Bachmann & NRM announce Butler Henderson Options

[spet0114]

Not too bad a turnaround then.

It really is a nice looking locomotive - performs well too.

Hi Brian,

Well, actually the NRM has a rather odd policy.

They 'can't do' replacements, so all they can do is issue a refund for the broken one once they've received it back. I then order a replacement in the usual fashion at my leisure.

Of course, impatience has meant that I've ordered and received the replacement before the refund has been issued!

Cheers
Adrian

[Brian Considine]

Well, actually the NRM has a rather odd policy.

It's probably just the way the IT/EPoS systems are set up.

Anyway, the most important thing is you have your new locomotive.

As an aside, could anyone who has purchased a BH add some comments to the review I gave it - I'd be very interested in anything I've missed out.

[ColSMR]

For NRM/Bachmann to produce GCR coaches would be extremely good, but PLEASE not only packaged with the loco. That would really mean on those of us who've already bought the loco when there was no mention of coaches.

[Colombo]

I had a look at the Bachmann service sheet that came with my Butler Henderson and noticed that the driving wheel axles are geared together through a succession of pinions. This is the first time I have seen this on a British outline steam loco although it is quite common on fancy priced European offerings. This may account for the exceptionally smooth running of my particular loco.

Perhaps the MR Compound no. 1000 is similarly equipped, does anybody know?

Colombo

[34C]

Bachmann have been heading in that direction for a while. The previous NRM production of City of Truro has the axles geared together, possibly to protect the rather more delicate flycranks necessary on this class. Makes it likely that the Compound is the same, as Bach tend to stick to a proven design. On earlier models I was surprised to see that both the 9F and the Super D/G2A have the second and (unflanged) third axle geared together: I imagine with thoughts of unloading the unflanged wheel crankpin, as the unflanged tyre will often not make contact with the railhead.

Another contributor to the smoothness of recent steam releases is the adoption of brass bearing collars on the driven axles, instead of the axles running in cast locations in the chassis block as seen on earlier models. Of steam models I have purchased, the first with this feature was the Johnson 3F, and it and subsequent purchases with this feature, have come out of the box running very sweetly indeed. Noticeably more so than the general run of earlier models which often took an hour or three to get settled into running smoothly and freely.

[rgmichel]

These wonderful features are clearly a development we all welcome. I for one am willing to pay for these features, even if it does mean buying fewer models.

[Colombo]

I was able to convert a Bachmann ROD to P4 for the HMRS at the Midland Railway Centre, with a just set of Alan Gibson's wheels and about 30 brass washers, and it runs very well. I was thinking about doing a D11 and a J11, but if the axles are geared together, it won't be so easy.

Still I am enjoying BH on my own layout, although without a set of GCR coaches it looks most incongruous.

Colombo

[Stanier6256]

......... although without a set of GCR coaches it looks most incongruous.

Colombo

I think you may wait quite a while for RTR pre-group coaches to turn up. Are you (and any other optimists on here) up for building etched kits? If so I could probably arrange to get some GCR coaches made. You need to round up about twenty takers (per coach) and AGREE which ones you were prepared to buy (and put up a deposit on). The GW Study group got a B Set done that way though even they couldn't agree exactly which diagram they wanted.

[34C]

... I was thinking about doing a D11 and a J11, but if the axles are geared together, it won't be so easy...

Should be OK on the J11 if the Johnson 3F which kicked off the current run of 0-6-0 types has set the pattern; that has gear drive on the centre axle only. (I do wish they had followed the earlier pattern seen on the 2251, 57xx and Fowler 3FT of driving the cab end axle, and having the centre driver sprung, but we cannot have everything it would appear.)

[Colombo]

Stanier,

At risk of going off the subject, I have built a few brass coach kits by D&S, Perseverance and Bill Bedford. There are also GCR coach kits available from Fozzard and Worsley Works. Its not the lack of kits and ability, its the cost in terms of cash and personal time in building coaches from etched brass that's problem.
I well know why professionally built coaches are so expensive.

You can bet that by the time I have built a rake, they will be available RTR.

34C,

Thanks for the info about Bachmann chassis, it looks like a J11 conversion to P4 is on the cards, then.

Colombo