Heljan Beyer garratt

[Brian Hawkins]

I received my 266205 47967 BR Black with 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' lettering on Wednesday, as I posted earlier in this thread, it ran superbly, well, it did until yesterday evening when it ran slower and slower until it came to a complete stand, it is completely dead, I'm very disappointed with this latest setback as i also had major issues with my first purchase in LMS 4970, since put right by the wonderful staff at Hattons after i visited the shop for a replacement.

Another shop visit is on the cards, all in all I'm delighted with the Beyer Garratt, but, not impressed with this latest fault.

[JZ]

There appears to be at least 3 different couplings on these loco's. Standard 3-link, a 3-link with a very short middle link and long 3rd link, and screw link. Won't post any links, but a quick search on Google Images will get plenty of pictures.

Edited May 3, 2014 by JZ

[bigherb]

There appears to be at least 3 different couplings on these loco's. Standard 3-link, a 3-link with a very short middle link and long 3rd link and screw link. Won't post any links, but a quick search on Google Images will get plenty of pictures.

Thanks I didn't realise there was a short middle link. I though in the pictures the middle link was tucked in to shorten the drop on a loose coupling.

[JZ]

Time to look out my Observers Book of Couplings.

 

Probably going to fit mine with screw coupling as they look right on an engine of this size.

[Oldddudders]

Observers Book of Couplings.

 

 

Plenty of that elsewhere on the Internet, so I believe!

[Grovenor]

 

Probably going to fit mine with screw coupling as they look right on an engine of this size.

This would only be correct for the Vacuum fitted engines, but you can always use rule 1.

Keith

[coachmann]

http://loco.skyrocket.de/img/lms__4997__1.jpg

Thanks for posting pictures of your model, which are far more informative. Can anyone else post pictures of real models straight out of the box pleeeeze...?

[Ian Hargrave]

Plenty of that elsewhere on the Internet, so I believe!

Well in keeping with steam railway tradition.....eyefuls of smut!

[traction]

Hello Ian,

 

Based upon your suggestion I contacted Haootons and was advised (virtually by return!!) that although the Garratts would just fit in the smaller MPD 360 Hattons would recommend using the MPD 460 so that you would not have the buffers and couplings protruding from the end of the case.

 

An order has been placed with Hattons which should arrive next week. I'll post a pic once everything has been set up.

 

Thanks, Ian, for the information about the MPDs. I was not aware that DCC Concepts had produced these items. RMweb scores again!!

 

Keith

Hi Keith,

 

No problem at all, DCC concepts launched these a while ago now.

I did buy the small one when they first came out and thought it was a very useful item.

Yes as I've already said expensive, but if you have the room to put it on a layout you can very easily drive the loco on and off without having to pick it up.

Also once in it's storage box it will be very well protected.

So is it really that expensive to protect valuable locos?

 

It would be good to see your pics of the loco in the MPD once you receive it and your thoughts as well.

Just gives everybody a better understanding of what the MPD is and comes with and what I think a very useful, nicely made item.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

Edited May 3, 2014 by traction

[coachmann]

I have probably over-reacted. Again.

 

Rob

Maybe. Your images are great at conveying atmosphere and are akin to publicity shots. It is not for me to say do not post your images, but I am simply saying I prefer images that tell me about the model. 

Edited May 3, 2014 by coachmann

[robmcg]

Maybe. Your images are great at conveying atmosphere and are akin to publicity shots. It is not for me to say do not post your images, but I am simply saying I prefer images that tell me about the model.

Yes Larry thanks. I deleted my post because my extended reply was on reflection an over-reaction to your understandable wish to see photos of the model as it actually is. I intend no more than to convey atmosphere with my pics., just like the Kitmaster and Airfix boxes, or years of catalogue art.

 

Notwithstanding that, this pic does give a good representation of the model as it can be made to look. It's also in my opinion a fine model for the price.

 

Edited May 4, 2014 by robmcg

[vcltel]

My Hatton's Garratt arrived in perfect condition and has run superbly well except for one small fault, the front pony truck wheels don't seem to rotate all the time when going forwards, but do when in reverse. Never mind, when it hauls empties (40ish) round the MMRG "Hillandale" universal club layout everyone remarks how good it looks and at least one other member has bought one and one of the juniors is hoping for one!

 

I remember seeing them when I lived at West Bridgford, Nottingham around the end of the war, like everything on the railway then they were pretty manky.

 

As for the smoke in the cab problem, the Southern Pacific solved this with their "Cab forward" Mallett design for Rocky Mountain haulage.

 

When in Kenya in the fifties, during my military service, I rode from Mombasa to Nairobi by the overnight train hauled by a metre gauge Garratt. The loco and rolling stock were immaculately clean and the driver and his assistant were Sikhs wearing white uniforms, white boots and white pugris; they also carried rhino hide sticks tipped with ivory that they used to encourage the black stokers to get on with the job!! I wish I knew where the photos I took have got to - something else in my Bermuda triangle! I've been an articulated loco maniac ever since, mostly American I must admit.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Look for a little fore and aft slop in the pony truck arrangement, for the wheelset that rotates freely one way, skids some of the time in the other direction. The wheelset is most likely occasionally coming into contact with fixed structure, causing the skidding.

[robmcg]

Always good to hear of Garratts which run well, notwithstanding the pony truck wheel thing, quite nerve-wracking for those who buy them and are waiting for delivery. (I haven't received my rotary-bunker version yet, I just photo-edited my pics with modifications to photos my fixed-bunker version, being far too impatient.)

 

Detached or slightly mis-aligned parts maybe I can deal with, or such as pony-truck issues, but I'm a bit fearful of serious errors in mechanism and/or valve gear, even if Hattons are excellent.

