Bachmann Peppercorn A2

[robmcg]

Well now. Please take it from one who was there- i.e.who saw York's 60526 & Heaton's 60539-and others. This is as close as you can get. Don't carp or nit-pick. Celebrate! Not quite right ? The age of rivet-counting is obviously alive&well.

 

Amen to that!

 

athough I do rather enjoy counting rivets ...

 

I wonder how long it will take for 60532 to travel from Liverpool to NZ? I must be patient methinks, in today's 30C Canterbury sunshine it is quite easy to be patient.... and I expect the Royal Mail to get this model, along with four others purchased up to 8 days ago, to the airport forthwith!

 

In optomistic expectation, (maybe some lessons from the 1963 'big freeze' apply?)

 

Rob

[Ramrig]

Ok First Pics. Taken very late tonight. will try and take better ones later. minor fault on my model. other than that very impressed.

[AMJ]

Oooh seeing all of these reminds me that I only have to wait until Saturday to get my A2 back into my hands when I unwrap it from under the tree. Reminds me of old days when as a kid you'd get a new train on 25^th December!

[davidw]

Ok First Pics. Taken very late tonight. will try and take better ones later. minor fault on my model. other than that very impressed.

 

 

Those photo's of it look superb. Far better than the Hattons shots... Can't wait to collect mine.

[micklner]

It maybe the pictures ??

 

The cab area still leans to the left ,this maybe exagerated by the lining around the numbers and on the footplate under the cab . The nameplate appears crooked . Lastly there appears to be gaps where the firebox meets the footplate and the cab area ??

 

On the chassis the slidebar for the piston rod goes upto the left

 

Hopefully wrong on all counts . Otherwise looks very nice

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

The slight gappiness around the firebox, cab, footplate area , and the 'cab droop' has often been in evidence on the A1's. Assuming the A2 body is of similar design, a screwed together assembly of cast metal and moulded plastic parts, it will be easy enough to 'jiggle' the components around to true it up. There are a couple of screws under the cab floor that hold everything together, and with these released a better fit can be arranged. Unusual to see the slide bar incorrectly canted on Bachmann, have other A2s been likewise affected?

 

Before someone objects that they shouldn't have to do adjustments on a model costing £100; consider that it is assembled by a Chinese woman who has never seen one in reality, she has to assemble goodness knows how many in a day, and can only use the parts as they are supplied to her. The cast footplate section is very vulnerable to slight deformations, and it is usually the case that by truing up this element everything else falls into place neatly.

[Ed-farms]

Hopefully I will get mine today, but the snow is making a trip to Stanley to collect looking doubtful. Looks a great model from the pics posted here.

[davidw]

Just collected my A2. What a little beauty. The hattons picks don't give it justice. The brunswick green is nicely carried out in a satin/matt finish. The lining I'd still say is a bit heavy - but light weathering will tone that down nicely. Not had a chance to run it yet but simple exainmation at my local indicated a very smooth performer.

 

Congratuations to Bachmann

 

With the Peppercorn A1's and A2's done and Hornby's A3's and A4's the only ER pacific's not covered is the Thompson's. I'll duck now!

[Mike J]

 

 

With the Peppercorn A1's and A2's done and Hornby's A3's and A4's the only ER pacific's not covered is the Thompson's. I'll duck now!

 

 

You could always butcher a Gresley......very prototypical!

[davidw]

You could always butcher a Gresley......very prototypical!

No fear

[S.A.C Martin]

You could always butcher a Gresley......very prototypical!

 

I did try once...

 

[ScRSG]

For a Scottish engine they are taking a long time to reach the Scottish retailers, as of this post still no sign.

[60027Merlin]

For a Scottish engine they are taking a long time to reach the Scottish retailers, as of this post still no sign.

It was in at Harburn Hobbies yesterday.

