Bachmann Peppercorn A2

[mardle]

It looks as if "Tudor Minstrel" is suffering the same fate with regard to it's sloping cab as some of Bachmann's A1s. Two out of my three A1s suffered the same problem. I think on the prototype that the cab and tender footsteps should line up whereas on the model they do not. I managed to correct one of my A1s with some packing, but the other defied any attempt to put it right - the mazak footplate not helping!

Geoff Hodson

[Garry D100]

Wonder if these were on Garry's container ship...!

 

Dave.

It was a bit choppy that day.

And for those that missed the picture in another thread Dave is referring to;

 

[G-BOAF]

A couple of observations.

Can someone who actually HAS one of these models, post pics taken with a decent camera, at various angles, including side on! Make sure cab and tender are lined up (centre of cab lined with centre of tender, with centre lines of both pointing straight down the track).

 

A2 537 is coupled on the close loco-tender setting, rather than the wider setting on 528. Therefore, given the 'wide' cab arrangement to accommodate the pony truck, any slight misalignment between loco and tender on the track will, depending on camera angle, appear as a height differential on a 2-d photo.

 

Also, 528 has a rather large bogie/frame gap. based on experience with the A1, the coupling arm can sometimes lodge between bogie and chassis, lifting the front slightly.

 

BUT, if this were the case, I would expect the front drivers to be lifted slightly, with a larger gap between driver and running plate. this does not appear to be the case.

Related note and worry, on 537, the rear drivers have a bigger gap above them than the front ones. This would suggest the loco is leaning forwards!

 

Finally, look at the 'straight' track the locos are sitting on. Significant distortion by the camera!

 

I'm confused! But I have learned that its difficult to judge such things by traders pictures.

this said, if there is an error, it should be voiced loudly. It would be a shame given that Bachmann have already corrected one error with the 532 delay!

[davidw]

Seen both 20 min ago at Cheltenham Model Centre. Both looked fine.

 

Personally I'm still waiting on Blue Peter. I would recommend examination before purchase.

[Guest Max Stafford]

60528 suffers from the distortion more conspicuously than 60537. On my example of '528, there is a fore to aft downward kink on the fireman's side and a slight dip ahead of the motion bracket on the driver's side. It doesn't seem to have any effect on the contact of the wheels with the ground although the spring tension on 60528's bogie looks like it could use a little adjustment as the leading pair of drivers are slightly raised.

I'll be giving the locos a test run on the rollers shortly to confirm the satisfactory running of the locos.

In spite of the niggle highlighted here, I really do like these models.

 

Dave.

[silverlink]

If anyone out there is wanting a new A2 renamed/renumbered I can recommend trying Peasholm models who will do an excellent job for around £30-£35. I have had some A4s done and the service was quick and excellent.

 

I must admit to knowing Ian of Peasholm models, but I have no connection with the business, just my own personal experience of a first class job.

 

Mike

 

(Try google, Peasholmmodels.net) I think!

Having just got my hands on this great model I thought you may like to see a couple of pics of first conversions. 60535 has the lamp iron lowered & 60534 has it at standard height which is correct for this loco (the only one to retain it in this position) both have lowered number. 60534 did go on to having split h/rail but at later date to when I am modelling.

These & hopefully one or two more will be at the Hull show 13/14th (Haymarket Cross)Both loco's have been fitted with Lenz Gold decoders.

Cheers

Ian H

[davidw]

Having just got my hands on this great model I thought you may like to see a couple of pics of first conversions. 60535 has the lamp iron lowered & 60534 has it at standard height which is correct for this loco (the only one to retain it in this position) both have lowered number. 60534 did go on to having split h/rail but at later date to when I am modelling.

These & hopefully one or two more will be at the Hull show 13/14th (Haymarket Cross)Both loco's have been fitted with Lenz Gold decoders.

Cheers

Ian H

 

Lovely bit of modelling Ian. Was the removal of the original number plate difficult?

[7013]

Looking at the side on photos my observations as follows, the coal is wonky as hell, the cab on 528 looks to be sloping down, indeed the end of the cab looks closer to to the tender top level than on 537 It looks like 528s rear drivers are closer to the running plate than on 537. I may well be wrong but it looks like 528 has been subject to heat damage.

[micklner]

TMC have a couple of name conversions on ebay sadly neither listing has a picture of the cab/tender area .

I have just looked at the excellent conversions photos above. The rear cartazzi truck is derailed which may explain the drunken cab area !!

[LN Lancs]

60528 suffers from the distortion more conspicuously than 60537. On my example of '528, there is a fore to aft downward kink on the fireman's side and a slight dip ahead of the motion bracket on the driver's side. It doesn't seem to have any effect on the contact of the wheels with the ground although the spring tension on 60528's bogie looks like it could use a little adjustment as the leading pair of drivers are slightly raised.

I'll be giving the locos a test run on the rollers shortly to confirm the satisfactory running of the locos.

In spite of the niggle highlighted here, I really do like these models.

 

Dave.

