RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted June 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2022 More details of the new batch announced. Heljan Class 14 at Hattons Under electrical it states “no provision for speaker” . Hope that is an error? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted June 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2022 1 minute ago, Phil Bullock said: More details of the new batch announced. Heljan Class 14 at Hattons Under electrical it states “no provision for speaker” . Hope that is an error? Cheers There's barely room for a decoder let alone a speaker. I crammed one in the cab roof for my prototype sound scheme, not ideal but it was a proof of concept rather than the finished item ;) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted June 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2022 34 minutes ago, RedgateModels said: There's barely room for a decoder let alone a speaker. I crammed one in the cab roof for my prototype sound scheme, not ideal but it was a proof of concept rather than the finished item ;) Was hoping some thought might have been given to improving the DCC potential of this model. Ah well James tells me he has squeezed DCC sound in to a couple…. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted June 15, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2022 I could do with them doing a BR Blue example again... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albie the plumber Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Admittedly not plug and play . But with surgery , you can get a speaker and stay alive in it . Sorry the pic is upside down . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted June 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2022 18 minutes ago, Albie the plumber said: Admittedly not plug and play . But with surgery , you can get a speaker and stay alive in it . Sorry the pic is upside down . I cheated with the last one! D9525 on Abbotswood 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbb Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Will the new 14s be free of the mechanical (sloppy chassis) and electrical (fitting DCC) issues that were an unfortunate feature of the 2 that I had to return to Hattons?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Pretty little locos, but I won't be going for one of these. Is it just me or does the price seem a bit much for an 0-6-0 without a tender? Or maybe inflation is even worse than I thought? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted June 16, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2022 39 minutes ago, paulbb said: Will the new 14s be free of the mechanical (sloppy chassis) and electrical (fitting DCC) issues that were an unfortunate feature of the 2 that I had to return to Hattons?? Some of the photos have ominously wonky rods …. But they may be photos of reworked original batch midels Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 1 hour ago, paulbb said: Will the new 14s be free of the mechanical (sloppy chassis) and electrical (fitting DCC) issues that were an unfortunate feature of the 2 that I had to return to Hattons?? I would expect them to be clones of the originals in all respects - but then my D9500 runs perfectly well; albeit mine runs on basic DC. CJI. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRIAN T Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 I contacted Gaugemaster and had a reply from Heljan saying there would be improvements to the chassis stating there had been SOME ISSUES with the last batches, I hope so as the stable running of mine was very unconvincing. But I’m not re-assured with the latest photos ,which MAY BE from the original batch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 According to a tweet by Kernow this morning they will also have LED lights and a 21 pin DCC socket. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toby_tl10 Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 On 16/06/2022 at 18:45, Michael Hodgson said: Pretty little locos, but I won't be going for one of these. Is it just me or does the price seem a bit much for an 0-6-0 without a tender? Or maybe inflation is even worse than I thought? Look at the "new" Hornby M7 at ~£175 (RRP £193.99). Heljan's price isn't too bad imo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 The M7 for some reason has always been expensively priced Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
letterspider Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 I hope they do a LOT of spares for the footrails 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 I was lucky enough to be sent a pre production sample from the new batch. It features slight modifications to have a 21 pin decoder which is a lot better for DCC fitting. It also runs flawlessly and I had it pass 3.5hrs of continuous running with no issues at all. Please note that whilst this is the factory weathered version, the pre production sample had not gone through the weathering process. