Bachmann & Farish news from Warley

[TomE]

Isn't Dapol also doing a MN steam loco? Both versions??

No, Dapol are producing the West Country / Battle of Britain Classes. Similar in outward appearance, but vey different engines in reality.

 

Hmmm.... so alot of people seem to complain about moulded handrails with some other manufacturer, but still the most recent development from Grahamn Farish (Class 57 and 47 mind you) has a moulded handrail on the front

Half job from Bachmann(GF) I see.....

 

In N gauge, moulded handrails are not uncommon, and in some cases can be a better option than overscale separate plastic or metal versions. Take the Farish & Dapol class 66s for example. For me, the separate plastic handrails on the Dapol model are heavily overscale and often bent or ill fitting, which spoils the appearance of the front end whereas the moulded ones on the Farish model at least maintain a a correct sense of scale.

 

Moulded handrails in OO are almost unforgivable in this day and age though!

 

Tom.

[Andy Y]

I do hope you are correct about the inadequate photographic lighting - but somehow I doubt it - they appear to be a professional set of photos taken with some care of such things. If it shows up so badly then it is going to look just as bad on my layout or on the shelf.

 

The photo was taken so that readers could see the backhead detail and wasn't intended as a close-up of the coal. AFAIA no manufacturer has shipped any steam loco with real (or realistic) coal, surely that's not beyond your competencies as a modeller to add if you wished to do so. Taking that position we could say that we expect a crew to be supplied with such an open footplate.

 

BTW no flash is used in my snaps.

[NHY 581]

Hate to go on about it - after all there are some really great models produced here but that plastic mould representing coal is a real looser on the Dukedog. It totally destroys the image of the rest of the model.While I can understand the forward thinking and the added value perception that "DCC" and "sound" can bring to the product - usually in the form of dramatically elevated pricing - it really is not that popular yet. I also do not think it is excusable for the poor coal effect. Better to leave it empty and provide a packet of real coal if they are unable to make plastic look anything close to the real thing. Some of the care and attention to the backhead would have been better spent on the tender.Also for my tastes it was all a bit too much "modern image" for my liking - even if what is there is of high quality (except the Dukdog tender).[Ed]. and nothing new for the coach enthusiast?

Dear me.....

 

Sorry Kenton but this seems to be a case of trying to find fault in what is a lovely model.

Bachmann have produced what appears to be an exquisite model of a prototype, which we could never have expected to be produced as a RTR model.

Blimey! They've got to leave us something to do surely and if it is only to add some coal to the tender then happy days.

I do not model the GWR but I like this model a lot.

There is a grump about the moulded/cast coal thing but an apparent acceptance of the printed representation of the numberplate, common to the majority if not all of the RTR GWR engines these days.

 

Let's be happy with what we have got. Positive feedback is one thing but nitpicking is something else.

No doubt if Bachmann did provide real coal,some bright spark would say it was the wrong type or the lumps were too big.....

 

Rob

[stewartingram]

Nobody ever complained when Hornby included a bag of real coal in the box did they? I still have a couple on my shelf, I can't remember which model they came from, but I'm certain it was a Chinese production. Haven't got round to using it yet, as I'm still breaking up that genuine lump I found in the car park at Hunstanton, on the site of the former locoshed.

 

Stewart

[Linners]

If it's a DCC loco will the crew actually be moving  ?

 

The photo was taken so that readers could see the backhead detail and wasn't intended as a close-up of the coal. AFAIA no manufacturer has shipped any steam loco with real (or realistic) coal, surely that's not beyond your competencies as a modeller to add if you wished to do so. Taking that position we could say that we expect a crew to be supplied with such an open footplate.

 

BTW no flash is used in my snaps.

[Multiple identity account 2]

No, Dapol are producing the West Country / Battle of Britain Classes. Similar in outward appearance, but vey different engines in reality.

 

 the separate plastic handrails on the Dapol model are heavily overscale

 

Tom.