[silverlink]

Just recieved my first BP & its already been converted to Suger Palm ! I'm taking it down to the Railway Club tonight to give it a run on the club layout. I have fitted a Lenz new standard decoder which are very good but will probably have to do a bit of fine tuning to get it running perfect. I will post pictures when I get it all finished. Jobs to do : paint top of tender BR Green, remove lining from cylinders, fit add-ons & most strange fit works plates under cab numbers. For some reason Bachmann have not fitted them. Other loco's I am doing are 60533 'Happy Knight' 36A Doncaster, 60538 'Velocity' 52B Heaton & 60539 'Bronzino' 52B Heaton (using Bachelors Button) All these loco's along with lots of other East Coast Pacifics can be seen on my layout 'Haymarket Cross' at the Doncaster Model Railway show 13/14th Feb 2011 so come along & have a chat with us.

cheers

silverlink

[Ian Hargrave]

Just recieved my first BP & its already been converted to Suger Palm ! I'm taking it down to the Railway Club tonight to give it a run on the club layout. I have fitted a Lenz new standard decoder which are very good but will probably have to do a bit of fine tuning to get it running perfect. I will post pictures when I get it all finished. Jobs to do : paint top of tender BR Green, remove lining from cylinders, fit add-ons & most strange fit works plates under cab numbers. For some reason Bachmann have not fitted them. Other loco's I am doing are 60533 'Happy Knight' 36A Doncaster, 60538 'Velocity' 52B Heaton & 60539 'Bronzino' 52B Heaton (using Bachelors Button) All these loco's along with lots of other East Coast Pacifics can be seen on my layout 'Haymarket Cross' at the Doncaster Model Railway show 13/14th Feb 2011 so come along & have a chat with us.

cheers

silverlink

For your info: I hope this will help:60539 was actually built with a double chimney. 526(50A's pet),529 533 & 538 were given a double blast pipe & multiple valve regulator at a later date. My source for this is locos in service as at March 26 1955 (Ian Allen abc) and in the case of Bronzino a personal observation -photographed-on a northbound express at York on 10th Sept. 1960.So think carefully about a donor loco for 539.

[silverlink]

For your info: I hope this will help:60539 was actually built with a double chimney. 526(50A's pet),529 533 & 538 were given a double blast pipe & multiple valve regulator at a later date. My source for this is locos in service as at March 26 1955 (Ian Allen abc) and in the case of Bronzino a personal observation -photographed-on a northbound express at York on 10th Sept. 1960.So think carefully about a donor loco for 539.

Ian, if you read my thread I have said that Bronzino is to be done using Bachelors Button as the donor loco. This loco as we all know is a single chimney model & all that is needed is the fitting of a double chimney. If you look at my post on page 11 No 274 & 12 no 277 which I did on 22nd Nov you will see Bronzino done for a customer from a Bachelors Button which you will see has got no Multiple Valve Regulator. There are also one or two other mods I have carried out too which you can see from the pic. With thirty plus years of detailing loco's I'm always careful when doing new loco's. Fortunatly I have a vast collection of reference books & my own photo's I took back in the early 1960's I can fall back on when doing a paticular loco. Of course I do trip myself up every now & then!!!!

Cheers

silverlink

[Ian Hargrave]

Ian, if you read my thread I have said that Bronzino is to be done using Bachelors Button as the donor loco. This loco as we all know is a single chimney model & all that is needed is the fitting of a double chimney. If you look at my post on page 11 No 274 & 12 no 277 which I did on 22nd Nov you will see Bronzino done for a customer from a Bachelors Button which you will see has got no Multiple Valve Regulator. There are also one or two other mods I have carried out too which you can see from the pic. With thirty plus years of detailing loco's I'm always careful when doing new loco's. Fortunatly I have a vast collection of reference books & my own photo's I took back in the early 1960's I can fall back on when doing a paticular loco. Of course I do trip myself up every now & then!!!!

Cheers

silverlink

Touche--only trying to be helpful ! I look forward to making your acquaintance at Doncaster. Ian.

[Mike J]

Saw Sugar Palm at the club tonight, another Ian Harper masterpiece. I don't know how many A2s we'll have on Haymarket Cross at Doncaster, (me and Geoff are cross gauging from our usual N to bulk up the HC team) but if you like A2s and you're going to Doncaster show, Haymarket Cross will be worth a visit! You'll be made very welcome.

[G-BOAF]

Been analysing the beast (no pics, other's have now beaten me to it!)

Few observations and topics for comment

 

1. The CAB DROOP. Certainly seems better than pics of the other versions but is STILL THERE.

What is interesting is that the main running plate is held at the correct height, and there is a gap of about 1mm between the front end of the cab running plate and the Cartazzi frame. This then slopes down to the frame, presumably due to the screws being tightened. This pulls the cab down, and results in gap at bottom of firebox, as explained by '34theletterbetweenB&D'.

