MikeParkin65

Colour perception conversation - always goes well (for connoisseurs there is debate over shades of black on the Dapol channel!). For what its worth I've got green versions of the Accurascale and Bachmann 37's and whilst stressing that all of this is perception so there is no right and wrong I find it easier to match Bachmanns green to colour images from the '60's than Accurascales. But there is very little in it, I think possibly the satin sheen that Bachmann use gives greater depth and life to the colour than AS's more matte finish. Not sure if their BR Manor is the same shade as their 37 but it too has more sheen and looks darker.

From having seen but not owning an example it looks like the fading is an intrinsic part of the body decoration as opposed to a Heljan quick blow over.

Agree - it seemed initially that there was going to be quite wide eco system supporting the launch of TT that might attract the existing modeler looking for a change as well as the new entrant. Now its looking very different with much promised but relatively little delivered (unless you want LNER pacifics, Midland Railway buildings, MK's and Pullman cars) with the prospect of further 'greatest hits' from the OO range. They needed either to have hit the floor running OR worked with other parts of the industry to everyones mutual advantage.

Agree - mechanically apart from an early Hymek with the brass wheelset and the well known 'floppy NEM mount' everything I have had from Heljan up to and including the class 45 has been bombproof reliable, smooth as silk and will pull anything you hang behind it as if it wasnt there. If Heljan could just pay more attention to body shape they'd be leading the field now in the 4mm D&E sector.

New Engine shed - Ellis Clarke scaled lamps confirmed https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.Hornby.com%2Fcommunity%2Fblog-and-news%2Fengine-shed%2Ffinal-samples&h=AT3aY3frw4PyT0sYYkPUv4oR-XZnMlE8qTTroX3QKvo7UriM7ysV_Y1GxWEYsklqE7Bol2wmlmWuTTU-NCzTIGzU7j6prxv5pz7Hc2SwtWITJeRKcQ7_sypB9aqMVaA&s=1

Right. - let’s get onto Mr Ashley about moulded smokebox door handles on the latest 8F and over scale lamps on Black 5’s! If he thought Newcastle Utd fans were hard to please he ain’t seen nothing yet 🤣

In my experience the running quality of Zimo equipped loco's is superior to most (but not all ESU) projects - which is what most other manufacturers are bundling with the loco for £100). £25 extra is still good value if you look at what Zimo sound project plus speaker(S) will cost if bought separately to self fit. The best value aftermarket at the moment is from Locoman on D&H decoders - currently £92 for chip plus recorded delivery and speaker if needed. He's got a new one out for a Manor which I'm sure would also be suitable for a 43xx

A little unfair to say 'lots of reports' - there have been some reports on the thread on this forum and the manufacturer has been very proactive in reaching out and offering ot look at any model the owner had an issue with. I do think its been one of those little frenzies that can afflict this forum where an issue with a few models from a large batch is presumed to afflict all. I've got one, sound fitted, it waddles a little but it will also shift a 14 coach rake on test which is all I need from a station pilot.

Sounds like a decent project to be honest - might be my cloth ears but I didnt pick up an obtrusive 'tick'. I presume this is a Mr Sound Guy on a Zimo?

Appearance of both Accurascales and Bachmanns look spot on to me - I've got pre orders for one of each (Accurascale SYP previously being sold out on pre order but coincidentally becoming available again when Bachmann announced theirs). I am sure neither will disappoint. Just need AS to announce a 20 now to force Bachmann price for their version down - competition clearly is a good thing for us as consumers.

Looks exactly how I'd want a state of the art 4mm 50 to look - highly detailed, convincing presence and well put together (especially considering these are pre production mules). I think we are basing too much sometimes on pin sharp digital images several times bigger than the actual model and then suggesting 'faults' that simply wont be visible in operation on a layout. My sound fitted 37 happens to be parked next to me at the moment - I'd forgotten the roof panel is removal and can't even see the joint!

Looks the same proportions to me

Though Heljan are sending out a strange message when Accurascale for example are offering 'lifetime'. Its certainly made me think twice about this £170 shunter (which would be replacing a 2013 Hornby version which has suffered the crank shifting on the wheel), - problems are not unknown in the hobby and 6 mths isnt long for things to go wrong in especially with a loco that won't get much continuous loop running

Agree it’s a cock up rather than a conspiracy. It would cost money to change the door tool which I’m sure would take years to recoup from the labour saved in fitting the handle and the lamp bracket. This suggests to their having been a cock up somewhere along the line, be that in specifying the model, something happening to the correct tool, something at the factory - who knows.

Ive got to say having looked at the actual model at my local shop the black doesn’t look nearly as strange to the naked eye as it does in digital photos.

Most things look better ( Heljan 25s, Dapol charcoal coloured Moguls etc) in the ‘cabinet of temptation’ at my local but this is one of the few that actually look worse! The molded handles seem huge!

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/locomotive/ls64/

A lot of potential buyers (including me!) will be put off by not knowing how simple a kit built loco will be to convert to DCC. Like it or not DCC is I think the default control system for those who came back to the hobby in the past 20 years or so. Regarding the V2 the latest Bachmann version can be had for a lot less than £200, in fact a very prominent BRM advertiser is currently offering them for less than £140. I see some beautiful looking kit built models for sale but I’m afraid the market for them is very limited and the original cost of the components isn’t a justification for the higher prices except to a very few ‘in the know’ as per this thread - and some here wouldn’t pay those prices as they are seeking to hunt underpriced bargains on the aforementioned eBay!

Its a good model at a very competitive price when it was new but its not well known and its quite niche unfortunately.

Love it - much clearer

This whole discussion is getting pretty niche now but I dont think the tender drive 8F tooling has appeared in the Railroad range

For a repaint definitely get on eBay or similar - £75 tops for one of the less popular identities (the LNER one for example). The cheapest I saw last week went for £20(!) albeit it lacked a tender but Stanier tenders easy to find too (or even a comet kit).

All listed on the wonderful Hattons database. I sincerely hope someone takes this on and keeps it up to date - its an invaluable resource! https://www.hattons.co.uk/directory/versiondetails/2814/bachmann_branchline_oo_dp1_deltic_prototype?instock=true&onorder=true&soldout=true

Some irony that you have it parked on a piece of Accurascale packaging 🤣

And I think a lot of people used to the last generation of models need to seriously review their layout wiring (gauge of wire, integrity of power bus) , suitability of control system (can it access 20+ functions?) , voltage to tracks, AMPs available etc before buying current (excuse the pun) generation models and then blaming those models when they dont perform as expected. I write from experience. In DC days we learnt not to expect our trainset controller to run a layout that had grown ever larger and more complex - its the same with DCC, you need more than '2 wires to the track' and the cheapest controller on the market to get proper performance from the current crop of high end models like the AS 37.