 

Of course one wouldn't expect satisfied buyers to comment, necessarily.

[coachmann]

Always good to hear of Garratts which run well, notwithstanding the pony truck wheel thing, quite nerve-wracking for those who buy them and are waiting for delivery. (I haven't received my rotary-bunker version yet, I just photo-edited my pics with modifications to photos my fixed-bunker version, being far too impatient.)

 

 

If you haven't received your rotary bunker Garratt yet, are you saying you photo-edited rotary bunkers onto your fixed bunker model for posting on this thread?

[robmcg]

Yes.

 

I was looking forward to receiving the rotary-bunker version I bought from Hattons on the day they became available, (yet to arrive in NZ) and thought it would be a bit of a challenge to use my fixed-bunker version and public domain pics to create a pic.

 

How else could I possibly have made photos of the model on the day after release by Hattons? I don't think they mind, but if they do I will willingly remove them.

Edited May 5, 2014 by robmcg

[Peter Beckett]

A lovely surprise in the mail today! Posted last Wednesday from Liverpool, my Garratt arrived in Hastings this morning. How's that for delivery service? (It is all down hill  )

It was very well packed, no parts missing or loose. Tested it on DC and all OK. I then fitted a Loksound V4 decoder and it took me a while as its a very tight fit with all the connecting plugs, etc. First thing was the lack of oomph from the supplied speaker so that will be changed.

 I have started to run it on my layout and it runs flawlessly so next job after the speaker is to adjust the NEM fitting as the Kadees are a bit high.

 

All in all a brilliant model. Even my better half was impressed and I have lost count of the photos she has taken

 

Well Done Hattons and Heljan.

 

Peter

 

PS Now what do I do with my Keyser Garratt  that I bought whilst working in UK in the early 70's which I never got to run effectively.    

 

[Re6/6]

 

PS Now what do I do with my Keyser Garratt  that I bought whilst working in UK in the early 70's which I never got to run effectively.    

 

Put it up on Ebay. You might be surprised.

 

I am thinking about putting my part built one up after mine arrives!

[7013]

Glad you got yours all guns firing Peter. Be interested to know what sound project you used, and if possible a video? I see one poster bought the Aussie AD 60 sound, be interesting to hear that as well.

[7013]

Just a thought, in the light of rises from Hornby and proposed rises from Bachmann the pre ordered Garratt at £ 199 is looking very good value for money.

[tetsudofan]

The DCC Concepts MPDs ordered from Hattons on Thursday evening arrived this morning just before 10.00am - can't complain at that  ...

 

Well, this is what you get for your money:

 

 

- the MPD, injection moulded foam cradle, some foam blocks and a storage box. The storage box is a little ott in my opinion and, unfortunateley is marginally wider than the storage drawer I was hoping to use  . Can't win them all, can we?

 

 

Soon 4978 was seen approaching the MPD:

 

 

 

.....and was soon parked up inside. As you can see there is plenty of the room for the Garratt:

 

 

 

All that was then needed was the injection moulded foam cradle and 4978 was ready for storage:

 

 

 

Compared with the Peco Loco Lift, the DCC Concepts version comes fully assembled (the Peco lifts can be a pain to assemble!!) and is somewhat stronger. The DCC Concepts version is expensive when compared with the Peco version but, bearing in mind that you get a choice of lengths with the DCC Concepts version, I think it is a worthwhile purpose especially if you will be frequently moving your Garratt on and off the layout and want something of quality to do this:

 

 

 

 Finally and somewhat off topic the MPD has solved my storage problems for the number of rather large American outline models that I have accumulated over the years:

 

 

 

Think it's fair to say I'm a happy bunny

 

Keith

[ozzyo]

So the DCC concepts one just fit over the tracks. No cutting involved?

[JZ]

The DCC Concepts MPDs ordered from Hattons on Thursday evening arrived this morning just before 10.00am - can't complain at that  ...

 

Well, this is what you get for your money:

 

DCC-MPD-01.jpg

 

- the MPD, injection moulded foam cradle, some foam blocks and a storage box. The storage box is a little ott in my opinion and, unfortunateley is marginally wider than the storage drawer I was hoping to use  . Can't win them all, can we?

 

 

Soon 4978 was seen approaching the MPD:

 

DCC-MPD-02.jpg

 

 

.....and was soon parked up inside. As you can see there is plenty of the room for the Garratt:

 

DCC-MPD-03.jpg

 

 

All that was then needed was the injection moulded foam cradle and 4978 was ready for storage:

 

DCC-MPD-04.jpg

 

 

Compared with the Peco Loco Lift, the DCC Concepts version comes fully assembled (the Peco lifts can be a pain to assemble!!) and is somewhat stronger. The DCC Concepts version is expensive when compared with the Peco version but, bearing in mind that you get a choice of lengths with the DCC Concepts version, I think it is a worthwhile purpose especially if you will be frequently moving your Garratt on and off the layout and want something of quality to do this:

 

DCC-MPD-05.jpg

 

 

 Finally and somewhat off topic the MPD has solved my storage problems for the number of rather large American outline models that I have accumulated over the years:

 

DCC-MPD-06.jpg

 

 

Think it's fair to say I'm a happy bunny

 

Keith

Is that the Broadway T1 ? Certainly puts the size a British loco's into perspective. 

[tetsudofan]

Is that the Broadway T1 ? Certainly puts the size a British loco's into perspective. 

 

 Yep, it sure is. Normally has a rake of tuscan red PRR coaches behind......but, sometimes it finds itself with a rake of maroon Mk.1s    ....

 

Keith

[tetsudofan]

So the DCC concepts one just fit over the tracks. No cutting involved?

 

Yep, just fits over the track, no cutting just run the loco onto the MPD