tractor_37260

Hi Peter Thanks for the helpful 33 images, will try out the mods on a 27 for starters. Cheers Ken

Many thanks Peter for the photos/info etc. Although I have a couple of 25's I plan to do, I'm more interested in your 33 as it's very similar to my 26/27s. When comparing the bogie sideframes, the 26/27 ones will require the front edges (behind the bufferbeam) cut back (they are longer at that point than the 33 ones) to clear any centre coupling mounting etc on curves. What min radius curves do you manage to use ? Regards Ken

Hereford Models Always had outstanding service. ie Ordered a loco at 2pm was delivered next day at 11.30 am for £3 postage via RM 1st Class. RM can do it well also - sometimes ! Highly recommended

Oops - your correct ;-( should have read the rules so how about Back in Black AC/DC

Catfish - The late great Rory Gallacher RIP

Another 80's odd ball livery was carried by IS 37 146 - half way between std BR Blue and L/L Blue. Blue body/roof , but with the yellow nose ends extended around to the cabs sides - as per L/L. However nose bonnet tops/window surrounds remained blue - not black as per usual L/L. It did however carry large logo no's in the normal place, black headcode boxes, small std sized arrows and Highland Rail Stags. Perhaps it was urgently required for traffic before the re-paint job was fully completed ?

I've used brake fluid "baths" in the past for stripping paint. Some older DOT types of fluid can react BADLY with some plastics - a Replica Railways coach comes to mind - it turned into almost molten plastic leaving perfect finger print impressions on the sides Modern fluids tend to be synthetic based so test a small area first. A safer option would be to use Precision Paints "Super Strip" HTH tractor_37260

"Stunning" is perhaps the best word to describe this photo ! Initially I could not decide if it was "real" or a model - think that says it all - job done More photos please Regards Ken

Andy Yes "life" does get in the way at times. BTW thanks for your kind compliments. I'm a bit confused now, going by later post's, exactly what Olivia's sound files are fitted in your 26 ?, but it still sounds very impressive regardless, better than a Howes fitted 26 I already have. Bachmann's 24 sound decoder is one of their better ones, and worth transplanting into a 26 - as they shared the same power units in reality, with different electrical/exahust and ancil equip etc. I also have a Howes decoder in a HJ27, I just love it and it also proved very popular indeed when displayed at a recent local exhibition, only ousted by a Hornby Black 5 with "big jim's" - Howes recommended CV changes. If I decide to get an Olivia's 26 reblow, I'll contact Neil first and enquire exactly what sound files I can expect/get. Cheers Ken

Andy Your 26 sounds really good and throaty, now tempted to get a reblow from Olivia's for one of mine What functions are included on the chip ? Olivia's reblows do not appear very popular, but your 26 & 4MT both sound impressive, having both what appears to be good driveability/throttle responses etc. Their Deltic rework with the DPS horns etc is also well worth a listen. Convincing layout also, you've captured the era well. Regards Ken

Nice collection of "Duffs" As far as the main body colours go; Inter-City Exec used "Exec Dark Grey" on upper bodysides and roof - Swallow livery uses a darker "Falcon Grey" shade for these areas. Parcels v RES : Parcels livery: PO/RES Red lower body - Upper bodysides and roof - Exec Dark Grey. RES same Red but upper bodyside/a part of the flash and roof - RES Grey. It would appear ? Bach have used RES Grey on the roof of 47 474, when ideally it should have been Exec Dark Grey, as per HJ's Parcel Livery 47. HTH K

Bit of info on the above: Word on the street is: Apparently the bodies had already been produced, before it was noticed that to be accurate for R/F General Livery - the roof boiler port should have been OPEN - as built. That body version is not available at present. Speculation has it, that the resulting surplus bodies (with plated boiler ports) went onto become 47 975 in Dutch livery ? The plated over boiler port body however is suitable AFAIN for 47 145 in R/F Distribution livery, and hence that's how it will probably appear. Perhaps it would have been better to wait until the correct original open boiler port body was available, the R/F General version would then have been possible, and probably more sought after, as Lima & Heljan have both previously done 47 145 in R/F Dist. K

>> No wobbles ! now as stable as any other Bach loco. Latest version also runs very quietly and smoothly straight out of the box. K

