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Bachmann announce J11


Andy Y

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To respond to the questions, slightly oversize splashers show up on a rail-level photo but not on the actual model. To put things in perspective, I have come acrosss far worse things in my whitemetal kitbuilding days. Make no mistake this is a beautiful model of a J11, and all this for a mere £77 smackers, I for one am not complaining.

 

 

Because the chimney is tapered, it can be quite elusive to judge whether it is upright or not. As far as I can tell, it leans ever so slightly to the left looking from the front, but no more than I have often encountered on £200 and £400 models where the builder has not quite 'sighted it' correctly. Again I point to the £77 or thereabouts.

 

Editted 'cos I forgot to mention the J11 driving wheels are 20mm diameter to represent 5' 2" while the 4F drivers are 21mm to represent 5' 3".

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I'm a little disappointed with its pulling power, struggles with 12 mineral wagons on a slight grade. True, she's not yet run in, may be oily wheels, I'll run it in tomorrow and report back..

 

Brit15

 

Ran her in today, half an hour mid speed light engine in both directions. Now the growl has subsided, and she will pull 15 wagons +Brake Van round. Probably quite a few more on a level layout with wide radius curves and pin point free running stock.

 

She will do for me - I'm well pleased, well done Bachmann.

 

Brit15

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Mine arrived from Liverpool half an hour ago, courtesy of Yodel.

 

 I'm a little disappointed with its pulling power, struggles with 12 mineral wagons on a slight grade. True, she's not yet run in, may be oily wheels, I'll run it in tomorrow and report back.. Not a big issue for me as it will be used for short trip runs and 2 coach branch line work on my proposed small Wigan Central Goods layout.

 

 

 

Brit15

Hi Apollo,

 

I have a feeling the lack of pulling power may be down to the issue highlighted  in Tony Wright's BRM review of the J 11.

 

The center line of the middle axle is slightly lower than that of the outer pairs of driving wheels, so in certain circumstances only four of the coupled wheels may be providing traction with the front or rear pair of wheels being ineffective as they are lifted clear of the rails or are barely in contact with them.

I found I could 'rock' my model very slightly on the middle drivers when it was placed on a flat surface, which confirms the fault is present on my loco. I think accepted practise is that the Middle axle centre line should be very slightly above that of the outer pairs for best running and haulage.

 

Like yourself, it isn't currently an issue for me given the limited capacity of the sidings and loops in which my loco will operate, but I wonder if some will attempt to amend the depth of the center axle journals , or otherwise correct this situation. since its the rear wheelset which is driven through the gears according to Bachmann's exploded diagram, so it may not be too complicated to do.

 

Edit to delete incorrect statement - The centre  wheels are driven through a gear train originating at the rear of the chassis as pointed out in subsequent posts by Pete55 

 

Regards,

 

                 John

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Just received an email from a store that is normally quite competetive stating arrivals of Bachmann for February/March, and adding I should make sure I have my pre-order in before any price-rises from Bachmann. Their price for the BR J11 is £91.76, which to me looks like an increase has already been fed in by someone when it is compared with currect prices for this model.

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Just received an email from a store that is normally quite competetive stating arrivals of Bachmann for February/March, and adding I should make sure I have my pre-order in before any price-rises from Bachmann. Their price for the BR J11 is £91.76, which to me looks like an increase has already been fed in by someone when it is compared with currect prices for this model.

They were on sale at the Calne MRE at £78.00.

 

Regards

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Just received an email from a store that is normally quite competetive stating arrivals of Bachmann for February/March, and adding I should make sure I have my pre-order in before any price-rises from Bachmann. Their price for the BR J11 is £91.76, which to me looks like an increase has already been fed in by someone when it is compared with currect prices for this model.

That's the DCC fitted one isn't it?

http://www.ehattons.com/52543/Bachmann_Branchline_31_319_Class_J11_Robinson_GCR_9J_64311_in_BR_black_with_early_emblem/StockDetail.aspx

http://www.ehattons.com/52544/Bachmann_Branchline_31_320DC_Class_J11_Robinson_GCR_9J_64325_in_BR_black_with_late_crest_DCC_Fitted/StockDetail.aspx

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I've been having a play with mine this morning. I'm biased of course, but I feel the J11 eclipses the excellent 3F and 4F just on looks alone. I'm floored by how good the cab looks, and whilst the tender isn't perfect in a couple of ways (brake blocks, coal lump etc) I do think it's probably the best 0-6-0 tender engine you can buy. Now with both J11 and J15 on the horizon from Hornby, it leaves me to think that we can't be all that far off a Gresley J6 finally being produced...