 

I'm with Dave on this, the A2s really look nice models. I'm off into Glasgow tomorrow to try and get Bachelors Button, hope D&F models have got one!

[davidw]

Is it correct to have lined out cylinders?

[Guest Max Stafford]

Easily put right with a fibreglass pen, David!

My rollers appear to be in need of some TLC, but both locos have passed the 9V battery test with flying colours!

 

Dave.

[silverlink]

Lovely bit of modelling Ian. Was the removal of the original number plate difficult?

No not really David, you need to remove smokebox door, I use a scalpel blade carefully easing out all the way round. Remove lamp iron & handrail followed by filing down number plate. Once removed I flat smooth with wet & dry paper. Re-drill new hole for lamp iron, replace along with handrail before repainting. I use satin black car spray but use it very carefully spraying very thin coats. I will spray around six coats but very thin leaving around ten minutes between coats which works really well. The new number is super glued onto the top hinge.With ref lining on cylinders I think it is wrong & should not be there. I cannot see it on any photos I have so I will be removing it from my models when I do a bit of weathering. I ran one of the locos at my model club last night where it ran faultlessly. Hope this helps.

Cheers

Ian H

[Harry Basset]

Having the cab riding lower than the tender is not uncommon with an A2. There are several shots of Blue Peter on the NELPG website taken at ICI Wilton, on the NYMR and on the mainline. In each shot the cab floor is lower than the tender. During the final exam before being granted its mainline certificate Blue Peter was put on the weighing gear at Derby works, this equipment was so sensitive that it registered movement of one person moving about on the footplate. It proved impossible to get the weights adjusted exactly to the diagram so the loco ran with a slightly lower back end, there is a prototype for everything. I am looking forward to receiving my Bachmann Blue Peter.

[bluex5]

Are we going to get one with a welded tender? The rivited tender is horrible.

[S.A.C Martin]

Are we going to get one with a welded tender? The rivited tender is horrible.

 

Did any of them get welded tenders? I thought that was a Darlington only thing - weren't all the Peppercorn A2s built at Doncaster, which would of course, mean they only had riveted tenders?

[Guest Max Stafford]

All riveted tenders as far as I know. It was only A1s with welded tenders.

 

Dave.

[Mr Brunel]

Looking at the side on photos my observations as follows, the coal is wonky as hell, the cab on 528 looks to be sloping down, indeed the end of the cab looks closer to to the tender top level than on 537 It looks like 528s rear drivers are closer to the running plate than on 537. I may well be wrong but it looks like 528 has been subject to heat damage.

 

Most unusual - Rails of Sheffield have uploaded images and theirs appears to be fine :

http://railsofsheffield.com/class-a2-tudor-minstrel-60528-31-527-JJJA12633.aspx

It looks like the problems is down to invidual samples.

[bluex5]

It appears that welded tenders are indeed a Darlington A1 phenomenon. Oh well, still looking forward to getting my paws on one of these. Probably going to do Sayajirao unless the double chimney variant pops up in time for Warley, then it'll be Velocity.

[MikeParkin65]

Just got the Kernow newsletter and have to say that both appear to lean back on their cabs. It's a real shame if this is going to be a random problem. Review sample in MR seems fine tho as does the BR green version on Hattons site. Really need to see one in the flesh before committing. I've got 532 on order.

[Sweeps]

Can someone do a picture of an A1 and A2 side by side - I'm struggling to see the difference.

[micklner]

Can someone do a picture of an A1 and A2 side by side - I'm struggling to see the difference.

 

Different wheel size is a major difference etc

[bluex5]

Can someone do a picture of an A1 and A2 side by side - I'm struggling to see the difference.

 

Wheel diameter, wheelbase, boiler length, footplate....I could go on. Basically other than a generic family resemblance (and being pacifics) the two locos share very little.

[coachmann]

Going solely of images posted on here and on various store websites, the running plate is all over the place. The front section is not parallel to the middle section and the rear section droops towards the tender. One would thing that affixing plastic bits to a mazak running plate would be straightforward, but if the mazak is distored, then there isn't much hope for this mass-produced item.

 

Re lining on cylinders, it was not always applied to LNE Pacifics after the war and I dont think the Peppercorns got it at all. It was never applied with BR green livery either.

 

Of course the A2 Pacifics were neat looking engines and for the price the model is a bargain despite faults.

[60027Merlin]

Can someone do a picture of an A1 and A2 side by side - I'm struggling to see the difference.

The A1 was just under two feet longer, check the length of both smokeboxes if you place two photos of each class side by side. Also the A1 had driving wheel splashers and the sand box fillers were differently arranged in both classes. They were like each other but also quite unlike each other. In other words very different beasts!

 

I have just purchased the Bachelors Button model and it ran really well for an hours running in. A fine model but spoiled by the hideous line along the lower part of each side of the boiler. According to the review in Model Rail Bachmann had to do this to accommodate the different tooling for the Thompson boiler, however these could only be distinguished in reality by the round dome so a change of dome only which is a separate item would only be required.