Thanks for the clarification Tom Much appreciated.

 

With regard to the Dapol Class 66, that will soon change so not to worry  

[trisonic]

It has often been my thought:

 

"Why do manufacturers model coal at all? Simply model the metalwork on any tender...."

 

I think that it is a fair question to ask and nothing to do with Andy's very fine photos..

 

Best, Pete.

[Barry Ten]

Nobody ever complained when Hornby included a bag of real coal in the box did they? I still have a couple on my shelf, I can't remember which model they came from, but I'm certain it was a Chinese production. Haven't got round to using it yet, as I'm still breaking up that genuine lump I found in the car park at Hunstanton, on the site of the former locoshed.

 

Stewart

 

They did it with the Britannia, at least. Like you I've still got the little bag of real coal. Keeping it handy for those cold winter nights.

[Revolution Ben]

There are still Polybulks in service on at least two flows:- 

 

From locations in the French Alps to Dow Chemicals at Cadoxton; leased by NACCO:- http://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/I/IRB-covered-hoppers

 

From Hardendale to Teesside for Tata: leased by VTG, operated by GBRf:-                http://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/J-/JIA-bogie-covered-hoppers/JIA-Traffic-ServicesVTG

 

There may also be a flow from Dowlow to Mossend of lime for glass-making.

 

Some of these wagons are now about forty years old.

 

Hello there,

 

The model being offered by Bachmann and Farish has only one walkway along the top, whereas those operated by VTG have two.  This alters the end profile and would show up when the model is viewed from above.  The NACCO wagons appear to have the same walkway arrangement, but have "continental" rectangular buffers, different brake piping and other detail variations.

 

I suspect that given the exacting standards expected from some, Bachmann would be reluctant to add these to their main ranges for fear of criticism.  Personally, were they to add the NACCO or VTG versions to their N gauge range I would be delighted but these days the "average enthusiast" (where did I get that phrase?) is usually trumped by those who seem unable to accept any compromise.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Kenton]

 

The photo was taken so that readers could see the backhead detail

It wasn't me that was questioning your photography skills, someone else was suggesting that lighting was the problem. I am grateful for them all and presume that the conditions at Warley were less than perfect. I don't think lighting would have made much difference to that lump of misrepresentation.

 

I found little else to be critical of other than the coal - others have found a few other minor errors.

 

These are all fair critical comments and if we never made them and simply nodded our heads to the gods of RTR nothing would improve. Why is there this attitude that identifying faults and areas for improvement in RTR is bad form or wrong? Why have all reviews to be dumbed down to the same poor level of magazine reviews?

 

Simply because coal in tenders has "always" been badly modelled certainly does not mean that the continuing improvements should ignore this aspect of the model.

[Andy Y]

Why is there this attitude that identifying faults and areas for improvement in RTR is bad form or wrong? Why have all reviews to be dumbed down to the same poor level of magazine reviews?

 

I don't have that attitude at all and we're not dumbing anything down but I honestly think poorly represented coal is not worth picking up on.

[Kenton]

 

I don't have that attitude at all and we're not dumbing anything down but I honestly think poorly represented coal is not worth picking up on.

But an incorrect handrail length (eg) is ?

 

I just believe that any fault is worth commenting on, in the spirit of continued improvement.

[Rugd1022]

 

The photo was taken so that readers could see the backhead detail and wasn't intended as a close-up of the coal. AFAIA no manufacturer has shipped any steam loco with real (or realistic) coal, surely that's not beyond your competencies as a modeller to add if you wished to do so. Taking that position we could say that we expect a crew to be supplied with such an open footplate.

 

BTW no flash is used in my snaps.

 

Those stanchions on the front of the tender are crying out for a tarpauiln to be fitted across from the cab roof.... they say it's been known to rain a bit west of Shrewsbury...

