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Bachmann Class 24 any good?


JamesB 34067

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Hi all

 

After my trip on the NYMR last week we was ment to have a 9F but it failed so we got the railways class 24 D5061, it was my first time to get a class 24 and I think there great locos so when I got back from the holiday I checked Hattons to see if anyone does them and what came up I was happy as if I do get one I can get D5061 http://www.ehattons.com/StockDetail.aspx?SID=32727

 

so does anyone have a Bachmann class 24 and are they good models or should I not bother??

 

Regards

James

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There are shape issues but I quite like them as a model. I have two, a plain green one and a two tone green, both superb runners. The new ones have lights as far as I know, mine have the excellent Express models lighting kits fitted (kit also works well in class 44's!).

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I bought some when they first came out (24081, 5087 and D5054) and several subsequent releases. I've never had any faults with them and they've all run very well. Under the lid they are fairly similar to the Bachmann class 25s which are also excellent runners of which I have far too many!

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As others have mentioned there are issues with the shape of the cab. My preference is to use the Hornby 25 body as a starting point for a conversion married to the Bachmann mechanism which runs beautifully. Not quite as sophisticated as James and Jim Smith Wright's Hornby cabs, Bachmann centre body recipe, but still an improvement I believe. Here's one of mine.

 

morfa+trackbed+1.jpg

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The chassis need some work to be 100%, funnily enough it was also a trip on the NYMR behind the 25 that sparked an interest in 24/25's and I noticed the chassis issues. The Bachmann rats are good runners but the cab shape is wrong so well overdue a rehash from Bachmann, however I can live with them.

 

Here are some photos of my modified ones:

 

post-7400-0-99548700-1304364547_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-7400-0-45444500-1304364629_thumb.jpg

 

post-7400-0-99056400-1304364654_thumb.jpg

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For one who doesn't know, what are the issues with the 24/25's? Are they major ones or we talking minor issues that those who study these closely or used them recognise? :)

 

 

The curve of the cab roof is too shallow, while the cab is raked back too steeply on all versions. They are noticeable when you know about them, and hard to fix without resorting to cab changes. The model 25/0 has raised side grilles (correct for the 24) but they should be flush with the bodyside. The chassis is very 2 dimensional, less noticeable on the 24 as the valances around the bufferbeam makes it less noticeable.

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I agree with everything said before: great running qualities, let down by cab front gutter and window shapes being too shallow at the top and, on the 24s, too deep at the bottom, also the slight lack of relief around the fuel tank area.

 

As with the other posters here, I am still happy to run several Bachmann 24s and 25s, although I have modified the cab roof area and gutter with microstrip on the green 24 I run the most, as I fitted it with Howes sound as well.

 

As with the Heljan class 47s, I can forgive many sins to have the superb running qualities offered.

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Guest jim s-w

Hiya

 

The 24 is the best of the Bachmann rats. In addition to the cab problems mentioned and the under frame also be aware that the beading around the center panels of the roof is in the wrong place. All of the roof panels line up on a class 24 while the Bachmann one matches the later body class 25.

 

Hth

 

Jim

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I agree with everything said before: great running qualities, let down by cab front gutter and window shapes being too shallow at the top and, on the 24s, too deep at the bottom, also the slight lack of relief around the fuel tank area.

 

As with the other posters here, I am still happy to run several Bachmann 24s and 25s, although I have modified the cab roof area and gutter with microstrip on the green 24 I run the most, as I fitted it with Howes sound as well.

 

As with the Heljan class 47s, I can forgive many sins to have the superb running qualities offered.

 

What the SRMan said. Happily running half a dozen 24s (3 in various stages of conversion to the Highland spec 5114-5132), and 3 of the later body style (and for my money, less compromised) Class 25s.

 

Can't complain about the performance, and the breed does repay investment in time and effort, really it depends what deficiencies you see and how much work you want to put in. Let's face it, it's the only show in town and it's not so bad for all its underframe/ solebar and cab dome issues.

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Further good feature, plenty of space behind the bufferbeam for a body mounted autocoupler to be installed, which means bufferbeam detail is not fouled by a swinging bogie mounted autocoupler. Having done this for some time using Kadee, it finally occurred to me to try it with a miniature tension lock: and on a short BoBo it works reliably down to 30" radius (not tested on anything smaller).

