the-gog Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 It may be to do with availability of fonts. I found it took a bit of chasing around to get Gill Sans for my Mac (although it wasn't unduly difficult) but I'm not sure Rail Alphabet would be available - I think Brian Haresnape recommended Helvetica as an alternative when we did the Corporate Image signs in Model Railway Constructor WAY back. Also, it may well be that these bodies were printed long before the font disparity was pointed out here or anywhere else. CHRIS LEIGH It's quite simple really - if the correct font isn't available, the text (i.e. unit number) can be drawn up on a machine that has it installed, and exported as a vector graphic (e.g. EPS or similar) to Heljan. Whatever machine Heljan use to print onto the bodyshells, it will have been supplied with a rasterised image of a vector, so they don't really need to have Rail Alphabet or Gill Sans - provided someone supplies them with a vector image of the text needed to be printed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted February 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2014 The rivets do look a bit odd.......but what hideous looking things anyway once shorn of their gangways....the face of M55993 is reminiscent of a "Cyberman" to my eyes. Or a Cyberman crossed with an Ood.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2014 It may be to do with availability of fonts. I found it took a bit of chasing around to get Gill Sans for my Mac (although it wasn't unduly difficult) but I'm not sure Rail Alphabet would be available - I think Brian Haresnape recommended Helvetica as an alternative when we did the Corporate Image signs in Model Railway Constructor WAY back. Also, it may well be that these bodies were printed long before the font disparity was pointed out here or anywhere else. CHRIS LEIGH Rail alphabet definitely used to be available on PCs - common default installation on some PCs in BR offices - so it might be that someone has a copy of it on disc (not sure if it would be suitable for Mac tho') Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-gog Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Rail alphabet definitely used to be available on PCs - common default installation on some PCs in BR offices - so it might be that someone has a copy of it on disc (not sure if it would be suitable for Mac tho') TTF work perfectly on Macs. The only explanation for this mistake is mediocrity, and an "it'll do" mentality. RWJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave47549 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cctransuk Posted February 20, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2014 It may be to do with availability of fonts. I found it took a bit of chasing around to get Gill Sans for my Mac (although it wasn't unduly difficult) but I'm not sure Rail Alphabet would be available - I think Brian Haresnape recommended Helvetica as an alternative when we did the Corporate Image signs in Model Railway Constructor WAY back. Also, it may well be that these bodies were printed long before the font disparity was pointed out here or anywhere else. CHRIS LEIGH Sorry, Chris, but this won't wash. Gill Sans is readily available. Even if Heljan weren't entirely happy with the 'weight' of the commercially available fonts, (as I wasn't), it is the easiest thing in the world to use vector graphics software to add or subtract an outline in order to achieve an exact match to BR Gill Sans. TRANSPORT font, (as used for road signs), is readily available from the DoT website and this is an almost exact match for the RAIL font. However, a quick Google search suggests that acquisition of the true RAIL font is easy enough. My implication that this error has more to do with "It'll be near enough..." still stands. Regards, John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-gog Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 TRANSPORT font, (as used for road signs), is readily available from the DoT website and this is an almost exact match for the RAIL font. Not wanting to drag this off-topic, but this isn't true. They're nothing like each other. Look at the lower case L for a start. Rail Alphabet is very similar to Helvetica 55/65. Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Sorry, Chris, but this won't wash. Gill Sans is readily available. Even if Heljan weren't entirely happy with the 'weight' of the commercially available fonts, (as I wasn't), it is the easiest thing in the world to use vector graphics software to add or subtract an outline in order to achieve an exact match to BR Gill Sans. TRANSPORT font, (as used for road signs), is readily available from the DoT website and this is an almost exact match for the RAIL font. However, a quick Google search suggests that acquisition of the true RAIL font is easy enough. My implication that this error has more to do with "It'll be near enough..." still stands. Regards, John Isherwood. I wouldn't know what Heljan were or weren't happy with. Just stated my own experience. Haven't seen the models yet (they are waiting on my desk for Monday, I'm told). CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdseyecircus Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 My BR Blue and RM versions arrived today. A quick look at them and I was annoyed to find on the BR Blue unit one of the exhaust pipes on the end fitted wonkey. Hopefully I will correct it in the next few days. I was surprised at how heavy the models are. