Stevelewis Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I Notice that eHattons have updated their Heljan 00-9 section with coloured 'pictures' ( not photos) of the 3 L&B locos due for release soon (hopefully) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 18, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2016 The coloured pics have been around for some time Steve, Gaugemaster have been using them, the official line is still later in the year but a usually reliable source says they have a target for a NG show in spring if all goes well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) Must admit I dont really browse much not looked at gaugemaster since early last year! Just hope that when they are finally available the L&B locos dont just have an initial flurry of sales then stagnation after a few months as seems to happen with so many new lines in various scales these days. I had emails from 4dees a few days back trying to interest me in their JOAN at £255 probably a very nice model but a little pricey?? Edited January 18, 2016 by Stevelewis 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 (edited) Just hope that when they are finally available the L&B locos dont just have an initial flurry of sales then stagnation after a few months as seems to happen with so many new lines in various scales these days. I'd have thought that was inevitable. You get the regular modellers who are awaiting for one buy theirs, and then a gradual trickle of others who may get one in the future, I suspect most models of whatever scales/gauges has that sort of "sales graph" these days... It's more of a result of the initial hype seen on forums like this fuelled by the press releases... Edited January 19, 2016 by Hobby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 19, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2016 Yep that's why they don't keep repeating the same number these days, it fuels more sales. Even iconic locos like Flying Scotsman get rested for a few years at a time to let a bit of demand build again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 My point re L&B 2-6-2T sales is that if the loco does not sell well then the prospect of future development in the sector (ie 00-9) may be in jeopardy. We gat all the hype from forums when something new is announced, with people announcing their intentions to purchase and in the case of this loco quite a few have mentioned 'starting a new layout in 00-9' I wonder how many will actually purchase! I recall the hype which occurred when ROCO announced their intention to produce A Ffestiniog Double Fairley, which was eventually abandoned, mind you we do have the added plus of having RTR L&B stock ready to go when the 2-6-2 eventually arrives (I have a box full here waiting for the day to arrive!!) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Smith Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 This is deliberate so you have a bit of time to build the layout..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) My point re L&B 2-6-2T sales is that if the loco does not sell well then the prospect of future development in the sector (ie 00-9) may be in jeopardy. I don't think the L&B loco will make all that much difference TBH, if anything they've nearly missed the boat. They've been pre-empted by Minitrains, Fourdees and their own US arm of Bachmann. All three of the others have, in my view, made far better choices of loco to model which have much wider appeal for 009 modellers than Bachmann UK as well as being much more affordable in the case of Minitrais and BM USA... I can see why Roco didn't continue, the Fairley, whilst a nice loco, only has limited appeal and I think the L&B 2-6-2s are the same, though their chassis will be of more use than the Fairley's, subject to the motor not being placed somewhere stupid... Many new people have started modelling in 009 since the release of the Minitrains and BM Sharloey, I can't see the launch of the L&B loco adding greatly to those numbers... Edited January 20, 2016 by Hobby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Interesting comment re Minitrains, we have purchased quite a lot of items from the range loco& rolling stock since it was launched, however we have sold all of it off now not a single item remains! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 20, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2016 Well the sales of the Peco L&B liveried stock have been very strong according to Andrew Burnham so I doubt all those people have a L&B loco already People predicted lots of unsold prototype diesels from Heljan yet they've had to do a second run of each, the same with Bachmann for DELTIC and now the Blue Pullman. It's easy to predict success or disaster and 50% will be happy either way I'm doing my bit to make it a success with a couple on order. Minitrains Baldwin has been criticised by some for being HO not 4mm to match Bachmanns WD so there's always going to be some who won't buy because it doesn't match their modelling but there's always those it does suit and those that impulse buy. Time will tell if it's a success and if they aren't then loads will hope for big discounts and Hoover up the chassis then bemoan why they don't do more! You just can't win Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) It depends on what you are modelling, the Fairley and L&B 2-6-2T are both pretty "line specific" whilst the Minitrains stuff is less so, thus appealing to a wider market. The same could be said for Fourdees and Sharloey, though with them the appeal is that they are nice small locos and in the case of the FD GVT loco the Peco kit has already made that a more "generic" loco than perhaps it should be... Although I model a specific line I reckon I am in a minority in British Narrow Gauge circles, most layouts are "generic" NG and small locos seem to appeal the most looking at the ones which appear at "local" exhibitions rather than the big (scale orientated) ones, hence I can't see the success or otherwise of the L&B loco making much difference to the development of 009... Edited January 20, 2016 by Hobby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 20, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2016 I don't think 009 is that different Blair, I think the proportions are similar to OO with layouts. There are a lot of layouts on the circuit that mix area stock and hold little geographic identity if you take the stock away. I think the main issue is you rarely get much of a selection of NG layouts especially at local shows, one or two max. The most common prototypical NG themes are Welsh, Irish, Colorado and Swiss and note two of those are well served with rtr models. Is any new loco going to develop 009? No I don't think so but to draw in a few more who wouldn't otherwise dabble in 009 can only be good. Having Bachmann, U.S. And UK, Heljan and Minitrains involved is good in the long term as there is choice. No point them all catering to the same niche and I think they complement each other well like this. How many might now add a NG branch to their Southern Layout, a industrial line with the Baldwins that can also be displayed with a few WW1 models. These are new markets without being ground breaking. I'm jumping into Harz HOm much quicker than I would otherwise as it was a slow project before using 3D prints and kits as I couldn't afford the existing models. Rtr versions meant I've jumped forward to building a layout probably five years earlier as I don't have to spend time on building stock. Fortunately the bits I already had can populate the back of the shed and sidings to bulk out the roster;) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) There are a lot of layouts on the circuit that mix area stock and hold little geographic identity if you take the stock away. That's what I was saying (obviously not very well!)