deltic17

Yes - nice model that 20057 - for the BR Blue version it's a real shame Heljan have cocked up the painting somewhat where the yellow meets the blue at the cab end as noted above - not everyone is an expert at having to paint some extra yellow on! You can do without having to get the paint brush out straight away on a RTR model. The discs on the Heljan one seem to sit a bit flush compared to 20009. How does the Heljan one run? - spoke to a model shop owner the other day who had a couple returned for attention due to poor running - anyone else? - hopefully not....

Excellent post Brian - always good to get an early feel for the new model. One thing that concerns me with this new class 20 - is to do with the Heljan Blue version as detailed below:- I saw it in the flesh at Warley (in my mind something just wasn't right) and then more recently in the Model Railway press in a newsagents - Model Rail I think but I'm not 100% sure - sorry for not providing an exact reference here! I believe the problem with the blue version is the way the yellow paint on the nose end meets the blue paint along the bodyside. Brian's 20009 is perfect but the Heljan one has the yellow paint meeting the blue paint at an angle of approx 10 degrees (ie parallel to the nose front when viewed from side elevation) whereas it should be vertical. Basically there is not enough yellow paint on the nose at the side. Has anyone got a photo as this is not too easy to describe? I spoke to Tower Models on this (as they have been heavily involved in it's development with Heljan) and all they said was "we're happy with it and it's now gone past the production stage" so it's obviously too late to change. I can only think they've accidentally worked from a very early BR blue photo but it is certainly not correct for class 20's in BR blue from mid 70's through to final service in BR Blue and that's the period 95% of people will want to model. It's probably based on an early photo from the very late 60's/early 70's? I think it's real shame / oversight which a number of people won't be too pleased with when they see it. With these O guage rtr models I think you have to try to appeal to the masses to help maximise sales and I don't think this paint version will help. I'm modelling BR Blue in the North East so class 20's were not common (apart from later years at Thornaby) so I wasn't planning on definitely getiing one and after this I think I'm going to be less inclined to get one as I'd have to repaint the yellow nose. Has anyone else noticed this?