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-gog Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 My BR Blue and RM versions arrived today. A quick look at them and I was annoyed to find on the BR Blue unit one of the exhaust pipes on the end fitted wonkey. Hopefully I will correct it in the next few days. I was surprised at how heavy the models are. Paul I got the BR blue one when they first came out. It runs like a Swiss watch. Easily the best runner out of assorted Bachmann, Hornby, & Dapol fleet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 My BR Blue and RM versions arrived today. A quick look at them and I was annoyed to find on the BR Blue unit one of the exhaust pipes on the end fitted wonkey. Hopefully I will correct it in the next few days. I was surprised at how heavy the models are. Paul Hi Paul, could you answer a quick question here, how pronounced do the rivets on the cab ends look in the flesh ? I know cameras can sometimes cause an illusion on the picture making them stand out more than they do to the eye Many thanks in advance Craig. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdseyecircus Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Hi Craig, the rivets seem to be painted on as I can feel no relief when I run a finger nail over them. They are a little on the dark side making them stand out. Here a few pics of the BR Blue one - complete with dodgy exhaust! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pheaton Posted February 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2014 dagnabbit....beat me too it.... don't care what the rivets and the font looks like....its still a beast That's the RM one by the way not the blue one... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Gents, many thanks for taking the time to do the pictures, RM Red baby being ordered from Hattons tonight Happy Modelling Craig. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdseyecircus Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I am going goggled eyed! can someone please advise which exhaust pipe in the picture is wrong. As we look at it the left one's locating point has broke near the bottom leaving the pip exposed. Yet it looks right. If I move the base across to the broken pip it does not look right. The right hand side one looks wonky despite it being fixed in place at the top and bottom! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Hi Paul, by my reckoning they are upside down on each side, that looks like a Friday afternoon job at the Heljan factory !!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Look at Pheaton's pic of his Red version just below your post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-gog Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I am going goggled eyed! can someone please advise which exhaust pipe in the picture is wrong. As we look at it the left one's locating point has broke near the bottom leaving the pip exposed. Yet it looks right. If I move the base across to the broken pip it does not look right. The right hand side one looks wonky despite it being fixed in place at the top and bottom! Pa Neither are correct. They're the exhaust pipes from the Midland units wrongly attached to your M55993 which is a former WR unit. The WR ones had gangways, but lost them, the LMR ones had centre headcode boxes and no gangways. The LMR exhaust pipes bowed outwards at the headcode boxes, while the WR ones bowed inwards to clear the split headcode boxes. Looks like Mr Xin at the Heljan plant attached the wrong exhaust pipes by accident. Get in touch with Howes for a replacement pair of WR exhaust pipes. Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 PS look at my avatar for reference "doh !!!" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cctransuk Posted February 20, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2014 I am going goggled eyed! can someone please advise which exhaust pipe in the picture is wrong. As we look at it the left one's locating point has broke near the bottom leaving the pip exposed. Yet it looks right. If I move the base across to the broken pip it does not look right. The right hand side one looks wonky despite it being fixed in place at the top and bottom! Paul DSC_0075 (Copy).JPG No personal experience, but my impression is wrong exhaust pipe / body combination. If you check, the exhaust pipes shown in the two recent sets of photos are different - one set angles inat the base; the other angles out. Something's wrong somewhere!! Regards, John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave47549 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Neither are correct. They're the exhaust pipes from the Midland units wrongly attached to your M55993 which is a former WR unit. The WR ones had gangways, but lost them, the LMR ones had centre headcode boxes and no gangways. The LMR exhaust pipes bowed outwards at the headcode boxes, while the WR ones bowed inwards to clear the split headcode boxes. Looks like Mr Xin at the Heljan plant attached the wrong exhaust pipes by accident. Get in touch with Howes for a replacement pair of WR exhaust pipes. Richard That's the solution.....Dda Iawn Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cctransuk Posted February 20, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2014 Not wanting to drag this off-topic, but this isn't true. They're nothing like each other. Look at the lower case L for a start. Rail Alphabet is very similar to Helvetica 55/65. Richard I bow to your superior knowledge - but it doesn't change the fact that the genuine Rail Alphabet, which is better than "very similar" to the one used by British Rail, is only a Google search away from Heljan. Regards, John Isherwood. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pheaton Posted February 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2014 Of interest....why has one side (right if you look head on) have that plated arrangement around the headlight? but the other side does not? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdseyecircus Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Thanks for the reply guys. I will send Howes an email. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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