New class 07 model

[D605Eagle]

Heard nothing about this, just saw a pre order advert for them on Hattons. Anybody know anything about them?

[SRman]

Heljan have announced that they will do two versions (with and without air brakes and high level pipes) and the green and blue livery variations, but no real details yet as to numbers, liveries and prices for each model. For release in 2017, so I may yet have time to finish my Craftsman Models kit!

[D605Eagle]

Model available next week. Best price I've seen is £107, so I think I might just wait until they are discounted like I did with the 05s.

[SRman]

£105 pre-order price at Rails of Sheffield.

[Bigmet]

The timing is rather fun. Dapol's B4 is going on sale too, so with the USA tank that Model Rail commissioned from Bachmann, that's the dedicated shunting locomotive provision for Southampton docks all done and dusted! It was very enjoyable watching these work the docks with all the squealing and groaning row that goes with small radius curves.

With its mechanical fault sorted out this design layout would have made a far better choice for BR than the 08, as it provided good all round vision for the driver. But it came far too late in the day, when the massive build programme of 08s was just about done. Very attractive machine nonetheless.

[Sails]

Has anyone taken delivery of one yet?

[Bigmet]

No one here by the looks of it! 'As seen elsewhere' generally getting a good reception. Initial struggles to get access for decoder fitting seem to have been resolved, it needed the body construction understood to find a simple method. The high level pipes detail on some versions, which represent those that were modified later in their service lives: probably best avoided unless either very nimble fingered, or with the robust attitude of 'I can stick back on anything I happen to knock off!'.

[Mike Parkes]

The constant fitting of fragile plastic details on a loco costing £100+ annoys me no end - would tooling them up in metal actually significantly increase the cost. Hornby is one of the worse with stupid plastic whistles. Once there was a very active number of detail parts provided and it was simple to source appropriate details to add to models that did not have them. Now locos are more details the number of detail parts available seem to have fallen yet the amount of readily damaged parts implies their is a clear market for a range of replacement metal parts for todays RTR locos.

[Bigmet]

You are not wrong about Hornby whistles. But this is where having 'a past' in the hobby pays dividends. A small length of brass rod in the chuck of a controllable speed power drill, and a little messing about with needle files and: Shazam! a strong whistle (safety valve etc.) that actually looks like brass 'cause it is.

I too doubt it would cost more to make such things in metal, because the investment is in a small precision CNC equipment, vs. moulding and spraying equipment stages. The parts can be quickly knocked out 'ready to fit' by either method.

The elaborate high level pipes on the 07, way cheaper moulded than formed from wire and painted. There's sharps hazard potential in formed metal wire too, and I think that accounts for at least some of the moulded plastic preference.

[Sails]

I did see a good video review this week and it does look impressive, added to the wishlist for now.

[Mike Parkes]

Succumbed to Hattons Harry Needle version http://www.hattons.co.uk/171138/Heljan_ ... etail.aspx complete with high level pipes The one good thing about Heljan models is that if a part gets damaged beyond repair spare part sprues are available from Howes and already a number exist for the Class 07
https://howesmodels.co.uk/product-categ ... 07-spares/