Isn't everything a bit too wide if you're running it on 16.5mm track?Thrashin wrote:Yeah, I'd heard about that. It doesn't seem to be obvious to me, but then I haven't got the world's best eye for detail...Also one other niggle is that the Body width is over size which is an inheritance from the Heljen 47 which is also slightly too wide.Thanks for explaining about the nameplates - I wondered why they weren't there!
Cheers
Jack
Reveiw your engine!
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arabiandisco
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Having a brain bypass
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DeanGoods
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Ok here goes, a reveiw of the Bachmann GWR 311.
To start off its not exactly the best model in the world. The cab is blacked out by plastic and the running isn't joyful. In other words, thank god its a junior loco. It is very juddery and not the best for slow running. SHUNTING IS DISADVISED. The couplings aren't NEM pocket but screw-on ones. Lamp irons are there and lining and livery application is superb. If you have any siblings who are into this hobby, it is a must have for christmas or birthday.
(Well thats my opinion anyway)
Rating: 8/10 (motor took the rating down)
To start off its not exactly the best model in the world. The cab is blacked out by plastic and the running isn't joyful. In other words, thank god its a junior loco. It is very juddery and not the best for slow running. SHUNTING IS DISADVISED. The couplings aren't NEM pocket but screw-on ones. Lamp irons are there and lining and livery application is superb. If you have any siblings who are into this hobby, it is a must have for christmas or birthday.
(Well thats my opinion anyway)
Rating: 8/10 (motor took the rating down)
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prairie4566
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I'd actually like to have 311 as it would perhaps fill a gap in the ex industrial 0-4-0 fleet available - GWR 101 and the Hornby D 0-4-0T are the only ones I can think of RTR (I have it), but where are the Saddle Tanks?! 
If 311 isn't good enough, these people will have to make something like an Andrew Barclay ST or a Peckett 0-4-0ST. Bachmann's Junior 0-6-0T doesn't really count as it's a Thomas and that's based on a Southern E2.
Anyway, a loco I've got...I'd say the Bachmann 3F Jinties are ideal for shunting as they run very well and look very good, although a weathered version is missing from the current fleet. And what about 47357 in maroon?
If 311 isn't good enough, these people will have to make something like an Andrew Barclay ST or a Peckett 0-4-0ST. Bachmann's Junior 0-6-0T doesn't really count as it's a Thomas and that's based on a Southern E2.Anyway, a loco I've got...I'd say the Bachmann 3F Jinties are ideal for shunting as they run very well and look very good, although a weathered version is missing from the current fleet. And what about 47357 in maroon?
Steve
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seamermodelrailway
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OK, here goes. My two reviews of the first two Bachmann Class 158 Units to be released so far.
31-509 WYPTE Metro / Northern Rail 158 905: -
This is definately the best model of the two I will be reviewing here. The livery is stunning and very accurately applied. The cab fronts look fantastic! But then I'm biased to this livery.
It features tiny 'northern' and 'Metro' logos on the bodysides complete with the door opening buttons panel. The running quality is superb as we've come to expect from the 158s over the years and it has directional head and tail lighting. This is definately one of Bachmann's better 158 units! 
The only two drawbacks are that the door opening panels aren't ringed in high visiblity yellow as in real life, and the picture on the box is wrong (nothing new here) but I can certainly live with these descrepancies!
At £56.50 from Rails of Sheffield, these are models that the modern image enthusiasts can't afford to miss.
Here is a picture of an identical unit (albeit with another number) in real life: -
http://www.westyorkshirebuses.freeserve ... ains62.jpg
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31-508 ScotRail / First Group 158 739: -
This model has all the running qualities and looks of the other unit with quite a hard livery being reproduced well, but there are two problems that modellers have been left feeling annoyed about. Firstly, the top of the cab window surrounds have been painted warning yellow instead of black. Secondly (and this has been a problem on all three of Bachmann's Scottish 158s so far) is the issue of the front fairing / skirt / cowling / mini snowlplough. Basically, it's non existant!
It would not have been a hard problem for Bachmann to have fixed from the start, as the front fairing is a seperate moulding to the rest of the cab, and although you can get the relevant parts to rectify this fault from hurst models, not many people will feel confident about chopping off half of the cab on a brand new model! 
If you look at the picture below, you can clearly see the snowplough and the black window frames. There is such as visual difference between the real thing, and Bachmann's model. It would be nice, just for once, for Bachmann to get a ScotRail 158 right! AND AGAIN, THEY HAVE PUT THE PICTURE OF A CENTRAL 158 ON THE BOX!
Bachmann's Model: -
http://www.ehattons.com/stockdetail.asp ... 1548&img=1
The real thing: -
http://www.thesignalbox.co.uk/inc/showp ... &src=31508
I am tempted to get another one of these ScotRail 158s to keep as a mint and boxed item, while using the one I have to rebuild the front skirt and repaint the window frames to show a true ScotRail 158.....
Either way, quite affordable at £56.50 when compared to something like Hornby's new Class 60.
31-509 WYPTE Metro / Northern Rail 158 905: -
This is definately the best model of the two I will be reviewing here. The livery is stunning and very accurately applied. The cab fronts look fantastic! But then I'm biased to this livery.
It features tiny 'northern' and 'Metro' logos on the bodysides complete with the door opening buttons panel. The running quality is superb as we've come to expect from the 158s over the years and it has directional head and tail lighting. This is definately one of Bachmann's better 158 units! The only two drawbacks are that the door opening panels aren't ringed in high visiblity yellow as in real life, and the picture on the box is wrong (nothing new here) but I can certainly live with these descrepancies! At £56.50 from Rails of Sheffield, these are models that the modern image enthusiasts can't afford to miss.
Here is a picture of an identical unit (albeit with another number) in real life: -
http://www.westyorkshirebuses.freeserve ... ains62.jpg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31-508 ScotRail / First Group 158 739: -
This model has all the running qualities and looks of the other unit with quite a hard livery being reproduced well, but there are two problems that modellers have been left feeling annoyed about. Firstly, the top of the cab window surrounds have been painted warning yellow instead of black. Secondly (and this has been a problem on all three of Bachmann's Scottish 158s so far) is the issue of the front fairing / skirt / cowling / mini snowlplough. Basically, it's non existant!
It would not have been a hard problem for Bachmann to have fixed from the start, as the front fairing is a seperate moulding to the rest of the cab, and although you can get the relevant parts to rectify this fault from hurst models, not many people will feel confident about chopping off half of the cab on a brand new model! If you look at the picture below, you can clearly see the snowplough and the black window frames. There is such as visual difference between the real thing, and Bachmann's model. It would be nice, just for once, for Bachmann to get a ScotRail 158 right! AND AGAIN, THEY HAVE PUT THE PICTURE OF A CENTRAL 158 ON THE BOX!
Bachmann's Model: -
http://www.ehattons.com/stockdetail.asp ... 1548&img=1
The real thing: -
http://www.thesignalbox.co.uk/inc/showp ... &src=31508
I am tempted to get another one of these ScotRail 158s to keep as a mint and boxed item, while using the one I have to rebuild the front skirt and repaint the window frames to show a true ScotRail 158.....
Either way, quite affordable at £56.50 when compared to something like Hornby's new Class 60.