... Most 009 layouts at smaller shows tend to be freelance, ones I've seen at local shows in and around Birmingham I wouldn't be able to say where they are based on, even many at specialist NG shows are the same, however I'd have said most N and OO layouts tend to be at least region or area specific, freelance is still quite unusual in SG... That's not to say that freelance is bad, it's just that the way 009 has developed and has lead to that sort of modelling rather than models of specific lines or even areas... Edited January 20, 2016 by Hobby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 20, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2016 Ah I meant there's a lot of SG layouts without area specific detail too. I'd guess the limited number of locos on most NG lines leaves people wanting more as one reason Strange really there's a lot of freelance modelling in the U.S. In Narrow and SG yet it does seem to focus on NG here. Is it the fact that here SG companies often built there own while the U.S. and NG lines often bought off the shelf products? You have to go to SG industrial lines here to see much of that. I like the MW's and Lyd has proved that with a few changes they could have been very potent machines if the line had survived long enough to see locos rebuilt. Having seen a few freelanced versions over the years I can see them turning up all sorts of places if you model what happened after 1935. A South American plantation layout at least could be realistic and what if they had moved to industrial lines like Russell did, their low centre of gravity being an advantage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I am getting just a little apprehensive about the forthcoming 00-9 2-6-2T having read some of the thread on Heljans recently released 02 Tango, it is to be hoped that we dont encounter (m)any problems with the 2-6-2T! I do not have any pre-ordered, my approach will be to order one when they are released, for assesment, then if all OK perhaps order the other 2 assuming of course that all three proposed versions are availalble at the same time. In the meantime the slowly developing 00-9 L&B layout will have to make do with borrowed motive power from Austrian and German NG lines 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 4, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 4, 2016 Well the test model ran superbly Steve and their other steam models haven't had major issues. At least the problems with the tango seem mostly to be slightly wayward parts andceasyy fixed. One of my two metropolitan locos had to go back due to the motor failing but the replacement is superb. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) Well the test model ran superbly Steve and their other steam models haven't had major issues. At least the problems with the tango seem mostly to be slightly wayward parts andceasyy fixed. One of my two metropolitan locos had to go back due to the motor failing but the replacement is superb. What about the Beyer Garrett? Convesrley Heljans Continental outline steam locos are superb. Edited February 4, 2016 by Stevelewis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) Agree with you about the Heljan HO steam locos, Steve. I've got a DSB Litra P atlantic that I've had for 15 years now and imho it's my best running r-t-r loco, very smooth and powerful. Got a large flywheel motor in the tender that drives the loco drivers via a carden shaft. Lots of detail. DSB MX and MY class diesel models were also very good (heavy, large flywheel motors, both bogies driven) a good spec before Heljan started to make UK outline oo models to that kind of chassis design. Have to say that all my Heljan oo diesels (including class 17!) have been very reliable, They usually out pull the opposition. :-) 1. This is just my experience of course. 2. The HO stuff is quality but priced accordingly... 3. The B-G was made for a third party to their spec and no-one seems to know what caused the problems. Just an observation. So the L&B loco - worth a punt perhaps? edit for typo Edited February 5, 2016 by railroadbill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 5, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 5, 2016 What about the Beyer Garrett? Convesrley Heljans Continental outline steam locos are superb.Don't know Steve, I haven't read the thread but was going on the examples I've seen where only tidying up the wiring was needed to prevent it snagging. Anyway the 009 test shot ran well and was handled a lot at ExpoNG under Andrew Burnhams stewardship so it wasn't some fine tuned and protected show model. He didn't allow us to dismantle it but it looked like a production chassis. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Don't know Steve, I haven't read the thread but was going on the examples I've seen where only tidying up the wiring was needed to prevent it snagging. Anyway the 009 test shot ran well and was handled a lot at ExpoNG under Andrew Burnhams stewardship so it wasn't some fine tuned and protected show model. He didn't allow us to dismantle it but it looked like a production chassis. There were quite a lot of returns of the BG to Hattons ( it was a retailer commisioned production), Unfortunate really because it was a long awaited model, I am keeping my fingers crossed re the L&B loco though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 (edited) Well here we re almost half way through March and no 2-6-2Ts yet! So in the meantime my L&B which did not close in 1935 has had to acquire a couple more diesels until their Replica Mannin Wardles arrive The Railway has decided to name the diesels after Towns they serve instead of rivers. Phots attached, no doubt many will think its pretty sad, but rule 1 applies!! Edited March 14, 2016 by Stevelewis 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 14, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2016 The latest from The man in the know is that the second sample had some assembly issues and Heljan wanted to iron out the problems so probably late summer or autumn now. The good news is when they sorted out the error the sample ran very well. Just need to make the process consistent but he looked at it as very positive for the design. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Emails recvd from Hattons indicating that delivery of the L&B 2-6-2Ts now 'expected' OCT-NOV! So maybe by Christmas? In the meantime my efforts now being focussed on larger scales! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted April 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2016 Emails recvd from Hattons indicating that delivery of the L&B 2-6-2Ts now 'expected' OCT-NOV! So maybe by Christmas? In the meantime my efforts now being focussed on larger scales! Yes just had the same messages in my inbox. No rush for me as plenty of other things due before then Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mcowgill Posted April 13, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2016 That gives me more time to save up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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