RBE Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Thats very tempting now. I dont care what livery, I'd repaint it. I wonder how one would look beside my modded Hornby railfreight loco? Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Tempting to use them to remotor a detailed Hornby model. Sell the hj body on, they seem to go for about £10-15 on ebay, brings the costs down further. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lokomotivfuhrer Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Tempting to use them to remotor a detailed Hornby model. Sell the hj body on, they seem to go for about £10-15 on ebay, brings the costs down further. Dave Do you think that's a better/easier option than trying to fit a Hornby body to the Heljan chassis? I like you have a couple of Honby bodies which are repaints/detailed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I ordered a Virgin one yesterday and although just outside my era at that price it would be rude not to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Dave Do you think that's a better/easier option than trying to fit a Hornby body to the Heljan chassis? I like you have a couple of Honby bodies which are repaints/detailed. Sorry I probably wasnt clear, I did mean fit the Hornby body to the whole HJ chassis, not just lift the motor out. I haven't tried the conversion yet as I wouldnt pay the inflated hj prices, but £49 is getting tempting, but I would like several 86s, 87s and the odd 90, and it starts getting expensive again. There shouldn't be too much work to get the Hornby body to fit. I've gone down the baccy warship remotor route that Jim SW ( and others ) promote, which actually is replacing the motor and towers. hth Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Was looking at using one of these to engine my DC kits Class 81, but looks like the Bachmann 85 would be better. Still, a class 86/87/90 could do with one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi Charlie An 81 is a fair bit shorter than an 86 - It would be a bit of a squeeze! Cheers Jim (who thinks that £49 is now probably a fair price for what it is) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Very true, had thought of canabalising it. On a related topic Jim I've tried to send you a pm about upgrading Hornby 86/87's but it seems I can't for some reason! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridwatcher Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Well if they think dropping the price to less than that of a Hornby railroad loco will tempt me they would be totally correct!!!!!!!!! Virgin livery please thanks for the tip jonathan! And me too! In fact despite the well deserved froth for the B85 the derision which some people on this site hurl at the H86 is amusing to say the least. My two green ones sound fitted and pans modified are just fine! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Have noted though even with the price drop to £49- hattons still seem to have plenty in stock!! mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 My two green ones sound fitted and pans modified are just fine! Just fine for you you mean. If you are happy then that's all that matters. However you can't claim (and I appreciate you are not) that they capture the look of a real 86 at all. They have head codes, a lower section of roof and the right number of windows but after that it's all a bit sketchy. The Hornby effort is a lot better, not spot on, but at least it's fixable, the Heljan one isn't. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
True_British_Metal Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Sorry to bump an old thread, but does anyone own a Heljan Class 86? If so, do they have problems with loose parts? I bought 86214 Sans Pareil new, and it has a tendency for the roof detail to fall off, and they're a nightmare to refit! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matabiau Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 I have a similar problem with the underside detail that has come loose. I wouldn't have said it's the most fragile of locos but you do have to be careful when picking it up not to touch the detail. i did have to return a model of Sans Pareil as it arrived with the pantograph deployed within the box. The foam packaging is a nightmare with the detail, while it protects the main body of the loco by absorbing any shock and movement it has a habit of trapping sharp components such as the sand pipes and anything on the roof and ripping it off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Look like a few bits have fallen off this one...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S5zvvUePjHs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S5zvvUePjHs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
True_British_Metal Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I have a similar problem with the underside detail that has come loose. I wouldn't have said it's the most fragile of locos but you do have to be careful when picking it up not to touch the detail. i did have to return a model of Sans Pareil as it arrived with the pantograph deployed within the box. The foam packaging is a nightmare with the detail, while it protects the main body of the loco by absorbing any shock and movement it has a habit of trapping sharp components such as the sand pipes and anything on the roof and ripping it off. Well there was something that came loose underneath the loco but it's not major because it fits in somewhere that you can't see generally. Funny about the pantograph, I bought mine and the pantograph was loose too but I thought that was on purpose! Yeah the foam had snapped off the part of the aerials that point upwards, despite the plastic wrapping. My problem was part of the wires on top; the short wire that's near the white box came off because one of the parts that hold it up came loose and it's impossible to fit back in! That said my I live near Howes who deal with Heljan stock, and my Dad's known one of the employees there since forever so he could help out if I don't manage to repair it myself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpuddyMcFuddy Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Does anyone have any more concrete information as to whether these 86's are the last ones Heljan are producing? I can't believe that they'd not bring out any in BR blue or original intercity liveries..... Or 86401 as a special.... the list goes on!