Cheers for posting the pics ! Looks very good, apart from as you say the roof weathering. Making it less prominent, an overall dusting, with a bit heavier around the exhaust port would have looked much better. Why do they use a "pure" Black, when a dirty dark grey, will always looks more convincing K

According to Rails - they changed the livery to R/F Dist due to customer feedback ? As both Lima and Heljan have already produced this loco in the R/F Distribution version, I would have thought the rarer R/F General version would have been more popular ? Very few locos ever carried R/F General brandings in traffic, 50 149, 47 145 and 37 104 - being one of only two 37's. 37 403 briefly carried a "mock-up" only version for a R/F Calendar. Still that's another one to cross off the "wanted list" K

Add 47 408 BR Blue (Finsbury Park) via (the DPS) celebrating the 50th Anniv of Finsbury Park Depot opening - 8/9 May 2010

Thanks for the tip - will now look closely at my 461 when it arrives for any damage. Perhaps you've not noticed, but as for changing a 461 into 47705, although the shell has the correct flush No1 end etc, the roof boiler port being correct for 461, is wrong for 47705 ! but it depends how fussy you want to be ?

I'd agree the stripe widths on 541 are a bit out of proportion to each other etc. The white stripe should be thinner in depth, the red stripe a fraction thinner also. I'm also not convinced by the shade of yellow used, although on a previous poster's photos it looks OK. Perhaps the models were produced in more than one batch ? the yellow on my example reminds me of the orangey/yellow Hornby used a few years back ? The livery overall, however, has been well applied. Bachmann must take note of some comments made on web groups ?, straight out of the box, this model runs very quietly/smoothly with no wobble at all (unlike their first 47 versions) with no trace of the gratting gear noises found on many of their 6 axle drive Class 37's ! On checking, the axles/wheel treads are all in perfect alignment, no pivoting on a lower centre axle was found - excellent. Unfortuneately when fitting a decoder, the tank frame on my example almost fell off on it's own, not helped by the very tight fit of the body on the chassis. I suspect one or more of the mounting brackets on the tank frame were perhaps already broken on assembly at the factory ? Finally, why have separate wire cab door handrails, and then fit them FLUSH with the bodyside recesses Re 47 461 On first viewing the photos on Rails site, the blue/white stripes looked a bit too far up the bodysides, and possibly a bit thick as per 541, after checking photos of the real loco, they were indeed applied slightly further up than usual, however I still think the model looks wrong in this respect. Nice to see the correct different height brandings, flush No 1 end, and the radio aerials (would have preferred them on 541 also)

Since changing over to DCC control in the last few years, I've found the need to clean track/wheels etc very much reduced, once cleaned, they appear to stay clean much longer than when using DC even WITH HF cleaners. The then commonly used "rubber traction tyres" were I believe, partly to blame !

Hi Scott Aha - someone who thinks along the same lines as myself - re the "horses for courses" hence as in Hi Fi the best sounding speaker units always use different speakers to reproduce different parts of the frequency range. The space/room size etc, and also how it's furnished/or not will also change the perceived sound. What sounds good in a small bedroom may be lost at a show - because of the sheer area size and ambient noise - hence I would agree with piemanlarger on his choice of 2 x 23ml in the tanks as being better for big areas/shows etc - his video's (at a clubroom ?) easily confirms this. But in a normal sized house room, I find with a 37 the combination of Bass enhanced speaker under the grille + a 23ml in the tanks gives a very acceptable "noise" With the bass enhanced fitted, you can hear the "beating" of the exhaust on idle, which is just not audible (at least to my hearing) using 1 or 2 - 23ml speakers. The "thrash" sounds more convincing also Good thread this one Ken

See:http://www.dccsupplies.com/shop/index.php?cPath=23_219 - you should find what your looking for there Good prices also Oops just noticed it's the "pcb sockets" that your after ask DCC supplies - they are very helpful

Super photos Keith of "real trains" The "pug" 08 717 is at Inverness - see below for photo of the other side. Date late 80's ? 47 604 is on the blocks also at Inverness - the old NCL office block windows (used to work for them some years back) in the background that was in front of the goods shed - now long gone and replaced by a shopping mall - Debenhams etc Regards Ken