campaigner Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 What he /\ said :-) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1030western musketeer Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Great shot of fusilier there so life like. Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 UPDATE: I've just had a conversation with Howes Models. There will be no new supplies of spare parts for the Class 52 "Western" at all now, as Heljan are not planning to do another run. Apart from cannibalising wrecked models for parts, it seems it really is "That's All, Folks!" for the Heljan Western. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 That doesn't seem vary fair......they should at least stockpile spares? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 There will be no more Westerns or spares for them from Heljan because they're too busy producing new things like the Gresley O2. So that's your lot, basically. It's cannibalisation or nowt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Doesn't make me want anything Heljan except falcon........and then only because they were the only ones to do it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Doesn't make me want anything Heljan except falcon........and then only because they were the only ones to do it. OT, but the spares situation for "Falcon" is a bit better. Even then, with the time that Heljan are devoting to developing new things, the "old"/existing range seems increasingly unlikely to see further production runs.....which has a knock-on effect on spares, because Heljan only produce spares when they do a production run. If there is no run, then there will be no spares. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted June 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 17, 2015 UPDATE: I've just had a conversation with Howes Models. There will be no new supplies of spare parts for the Class 52 "Western" at all now, as Heljan are not planning to do another run. Apart from cannibalising wrecked models for parts, it seems it really is "That's All, Folks!" for the Heljan Western. Perhaps they know when they're beaten 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 because Heljan only produce spares when they do a production run. If there is no run, then there will be no spares. Is that not the same for other manufacturers? It's an open question, I don't know the answer. I suppose it depends on just what parts we are talking about. I can see standard parts being produced in an on going basis, motors used across several models for example. But specific spares for a model?, do Bachmann produce glazing mouldings for the class 40 outside a production run, Hornby bogie frames for their Class 60?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 You have a good point. I was thinking more along the lines of known problem spares: gears that split etc. Oh well, my 7mm Falcon can always spend it's time languishing at the end of a siding with a traction motor problem, just like the real one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Is that not the same for other manufacturers? It's an open question, I don't know the answer. I suppose it depends on just what parts we are talking about. I can see standard parts being produced in an on going basis, motors used across several models for example. .... In the Heljan OO range, there aren't a great number of universal parts, apart from the motor and flywheels, and maybe the bulbs for lighting. Gears, wheels, forget it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted June 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 17, 2015 Pretty much standard for "old" models I guess, Heljan 47 spares have not been available for a few years now (fuel tanks etc). Heljan have done a recent run of Hymeks, and probably Gwiwer is right - the Dapol model has stopped Heljan from any further Western production runs, as has also the Bachmann 47. They (the Westerns) do scrub up well after a bit of work, especially the comical peaked cab roof - and command quite a high second hand price as a consequence. Plus of course they are easy to dismantle for a bit of modelling. Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 There will be no new supplies of spare parts for the Class 52 "Western" at all now, as Heljan are not planning to do another run... I would add the thought that 'not planning' is just that. If there are no/insufficient orders from retailers for this product, then of course Heljan are not planning a production run. Wait a year or three for a time when there are practically no new Westerns available on sale and retailers perceive the demand to be such that they are placing orders for the product, and then see. The business about spares is what it is with all the manufacturers as already pointed out. There's no holdings of unprofitable inventory against a trickle of demand, so less popular models for which there isn't constant demand require a DIY approach to sparing. I find without fail that the locos for which I hold a 'breaker' for parts never go wrong... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted June 18, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 18, 2015 In an era of batch production in Far Eastern factories I think we just have to accept that spare part support is limited for all the manufacturers and will continue to be limited. If anything it'll probably get worse rather than better with the trend towards smaller production runs and niche products. They'll produce some spares with a batch but the last thing modern suppliers want to hold is inventory and the days of manufacturers being able to offer almost any part from stock went long ago in most product categories. Admittedly there are some very high end producers who pride themselves on offering just such a service but the pricing to support that is built into what you pay up front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Slightly (actually way off) topic- but I have just bought a new slave cylinder for the clutch of my 1972 Triumph - it appears to be in its original Stanpart Box from the Standard Motor Company price £1/17/6 - I would guess it predates my car. Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray M Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I Have just picked up a nice new maroon Wezzie (£60) and just started to add all the bits. But i don`t want to go down the path of the soldering/lamp iron route. As anyone tried/found a better way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted January 17, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2016 (edited) Yes the Shawplan WR irons are finer, and more to scale. Very small drill and held in place by filler applied with a cocktail stick. Neil Edited January 17, 2016 by Downendian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray M Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Yes the Shawplan WR irons are finer, and more to scale. Very small drill and held in place by filler applied with a cocktail stick. Neil Thanks for that, i shall give that a go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I used a very small drill and drilled two holes close together then elongated them into one vertical slot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickL2008 Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 I remember I tried the heating up method on my friends' Western ... never again!!NL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray M Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Should it have read: Was my friends Western. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickL2008 Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Luckily it survived! ... justNL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I used a very small drill and drilled two holes close together then elongated them into one vertical slot. Yep, what the man said. Works a treat and no melting! John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsmb Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 UPDATE: I've just had a conversation with Howes Models. There will be no new supplies of spare parts for the Class 52 "Western" at all now, as Heljan are not planning to do another run. Apart from cannibalising wrecked models for parts, it seems it really is "That's All, Folks!" for the Heljan Western. that's crazy, this is one of the reasons I simply will not buy new items due to spares issues I can afford new but wont buy it for this reason, I'm 32 and I actually prefer lima, if you can get the motors with the small gears then you are laughing, all my westerns are lima including one that's been repainted professionally into D1037 western empress with early chrome blue, plus I have every warship variant made by lima now including all 3 blue warships, druid in maroon with full yellow panels etc, plus 809 champion. I want locos that I can service and keep running not just use the loco and when the brushes are used up it just sits there doing nothing- false economy. rant over Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 that's crazy, this is one of the reasons I simply will not buy new items due to spares issues I can afford new but wont buy it for this reason, I'm 32 and I actually prefer lima, if you can get the motors with the small gears then you are laughing, all my westerns are lima including one that's been repainted professionally into D1037 western empress with early chrome blue, plus I have every warship variant made by lima now including all 3 blue warships, druid in maroon with full yellow panels etc, plus 809 champion. I want locos that I can service and keep running not just use the loco and when the brushes are used up it just sits there doing nothing- false economy. rant over Suggest you look at the "Howes of Oxford" Heljan section of spares. It appears some are available, including the motor which they state as being common to other models. Much as I value my own Lima models of various types, I'd doubt if the quality both in terms of detail and of performance matches the Heljan example, I'm told the Dapol is even better although I don't have one. John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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