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The most accurate OO RTR locos ever?


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So often we hear about how such and such is inaccurate about a loco when it's produced in OO form. Comments can range from "the chimney is the wrong type" to "there are too many spokes on the wheels". That made me think, what are some of the most accurate (relatively speaking) OO locos offering done by the manufacturers?

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Does it matter? If a model is produced that is of no interest to me, how important is it to me? Not much really, so its all relative.

 

Edit

 

OK so a couple of you don't understand my comments.

 

Take it another way. If the prototype modelled doesn't interest me, does it matter how accurate the end result is, as I probably won't be buying one anyway.

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Well, many posts complain about inaccuracies (see Hornby 4-vep thread for example!) so selling such items is obviously a crime against humanity itself.  :-)

 

Seriously, I think this is an interesting topic and I'd suggest the Dapol oo gauge Western as a very accurately shaped model that had a lot of research and development done on it and remains the definitive model Western.

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Well, I suppose in pure pedantic terms the most accurate RTR steam locos would have to be chosen from the 'live steam' versions.

 

All the others have electric motors in the boiler/firebox area (and some in the tender) which rules them out immediately.

 

:devil:  

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The current Hornby A4 must be a candidate, and the Bachmann LMS twins is presumably a nomination from the blue box team. Large long lived classes are probably not going to qualify because of the scope for detailed variation. How does the Hornby L1 rate?

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Surely, it's the ones that have been converted to P4......

Name of topic: The most accurate OO RTR locos ever? If it's been converted to P4 then it is no longer a OO model

 

The Hornby Class 60 has previously been described as a pretty accurate model.

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So often we hear about how such and such is inaccurate about a loco when it's produced in OO form. Comments can range from "the chimney is the wrong type" to "there are too many spokes on the wheels". That made me think, what are some of the most accurate (relatively speaking) OO locos offering done by the manufacturers?

Accurate in what way?

Overall body shape? Level of detail? Chassis representation? (since none of them have frames and almost none have inside motion/detail, and they are all the wrong gauge anyway.) Accuracy with painting and lining? Or matching the livery to the modification state?

 

Clearly the most accurate bodies are the ones that have been scanned from preserved examples............. Or are they?

Not necessarily, because preserved locos are often modified for loading gauge purposes or because parts are frequently used from other locos which may not be entirely appropriate. And most are paired up with the wrong tenders!

 

Some of the most accurate locos are also the ones that also have the most obvious flaws. Poor or wrong chimneys are a good example. Or an excellent model can be produced in the wrong livery or numbered inappropriately and get a bad review which clouds its overall accuracy.

 

And what to do with an "inaccurate " model? Some can be transformed by simple fixes (replacing the chimney on the Bachmann Nelson with a brass one).

Others can never be fixed because the proportions are just wrong (GWR fireboxes).

 

 

Finally, do we see these models with a dispassionate eye anyway? If it's your favourite loco it will look great to you however inaccurate it is!

My favourite has never been produced in 00 (Unrebuilt MN) so over the decades I've made do with many, many different representations: Scratch-builts, rebadged BB/WCs, kits of various quality and construction skills, and repaints of dubious finish. But you know what?.......

 

................ they all looked absolutely brilliant to me !

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If it's an OO assessment then that means with the gauge and coarser than scale wheelset compromises ignored.

 

Then you have to decide what is going to be assessed, the applicable measurements for each category and the standards for evaluation; and also how you proportion different categories of assessment against each other, and then combine them to arrive at a final 'accuracy' grading that can claim some objectivity because it is standardised. I do this for myself, because I am interested in gauging manufacturer's progress.

 

The best OO locos that I have had hands on, and the data to assess: NRM/Bachmann DP1, Hornby's Thompson L1 and O1, Heljan's disc headcode class 23 (I suspect that the Hymek is in the same class) which make a low 60's% rating. Most 'good' UK RTR locos come in at 20 - 30%. Quite a number get a big fat zero.

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r307.jpg

 

I prefer and still own (and my son runs - converted to DCC) the Airfix version.  In my opinion, a quite remarkable model, bearing in mind it's nearly 40 years old.  It even sounds like a diesel!

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If it's an OO assessment then that means with the gauge and coarser than scale wheelset compromises ignored.

 

Then you have to decide what is going to be assessed, the applicable measurements for each category and the standards for evaluation; and also how you proportion different categories of assessment against each other, and then combine them to arrive at a final 'accuracy' grading that can claim some objectivity because it is standardised. I do this for myself, because I am interested in gauging manufacturer's progress.

 

The best OO locos that I have had hands on, and the data to assess: NRM/Bachmann DP1, Hornby's Thompson L1 and O1, Heljan's disc headcode class 23 (I suspect that the Hymek is in the same class) which make a low 60's% rating. Most 'good' UK RTR locos come in at 20 - 30%. Quite a number get a big fat zero.

 

I think that's unfair. Most current rtr loco's are pretty darn good. What would you give zero to?

 

Ed

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Too right -- Just another thread for people to froth about their favourite toys.......

 

There's much worse ways for a big kid to enjoy himself (or herself of course), as I'm imagine you will agree.

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Maybe so, but their our toys that we like to butcher, alter, rename, renumber, repaint and so on... :butcher:

 

NL

 

Well, I used to repaint Dinky cars etc (so not "worth a fortune" any more), and build bangers into Airfix plane kits to re-create crash scenes.

 

Ed

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The current Hornby A4 must be a candidate, and the Bachmann LMS twins is presumably a nomination from the blue box team. Large long lived classes are probably not going to qualify because of the scope for detailed variation. How does the Hornby L1 rate?

However Brassmasters make detail parts to improve it.

Bachmann prototype Deltic does it for me. 

The L1? Very highly. A toss up between this and the new K1 in respect of steam locos from what I have seen.

The Q1 would rate right up there if the loco-tender coupling could be more easily shortened

Bernard

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