 

Mine is likely to become one of the J11s with the full British Railways branding, just looking at my options today. A second J11 is going to be purchased on the basis of this one and will likely be made to match this one. It's not often I am minded to buy multiples of RTR locomotives these days (aside from N2 chassis for AJ Model's excellent N1 body shells, and the excellent Thompson B1 and L1 models) but the J11 is one of those you can't have enough of I think. Useful, practical, and thus far a beautifully smooth runner.

 

And very little aside from cosmetic personalisation needs doing to it. Superb effort from Bachmann.

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Well....actually....yet another one.Bachmann are on a roll with the Lanky tank,the diesel twins and the Dukedog....pity about the 40 which tends to spoil it .I am sure they will sort that one,though...memories of the first A1's spring to mind....and they sorted that one.

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S A C Martin said : ............and whilst the tender isn't perfect in a couple of ways (brake blocks, coal lump etc)........

 

Unless I'm missing something, I fail to see an issue with the brakeblocks on the J11 Tender. The brakehangers and blocks are separate moulding spaced correctly....

 

post-6680-0-38217000-1390649821_thumb.jpg

 

As for the coal, see J.Davenport's picture of a real J11 on my Greenfield thread.

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Just checked mine again and you are quite right Larry. Not sure why I wrote that, I seemed to think they weren't separate (but they are of course).

 

post-1656-0-54427900-1390652940.jpg

 

A few pics of mine being posed with a possible short train for my branch line.

 

post-1656-0-90873900-1390652961.jpg

 

post-1656-0-03991700-1390652953.jpg

 

post-1656-0-60190100-1390652967.jpg

 

The face and proportions of this model are just lovely. The possibly oversized splashers really don't hamper the model at all (in my opinion). The running qualities are beautiful too.

 

 

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Thanks to SACM and Coachmann for answering my main question, yes, it has tender pick-ups!!

Mine is on it's way, another little heart flutter dismissed.

Anyone want sunshine? 37C and 13 hours of it to trade!

From a warm humid Perth,

cheers,

Peter C.

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... I'm biased of course, but I feel the J11 eclipses the excellent 3F and 4F just on looks alone...

That's not bias, that's your innate aesthetic appreciation whispering glad things to you. I too hope that 0-6-0s continue to garner sales and we will get decent UK wide coverage of the many handsome designs which would see out service into the final decade of steam. This is the quintessential UK loco design, and most were very handsome; the design effort didn't cease at simply a working product, and a good model is a small tribute to those largely forgotten people who made this so.

 

...Anyone want sunshine? 37C and 13 hours of it to trade...

 

 10C and sunshine here most of the day so far. Been out in my shorts on the basis that this represents a fair midsummer day in June ... for the UK.

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I saw the real J11's at work around Duckinfield and Newton and always took them to be the equivalent of the Fowler 4F, but I was suprised to find they were only 3F and 2P. They were the precursor of Robinsons engines for the GCR in being built big, in fact the boiler was slightly larger in diameter than the 4F's though the firebox was considerably shorter. Armed with the later 4000 gallon Tender, many photos show them loaded to the loading gauge with coal, so no doubt Bachmann noticed this. The 'coal' on the model is a loose mazak casting and without it the tender can be coaled to suit the owner. Putting some weight inside the tender to replace that of the casting might be advisable though.

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That's not bias, that's your innate aesthetic appreciation whispering glad things to you.

 

By heck, there's some odd recessives knocking about the gene pool these days. :P  (Cracking model, however, though somewhat overshadowed by SACM's gorgeous weathered carriages.)

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Could this model be converted to a J10?

 

Short answer? Probably not.

 

Long answer, probably not, and I say that because of the motor/gearbox arrangement and knowing that the J10 has a lower pitched boiler with much taller chimney and dome. It would be a tight fit to pitch a new boiler lower. I think you might be able to produce one of the J10s modified with a different boiler, however, but I don't have the relevant photographs or drawings to hand to assess more fully.

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Is the coal load removable?

 

Yes. Underneath you have the full tender detail. I can post a picture if you want to see it. Mine has been removed and the loco ran perfectly well on the club layout (Duffield) Friday night to run it in

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