels-in-uk/

 

Honestly, i don't have a very, very high opinion of the Skytrex class 37 and i would simply hate to see someone "put off" 7mm by spending a large amount of cash on a very basic model, when for just a few pounds more (possibly less when discounted!) the Heljan model is sooo good!

Cheers,

John E.

[mikeg]

I would second the Heljan locos, I have a 47 and having put a sound chip in its superb, good runner, looks and now sounds right. I have a skytrek sentinal and I think that is good value for money, as is their 31, but I do not think that the 37 is a good basic model but does require detailling to finish it off! One thing to remember is that you need a good controller for the Heljan locos as they can draw a high stall current, they finished off a Gaugemaster controller at our club, we now have 5A controllers and have had no further problems. My 47 runs off the Prodigy DCC with no problems, other than when I switch on the fans the code box lights go off in one direction, have yet to find the cause.

 

regards

 

mike g

[brian daniels]

I will echo the other coments here, go for a Heljan loco first. You will get plenty of building experiance doing some rolling stock to go with it as apart from Heljan Mk I's and Skytrex I think, there are no coaches ready to run. Wagons as well, apart from Skytrex and now a mineral wagon from Lionheart, you will need to make kits.

 

What period are you thinking of modelling?

[Guest Digital]

I have Heljan Class 20,37 and 47 and can honestly say they are great models and an ideal start to 7mm modelling.

All my models have sound decoders fitted and all run very nicely.

There are several companies who will do weathering and resprays of Heljan locos for you, Tower Models in Blackpool do many Heljan resprays.

 

Regards

John

[tetsudofan]

I started dabbling in "O" gauge this summer to run at my local Model Engineering Society track when I first saw the Heljan Cl.20 - just had to buy it . Followed up this purchase with a Heljan Cl.47 and some Skytrex wagons. Next on the "buy" list is the soon-to-be released Heljan Deltic B).

 

Only problem is that on a visit to my local HobbyShop I indulged in a spot of impulse buying and ended up with a Lenz "O" gauge digital start set (with a gorgeous little Kof and some freight wagons) - and later this year Lenz is due to release a long-awaited 2-6-2T DB loco

 

What will it be? Deltic or steamie ?

[two tone green]

Although I too am starting out on the O road, the Heljan 47 & 37 I have are very nice models.

 

Skytrex wagons seem reasonable, got two, but to me their locos seem to lack something that makes them not just like the real thing. Shape, detail etc, cannot quite put my finger on it but looking at the at shows just does not convince me to buy one.

 

Wagon wise I will build kits now having had a go and have bulk bought from Tower as they offer good deals on six at a time.

 

Should have a Bachmann brass 08 next week at home for me to add to my quickly expanding range of O stuff. Looking to get a JLTRT EE Type 4 in January and Deltics around Easter. Must build a layout for this lot soon

[Allegheny1600]

Is it generally thought of as not a great model then? Haven't seen one close up, only going by photos I am afraid. How does it compare with their other stuff?

 

Hi,

I'm not going to knock the model any further, it was designed as a model for running on garden layouts where the general appearence is perfectly fine from a distance but it was never designed to be a "showcase" model and i assume that initially you will be building an indoor layout where your stock may bear close inspection???

All i'm saying is that the Heljan class 37 DOES bear close inspection and IMHO actually looks like a class 37!!! As an introduction to 7mm modelling, i would say it would be hard to beat and for the price difference (if any) between Heljan and Skytrex..........go Danish!!!

Also, get out and about if you possibly can and examine the various makes of loco on offer - nothing like a close inspection of a potential purchase!

A certain Mr Waterman is usually very happy to help in this regard and his stuff takes some beating!

Cheers,

John E.

[gronk the shunter]

Thanks everyone for that info, though I have to say that the skytrex 37 was never on my short list. I've been spending a lot of time looking at Brian's photo site and am very much impressed by the jltrt 24, 25 and 40. I want to base the layout in the north west in 1977-1981 time (when I used to travel by train to school everyday passing Crewe diesel depot. All those lines of 24's made a lasting impression on me. As an impressionable 13 year old only Racquel Welch in a fur bikini in 1,000,000 years bc could compete with 24 133 !!! ) I've seen the Heljan 37 and thought it good but not as good as the JLTRT one, but then it is a fair bit cheaper and ready to run. Trouble is 37's especially twin headcode one's (and 20's for that matter) were rare beasts in my setting - why didn't they do a 40 instead!!!

 

I think a trip to tower models might be a good idea in the next day or two. One concern though is with it's current draw will be safe to run on a NCE powercab?

[Redkiterail]

Current draw depends on the motor type, number of motors, load of train and gradients.