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Soul Survivor Posted September 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 15, 2022 (edited) Interesting to watch a fairly positive review of the forthcoming ‘upgraded’ Heljan Class 14 re-release. How disappointing though to see how many of the previous issues with this model have not been fully addressed and the opportunities missed to enhance the previous model. The change from 8 pin to 21 pin DCC fitting is a good move as it allows easier and quicker decoder fitment. But still there’s no provision for the fitting of a decent speaker and/or stay alive (which this loco needs if running on DCC). As for having to effectively break off part of the cab interior to enable removing the engine cover to install the decoder, that remains as ridiculous as it was on the previous model. The head code box lighting and directional lamps are an improvement and look way more prototypical. The lighting on the previous models, though much brighter, are leds and not incandescent as stated in the video. Droopy couplings! Surely these could have been sorted out during the upgrade. Also it would have been an improvement if the screw link couplings were supplied as an unfitted accessory so they don’t interfere with any tension lock or kadee coupling when fitted. Supplying a small insert piece to fill the hole in the buffer beam when the NEM pocket is not used would been a nice touch. Yellow colouration to the inside of the buffer beam and shiny plasticky buffers remain as per the previous model, yet another let down. The model still appears to waddle at slow speed, both on the rolling road and on the track. There seems to be as much sideways play in the axles as on previous models, affecting not only the motion but maybe the wiper pickups as well - hence why this model needs provision for the fitting of a stay alive if running on DCC. I’m grateful this video has been posted as I was intending to purchase one of the these newer models. Based on what I’ve seen it just doesn’t deliver the improvements I was hoping for, such as better running characteristics and provision for a loudspeaker or stay alive. Therefore, I’m going to give it a miss and keep fettling my two previous sound fitted models! Edited September 15, 2022 by Soul Survivor 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 I’ll be honest and say I found no need for a stay alive on the model as it ran without issue on my layout. Radically changing the tooling to change other things would effectively mean tooling the model again from scratch. That wasn’t an option, so I’m happy they chose to release this model instead of no model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Soul Survivor Posted September 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 15, 2022 (edited) I can see the loco ran well on your layout, without appearing to suffer from any interruptions to the power supply. If all of the models in this release perform like that straight out of the box then that alone will be a huge improvement over the previous models. I accept there is a limit as to how far a manufacturer wishes go when upgrading an existing model and the impact this will ultimately have on the selling price. As an enthusiast of sound fitted locos maybe I was expecting too much from this upgraded model! However, I still believe some of the enhancements I mentioned could have been included, such as resolving the droopy couplings, including the screw link coupling as a user add on accessory (like the brake shoes and sanding equipment), installing the cab interior bulkhead as a non-glued interference fit to ease DCC decoder fitting. Sensible minor improvements which I believe would have added little to the overall manufacturing cost. It is good to see this model returning to Heljan’s range and I’m sure it will once again prove popular. Correction In light of the recent price increase to £169 I now actually don’t think it will prove that popular. Edited September 20, 2022 by Soul Survivor Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold D9020 Nimbus Posted September 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 15, 2022 The main issue I have had with this model is the cab steps — it is all too easy to damage them. Judging by the video, I got the impression that @Jenny Emily might have has this problem… wondering what's the best way of re-securing them. Mine runs reasonably well, but not as good by comparison as the Farish N gauge model, although that does have red coupling rods which are presumably unprototypical. And a sound-fitted version of that is on the way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRIAN T Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Still waddles then,brake gear issues,I’ve been waiting to see what this upgrade was going to be like,and I am really disappointed.I’ve still got the original, now relegated to the shelf. still prefer my Alexander kit then. Not for me I’m afraid ,glad I’ve seen the review ,can’t stand a wobbly model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted September 15, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 15, 2022 Sounds like the door might still be open for someone else to do a definitive model without these known issues….. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 48 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said: Sounds like the door might still be open for someone else to do a definitive model without these known issues….. Mine has been fine from the outset; (DC running). CJI. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted September 16, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 16, 2022 8 hours ago, cctransuk said: Mine has been fine from the outset; (DC running). CJI. Running of mine isn’t too bad John. It’s the tendency of the cab steps to detach themselves every time she is picked up and the challenges of fitting DCC sound that vex me. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 3 hours ago, Phil Bullock said: Running of mine isn’t too bad John. It’s the tendency of the cab steps to detach themselves every time she is picked up and the challenges of fitting DCC sound that vex me. For the former, I just have to discipline myself not to pick D9500 in the same way as other locos - par for the course with centre-cab locos! CJI. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now