Heljan class 60

[Vin]

Somewhere down the line it was changed. The EP photos on the Heljan website also show the anomally on the lefthand side

 

Regards

Vin

[Lochnagar]

Hi,

 

Well spotted. I've just noticed that as well.

60008 gypsum queen 3quarter b.JPG

The angle on the bodyside (nearest the camera) should run the other way an copy the other end and not mirror it. I would say that all of them are like that. Oops!!

 

Regards

Vin

D'OH!!!! 

 

Permission to say 'Oh Cock'. 

[Lochnagar]

Eager to get my hands on two this week, EWS and triple grey. 

 

Only other thing I've noticed so far from the pics on Hattons site are the bodyside grills on the triple grey loco are the wrong colour. They should be black not executive dark grey the same as the roof. Easy fix though. 

 

I'm planning on doing some in DBS and Colas, and have a joint venture with a well known retailer who will be taking orders for custom jobs very shortly. . mainly numbering and weathering them, but if anyone really wants a respray I'd be willing to do it. 

 

From what I've seen of the Heljan numbers they look too small. Will have to wait and see on the quality of the rest of the transfers. I've a shedload of Fox ones which I'll be using on mine I think. 

 

I'll report back on this thread anyway! 

 

My biggest issue atm is which one to make with my grey one, I think it may have to be 60004 Lochnagar in coal sector. 

 

Alex

[BR_Blue_1986]

Well spotted, even I had missed that! Luckily when mine arrive I will be doing colas and maybe the DBS teenage cancer trust loco.

[class59arc]

Yeah Brian got it spot on but production afterwards has gone amiss

[RBE]

 

 

Only other thing I've noticed so far from the pics on Hattons site are the bodyside grills on the triple grey loco are the wrong colour. They should be black not executive dark grey the same as the roof. Easy fix though. 

 

 

 

Actually this statement is not correct. The bodyside grilles on sector locos in general are supposed to be executive dark grey (although black ones did get painted on some classes of loco as with all liveries there are variations based on where they got painted). The class 60's actually had all of theirs painted executive dark grey and is one of the things that annoys me the most about the Hornby in 4mm and the farish in N. They actually look wrong in black. If you look at the pictures I have attached it shows the difference between the colour of the grilles and the black doors. Of course executive dark grey is very very dark especially on bodysides and the roof tends to reflect the sky and look lighter which fools the eye into thinking that the side is darker (and hence black in this case as you know the roof is executive so the grilles must be black). However if you compare them with the doors there is a distinct difference. I do remember going to see the class 60's being built back in the day at loughborough and in ex works condition the grilles looked very dark but not as dark as the doors. If you went close up you could easily see that they were very dark grey not black.

 

 

 

Needless to say my farish one sports EDG grilles. The disappointing thing for me about the Heljan grilles is that they don't look anything like the prototypes grilles. They just look like some token mesh fixed in behind a hole. I would have expected a proper etched replica grille with frame fixed to the outside that closely followed the design of the real one, especially in 7mm scale. It never fails to amaze me how, given the size advantage of 7mm to cram in oodles of crisp accurate detail, the manufacturers always manage to make a hash of it. It's almost as though they have too much room to mess about with. 

[class59arc]

RBE

Any idea what number the 2nd picture is (construction sector one ) I can not quite make it out

Dave

[Grimleygrid]

Hi Dave, looks like 60019 Wild Boar Fell.

[daveymills]

RBE

Any idea what number the 2nd picture is (construction sector one ) I can not quite make it out

Dave

 

60019 Wild Boar Fell

[Grimleygrid]

If you look at the photo in the link below of a new class 60 body shell arriving at the Brush works, it certainly looks like the grille colour, grey, matches the roof colour:

 

http://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?threads/modern-british-motive-power-class-60s.55895/

[class59arc]

Thanks for the info guys

[RBE]

If you look at the photo in the link below of a new class 60 body shell arriving at the Brush works, it certainly looks like the grille colour, grey, matches the roof colour:

 

http://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?threads/modern-british-motive-power-class-60s.55895/

 

Thanks Alex, that is exactly as I remember.

 

Out of interest, those pics on that link seem to be mainly taken in my manor (chesterfield) if the author of the thread from here?

[Vin]

Well spotted, even I had missed that! Luckily when mine arrive I will be doing colas and maybe the DBS teenage cancer trust loco.

I might be beating you to the post on 60074 as I done the plates and they are on the way. I've already stripped the loco and its gone from black to white primer. Don't forget to gentle file the window frames back or you won't get the glazing back in because of glue Heljan use.

 

Regards

Vin

[BR_Blue_1986]

I haven't even got a 60 yet, so you'll defo beat me! Purchased 4 duffs the other month and skint me for the 60's.

[Vin]

At least you got your hands on another duff. They should do a rerun of this model to the same standard as the class 60. It would be a winner.

