GWR 47xx Night Owl 2-8-0

[GWR_fan]

Many thanks. Tempted, but cautiously so.

[D605Eagle]

They were pretty much unique locos in the UK. The only 2-8-0 mixed traffic loco. I'm not sure I agree with the new build as the only surviving Doncaster built 8F gets the chop to provide parts for it.

[LittleWestern]

They were pretty much unique locos in the UK. The only 2-8-0 mixed traffic loco. I'm not sure I agree with the new build as the only surviving Doncaster built 8F gets the chop to provide parts for it.

The 8F is going into the Hawksworth County. The 47xx will need an all new boiler rather than something butchered (unless they think they can get away with a No 1).

[D605Eagle]

They were pretty much unique locos in the UK. The only 2-8-0 mixed traffic loco. I'm not sure I agree with the new build as the only surviving Doncaster built 8F gets the chop to provide parts for it.

The 8F is going into the Hawksworth County. The 47xx will need an all new boiler rather than something butchered (unless they think they can get away with a No 1).

Arr yes, got me wires crossed. I don't see they have much choice boiler wise, it wouldn't look right with a no.1 on board.

[GWR_fan]

From the images seen it looks like the assembly line workers do not have the eyesight of an owl. I am glad that I showed some caution.

[D605Eagle]

From the images seen it looks like the assembly line workers do not have the eyesight of an owl. I am glad that I showed some caution.

Where did you see them?
EDIT just found some on RMweb. I must say for a 200 quid loco it looks very disappointing. Add that to Heljan's fragility of added parts plus dubious longevity of the drive train I'm going to give this one a wide berth unless I see one from my second hand and returns supplier cheap as chips.

[Bigmet]

It looks to be designed and constructed to the same standard as the O2 2-8-0. Oh yes, lots of niggly errors, assembly defects, and all that stuff. I had to fix all sorts of items on my O2: handrails, valve gear mounting, mould lines, lack of fall plate, better drawbar to tender. Looks well now and runs smoothly and quietly, pulls as it should (it was the heaviest RTR OO 2-8-0 when it come out, nearly the weight of a Bachmann 9F).

The difference of course is that the O2's handsome appearance carries all before it, like Harrison Ford after getting roughed up in a fist fight; whereas this ugly brute looks like Jack Black in an acne attack.

[D605Eagle]

The 47xx is a very handsome beast and the O2 is a very plain looking workmanlike locomotive, however a GCR 8K eclipses both of them
However this is all conjecture because beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it would be just stupid to say that one is better looking than another based solely on your own opinion.

[Bigmet]

The thing is, to actually hold an opinion...

Later... first owner reports coming in now that models are in their hands. Appearance: overall no doubts that it looks like the big beastie, and pretty much as already reported with aspects that can use improvement by those that care enough to do the work. The BIG rivet heads are what catch my eye, be interesting to see what owners do about them.

It is good and heavy, the loco alone over a pound in old money, which promises well for traction. Those who have run the mechanism are satisfied, and it runs at a good express freight speed too.

Opinion again, if I had to choose between really satisfactory tractive performance and the last refinement in appearance, as an operator I would go for the performance.

[GWR_fan]

After seeing the latest disaster on another site I am glad that caution overrode my impatience.

Edit: the nightmare just gets worse. Given the time this loco has taken to get to market there is no excuse for the faults being found. The OR release issues with their three locomotives convinced me to avoid them and likely the 47XX will similarly be ignored. I have the expertise to repair but for a loco over GBP150.00, I do not have the patience dealing with a manufacturer's poor assembly and return postage issues even if refunded just compound the problem. I really wanted a 47XX but as I will most likely never see one in a dealer's store then buying online sight unseen is not on with this lemon.

[Bigmet]

News remains mixed.

Damage in transit is the suspected problem relating to 'received damaged' : very heavy loco can move enough in the packaging to become damaged in the event of a drop or similar while with a courier or postal service.

Traction and on track performance in general, very favourable reports, runs smoothly, pulls side out of house.

[GWR_fan]

News remains mixed.

Damage in transit is the suspected problem relating to 'received damaged' : very heavy loco can move enough in the packaging to become damaged in the event of a drop or similar while with a courier or postal service.

Traction and on track performance in general, very favourable reports, runs smoothly, pulls side out of house.

To comply with CE certification our models need to pass the drop test. Either the 47XX is not compliant or the tests need to be more stringent.

Some years ago I purchased a very expensive largescale locomotive made from brass and stainless steel. When it arrived it was obvious by the damage that the locomotive had been dropped on its end as the internals had sheared off. Surprisingly there was not one mark on both the external packaging nor the overly packed manufacturer packaging. The loco was packed so tightly in the manufacturer packaging that it was unbelievable that the contents could have moved within the packaging. Momentum when a package is dropped on its end is what kills our heavy locomotives.

[D605Eagle]

An awful lot of them seem to have upward facing front bufferbeam. I don;t believe this is transit damage, but rather poor manufacturing. I really want on of these, but I refuse to pay the sort of money they are knowing that its quite unlikely that I get a good one.

[GWR_fan]

The buffer beam is a separate casting which seems to be glued to the footplate. Intransit the heavy boiler slug moves forward compressing the buffer beam against the end of the packaging. The poorly fitted stayrods pop out under compression pressure allowing the buffer beam to move radially upwards. Probably a good design on the drawing board but not in assembly.

[Bigmet]

... I really want one of these, but I refuse to pay the sort of money they are knowing that its quite unlikely that I get a good one.

The likelihood is that you would get a good one! Generally the happy customers don't say much, whereas those with a faulty product typically (unsurprisingly!) are far more likely to complain. Returning a purchase with construction faults or damage is straightforward in any case. Clearly enough the model needs careful handling, some of the detailing is fragile. This isn't a model to box and unbox regularly would be my feeling. Put it on the layout and leave it there to avoid handling damage. If that's not possible then the purchase is probably best avoided, unless you are a patient type for first of all finding and then fixing bits back on!

There are positives. Overall appearance, undoubtedly a 47xx. The running of this model is generally getting good reports. Like the O2 before it of much the same mechanism design and weight, these are smooth operators with excellent pulling power. (Having had an O2 running for two years now on heavy trains my initial question marks over the mechanism are put to bed, and I wouldn't expect the 47xx to be any different as the essentials of the mechanism design are alike.) I also really like the finer (than usual for OO) flanges on the wheels. Heljan have done this for years on the diesels, but there it is not so readily seen. On steam models it is more evident and makes for superior appearance. I haven't yet read of anyone complaining that this affects trackholding on the 47xx, but there were some such comments on the O2 when used on set track points, so that's another aspect to consider.

The recent offers on O2s sucked me in alright! At £89 it feels like a very good buy. I chose an O2/4 variant to go alongside the O2/3 I already had. Not only was it in perfect condition, it came out of the box as smooth running as any RTR model I have ever bought. (And I still hope for the GNR types to come; if they don't I will rework the O2/3 with a GNR cab.) It will be wait and see whether the 47xx ends up at a good discount at some future time, I have the impression it is selling pretty well.