 

Therefore it SHOULD be possible to push running plate back up against boiler and reassemble. Given the running plate has stayed horizontal, there appears to be something holding it at the correct height which the rear screws, when they bend the cab running plate, are pulling against. Otherwise the entire body would slope back and sit on the Cartazzi. The question is, what (especially considering the force required to bend the running plate)?

 

If there is something holding it, with running plate returned to correct proportions, the body should sit at correct height, 'hovering' above the rear frames. Screws gently tightened, or packed and tightened. Packing probably necessary to ensure draw bar doesn't fall out.

This would imply either the Cartazzi is too low as a unit, or that there are a few mm 'missing' from the top.

 

In fairness to Bachmann, the 'S' curve sits nicely in the boiler, because there are screws holding boiler and running plate together at this point. Massive improvement over the A1.

But Rear end remains a slight mystery, and I was hoping it wouldn't!

 

2. They've done away with sprung driving wheels. Like Hornby with the DCC fitted MN's, they seem to have realised that you have to do it perfectly, or not at all!

 

3. I seem to have a malformed smoke deflector - it isn't touching the brackets on the smokebox, and appears flatter than its neighbour. Might try to correct it if I have the boiler off, else see if Bachmann have a spare etch available...! I see Ramrig has the same problem.

 

4. Much improved cab detail, still no print on the white dial faces, but the first time I've seen an AWS 'Sunflower' printed on a Bachmann footplate, very very nice touch!

 

In summary, sloop and smoke deflector, otherwise I'm happy.

At some point I'll get a detail (praise and criticism) video review on youtube.

 

Sloop comments and research welcome.

[davidw]

Ian, if you read my thread I have said that Bronzino is to be done using Bachelors Button as the donor loco. This loco as we all know is a single chimney model & all that is needed is the fitting of a double chimney. If you look at my post on page 11 No 274 & 12 no 277 which I did on 22nd Nov you will see Bronzino done for a customer from a Bachelors Button which you will see has got no Multiple Valve Regulator. There are also one or two other mods I have carried out too which you can see from the pic. With thirty plus years of detailing loco's I'm always careful when doing new loco's. Fortunatly I have a vast collection of reference books & my own photo's I took back in the early 1960's I can fall back on when doing a paticular loco. Of course I do trip myself up every now & then!!!!

Cheers

silverlink

where did you get the double chimney for Bronzino?

[silverlink]

where did you get the double chimney for Bronzino?

David, the double chimney came off a Hornby A3 (White Knight China SD)which I had in stock however, at the moment I am unable to source anymore. The last lot I purchased from Modelspares which are no longer trading & other suppliers don't have them. I do have a few white metal ones & to be honest they are much better so will be using them for next conversion. I have found that David Alexandra models do an A3 Double Chimney which I may try when I run out of stock. To the best of my knowledge the A3 double chimney is very simular to the A1/2 & does look right when fitted to an A2. Hope this is of help.

cheers

Ian

[davidw]

Thanks very much. I've placed margate chimneys from EKM on a couple of St Gatien's never though of applying a Hornby Chimney to a Bachmann model. I did think about a resin mold.

 

I look forwad to seeing your pics

 

cheers

[Bob Reid]

.......Jobs to do : paint top of tender BR Green, remove lining from cylinders, fit add-ons & most strange fit works plates under cab numbers. For some reason Bachmann have not fitted them.

cheers

silverlink

 

 

Guess it depends on in what year your model of 60532 represents however the Bachmann version is correct for it's last couple of years at Ferryhill then (more specific to the model) Dundee, by which time it had lost both of it's cab side works plates - see this pic as just one example so they did well in that respect. Pity though they left off the OHL flashees it wore at the but of course it's easier to fit them than to remove them for an earlier version.

 

[Harry Basset]

A very interesting photo. It shows the second regulator handle fitted on the firemans side.

[benachie]

Guess it depends on in what year your model of 60532 represents however the Bachmann version is correct for it's last couple of years at Ferryhill then (more specific to the model) Dundee, by which time it had lost both of it's cab side works plates - see this pic as just one example so they did well in that respect. Pity though they left off the OHL flashees it wore at the but of course it's easier to fit them than to remove them for an earlier version.

Seems to be minus its nameplate in the pic?

According to a picture in "The Colour of Steam - the LNER Pacifics", dated September 1966, BP had a blue nameplate, was still labelled 61B, had white/aluminium paint on smokebox door hinges, buffers etc. and nothing on the buffer beam.

Alan