 

Incidentally, there's a nice snippet on 9017's passage into preservation in Kevin McCormack's book 'Glory Days - Western Region Steam Around London' (Ian Allan), accompanied by four of his photos of it at Acton and Old Oak where it stayed overnight on it's way from Oswesrry to Brighton on 14th / 15th February 1962.

[coachmann]

I don't have that attitude at all and we're not dumbing anything down but I honestly think poorly represented coal is not worth picking up on.

I cannot answer for those who consider the cast metal coal is poorly represented, although the answer is to glue real coal on top of it. With Bachmann's GC D11/1, it is there to add much needed weight and on removal there is an accurately modelled coal space. Do you happen to know if this coal space is not modelled on the Dukedog Andy or are folk jumping to conclusions?

[brushman47544]

the one thing that I would wish for in this respect is for manufacturers not to fill the tender with moulded coal. That way, if greater realism is desired, coal can simply be added on top without resource to surgical skills (think of a couple of the big H's models here, not the Dukedog per se).

 

I quite agree, but higher "coal" means there is more space underneath for a DCC decoder and/or speaker so I can understand why manufacturers do it.

[PenrithBeacon]

...

 

The photo was taken so that readers could see the backhead detail and wasn't intended as a close-up of the coal.

 

...

 

BTW no flash is used in my snaps.

I'm sure that the first line is true, as is the second; but the 'coal' is dreadful and the photo is superbly exposed.

 

Regards

[Purley Oaks]

The moulded coal in my ancient Tri-ang Britannia was removable - just slotted into place in the tender.

Mal

[Kenton]

 

The moulded coal in my ancient Tri-ang Britannia was removable - just slotted into place in the tender.

 

Yes, but don't you thing we have moved on in quality RTR since Triang? In all other respects maybe.

[Mr chapman]

Im amazed at some of these comments. Skip back a few years and the idea of a rtr dukedog was laughed at. Now you've got one all im seeing is the coals not right blah blah blah. Its a rtr dukedog! If you dont like it build a bloody kit.

[alfsboy]

I cant quite believe that people are moaning about the coal .If they cant rectify  it themselves  then they obviously   are incapable of making an nicely made accurate layout l to run it on so its a shelf model anyway ,so few will even see the coal .

[ThaneofFife]

GPWM

good point worth mentioning?  

 

gawd knows-thats a wild guess...... but some of the newer acronyms now creeping into the vernacular do stop you in your tracks at times whilst you fathom them out.....

[byron]

I wonder why Bachmann et al bother at all. Are the complaints about the coal nitpicking, trying to be a clever so & so or just trolling?

 

I blame the Broad Gauge for not having them built as oil burners.

 

Mike

[micklner]

It would appear one person is moaning about Coal, bizarre and beyond belief. If you dont like it do some modelling :jester: Have a look at the P2 thread that is a Loco that has been dumbed down . The Dukedog appears excellent IMHO

[G-BOAF]

If you're going to pick anything to complain about, a SEPERATELY fitted coal load should not be one of them. Its like complaining that stock comes fitted with NEM tension locks - its very very easy to do something about!

OK, it would be nice if RTR coal loads could be better, but for right or wrong, they are increasingly used as ballast to allow DCC sound inside the tender.

 

If you've got an issue with them, unclip them (30 seconds with a thumb nail) get some real coal and some PVA and problem solved. Then open the tender, get a sticky pad, and stick the removed coal inside the tender body to restore weight

 

Compared to removing moulded handrails and other details that are emerging on some models, coal is a complete non-event.

 

Can we please focus on more serious detail challenges facing the hobby. The Dukedog looks fantastic. I presume the concerns about the hight of the boiler that were raised with the preproduction examples have been disproven?

[coachmann]

I must admit that in 4mm scale I cannot tell the difference between Welsh Steam coal and Nutty Slack.....But I'm sure it's a sign of a RTR loco that is so good as to preclude any possibility of criticism when folk say the 'coal ain't right matey'....