 

The fine running qualities of the chassis already remarked on means that a good basic decoder delivers smooth performance on DCC; this is one of the chassis that received a Bachmann 36-554 decoder when it was available at £9, a good saving over the Lenz silver for indistinguishable drive.

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The curve of the cab roof is too shallow, while the cab is raked back too steeply on all versions. They are noticeable when you know about them, and hard to fix without resorting to cab changes. The model 25/0 has raised side grilles (correct for the 24) but they should be flush with the bodyside. The chassis is very 2 dimensional, less noticeable on the 24 as the valances around the bufferbeam makes it less noticeable.

Do you mean a 25/1? I wasn't aware that a 25/0 had been made as of yet? ( hoping your going to say yes now!) :lol:

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Do you mean a 25/1? I wasn't aware that a 25/0 had been made as of yet? ( hoping your going to say yes now!) :lol:

 

Sorry to get your hopes up, I meant 25/1, got confused as my own model is numbered 25057!!

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Guest Phil

For me the standard Bachmann 24 is ok, I can live with the cab shape issues, because with the use of laser cut flash glazing and finer detailing of the 'face' of the loco and weathering the shape issue is to a degree masked. The largest discrepancy I've had is with the roof panel and exhaust arrangements. Similar comments can be made about the Hornby body too, both models are relatively old though. The prototype varied considerably in roof panel and exhaust vent positioning, the most noticeable error with the Bachmann 24 roof is the centre panel is copied from the 25/2, 25/3 and is too narrow. It's a relatively easy fix though, but makes a huge visual difference to the model. If you're looking for an early class 24 then the Bachmann exhaust and roof panel positions are wrong, again these are easy fixes if you are so minded. If you want to improve the looks of the chassis then Brassmasters make cast resin replacement fuel tanks, but cross check against a photo as the lower fairings did vary in which locos received them. Running qualities are normally some of the best you'll find.

 

Summing up they are not the most accurate model in the Bachmann stable, but they run very well and with a little work can really look the part.

 

http://shawplan.wordpress.com/

 

Middle loco is as supplied.

 

Thanks for posting the piccie of the 24s Paul.

I've looked at the shawplan website but notice these class 24 windows are not yet listed. Presume you have trialled them for Brian, before they go into production ?

 

Nice work

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Hi all,

 

Thank you all for the replys and information they are very helpful, and I have decided to get one even if it has a cab problem, though as I am new to Class 24s I don't know whats right or wrong with the model though I can see the problem with the windows like in PMP shot

 

Cheers

James

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The link gives an idea the problem with the Bachmann cab roof profile, which was also repeated with the Farish version. Roof variations , boiler ports/, exhausts etc are a nightmare for the purist, but I agree they are very good runners

 

How the 24 should look:

 

http://www.justliketherealthing.co.uk/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=24

 

Also note that the first 24's had shallower cab windows than later builds, drivers complained about poor visibity when buffering up to stock, the driver/secondman front windows were changed in response

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Guest jim s-w

 

There's a whole site dedicated to class 24 and 25's if you want to show what they really look like please link to the real thing. I am constantly amazed at people who use models as reference for making models. It's bad advice. Please don't do it!

 

http://derbysulzers.com/

 

Cheers

 

Jim

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Also note that the first 24's had shallower cab windows than later builds, drivers complained about poor visibity when buffering up to stock, the driver/secondman front windows were changed in response

 

(my bold)

 

Can we just clarify what you're saying here please. Are you suggesting that there are two different depths of windscreen on 24s, or simply that 25s have deeper screens than 24s?

 

(and yes, I know a 25/0 is essentially a late 24 body, let's not complicate things with that)

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I referred to the shallow windscreens in my earlier post too. The base line of the windscreens is higher up the cab front on 24s and 25/0s than on later builds. This is partially disguised by the handrails also being mounted slightly higher up; something I fixed in an earlier Hornby conversion I did but have yet to do with the Bachmann model.

 

So, for clarity: shallow depth on all 24s and 25/0, deeper screens on all subsequent builds.

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