Model Railway Forum banner

Bachmann GWR Collett Goods - Review

6K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  VS-Admin 
#1 · (Edited)
Train Vehicle Nature Rolling stock Fixture


Bachmann 32-310

Collett Goods 3217 GWR Green

The Great Western Railway 2251 Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam tender locomotive designed for medium freight and passenger services by Charles Collett. They were introduced in 1930 as a replacement for the earlier Armstrong and Dean Goods in use on lines in Central Wales. A total of 120 were constructed at Swindon, the last being built in 1948. They had more modern features, such as taper boilers and full cabs. Increases in both boiler pressure and heating surface gave useful extra power at the expense of weight that restricted permitted routes.

There were some detail differences. Numbers 2211 to 2230, built in 1940, did not have the side windows fitted due to safety fears in wartime. Numbers 2281 to 2286 were built with tenders from the 'Aberdare' class and ten other engines were coupled to these tenders from time to time.

Livery in GWR ownership was unlined green. BR initially painted them in unlined black, although many of the Class were later turned out in black or green livery with full lining. The last of the class was withdrawn in 1965. Only one loco has been preserved '3205' and is located on the South Devon Railway.

Train Vehicle Sky Wheel Rolling stock


Ex GWR '2251 class' No.2291 of Worcester shed is probably the resident banker at Honeybourne when photographed on 11th April 1964. 120 of these diminutive 0-6-0 tender engines, designed by Collect, were built by the GWR in the 1930s and 1940s. No.2291 had only recently been arrived at Worcester from Swindon and lasted in service only until the great loco cull of Western Region steam locomotives in September 1964. Derek Parsons photograph, courtesy of Malvern Industrial Archaeology Circle (MIAC).

Train Wheel Sky Vehicle Cloud


GWR 0-6-0 2251 Class no. 3205 departing Cheltenham Racecourse on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on 3rd January 2005. This locomotive is the sole survivor of its class, and is preserved on the South Devon Railway. Photo: Phil Scott; Source: Wikipedia.

Train Wheel Vehicle Rolling stock Track


Palitoy's Mainline Railways range included a version of the model in 1978.

The 'Collett Goods' was first released by Bachmann 1996. 7 versions were produced, including:

  • 32-300 Collett Goods 3202 GWR Green
  • 32-303 Collett Goods 2251 BR Unlined Green Livery - Early Crest
  • 32-304 Collett Goods 2264 GWR Green

Bachmann produced the 'Western Rambler' Train Set 30-052 that included the Collett Goods 2244 BR lined green livery loco and two Collett coaches in BR maroon livery.

Further models were announced in 2006

  • 32-304 Collett Goods 2294 GWR Shirtbutton Green Churchward Tender
  • 32-305 Collett Goods 2217 BR Black Late Crest Churchward Tender Weathered

Recently, in the past few years, Bachmann released a number of versions of the 'Collett Goods':

  • 32-300DC Collett Goods 2244 BR Lined Green
    (DCC Decoder fitted)
  • 32-301 Collett Goods 2260 BR Black Early Emblem Livery
  • 32-302 Collett Goods 2277 BR lined green - late crest
  • 32-306 Collett Goods 2253 BR Black Early Emblem Churchward Tender Weathered
  • 32-310 Collett Goods 3217 GWR Green ROD Tender
  • 32-311 Collett Goods 2259 BR Black Early Emblem ROD Tender

The model photographed here (32-310 Collett Goods 3217 GWR Green ROD Tender) has a copper capped chimney and brass bonnet safety valve cover.

Train Rectangle Automotive lighting Gas Engineering


A nice, crisp satin-finished box with the excellent plastic loco holder inside.

Wheel Motor vehicle Automotive tire Vehicle Rolling


A 8-pin DCC decoder socket is fitted. Space only for a thin decoder, preferably one with a direct plug as there is not much room

The body is secured to the chassis with the frontmost and rearmost screws. The screw second from the front holds the under-boiler ballast to the chassis. You don't really need to undo this (as I have above). The service sheet has got the screws wrong and misses the smaller front screw.

The DCC decoder PCB is very small. Pin No.1, if marked, is not obvious - perhaps the chokes hide the mark. I had to reverse the decoder after an initial test as the loco initially went off in the wrong direction. I snipped off the capacitor on the PCB and another on the motor itself. I left the chokes in place.

A TCS DP2X-UK decoder apparently fits into this model, and I ordered one, thinking that I would add pickups to the tender to help the loco over any dirty spots on my layout - not that there are any dirty spots ;-) but then I remembered that I had a DCC Concepts DP4SAP with a stay-alive capacitor. This would work just as well.

DP4SAP direct plug 4 function decoder WITH stay alive

  • 1.1 amp motor drive, 2 amp peak load
  • 4 x 200mA functions
  • Direct easy connection to exclusive Stay-Alive device
  • Super smooth high frequency silent drive motor control
  • 2 or 4 digit addressing and 14, 28 or 128 speed steps
  • Support for all common programming & consist modes
  • Back EMF with step-variable or Fn button control
  • Fully adjustable motor control and function actions
  • Easily locked once adjustment or set-up is complete
  • Special lighting effects including Mars,Strobe, Alternating Ditch lights and Flickering Firebox
  • All functions able to be re-allocated as required
  • Heat-shrink insulated for short-free installation

Train Wheel Green Rolling stock Vehicle


The model runs really well. The little motor is well behaved and slow speeds can be achieved with a little tweaking of the decoder settings. The Back-EMF really helps.

The weight feels good, with ballast in the boiler, a metal cab and a metal coal load with another metal plate in the tender. There is space in the tender for more ballast or perhaps a sound decoder and speaker. Holes have bee optimistically pre-drilled in the floor of the tender.

The finish of the model is acceptable. The satin finish looks good, but is a little shiny. The one glaring defect on the little model is the seam line down the middle of the boiler. With such fine detail elsewhere, I wonder why this problem can't be addressed by manufacturers.

Brake rods can be fitted after you have added a decoder. Getting them on is tricky. The service sheet doesn't help - they are shown the wrong way around. But they can only go on one way anyway, but the hangers are really stiff and the risk of damaging something is high so be careful and take your time.

I fitted the supplied brake hose and Hook and Link Coupler to the tender buffer beam. Something is needed at the front. Nothing else was supplied, but I'll dig around in my spares box for something suitable.

Train Wheel Land vehicle Vehicle Rolling stock


Train Wheel Vehicle Rolling stock Motor vehicle


I hope to do a little weathering on this model. Perhaps it could pull some of the old Starfish wagons from the MRF Group Build.

A fine model that runs well with the right decoder fitted. Nicely proportioned and interesting with a good level of detail. A useful model on the layout for any Great Western fan.

DFT - June 2012
 
See less See more
9
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top