Vin

Hi Brian,Are the HMRS (Sheet 15)ones on the sheet with the coach logos and white loco numbers? If it is then the black numbers on that sheet are smaller than the white loco numbers on the same sheet. They are for HST set numbers (5inch) on the ends of power cars. Regards Vin

Hi Tom, The reason the why the base of the bodyshell is exploded is the metal casting is different. I've had 12 now and some bodyshells will not fit on the chassis. Either the body is different or the metal chassis is too large. Regards Vin

The silver on the printing doesn't move with meths either. The white does but it leaves a shiny surface. I'll take some photos in the morning with the etches on top of the original etches. Regards Vin

That's not a daft question. I'm posting mine with extra medium density foam on the ends after taking the original clear plastic off the packaging. Regards Vin

Hi Dave, My double arrows sit exactly over the printed ones. I tried to take the prints off with acetone but it didn't touch the printed ones at all. I've got some 2000 wet and dry as I need to make a post Transrail one. So I'll test it out tomorrow. Hopefully it won't touch the grey paint. Regards Vin

Cheers Dave, My Loadhaul 60008 I have left to one side at the moment. Once I weather it then I may change it as I've just found some Strathclyde PTE orange while trying to mix some Colas Orange. The transfers went on like a dream, well apart from the cantrail stripe. Regards Vin

Hi, I'm glad your delivery of you new class 60 has no issues apart from the black marks. I've just received the numbers and transfers from John at Precision labels so have done one side and the ends. The cantrail stripe plus the electrification flashes are from Fox, which took about 2 hours to fit and leaving me with only 20mm of stripe left! Whilst repainting this model I've noticed the snow plough is glued on some and just push fitted on others? Some pics of the part finished loco in 2013/14 repaint style, which differs from the original. I know this model has it's faults (poor packaging and livery anomalies) but on the whole this is a fantastic model and Heljan should be congratulated on producing a model which has such a niche market. Regards Vin

The problem with the packaging is at the ends of the boxes there is a high density foam with a clear plastic piece glued to it. On the the clear plastic are small rubber pads. This means there is a small footprint for impacts. So the locos have been moving sideways within the packaging and putting high loads on loco front ends. The worst effect of this I've heard are broken buffer beams, snapped at the screws. The commonist fault is the rubber pads damage the yellow warning panels, all of the ones I've had have had this damage. Fortunately a cotton bud with meths removes the black marks and doesn't destroy the paintwork. I've covered the rubber pads within the box with strips of electrical tape. Regards Vin

Hi Cliff, That sounds like a good idea using F0 for daylight running. I'll program mine the same. When I get round to fitting the decoders. The numbers are a bit small at a height of 2.8mm compared to the Fox ones I've used at 3.4mm in height. The colours and the printing on the sub sector logos are too dark. I've put the Roundel colours in the 7mm section of special interests about the class 60 has arrived. Regards Vin

Hi Cliff, Sounds great and controllable lighting makes a massive difference. Have you combined the aux functions together for day/night time running and then programmed them to a function button? I take it you won't be using the unsized black running numbers supplied with the loco? Regards Vin That should say undersized black numbers.

Apart from the executive dark grey grilles which should be black and the slightly dodgy EWS logo. I don't think there is one. Regards Vin

​Hi all, As promised the photos. 60071 'Ribblehead Viaduct' before weathering. I've resprayed the grilles and beneath the exhaust silencer black. Then matt varnished over the top of the transfers and the whole body shell. My etched nameplates fitted to the bodyside. 60074 in powder blue. This was a Loadhaul loco because it had black grilles, so no need to repaint them. This model also had the light cluster fitting at one end factory finished upside down (must have been a Friday afternoon!!) so that was corrected before priming in white. 60074 bodyside. This is a very large and impressive model. In blue it looks even larger!! Regards Vin

Hi all, Later today I'll show some pictures of what you can do with a Loadhaul loco. PS. The EWS livery should have black grills and not excutive grey ones. Regards Vin

It depends on how many shots you can get out of one mould, which also depends on the grade of metal and the tolerences required by the mould. In general 5000 shots is for a high grade metal with close tolerences. This decreases as the shot warps as the tolerence get higher. For example if you are making wheelie bins, you'll be able to get 10,000 plus, for a 5000 shot machine because the tolerences are so low. Heat and release on the moulds are the biggest problem. Apparently Heljan had problems on the final models of the class 47 in 7mm as the moulds had distorted so parts such as glazing wouldn't fit. Regards Vin

Hi, Is the damage to two thirds of the Trains models to the loco or just the box. I've got a customer more bothered about the box than the model. Regards Vin

At least you got your hands on another duff. They should do a rerun of this model to the same standard as the class 60. It would be a winner. Regards Vin

I might be beating you to the post on 60074 as I done the plates and they are on the way. I've already stripped the loco and its gone from black to white primer. Don't forget to gentle file the window frames back or you won't get the glazing back in because of glue Heljan use. Regards Vin

Somewhere down the line it was changed. The EP photos on the Heljan website also show the anomally on the lefthand side Regards Vin

Hi, I'm going to leave mine as it is too difficult to rectify as the orange paint is quite thick at this point so would have to be taken right back between the lefthand door, grab handle pillar and the grille. Respraying both the orange, whilst getting a paint match on a black undercoat. Then blending the satin black finish as well. This is made even worse on the other side as there is no grille to the right of it. Which colour nameplate background are you going to use? Regards Vin

Hi, Well spotted. I've just noticed that as well. The angle on the bodyside (nearest the camera) should run the other way an copy the other end and not mirror it. I would say that all of them are like that. Oops!! Regards Vin

The Peaks really kept the services over the top running. With most of them running over 90mph on the race track (Darlington to York). 47541 & 47492 were both on the final services as Scotland became class 158 areas. Regards Vin

Hi all, When the TP expresses were reduced in length in the 1990 winter timetable from BG/FK/5xTSO to a 5 coach rake the class 31's could not only keep time but could heat the stock. So a failure could be covered but a late arrival was not unknown. Regards Vin

Hi all, The last trans pennine loco hauled trains ran on Sunday 20th Jan 1991. It was cold, damp and dark most of the day. The stock was filthy and tired as were the class 47's hauling them. As I recall one of the last westbound departures from Newcastle had a class 31 in departmental grey livery at the helm. Regards Vin

Hi all, Do you mean this one? https://flic.kr/p/9gUrEU I know it doesn't show the front driving car, but it is a trans pennine set. There is also another somewhere with a all blue set coupled up. Regards Vin

Hi all, The 100mph was also because of the extra maintenance that the 47/7 had. The line speed being a factor into the equation, as was the braking distances on disc braked mk3 stock with a DBSO. One question I don't know the answer to is that not all DBSO's where fitted with disc brakes? So where they restricted to the Aberdeen route and only used on a restricted speed rating for the Edinburgh to Glasgow route? Regards Vin