Heljan Class 16

[chev32]

The motor started to surge just before the smoke and it then went dead short whilst cooking. Later it would draw a current of 0.1 amp but was completely dead - so it could have been the PCB and not the motor but it's all boxed up now waiting return to Hattons' tomorrow and replacement. This was on DC using a Gaugemaster LT rolling road.

 

Debating whether to get them to put a Lion and Class 28 in the parcel too 

 

Sounds like its suffering the same fate as the prototype ,Overheating. I better get my one out of the box for a test run

[stock_2007]

I've had mine on the rolling-road for around 4 hours or so running both ways since I got it. I keep giving it a look every now and again while working at my bench. Just have to keep the old fingers crossed

[Oldddudders]

I've had mine on the rolling-road for around 4 hours or so running both ways since I got it. I keep giving it a look every now and again while working at my bench. Just have to keep the old fingers crossed

The fatalities we've heard of so far seemed to be very early in the model's life. I suspect yours has passed that critical phase already.

[Bernard Lamb]

http://mygallery.malayarailway.com/16-Class-Diesel-Hydraulic-shunters-f3502278.html

 

Looking at the photo in this link mine appears to have several major errors in respect of dimensions and colour.

Bernard

[Baby Deltic]

http://mygallery.malayarailway.com/16-Class-Diesel-Hydraulic-shunters-f3502278.html

 

Looking at the photo in this link mine appears to have several major errors in respect of dimensions and colour.

Bernard

Ah yes, but it does say 16 class and not class 16, so there is a get out clause.

[Southernman46]

The fatalities we've heard of so far seemed to be very early in the model's life. I suspect yours has passed that critical phase already.

Yes, I'm guessing that it's a Friday PM issue rather than anything else and it'll show up pretty quickly.

 

Mine was1603 - be interesting to know what the other(s??) were.

 

 

Edit - duly noted

Edited September 5, 2013 by Southernman46
Unnecessary description removed

[Downer]

I recently bought 16001 - D8400 with a grey roof - wrongly assuming that it would be the loco more-or-less as built, and ideal for my 1958-59 modelling period.  I can get rid of the warning flashes easily enough, but as far as I'm aware D8400 didn't acquire the eggshell blue cab end until the early 60s, and removing or covering that would be trickier, so I'm considering a number change.  D8404 is the favourite, working on the hopeful assumption that Heljan had a photo to hand when they gave their model of that engine a grey roof (albeit also with yellow warning panels).  Of course that doesn't mean it had a grey roof in 58-59, but so far, after consulting numerous books and picture libraries, that's the best I have to go on.  Has anyone seen a photo of that or another Class 16 with a grey roof, eggshell cab end, and no warning panel or flashes c1958-59?

[Bernard Lamb]

Having had a good look at it and trundled it up and down I have a few points to comment on.

Bogie steps. There seems to be what I take to be a very shallow representation of some of these but nothing for the others. It would be a fiddly job to improve on the Heljan bogie side frames.

Best left alone as I see it.

Buffer access hole covers as per the current MRJ article on the Deltic are an easy option for that little extra touch.

Reworking the grilles is a step too far for me. I have applied a spot of gunge as per a couple of photographs.

If you look at the oval slots in the bogie side frames, near the centre you will see a pair of rectangular boxes behind the frames.

Now from photographic evidence these boxes were in some cases rectangular, as per the model, but in others were triangular.

(I am assuming that all the models are the same).

The Graham Fenn drawing depicts the triangle version.

Not had time yet to try and make a list by shape and date but I am curious to know why there were two patterns.

It would be a pig of a job to alter. Small burr in a drill?

Bernard

[Phatbob]

Downer, on 11 Sept 2013 - 10:00, said:

 

I recently bought 16001 - D8400 with a grey roof - wrongly assuming that it would be the loco more-or-less as built, and ideal for my 1958-59 modelling period. I can get rid of the warning flashes easily enough, but as far as I'm aware D8400 didn't acquire the eggshell blue cab end until the early 60s, and removing or covering that would be trickier, so I'm considering a number change. D8404 is the favourite, working on the hopeful assumption that Heljan had a photo to hand when they gave their model of that engine a grey roof (albeit also with yellow warning panels). Of course that doesn't mean it had a grey roof in 58-59, but so far, after consulting numerous books and picture libraries, that's the best I have to go on. Has anyone seen a photo of that or another Class 16 with a grey roof, eggshell cab end, and no warning panel or flashes c1958-59?

 

If it helps, a few years ago I enquired of Kim from Heljan at the Warley show how I might match the paint on my Hymeks. He told me that they use Railmatch paint. So covering the duckegg blue cab ends with a BR loco green that'a an exact match might be an option for you?

Edited September 13, 2013 by Phatbob

[BrushVeteran]

Having had a good look at it and trundled it up and down I have a few points to comment on.

Bogie steps. There seems to be what I take to be a very shallow representation of some of these but nothing for the others. It would be a fiddly job to improve on the Heljan bogie side frames.

Best left alone as I see it.

Buffer access hole covers as per the current MRJ article on the Deltic are an easy option for that little extra touch.

Reworking the grilles is a step too far for me. I have applied a spot of gunge as per a couple of photographs.

If you look at the oval slots in the bogie side frames, near the centre you will see a pair of rectangular boxes behind the frames.

