Guest jim s-w Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 They're also not obviously lit... Exactly Cheers Jim 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 whats your thoughts on the model so far Jim? will one or 2 be gracing new street? either as standard or seen any room for improvement? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Just on headcodes for a moment - I see Geoff's point, and in fact I am a firm subscriber to that logic, modelling pre-TOPS headcode era. I also see Thane's point though - and this fits well with Geoff's philosophy; it's one thing to disable backlit modern headcodes, they then (to me) look sufficiently realistic for daylight running (a warm nighttime glow would be my preferred nocturnal option, fortunately I don't need to worry about this until the Sleepers arrive). However, I can't live with painted black panels with decals applied on top nowadays - I left that behind when I shipped out my 'old' Lima, Hornby, Mainline fleet. I had even begun cutting out the headcode apertures on those and inserting a glazing panel with headcode characters applied on the rear. For my tastes, I need the slightly disruptive effect of a glazed panel providing depth onto the 0O00 or 1G39, whatever it is. It's not clear if this can be done on the Bachmann TOPS 85 - or if it is, what thickness glazing material you can get away with... Did that make any sense? I feel a bit of a RMWeb newbie at the moment! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) whats your thoughts on the model so far Jim? will one or 2 be gracing new street? either as standard or seen any room for improvement? Yes I do need a couple. It certainly appears to have the right shape which is always my main concern. After that I am happy to fix things if needed but from what I have seen so far it looks like there's no much to do. I'll know better when I get my pair. Returning to the head codes, a sliver of the plastic from the box would do or a couple of coats of matt varnish. Even if you do go for cutting out the original it's still a dead simple modification anyway and on reflection it's probably easier than filling and filing! Cheers Jim Edited May 13, 2012 by jim s-w 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 If youre going to do the job at least do it right, eh That's the spirit, you'll be swapping the wheels next! Cheers Jim 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 That's the spirit, you'll be swapping the wheels next! Cheers Jim The wheels look spot on from what I have seen Jim and dont need swapping. Do they have an error ? Do tell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickL2008 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hornby magazine gives this model a very positive review, so may get one myself, as I remember these as a very young lad on the WCML until thier withdrawal, model does look very nice NL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted May 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hornby magazine gives this model a very positive review, so may get one myself, as I remember these as a very young lad on the WCML until thier withdrawal, model does look very nice NL Lets face it Mags seldom give anything other than positive reviews. However I do agree that pics in RM and HM look very good . What surprised me in HM review was that it comments on the 4 windows that let light into the passage between the two cabs and says" Bachmann has gone to the trouble of illuminating this area and installing basic interior detailing too". Was this area lit up on the real thing when running? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaned Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Lets face it Mags seldom give anything other than positive reviews. However I do agree that pics in RM and HM look very good . What surprised me in HM review was that it comments on the 4 windows that let light into the passage between the two cabs and says" Bachmann has gone to the trouble of illuminating this area and installing basic interior detailing too". Was this area lit up on the real thing when running? if the driver left the lights on , then yes.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Now, corridor lights you definitely cannot see in the daylight! Some may think its another gimmick but I rather like the new feature and fully expect to see it rolled out as other locos come along or existing ones receive a refresh or retool. Diesels with similar corridors and moulded engine detailing is just a little more icing on the cake and a little less work to do particularly where the lighting circuit is concerned. 3 cheers for Bachmann...hip hip..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevpeo Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Slightly off topic I know, but with my Bachmann 85 imminent (I hope!) The Black Beatle power bogies and sound decoder from my DC Kits model have now moved on to repower a Hornby 86. This leaves the body shell unwanted and worthless. So with a bit of lateral thinking and a couple of friends building a preserved line and workshops layout(s). 85 018 gets a new life in preservation sat on blocks – Waste not, want not, etc! Kev. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 That's the spirit, you'll be swapping the wheels next! What should it have, 6'9 16-spoke? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted May 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 13, 2012 Well Kev, you are clearly making a concrete suggestion as to what to do with out-of-date models. With 85 018 on the blocks, life's a breeze. Terrible puns, I know. Lovely picture! Jeff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Whilst confusion abounds between Jim and Ian about the wheels on the Class 85 (its 4ft diameter chaps), I have to say that DC kits class 85 bodyshell really does look superb especially with the subtle weathering too. Nice idea, the preservation touch! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) c.1985 - Manchester Piccadilly. by 53A Models, on Flickr Edited December 15, 2012 by Andy Y Image removed due to copyright dispute. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) The wheels look spot on from what I have seen Jim and dont need swapping. Do they have an error ? Do tell. It was a joke based on your may as well do it right comment - (they are set to ho scale spacing) Although having said that the class 81 and 85's had some distinctive stress relieving equipment on the wheel front itself and I dont know if Bachmann have modelled it. Pretty sure the wheel diameter is 4ft 1 in but id have to check Cheers Jim Edited May 13, 2012 by jim s-w Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Whilst confusion abounds between Jim and Ian about the wheels on the Class 85 (its 4ft diameter chaps), It was a joke ... 