uk_pm

Any update on these coaches?

Happy New Year everyone. I have a number of ESU Loksound 4 decoders (in all shapes and sizes) and have generally found performance to be improved if I set CV54 to 0, then press F1. The loco whizzes away at full speed, and thereafter, by some electronic magic, runs much more smoothly. But this morning I tried it on a Heljan 47, and whilst she ran smoothly thereafter, top speed was much reduced. I altered CV5 to maximum, but still top speed is not restored (it previously did a scale 95 with CV5 at 180). CV29 remains unaltered at 46. I have previously noted the same effect with a Hornby HST (which still runs at reduced speed as a result). Anyone got any ideas? PM

Its on test (at least that's my excuse).

How kind of you. I'm afraid it was weathered with nothing more exotic than a couple of rattle cans (Railmatch frame dirt for the chassis/lower body, Roof dirt for the roof), enhanced with some weathering powders on the chassis and the roof. And some white powder for the stain from the fan (and I'm not sure what the stain is, but I saw a lot of pics with it in, so thought I'd try and copy it).

There has been much talk about the contrasting liveries of the Bachmann DBSO and the Oxford Rail Mk IIIs. Although not a perfect match, they do work perfectly well together IMHO. Here, on test at Doncaster, is my set (which, when being propelled, would not complete a circuit without derailing until I replaced the couplings with Roco auto couplers. Now, derailment is a thing of the past).

I agree with those who praise this little loco as Heljan's best to date. Here's my pair; factory weathered one the left, weathered by me on the right. Great little runners, too. Happy New Year, everyone. PM

Please don't apologise. Your observation was spot on, and the pictures extremely useful. In fact, I had failed to do my research before marshalling the train, and so you have saved me a job. I should also acknowledge that my YouTube post followed some early Christmas refreshment, hence my mistaken reference to a DVT rather than a DBSO. All-in-all a rather cack-handed attempt to show off some of the lovely models available off the shelf this Christmas. How lucky are we? PM

I finally have a set of these coaches and have put them to work in a push-pull set, matched with the Bachmann DBSO (and a Heljan 47/4 awaiting conversion to a 47/7). They are nice models, with some really excellent touches - but there is something not quite right about them (and I can't put my finger on what it is). Nonetheless, I have coupled them with Roco close couplers (including between the loco and coaches), and the set performs well. So, here it is, on test (and being passed by a rake of the new Bachmann Freightliner flats - superb, if rather fiddly, models). Merry Christmas everyone! PM

I continue to be thrilled at how these coaches capture the character of the prototype (taking me right back to my childhood in the 1970s!) But the method of current collection is not infallible, and I have seen a lot of flicker from the lights (and my track is kept spotless and the affected coach wheels are clean). So, does anyone on here know whether the coach has the facility to accept a stay-alive capacitor? This post on YouTube demonstrates the problem; note the first of the 3 FOs (which reminds me of a journey from Cardiff to Paddington in an unlit and unheated FO on a cold January night many years ago - the thrill of the sound of the class 50 kept my heart warm however!)

The answer is that it was a degree of informed trial and error. I purchased some ESU DCC light bars to fit inside the Mk 1 coaches that will form part of the rake principally comprised of the new Bachmann 2fs (you can see the catering vehicle with its lights ablaze in the video I posted above). I downloaded the appropriate instructions (which were supplied only in German) and there were all the CVs set out. I suspected that Bachmann had used ESU as the basis for its lighting, and so I fiddled with all the dimmable CVs until, before my eyes, I found the correct one. Of course, it would have been much easier had Bachmann simply supplied the information itself.

Here's a rake before I discovered the dimming function...

For those with dcc fitted coaches, the lights can be dimmed using CV118. The range is from 0 - 7 with the default being 7. Personally, I think 2 strikes the right balance, but these things are highly subjective. PM

Confession time: I have got enough ) gauge class 25s to have sound projects from Legomanbiffo and Southwest Digital (on ESU) and Paul Chetter/Digitrains (on Zimo). They are all good and there is a definite family resemblance (as you would expect). I still like the drivability of Legomanbiffo's projects, so they pip the others for me. But I would commend all three as providing a good representation of the prototype.

Funny you should mention out of gauge. I have two of these, and both have at least one set of wheels hopelessly out of gauge. Easily rectified, but very odd. Has anyone else had this problem?

In view of the impending winter, Laira has fitted snowploughs...

It certainly is a very nice little model indeed. As always with Heljan, the loco is weighty and the mechanism superb (something which doesn't get much of a mention on here). I love the factory weathering - which is on the heavy side - and the whole thing just oozes class 25 atmosphere. A great addition to the fleet. Here are a few pics of my efforts (which have consisted of installing DCC sound - I need to tone down the lighting). Now I have to tone down my unweathered BR blue example. PM

I am now in receipt of D1067 Western Druid, pre-weathered by Heljan, and can confirm that she is, in nearly all respects, identical to the earlier batch of Westerns. Heljan has done away with the black tape which was fixed to the inside of the bodyside widows on the first batch, with the result that the cavernous interior of the model is now clear for all to see (or, in the case of mine, the two huge speakers which I have fitted - and paired grimy grey - are clear for all to see). But I can confirm that this is not a new tooling. I note that the weathered blue version is already sold out in Blackpool, so I assume that demand has justified this second run. Below are a few pictures showing my Westerns on duty at Clagworth. Enjoy. PM

Hmmmm. I almost used that (splendid) word myself. But, in the end, I decided that antimacassar is apt to describe a piece of cloth (or paper), providing protection to the seat fabric where the head might be (as seen in the Mark 1 First Class coaches). Whereas my recollection of the seats in the Mk 2 coaches is that they had a proper cushion (which slid up and down on a pair of elastic runners). And to answer the point about curtains, I think they were beige in the Mk 2f FO, and I have added them (but obviously rather too subtly for them to stand out in the picture). And now I'll get my coat (which is, of course, an anorak)!

The comment was in response to speculation (on this site and elsewhere), that Dapol's class 121/122 might affect the economics of Heljan's 117 (which was announced as part of a batch of DMUs which included the 121). In fact, anyone who has the Heljan 128 will know that much of the donkey work for the 117/121 was done in preparation for the 128.

I still have not discovered which CV (or CVs) dim the lights - so any help on that would be much appreciated. However, I have opened the coach up - very easy, the body simply unclips - and added a little interior detail (people, and headrests). A modest difference, but a satisfying (and easily achievable) one. A really great model IMHO. I can't wait for the SO/TSO. In the meantime, I will add lights to a BG and Mk 1 RFM.

Very nice indeed; I'm delighted that Heljan are pressing on with this model in the face of the Dapol 121/122. What, I wonder, is that "button" covering the coupling hook?

Thanks for this Tony. I too found this to be the case, after my initial fumbling with accessory decoders (which I can now see they would never have been - they are, as you say, a function decoder). I still have had no luck in finding the dimming CV (or CVs); have you had any success?

Thank you; your advice was spot on. Decoders renumbered. Just got to figure out the CVs now. But thank you for your help. Peter

Lovely coaches - though fitting the details is the usual fiddly ordeal. Has anyone yet succeeded in reprogramming them on DCC? I have an ECoS, and simply get an error message when I place the coach on the programming track and try either to read from or write to the decoder (I having ticked the "Accessory Decoder" option first). I am wanting to:- (i) change the decoder address from the default 3 to something else; and (ii) explore the CVs (and, in particular any brightness CV - since, to my eyes, the interior lighting is too bright). Any help gratefully received. Peter

A work of art. Fantastic.