 

Regards

Vin

[Lochnagar]

Actually this statement is not correct. The bodyside grilles on sector locos in general are supposed to be executive dark grey (although black ones did get painted on some classes of loco as with all liveries there are variations based on where they got painted). The class 60's actually had all of theirs painted executive dark grey and is one of the things that annoys me the most about the Hornby in 4mm and the farish in N. They actually look wrong in black. If you look at the pictures I have attached it shows the difference between the colour of the grilles and the black doors. Of course executive dark grey is very very dark especially on bodysides and the roof tends to reflect the sky and look lighter which fools the eye into thinking that the side is darker (and hence black in this case as you know the roof is executive so the grilles must be black). However if you compare them with the doors there is a distinct difference. I do remember going to see the class 60's being built back in the day at loughborough and in ex works condition the grilles looked very dark but not as dark as the doors. If you went close up you could easily see that they were very dark grey not black.

 

class 60.jpg

 

class 60-2.jpg

 

Needless to say my farish one sports EDG grilles. The disappointing thing for me about the Heljan grilles is that they don't look anything like the prototypes grilles. They just look like some token mesh fixed in behind a hole. I would have expected a proper etched replica grille with frame fixed to the outside that closely followed the design of the real one, especially in 7mm scale. It never fails to amaze me how, given the size advantage of 7mm to cram in oodles of crisp accurate detail, the manufacturers always manage to make a hash of it. It's almost as though they have too much room to mess about with. 

Interesting, I think you're right you know! Very hard to find an ex works shot that shows it up clearly but from what I've seen the above statement is correct. But i think the grills themselves are in dire need of some Shawplan etches. .when Brian does them.

[class59arc]

Anyone know if 60098 Charles Francis brush triple grey sector ever had depot plaques on cab sides and which if it did

Thanks

Dave

[Lochnagar]

Anyone know if 60098 Charles Francis brush triple grey sector ever had depot plaques on cab sides and which if it did

Thanks

Dave

As far as I know, it never carried a depot plaque. 

 

Lima modelled it with a Toton plaque but I'm sure it was an error. 

[daveymills]

this is my usual source of reference, looks like it did not carry plaques

 

http://www.depotplaques.com/class60.htm

[Hilux5972]

Heljan have just put an official statement on their Facebook page re the Loadhaul loco.

 

"Unfortunately an error has been made with the application of Loadhaul livery to our recently released 'O' gauge class 60. The bodyside diagonals behind the cab doors should be angled in the same direction but they have been incorrectly applied. This is a genuine mistake on our behalf for which we apologise. The colour layouts and samples were seen by many people and somehow this error was overlooked by everyone; there is no excuse, this is an error which we hope will not detract too much from what we otherwise believe to be an excellent model."

 

I then asked if they would be supplying replacement bodies or a recall made. This was the reply.

 

"No, sorry but there will not be a recall. We are of course, as statement says, sorry about this error and should a customer have bought one Loadhaul and can't accept the error we ask you to give it back to your Heljan dealer (where you bought it from) for a refund. We do appreciate all the positive e-mails and feedback that we have received from our customers and retailers."

 

Basically seems like they are saying either live with it or fix it yourself but we aren't gonna do a thing about it.

[class59arc]

Thanks for info again guys,and looks like living with it then

[BR_Blue_1986]

Why should we have to live a model that has a RRP of 625?! I know I would repaint any, but that's besides the point. If we are unhappy to get a refund, but what happens to the people who wanted a load haul, why should they have to correct it or pay someone to correct it. I agree the model is a good model but it should not have this issue. I hope it doesn't affect any retailers finically as its a lot of money to have tied up so I hope they let the shops return unsold stock.

[Lochnagar]

Looks like all the load haul ones will be going to respray merchants such as myself for different liveries. It won't be the easiest job to correct though I have to say, for those that want a Loadhaul one. 

 

Even though Heljan's response isn't actually 'helpful', it's good that they've admitted it and hopefully look out to avoid future livery errors. Most 4mm mistakes just go without any mention at all.

 

Shame they can't do what they did with the 'OO' 47s and issue replacement bodies though, more realistically even for a price. Folks would get their money back selling the incorrect bodies for respray. Heljan 7mm bodies usually fetch £150 minimum. 

[Hilux5972]

Perhaps the only way to make them realise it's not acceptable is for everyone to return their Loadhaul locos.

[deltic17]

That is a pretty big mistake re the Loadhaul livery in my eyes - especially for such an expensive loco - Brian got it right on his version he prepared as a test sample - if they say nobody spotted it I don't know who they were referring to - there are maybe not many experts regarding Loadhaul livery in China! They need some real railway experts continually involved in the production process.

 

This doesn't affect me as I had no plans to buy one - but is is a real shame for sales for this model I would imagine once it gets highlighted/in magazine reviews etc....even harder to believe as it has been 'in production' for 18-24 months?

 

I'm sure it really could be corrected especially after a bit of weathering etc but it is certainly not ideal. I had to repaint the cab end of my blue class 20 a few years ago as the yellow didn't wrap around the corner properly due to them not studying the pictures close enough again!