Now from photographic evidence these boxes were in some cases rectangular, as per the model, but in others were triangular.

(I am assuming that all the models are the same).

The Graham Fenn drawing depicts the triangle version.

Not had time yet to try and make a list by shape and date but I am curious to know why there were two patterns.

It would be a pig of a job to alter. Small burr in a drill?

Bernard

Hi Bernard

 

Well spotted!

 

The bogie flitch plates were modified and beefed up during the 1963/4 period  so we made the decision to use just the one bogie frame moulding and go for the modified version on the model. This was on the basis that it was probably easier to take material away rather than add it!

[bluex5]

I've had mine on the rolling-road for around 4 hours or so running both ways since I got it. I keep giving it a look every now and again while working at my bench. Just have to keep the old fingers crossed

 

After the above post re prototypical motor failure I ran mine for about 90 minutes on the rolling road (no layout or chip to hand at moment), actually felt a bit tight to start but settled down ok, didn't get hot. I think if it's going to go pop then you'll see it happen quickly.

[Dubloseven]

After the above post re prototypical motor failure I ran mine for about 90 minutes on the rolling road (no layout or chip to hand at moment), actually felt a bit tight to start but settled down ok, didn't get hot. I think if it's going to go pop then you'll see it happen quickly.

 

I picked up D8400 a couple of weeks back and I found the same thing. After a few hours running things improved but it still seems to take a lot of juice to get going and even on full power it's not exactly like a bat out of hell unlike some of my other Heljan stuff. Apart from that it's a great looking model. I think next time I buy a new loco I'll say I want to review it for a magazine; they always seem to get an example that runs smooth and quiet straight from the box.

[Baby Deltic]

Mine have been a bit of a mixed bag. A couple did run slower on the rolling road, but they all drew around 400mA.

[Dubloseven]

I've had mine running around the layout using a Gaugemaster D controller and had to take the dial way past 30 to get things moving whereas my class 15's will start smoothly around 20.

[SRman]

A couple of shots of the new Heljan class 16 in service. This one is D8404 with Stratford style yellow panels. The model runs almost silently and very smoothly with a Bachmann 21-pin decoder fitted, with 20 wagons in tow.

 

 

The headcodes I chose for each end are similar to the ones I put on the class 15 and represent transfer freight runs on to the Southern Region, with this one representing Norwood Junction as a destination and the code at the other end (not visible) being for Hither Green.

[BrushVeteran]

A couple of shots of the new Heljan class 16 in service. This one is D8404 with Stratford style yellow panels. The model runs almost silently and very smoothly with a Bachmann 21-pin decoder fitted, with 20 wagons in tow.

 

 

 

The headcodes I chose for each end are similar to the ones I put on the class 15 and represent transfer freight runs on to the Southern Region, with this one representing Norwood Junction as a destination and the code at the other end (not visible) being for Hither Green.

What an interesting layout you appear to have SR Man!  Looks like it's right up my street!

[Bernard Lamb]

Not sure if I should comment here or under the magazine topic.

Hornby mag has a review and a prototype article with some nice photos.

I find it quite a good review covering various points in rather more depth than is often the case.

Mine is performing faultlessly and is sharing duties with the class 15.

Bernard

[Trofimow]

 

 

The headcodes I chose for each end are similar to the ones I put on the class 15 and represent transfer freight runs on to the Southern Region, with this one representing Norwood Junction as a destination and the code at the other end (not visible) being for Hither Green.

 

 

Could I please persuade you to reveal the dark secrets of the Hither Green headcode - any any others suitable for cross London freights to the Southern?

 

Alan

[Oldddudders]

Could I please persuade you to reveal the dark secrets of the Hither Green headcode - any any others suitable for cross London freights to the Southern?

 

This page may offer some help - or it may not. I am not clear what changes took place between 1944 and the dawn of the diesel era.

 

http://www.semgonline.com/headcodes/sheadcodes/04.html

[stewartingram]

Being an ER loco, without the 2 extra SR lamps fitted, on a train originating within ER territory, I would have thought that headcode would be the standard BR one (from its point of origin, ie the ER). I can't find my headcode list at the moment to give the accurate description (hangs head in shame) but to me it says "freight train" not "route".

 

Stewart

[SRman]

I was working from photos in various reference books to do the headcodes. The Hither Green one used three open discs in a triangle, that is, the top one and the left and right ones. I believe that SR locos would have had the top disc and the two middle ones showing but, as Stewart has pointed out, the ER locos didn't have the extra discs so the lower ones would have been used.

I have evidence of these headcodes being used on both classes 15 and 16 at some time in the early to mid 1960s.

Edited September 19, 2013 by SRman

[Trofimow]

Thanks SRman, that's great - photographic evidence is always good.

Now I won't have to use the same headcode on both.

 

Thanks also Ian and Stewart for your replies.

 

Alan

[Bernard Lamb]

On the point related to head codes, Stratford had a habit of using steam age oil lamps on the front.

Bernard

[Accurascale Fran]

Decent puller all the same. Excuse the not entirely prototypical selection of wagons.

 

[SRman]

One very minor point I should clarify from my earlier post regarding the headcodes: I have no evidence that D8219 or D8404 specifically ever carried those headcodes; just that at least one class member of each did so in real life. That was sufficient for me to use them on my models.