'Twas indeed, pardon my facetiousness; I may not know 85s inside out but I do know they don't have steam engine wheels... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted May 14, 2012 Author Share Posted May 14, 2012 85035 Liverpool Lime St 12/10/81 by MagLad, on Flickr 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) Yes I cant quite recall if the wheels were either 4ft or 4ft 1" myself although, an extra inch + or -, when scaled down is neither here nor there. Well talking of thoughts.....I "thought" my knowledge on the 85s was just about above average but have been quite surprised at the number of photos I have seen here lately of TOPS versions still showing the headcode panels like the last picture above. I dont remember them this way as a youngster TBH, I seem to recall the Class 81s with their domino headcodes aplenty but these particular 85s have been erroneously erased from the grey matter. I have no doubt Bachmann will address the situation if the demand is there for this version. I wonder if they all went through the same works overhauls or whether some members of the class went in for a TOPS "revamp" and came out with the new sealed beam twin markers? Interesting. Edited : 10:25 May 14th Come on Ian, youre not that obtuse! By "revamp", (note the inverted comma's) I did just mean the application of BR arrows and TOPS numbers etc not M&E alterations. The treacle is unnecessarily heavy going here sometimes......... Edited May 14, 2012 by ThaneofFife Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) Well talking of thoughts.....I "thought" my knowledge on the 85s was just about above average but have been quite surprised at the number of photos I have seen here lately of TOPS versions still showing the headcode panels like the last picture above. I dont remember them this way as a youngster TBH, I seem to recall the Class 81s with their domino headcodes aplenty but these particular 85s have been erroneously erased from the grey matter. I have no doubt Bachmann will address the situation if the demand is there for this version. I wonder if they all went through the same works overhauls or whether some members of the class went in for a TOPS "revamp" and came out with the new sealed beam twin markers? Interesting. I'm a bit unsure what the significance of the phrase 'TOPS revamp' is in this context, it may only serve to confuse the issue. The initial programme of TOPS renumbering was a purely operational issue which had little if anything to do with the detail condition of a loco. 85s were renumbered into TOPS between spring '73 and spring '75, giving almost three full years during which some TOPS'ed locos would have displayed operational headcode panels. The '0000' display came in from 1.1.76, fairly closely followed by the dominoes. Plating over with marker lights would have been later, I'm open to correction here but I'd think it would have started from around 1979/80 as it did on other classes (with the exception of ECML 47/4s which were done pretty early). Edited May 14, 2012 by Pennine MC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deltic Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 31-678 Class 85 026 blue - delivered 5 minutes ago 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) I'm a bit unsure what the significance of the phrase 'TOPS revamp' is in this context, it may only serve to confuse the issue. The initial programme of TOPS renumbering was a purely operational issue which had little if anything to do with the detail condition of a loco. 85s were renumbered into TOPS between spring '73 and spring '75, giving almost three full years during which some TOPS'ed locos would have displayed operational headcode panels. The '0000' display came in from 1.1.76, fairly closely followed by the dominoes. Plating over with marker lights would have been later, I'm open to correction here but I'd think it would have started from around 1979/80 as it did on other classes (with the exception of ECML 47/4s which were done pretty early). Spot on Ian.... just like most other classes still working at the time, the 'Tops number applied with working headcode blinds still in use' phase lasted a good three years. As far as I can recall, the earliest application of domino headcode dots on any BR loco was on two of the Deltics in 1973, at least one of which was still carrying it's original pre-Tops number at the time (pretty sure it was 9009 Alycidon). There are plenty of published shots of the early AC Electrics carrying their newly applied Tops numbers with working headcode blinds in the 1973 - 75 period.... . Despite the directive from on high that all blinds should be wound round to show '0000' from 1st January 1976, some crews still carried on putting the correct headcodes up, for a few months at least. This directive also said that the winding mechanisms should be disconnected and welded up, a process that couldn't be carried out overnight and in any case there were still a few locos with unplated headcode panels into the early 80s (we had one of our 25s at Stonebridge Park still showing '1A05' in early 1983, but I forget which one it was, plus of course 83 012 famously kept it's blinds when restricted to ECS working out of Euston in the same period). Edited May 14, 2012 by Rugd1022 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 31-678 Class 85 026 blue - delivered 5 minutes ago as youre the first here then, whats your verdict? have you not taken it out of the box yet! Come on....come on...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) Come on Ian, youre not that obtuse! By "revamp", (note the inverted comma's) I did just mean the application of BR arrows and TOPS numbers etc not M&E alterations. The treacle is unnecessarily heavy going here sometimes......... Stuart Whether you and I understand each other is irrelevant here (if admittedly tedious) - the thread isnt here just for you and I, it's for anyone who might want to learn from it. If nothing else, Rmweb can be a valuable resource and the overall aim should be that the info presented is as correct as it can be. Your hypothesis, whilst perhaps understandable, was incorrect - initial TOPS renumbering and fitting of plated headcodes didnt occur together. That being so, it got corrected, and the situation in general was clarified, all in the spirit of historical accuracy. Cheers. Edited May 14, 2012 by Pennine MC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I have to stand corrected on the point of light switches and their location. These are accessed through a small panel on the roof (as shown in the latest Hornby magazine) and not as previously (hastily) stated underneath the loco. Apologies. Good to hear orders are filtering through now.......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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