Bachmann V2

[Bigmet]

My much modified trio of the last round of Bachmann V2s will be racing, roaring and plodding on for many years yet, on trains representing all of the many roles this class successfully undertook.

I expect that one of the new 60800 models will join them. This was a pet engine of Top Shed, and was kept 'groomed' as much as possible, so can be retained in gleaming condition.

[sir hayden]

My much modified trio of the last round of Bachmann V2s will be racing, roaring and plodding on for many years yet, on trains representing all of the many roles this class successfully undertook.

I expect that one of the new 60800 models will join them. This was a pet engine of Top Shed, and was kept 'groomed' as much as possible, so can be retained in gleaming condition.

Since I not only started late, but at the same time have verrry shaky hands for someone of only 27 years of age, so heavily modifying older tooled items is a big struggle, I mean I can just barely manage to fit a vaccum brake onto an r-t-r loco without something getting difficult.

[Bigmet]

Since I not only started late, but at the same time have very shaky hands for someone of only 27 years of age, so heavily modifying older tooled items is a big struggle, I mean I can just barely manage to fit a vacuum brake onto an r-t-r loco without something getting difficult.

This is unfortunate, especially as putting fiddly little things in place encompasses quite a lot of the essential activity like making electrical connections. There's a fair number who struggle one way or another; my trial is astigmatism on different axes in each eye, which varies significantly with light level and is not correctable. I have to wait for bright summer sunshine to set anything reliably at a right angle, which annoyingly restricts kit building which would otherwise be a core winter activity...

[D605Eagle]

£230 for a V2? I said no, don't think so!

[sir hayden]

£230 for a V2? I said no, don't think so!

It's the same price for all of them, the eclusive onss have the £30 deposit, and the regular release ones are gonna have a discounted price like always, either way, went ahead and pre-ordered 4771 from Locomotion, will pre-order her in her BR guise and at least one of the Rails exclusive ones when I have the funds, more than likely it will be the BR Green one I get of the two Rails ones.

[Bigmet]

I see that the V2 is now expected to turn up in November. It's going to need some work so instead of the plan to have KX's pet 60800 'Green Arrow' all shiny, I'll go for filth on one of York or Doncaster's allocation, which can conceal some 'adjustments'. Out with the rear cab side window glazing for a start.

[PeterH]

I’m going for a shiny 4771 to be part of my ‘Shakespeare Limited’ 80s railtour fleet. Already fully paid up for it so waiting with eager anticipation! Reminds me I need to get on and finish repainting my Intercity Charter set…

[Mike Parkes]

As I recall 4771 on railtour it never was than shiny / blinged up - the model like most of the current NRM ones it is annoyingly based on the appearance of the stuffed loco in the museum.

[Bigmet]

... some 'adjustments'. Out with the rear cab side window glazing for a start.

Also the lumpen loco to tender connector that has been employed. I don't want these new style connectors, on the experience of the specimen on the Rapido/NRM Stirling single. Too bulky, intrusive appearance as a result, and totally unnecessary. That will be getting a careful inspection before purchase to see if it is readily removable and may be replaced with something simple and superior; if not, no sale, and let's hope Hornby or some other manufacturer subsequently picks up the ball without inflicting this undesirable device on us.

(Annoying that it has found its way into Bachmann's range as their previous method was easily the best in RTR OO! A drawbar positioned where it should be, with an adjustable slide concealed under the tender to adjust spacing for the minimum radius curve the loco has to negotiate. Backward step...)

[D605Eagle]

... some 'adjustments'. Out with the rear cab side window glazing for a start.

Also the lumpen loco to tender connector that has been employed. I don't want these new style connectors, on the experience of the specimen on the Rapido/NRM Stirling single. Too bulky, intrusive appearance as a result, and totally unnecessary. That will be getting a careful inspection before purchase to see if it is readily removable and may be replaced with something simple and superior; if not, no sale, and let's hope Hornby or some other manufacturer subsequently picks up the ball without inflicting this undesirable device on us.

(Annoying that it has found its way into Bachmann's range as their previous method was easily the best in RTR OO! A drawbar positioned where it should be, with an adjustable slide concealed under the tender to adjust spacing for the minimum radius curve the loco has to negotiate. Backward step...)

I bought a 3 car Bachmann class 117 dmu recently, but the connectors on it are horrific. Compared to the very old Hornby 110 with its great big tension lock couplers it's a massive step backwards.The gap between the coaches is unacceptably big too, and nonadjustable. The icing on the (horrid) cake too is the fact that it runs horribly and sounds terrible, so I very quickly sold it on.

[Bigmet]

...Bachmann class 117 dmu recently, but the connectors on it are horrific. Compared to the very old Hornby 110 with its great big tension lock couplers it's a massive step backwards.The gap between the coaches is unacceptably big too, and nonadjustable...

My feeling is that these connectors are a 'fashion item' as they are appearing in 'close formation' across several ranges. Hopefully like most fashion items they will fade away as quickly as they arrived...

...Bachmann class 117 dmu ... it runs horribly and sounds terrible, so I very quickly sold it on.

Now that is a real surprise, given how good all the previous early BR DMU's from Bachmann have been (I have multiple 105s, and friends have 108s and 101s, so have seen past a dozen examples, and the running has been uniformly excellent, smooth and quiet). Does it have a different drive design?

[Mike Parkes]

I understand the 117 has a coreless motor so it will not work well with older controllers.

[D605Eagle]

...Bachmann class 117 dmu ... it runs horribly and sounds terrible, so I very quickly sold it on.

Now that is a real surprise, given how good all the previous early BR DMU's from Bachmann have been (I have multiple 105s, and friends have 108s and 101s, so have seen past a dozen examples, and the running has been uniformly excellent, smooth and quiet). Does it have a different drive design?

Yeah I have a Derby lightweight and a 105, both run very well, where as this one is gutless. It runs away down hills, nearly stalls on the way up. Like Mike says it has coreless motors. I just don't get this obsession with coreless motors. I've yet to find one that can hold a candle to a good cored 5 pole skew wound balanced motor. My D600 is possibly the best and it's only really just acceptable.

[Bigmet]

Whether we like it or not, model railway is dependent on the 'small electric motor' industry, and it is their imperatives that dominate. All the action there is in lighter motors with smallest possible power consumption. For model railway's purposes I share your preference toward well proven iron cored motor design, but that's because it is what I know best.

Thus far my experience of coreless motors is two designs in fairly small models that work modest loads: both perform very well with a good DCC decoder, so 'alright to date'. Waiting for a coreless motor in a 'heavy' RTR OO model of a subject that fits my interest, which will be expected do about 5x the work, to see how that holds up...

[PeterH]

My Bachmann/Locomotion model of 4771 Green Arrow arrived just a moment ago. Very happy with it!