John Tomlinson Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 I've just put mine back in the box after a weekend of gazing at it adoringly! In doing so I managed to knock off the "Falcon" name on one side - easily refixed with a bit of varnish - but a word to the wise that this can be done with handling. To those of us used to modern RTR in 4mm, the issues of handling and servicing with bits coming off are very familiar, and indeed in my view quite unavoidable given the fineness of detail, but I can see why those without this background might feel a little put out. On the strength of the quality of Falcon, I have ordered a Warship - hopefully it won't turn up too soon to allow me to get the piggy bank in order! John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLIBOD17 Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 (edited) Been admiring my blue and yellow version. Care definitely needs to be taken whilst handling these weighty models. Whilst mine had arrived from Tower Models completely intact by pure chance I noticed a fuel tank area foot rung or similar had become detached and was staring up at me from the carpet ! A DP2 in '0' gauge would be great Edited February 29, 2016 by DLIBOD17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valleysniper Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 (edited) Further to my earlier post after e-mailing and talking to Tower and the spare parts agent Howes of Oxford, Tower are arranging to replace my BR Blue Falcon this Friday due to the number of issues. Therefore I cannot fault them for customer service, hope replacement is defect free. Edited March 1, 2016 by Valleysniper 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 All the best. Good service from Tower, keep us informed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valleysniper Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 All the best. Good service from Tower, keep us informed? Well the replacement Falcon from Tower arrived today and they took the other one back. It managed to survive 'White Van Delivery Man' with only one buffer block and one bogie angle bracket found loose in the box. I took super care again in removing Loco from box placing a soft pillow over the loco then inverting it carefully. This is far superior example and the bits will be easily glued back on. So cannot fault Towers customer service. Heljan should in my opinion leave off all the 'vunerable' detail parts and let customer fit, particulary all the buffer beam pipework. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I agree...considering the target market, it's not a toy after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiDAS Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 My Lime green example arrived safely from Tower with no damage at all. Loco needs careful removal from box as lamp irons are tight against the packing. ( I have shaved a little off ) Now fitted with sound, rear lights are switchable via CVs rather than the under body switch and the cab lights are independently switched to. Tried a loksound 4L not man enough needs the XL IMHO. A very heavy model even by Heljan Standards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 After a futile couple of hours at Kettering where first my, and then Steve's phone had no signal, we did manage to meet up and I took delivery of my banger blue Falcon. At last!! it's been a long wait, and well worth my repeated pleas to various manufacturers...and despite a certain large retailer of Heljan stuff insisting they would NEVER do it as it would NEVER sell! The model is awesome and well worth what I paid. Thanks to Steve Fay. My Lime green example arrived safely from Tower with no damage at all. Loco needs careful removal from box as lamp irons are tight against the packing. ( I have shaved a little off ) Now fitted with sound, rear lights are switchable via CVs rather than the under body switch and the cab lights are independently switched to. Tried a loksound 4L not man enough needs the XL IMHO. A very heavy model even by Heljan Standards. Who does the sound chip, please? Is it specifically for 7mm? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted March 5, 2016 Author Share Posted March 5, 2016 Cheers Jeff, good to see you again. Brian at Howes does a chip suitable. There was one on display today complete with sound. Thanks again Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiDAS Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Hi, Coastal DCC supplied my chip has a nice touch whereby rear lights are switched out (Aux 1 and Aux 2) by one function switch and Aux 3 forward and Aux 4 reverse are switched by another. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) Cheers Jeff, good to see you again. Brian at Howes does a chip suitable. There was one on display today complete with sound. Thanks again Steve Damn, where was that? i couldn't even find Howes or SWD. How easy/difficult is it to chip for sound? Edited March 6, 2016 by JeffP Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 John Edwards had one on display next to Warren Heywood. I've not chipped mine yet but with the V4 XL decoder it is easier as the chip has screw terminals. I'm sure some one will post a diagram up soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiDAS Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) The 4XL chip fits nicely as the mounting holes match with those that are used to hold the circuit board which is removed. The speaker housing area is designed to fit the 40mm speaker and housing, it being held in place by the fixing screws. Only problem I had was having to move the fan circuit board to one end as it fouled the 4 XL (not a problem really as there was sufficient wire to allow for this). The fan operates at a reasonable speed and relatively quietly all round well done Heljan Edited March 6, 2016 by MiDAS Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 John Edwards had one on display next to Warren Heywood. I've not chipped mine yet but with the V4 XL decoder it is easier as the chip has screw terminals. I'm sure some one will post a diagram up soon. I saw that, but it wasn't running, and nothing to say it was sound equipped, so I just looked and passed on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phill Dyson (onslaught832) Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) Had a good drool at the sound chipped Falcon at Kettering yesterday & a long chat with the owner who very kindly gave us a very impressive demonstration of the soundchips capabilites before I picked up my blue Falcon (thanks Steve) Edited March 6, 2016 by Phill Dyson (onslaught832) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Wish i'd known. How did you know it was sound chipped? Was it running? There were a couple of stands with 37's and 40's running. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 Jon had sent me a video of it in a rolling road I will see if I can upload it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 It sounds good, just unsure how accurate it is for a DE, since it must have been recorded of a DH? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phill Dyson (onslaught832) Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 it had modified a Western sound chip with the Hydraulic transmission sound removed .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 (edited) I have my Falcon and it is delightful model, It is the best release from Heljan to date? The three liveries, according to Class47 website, there were four. The lime greenchestnut was originally two tone lime and dark green. The dark green areas were overpainted with chestnut brown. Also suggestions that the lime green /chestnut brown acquired small yellow warning panels for a very short time before a full repaint in two tone green. http://www.class47.co.uk/c47_feature_424.php (click on liveries tab) https://www.flickr.com/photos/55919985@N06/5643178258 (lime/green /chestnut with yellow warning panels) Edited March 12, 2016 by Pandora Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Yes, they could have done that one. I did mention it at the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushVeteran Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Yes, they could have done that one. I did mention it at the time. There is no strong photographic evidence to suggest that the original livery was two tone green apart from an image in bad lighting conditions that was once available through Colour-Rail. We have images of Falcon as it left the Brush Works on delivery and this shows the livery was definitely lime green and brown with orange highlights.I know it was never repaired by BR and therefore run in service in this form. This has been confirmed by ex.Brush employee's who have endorsed this. It was produced with a small yellow panel in OO form because there was sufficient demand for a re-run in blue and green liveries to warrant a extra version. There had already been two versions of the original livery with both the painted and etched Falcon crest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) There is no strong photographic evidence to suggest that the original livery was two tone green apart from an image in bad lighting conditions that was once available through Colour-Rail. We have images of Falcon as it left the Brush Works on delivery and this shows the livery was definitely lime green and brown with orange highlights.I know it was never repaired by BR and therefore run in service in this form. This has been confirmed by ex.Brush employee's who have endorsed this. It was produced with a small yellow panel in OO form because there was sufficient demand for a re-run in blue and green liveries to warrant a extra version. There had already been two versions of the original livery with both the painted and etched Falcon crest. If the Class 47 website is checked, the gallery and write up shows Falcon in all over light (lime) green including the cab side window area with only the "solebar" in a darker green, later the cabside and solebars were in darker green, then those two darker areas were painted in the well known chestnut Edited March 13, 2016 by Pandora Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 (edited) The explanation of a B&W print or negative which has been hand-coloured makes sense. colouring of B&W prints is a well known technique in photography. Ladybird Book of British railway Locomotives, does anyone still have a copy? (from my childhood ) I recall a good number of the shots in the book had a "hand coloured look about them Edited March 14, 2016 by Pandora Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushVeteran Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 To add to my confusion, the lime green example reviewed in Hornby Magazine, it may be the as-built by Brush, ie all over green with just the solebar in the darker green. Not the same finish as the production version lime green / chestnut The attached image is what FKI /Brush allowed Heljan to use from their archive. This is how Falcon originally left the factory and this image was taken prior to dispatch for the first time. Now confusingly there is an image in the Brush Falcon brochure which was produced at the same time which shows Falcon in two shades of green but this is a black & white image which has been 'coloured in' by an artist so cannot be taken as a true colour variation. I have not seen as yet, and I have many, a convincing image showing the locomotive originally had dark green relief where the chestnut brown has been applied. Agreed in poor light conditions the chestnut brown has a slight green tinge to it but from the original colour charts used, as far as we know and have been advised by Brush, Falcon originally only had one livery. The livery depicted in the Hornby magazine review is of course its second livery applied after being sold to BR by Brush in 1965. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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