Michael Delamar Posted December 23, 2012 Author Share Posted December 23, 2012 I cant see the pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy1975 Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Sorry should have posted the pics! Here they are....... 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 (edited) Managed to do a bit more work on my locos and recently added a small and I admit probably not totally necessary detail to my Class 85s. A brake linkage on the front of all the bogies the absence of which had been niggling me for sometime. Having looked at photos of the 85s in good clear conditions this linkage is fairly visible so using some scrap brass rod I decided to add them as its a nice easy improvement. They need a couple of coats of frame dirt to complete. The mod doesnt interfere with either the NEM or screw link coupling methods.The linkage rod is visible here but in this light is not shown up as much as it would under normal lighting conditions. It just ties the front end in nicely although under normal lighting conditions it can be picked out a lot easier.As I wont be using the NEM pockets I may cut them off but tbh the pockets arent that visible behind the pipework and screw link coupling so the jury is out on that one for now. Edited December 29, 2012 by ThaneofFife 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 (edited) heres a good pic that shows that the white around the windows is the same as the roof unlike the Bachmann version which has a greyer window colour. be nice if they did one in small yellow panel like this also.. Class AL5 No E3068 by Jodel Aviator, on Flickr Edited December 30, 2012 by Michael Delamar 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Is there any indication as to how well the class 85s have sold? It would be interesting to know whether there may be a chance for other 8x xxx classes if they have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Not a clue but I do recall a number of voices here suggesting that the early versions would sell better than the TOPS version yet it seems to have been quite the reverse if the number of heavily discounted early versions on sale are anything to go by. Were they not shifting at the original prices? Did retailers buy in too much stock of a particular model ? Who knows but models only selling at seriously discounted prices doesnt equate to a strong seller in my book. I suspect we wont see another electric loco until 2016 with a 2014 announcement. This will be 2 years since the 85 landed and maybe then the market will be better felt for another. Was you hoping for any particular Class next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 pretty sure thats an AL5 behind the AL6 showing the difference in blue.. Class AL6 electric locomotive No E3129 by Jodel Aviator, on Flickr 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 It is indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted December 30, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 30, 2012 looking at the AL6, is it a trick of the light or does it have pale (rail) grey roofdome with white window frames? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 think thats just light and shadows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted December 30, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 30, 2012 had a look at another pic in jodel's set of an AL6: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the-evanses/7211554676/in/set-72157630682271572 looks too uniform to be muck/weathering on the roofdome and i suppose would tie in with the then-new rail blue. sorry for going OT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I agree with keefer. If ypu look at both al6's the colouring is consistent. Cheers Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Not a clue but I do recall a number of voices here suggesting that the early versions would sell better than the TOPS version yet it seems to have been quite the reverse if the number of heavily discounted early versions on sale are anything to go by. Were they not shifting at the original prices? Did retailers buy in too much stock of a particular model ? Who knows but models only selling at seriously discounted prices doesnt equate to a strong seller in my book. I suspect we wont see another electric loco until 2016 with a 2014 announcement. This will be 2 years since the 85 landed and maybe then the market will be better felt for another. Was you hoping for any particular Class next? I'm not entirely sure that a discounted price is necessarily a sign of a slow mover nationally, it could just be a slow mover relative to that retailer depending on how much turnover of stock they expect, or they've managed to get a good deal somewhere, or the type isn't popular in their region (I'm sure AC electrics are slow sellers in third rail territory for example). Everyone quotes a certain retailer based in Liverpool, but looking at their current "bargains" you've got things like the X-Country Voyager, which must appeal to younger enthusiasts who want a model of the train they see passing their local station, various livery versions of Bachmann Classes 20, 37, 45 and 47 which I can't see as being slow sellers nationally, just about every flavour of Cravens DMU, some 108s, most Class 150s, Spotrail and X-Factor liveried 170s - but only one class 85, the arguably limited lifespan pre-TOPS rail blue E 3056 which carries a livery style suitable for 1968 to about 1971 - and that is only £6 cheaper than the other two 85s. Hattons are also seriously discounting their CoBo and LMS Diesel Twin commissions, and are discounting multi-buy Bachmann Mk1 sleepers which haven't even arrived yet. To be honest, none of us really know what the market position is on any product, I imagine Bachmann must have an idea of what sales targets they want an item to meet and for something like a Class 85 it could be a lot lower than say for a cult diesel class like the