Let's Tango! O2 to be produced

[bike2steam]

Sorry to go on but, apart from your pro-LNER bias, I agree with a lot of what you say except Doncaster had nothing to do with the design, Riddles consulted North British over the cheapest way of construction, and it was they who shared construction with the Vulcan Foundry.

[6C]

Yes - the round-topped boiler for the WD - was an acknowledgement that the LNER had moved the type on considerably.

Don't forget the GCR 8K/04 - Belpaire boiler - run and brake on a whiff of steam - and soldier on forever - perhaps we are looking at too modern an era - when the answer was there all the time....

A 3 cylinder goods loco was simply too much for what was actually needed 7-10,000lbs TE less - at slower speeds.

Talking with hindsight of course - but it should have remained a developmental prototype - startling that Gresley was allowed batch production of an expensive design when the LNER was in a very parlous state financially - a triumph of 3 cylinder policy over sense at the time - and an indication of SNGs influence.

Can I just say before I reach for the tin hat - that I am a fan - I have had many happy days behind both FS and GA on the CME - luv that 3 cylinder beat - plus I do admire the engineering - my comments relate to the running and financials sides only....

Also having said that - trying to find an excuse to buy the 02 - to run in the NW of England.... - want one....

[Bigmet]

They are getting closer, I see that Tony Wright has had some EP's to look over, and very nice too. The quantity of metal inside bids well for haulage potential; these locos need to be good as they were reckoned to be equal to a 9F for starting grunt by those who knew them, thanks to the better torque intrinsic to three cylinder steamers. (Same was held of the NER design Q7 0-8-0 for the same reason, a three cylinder design.) It's the O2/2 I am keenest on as this has a GNR style 'bent tin' cab and Ivatt type tender, which will make it look distinctively different from the later LNER productions from Doncaster.

[Ex-Pat]

The Heljan stand at Glasgow yesterday had one on display. I didn't note any particular details, other than Sept 15 was mentioned.

[Bigmet]

Photographs of the latest unpainted samples of the O2/3 and O2/4 on the LNER forum. Still on track for 2015 release, as these are good and it is only the painted samples to be received and approved, and the green light can be given for production. Heljan have a real ompetitor for OO steam loco of the year for the second year in succession without a doubt, well up to the mark against anything previously offered in OO RTR.

[Bigmet]

A friend saw the example on show at Peterborough and tells me it's lovely. Heljan, produce it already!

[D605Eagle]

Now slipped to January 2016.....

[Ex-Pat]

Now slipped further to "mid next year" but Heljan had these 2 versions on show at Warley yesterday.

63975.jpg (146.31 KiB) Viewed 4137 times

63983.jpg (136.88 KiB) Viewed 4137 times

[Bigmet]

So, likely to be going head to head against Hornby's Q6 wth that timing. Mid year 2016 means that Heljan don't have a production slot for it before China manufacturing shuts down for their new year Beano in early February.

[Bigmet]

https://www.facebook.com/heljanas/

Ah, now it's going to appear sometime in January 2016. The pictures on Heljan's page are as drool-worthy as ever. I still wish they had led with the GNR build version, but there it is.

[Bigmet]

Closer, getting closer, judging by retailer notices.

Can you tell I am just a little excited at the prospect of this item? Not like me at all.

[Dad-1]

Hi Bigmet,

Not often we hear you getting excited about a loco release !!
I hope it meets your expectations.

Geoff T.

[SRman]

Latest news email from Rails shows them in stock. They do look nice, but are of no use to me, unfortunately.

[Bigmet]

...They do look nice, but are of no use to me, unfortunately.

For you, the very lovely S15 from Hornby. (If I could find even the slightest hint that one made it onto the ECML in the 20 miles North of KX, I would have one like a shot!)

For me, Gresley's Rolls Royce heavy goods loco. May have been affordable for the GNR for which company it was designed, probably better rethought for the LNER...

[Bigmet]

Just taken delivery of the 02/3 in early BR livery, and it is gliding around on DC test. Very quiet and smooth in both directions and immediately capable of a dead slow crawl out of the box, picks up on all wheels except the leading pony truck. No trouble with track holding at all even over the 'rough section' that is part of my test circuit. The weight is good, at 340g that's roughly 100g heavier than the the other RTR 2-8-0 models I own (WD, O1, O4, 8F) all of which needed weight adding to have enough traction to handle the 60 wagon trains they are expected to pull.

Dimensionally it checks out well on the major overall measurements: it's had detailed attention from some modellers who know their stuff, and as it looks so 'right' I am pretty confident it is right without putting the ruler over every little thing. The detailing is very fine, the valve motion parts look to be dead scale - handle with great care - and other detail stuff to see especially around the frames when you look closely at what is a very plainly styled loco. The very fine flanges on the wheels really make their effect on the pony truck, this was very small in reality only 2'8" diameter, and it looks properly small with the fine flange. The moulded coal in the tender broke out easily, so that'll get real coal once weathered.

It has some faults, some of which have been acknowledged already: incorrect firedoor (LMS type!) so there's a little modelling to do, shiny handrails and pick up wipers, rather yellow cabside numbers and slight mould marks on the boiler, these will all be dealt with when it gets its 'freight filth' treatment. No troubles with the paint finish, chimney top damage or detail pieces detachedThe biggest defect though in my eyes is a fixed oversize loco to tender spacing - actually better than most RTR but it shows because the model is generally so good - and no fallplate to cover the gap, so another small feature for this owner to add. The loco to tender spacing adjustment is going to need thought as the drawbar has the connecting wires built into it, so that will need to be investigated, probably while the tender is opened up to take a decoder.

Can you tell I like it? It's a fine match in appearance to the best of recent steam releases from Hornby and Bachmann, good start for Heljan on their own account in steam loco models.