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frobisher Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I can't believe that they'd not bring out any in BR blue or original intercity liveries..... Or 86401 as a special.... the list goes on!!!! As I understand it, the tooling so far only supports headlight and RCH fitted locos (and hence plated head code boxes) so BR Blue not an option really based on the first two, and I think the RCH jumpers rule out original Intercity as well by and large. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 No it doesn't. Plenty of 86 had them while still in blue and most in original intercity would have had them at some point. They first appeared at the end of 86 which was a while before push pull operation commenced. Hth Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
59205 Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I'd be surprised if Heljan did any more 86's. The model itself was pretty much slated at the time of release, the livery errors, the high price and the overscale pantograph. I'd imagine Heljan would be wary of investing in improving these areas, and the costs that come with them if they are going to end up with shed loads of them unsold. Depending on how the 85 goes, i'd fancy Bachmann or maybe even Hornby to do a top notch 86 within years. After all it is the most numerous of the ac electric loco's and has had a very long lifespan. There is a lot of potential with it. Again, just my opinion though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutton Junction Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I heard about Hattons selling them cheap and snapped up the Virgin one straight away. Ive been considering buying it at full RRP for the last year or so now and at its current price I finally had to take the plunge!!! I hope its been worth the wait. Just hope they lower the price of the Freightliner one soon too!!! Cant wait to recive it now Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 The thing is though that the tubby 47 had mixed reactions and arguably has been overtaken by Bachmann (I know there are issues with it as well but at least it hasn't eaten all the pork pies in the buffet) and Aunty Vi, yet it didn't stop Heljan releasing a second batch, un-numbered, some of which Hattons are expecting a delivery of soon! I suspect that the fat 47 must still sell, so despite the poor reception for the 86, I wouldn't be surprised to see a second run cashing in on the 85, although whether any other liveries will come is open to debate. I must admit late 80's banger blue with the floodlight and connectors would be fine for me, or IC Executive. I could probably forgive the slightly rounded look of the front end if they replaced the second hand high tension pylon they put on for a pantograph! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpuddyMcFuddy Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I'm of a quandry now. Basically, I like the Heljan 86 in appearance.... I certainly like it more than the Hornby 86 which felt rather plasticy..... but then, the last one I had was Frank Hornby and before that Phoenix. However, if they are probably not making any more then I was considering snapping up one two for a paint job on them, but is it really likely that other companies will do another model of them - Hornby seem a prime example seeing as they seem to be going through their whole catalogue updating it as they go. To buy one and repaint or to wait..... I don't like waiting!!! One thing I will say. Heljan are by far the worst for electrics. None of my other loco's flicker over points, but my Heljan 58, 26 and 86 all flicker slightly over points - slightly irritating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frobisher Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 No it doesn't. Plenty of 86 had them while still in blue and most in original intercity would have had them at some point. They first appeared at the end of 86 which was a while before push pull operation commenced. Ah, okay Though photographic evidence (online) seems to be sparse (the only one I could find was of an 86/2 in 1987, freshly outshopped (no headlight but plated headcode) with the initial configuration of jumpers). The headlight is pretty much the blocker then rather than the TDM (I think I said RCH before which is not strictly right...) cables. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 There's loads of pics - see http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Class+86+1987 Also in blue with tdm cables and headlights Hth Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frobisher Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Also in blue with tdm cables and headlights Just the one though, not counting the ones with MU and TDM cables (which isn't a configuration Heljan made is it?). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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