Class 37. If we are seeing slow but steady sales of the 85 it therefore might not be such a disaster as say slow or non-existant sales of a Class 37 variant they might have been planning to use to bankroll production of more esoteric types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles73128 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I'm not entirely sure that a discounted price is necessarily a sign of a slow mover nationally, it could just be a slow mover relative to that retailer depending on how much turnover of stock they expect, or they've managed to get a good deal somewhere, or the type isn't popular in their region (I'm sure AC electrics are slow sellers in third rail territory for example). Everyone quotes a certain retailer based in Liverpool, but looking at their current "bargains" you've got things like the X-Country Voyager, which must appeal to younger enthusiasts who want a model of the train they see passing their local station, various livery versions of Bachmann Classes 20, 37, 45 and 47 which I can't see as being slow sellers nationally, just about every flavour of Cravens DMU, some 108s, most Class 150s, Spotrail and X-Factor liveried 170s - but only one class 85, the arguably limited lifespan pre-TOPS rail blue E 3056 which carries a livery style suitable for 1968 to about 1971 - and that is only £6 cheaper than the other two 85s. Hattons are also seriously discounting their CoBo and LMS Diesel Twin commissions, and are discounting multi-buy Bachmann Mk1 sleepers which haven't even arrived yet. To be honest, none of us really know what the market position is on any product, I imagine Bachmann must have an idea of what sales targets they want an item to meet and for something like a Class 85 it could be a lot lower than say for a cult diesel class like the Class 37. If we are seeing slow but steady sales of the 85 it therefore might not be such a disaster as say slow or non-existant sales of a Class 37 variant they might have been planning to use to bankroll production of more esoteric types. Now at under £60 at the Signal box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gronk the shunter Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Seeing the price reduction at the signal box I'm tempted to buy a couple, but when did the modification to the cab roof take place? Could the pre-tops roofed one be correct for 1975 ish with a renumber into the 85xxx series and a double arrow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Ravenscraig limestone by The Finescale crew, on Flickr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyneux Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Ravenscraig limestone by The Finescale crew, on Flickr An alternate use for my PTAs! Definitely a scene I'd like to replicate one day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Seeing the price reduction at the signal box I'm tempted to buy a couple, but when did the modification to the cab roof take place? Could the pre-tops roofed one be correct for 1975 ish with a renumber into the 85xxx series and a double arrow? Between 1971 and 1972 when the class were refurbished and acquired the three roof mounted air tanks. You'd need to fill in and modify the roof gutters and add the air tanks in the vacant pan well. It might be easier to modify the headcode box on the TOPS numbered loco back to a four digit display than work forward from the pre-TOPS version. It's interesting that the Signal Box have only dropped the price of the version which had a limited time span, 1968-1971, rather than the other two which are on a par with prices charged elsewhere, which says to me that the other two variants must be selling in steady numbers if they are price matching (or thereabouts) Hattons et al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted January 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 9, 2013 Between 1971 and 1972 when the class were refurbished and acquired the three roof mounted air tanks. You'd need to fill in and modify the roof gutters and add the air tanks in the vacant pan well. It might be easier to modify the headcode box on the TOPS numbered loco back to a four digit display than work forward from the pre-TOPS version. It's interesting that the Signal Box have only dropped the price of the version which had a limited time span, 1968-1971, rather than the other two which are on a par with prices charged elsewhere, which says to me that the other two variants must be selling in steady numbers if they are price matching (or thereabouts) Hattons et al. My local boxshifter has sold out of all but the original blue one. Andi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 can you get electric blue in acrylic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BR(S) Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Three videos on YouTube of Class 85s, two of 85018 on ECS duties at Manchester Piccadilly in 1991 and one of 85015 at Edge Hill in 1990 (can be seen from 0:19): 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Hi all Apparently (i havent seen it) this months rail express modeller features class 85s Cheers Jim Edited January 21, 2013 by jim s-w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted January 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21, 2013 ... yeah and they've been done by some guy who's modelling Birmingham New street Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Three videos on YouTube of Class 85s, two of 85018 on ECS duties at Manchester Piccadilly in 1991 and one of 85015 at Edge Hill in 1990 (can be seen from 0:19): Superb videos. Very enjoyable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 A few more prototype photos here....... http://www.margam-depot.co.uk/images/class85/85035-liverppolls-060289.jpg http://www.margam-depot.co.uk/images/class85/85012-stonebridgep-090987.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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