[60159]

I got a new Bachmann B1 (61180) for Christmas and I regret to say it's a disappointment.

Certainly runs better than my previous split chassis version but it has retained the crude tender coupling and the resulting, by todays standards, huge gap between loco and tender. The tender also has two peg-holes on the tank top for which I see no part to fit, it doesn't have the big cylindrical thing (!!) on the tank top I have on 61132 and the "toy" coal load doesn't seem to be removable.

Not good Bachmann - a rush job? - not thought through? - cutting unnecessary corners? On this evidence it won't be hard for the Hornby version to be far better and worth the extra money over this Bachmann "railroad" equivalent.

If Mr Bachmann reads these forum pages, I'd be interested in hearing the excuses.

Mike

PS I'm sending it back to the retailer anyway as the crude tender coupling is not properly fitted and I'm not prepared to have to repair a brand new item. Quality control???

 

[34C]

That's exactly as advertised. Glad to read this. I am waiting for the price to fall consequent on there being duplication, so I can buy cheap, as I want the chassis for earlier 'worked on' bodies whose split chassis long ago wore out. The more returns there are the sooner this happy prospect is realised...

It is the work of minutes to mod the tender coupling to scale distance, vastly improves the appearance.

 

[gritty]

I've heard that the hornby is the one to go for as well.

 

[steamdream]

I have had a new Hornby B1 'Roedeer' in wartime LNER livery for about a week, and it has worked perfectly straight from the box. The detail on it is superb, the shape is spot on and looks at least a £50 better model than Bachmann's new DCC ready version.
I compared the two closely at Transport Models in Preston. The Bachmann model is little more than a Hornby 'Railroad' equivalent.
This is dissapointing as the last 3 locos I have bought from Bachmann ( 3F, G2A and a 7F have all been superb models, and the 7F especially looks and runs like a dream).
In my opinion the Bachmann offering is worth no more than £65 especially as they don't offer a DCC fitted version so if you are using DCC you have the cost of a decoder on top.
My Hornby B1 was £110 DCC fitted so if I'd gone for Bachmann's which was £80 then added the decoder on top there was not much difference in price
Save up and go for the Hornby B1 is my advice

 

[60159]

QUOTE (34C @ 26 Dec 2011, 18:30) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>That's exactly as advertised. Glad to read this. I am waiting for the price to fall consequent on there being duplication, so I can buy cheap, as I want the chassis for earlier 'worked on' bodies whose split chassis long ago wore out. The more returns there are the sooner this happy prospect is realised...

It is the work of minutes to mod the tender coupling to scale distance, vastly improves the appearance.

Thanks 34C, I have also quickly adjusted the "mind the gap" on previous B1s but had hoped I would not have to do this on a 2011/12 model.

Bachmann should be ashamed of the shortcut in upgrading as I notice they have the little peg on the underside of the tender. the slot for the "drawbar" is already there, it just needed a mounting on the new loco chassis.

Is the V2 to be the same cop out?

 

[Coboman]

This is interesting. Bachmann split chassis locos are fetching £35-£45 on ebay. If I buy a new Bachmann B1 for £69.99, sell the bag of bits for £8, fit the body on the old chassis and get £40, I've effectively got a new chassis for my old detailed B1 for £32. That'll do me nicely. Hornby can get stuffed with their poor plastic wheels and £110 price tag.

 

[34C]

QUOTE (60159 @ 26 Dec 2011, 22:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>... Is the V2 to be the same cop out?
The announcement was existing bodies with new chassis for all of A4, B1 and V2. So I wouldn't expect anything else. From samples photographed at an autumn show, it did look likely that the dome and chimney of the V2 (and possibly some other applied parts) have been improved. But the overall body moulding looks to be that from the model we already have. Bachmann have also said that the new A4 and V2 chassis will not fit the earlier bodies because the new chassis have fixed Cartazzi framing.

 

[theakerr]

I could live with the tender loco gap as it is a 5 minute fix. For personal reasons I run insulated switches so I would have to add tender pick-ups. Not a big job now that I have it down to an art. But to still have the moulded in coal, that is something else. It is a big job to cut out the old "coal", build some sort of hopper and add real coal. Like others I will be waiting for them to be discounted so that I can fit the motor under my old detailed locos. I really want to get "Mayflower" since when I was a kid i used to "cab" her on a fairly frequent basis when she came by with the pick-up daily freight. So I guess that will be a Hornby modified and detailed by, at this time, persons unknown.

 

[kristopher1805]

Hi guys and gals, sorry been absent due to Internet issues here in sandland.

I have the Bachmann B1 61180 in weathered late BR
I also now have two B1's from Hornby, late BR 61138 and LNER 1040

I put the bachers to work on the high level section and it is fine, true it is a fix a new chassis and everything else from Replica railways, the chassis is a bit light so traction has its limits and the tender hook looks sadly out of place on something this new, the footplate etc being in a less detailed format.

The Hornby looks better and although worried by the news that the Hornby had a fixed drawbar this is 'joy of joy' an old Dublo style link with screws to retain the drawbar - common sense makes an uncommon appearance in Margate!

The loco is heavier.

On my upper outer track both were fine but on the inner one the Bachmann did a few suicide missions and the Hornby none, so although from the scouse factors the Hornby has a higher price yet this is well worth the difference and as is usual the Horby has to cope with Hornby setrack iot has a better tolerance factor witness the performance, neither have de-railed to as yet.

That said the bachmann is a good loco, the Hornby is better.

 

[nick lamkin]

The Bachmann B1 does not have fixed moulded coal on the tender - it is a removable moudling - you can either take it out and add your own coal or add coal to it. I took mine out added the crushed coal then put it back in position once glue had dried.

Nick

 

[theakerr]

Thks for info Nick

 

[nick lamkin]

Well I was satisfied with my new Bachmann B1 until two Hornby ones arrived today.

I have 61138 and 61243 and they are excellent.

61243 is a variant I was not aware even existed with the curved fillets at the front and rear of the footplates. These make the loco more like a Gresley creation than a Thompson one. was this a Doncaster modification? I have not seen this mentioned anywhere else.

Nick

 

[34C]

Cowlairs. The Scots noticed cracking in the footplate angles and introduced this mod.

The Hornby model, like the L1 before it, is an absolute cracker. The glazing seems to me spectacularly (sorry) good, really lifts the model.

 

[Pennine MC]

QUOTE (nick lamkin @ 29 Dec 2011, 12:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>61243 is a variant I was not aware even existed with the curved fillets at the front and rear of the footplates. .. was this a Doncaster modification? I have not seen this mentioned anywhere else.

I'm no B1 expert Nick but it was carried out (fairly comprehensively I understand) to Scottish based locos.

 

[nick lamkin]

Well full marks to Hornby for producing it. Why have Bachmann never considered doing this version?
I was critical of Hornby for producing a B1 in the first place but this loco looks so different - it has made it all worthwhile.

 

[Pennine MC]

QUOTE (nick lamkin @ 29 Dec 2011, 18:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Why have Bachmann never considered doing this version?

Probably because the tooling dates from a time when it was a case of 'a B1 is a B1 is a B1', you didnt get all the wee variants designed in, as we now expect

 

[60159]

QUOTE (nick lamkin @ 28 Dec 2011, 18:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The Bachmann B1 does not have fixed moulded coal on the tender - it is a removable moudling - you can either take it out and add your own coal or add coal to it. I took mine out added the crushed coal then put it back in position once glue had dried.

Nick

Nick,

Thanks for that. I got my replacement Bachmann B1 back from Hattons today - very prompt and postage refunded, well done Hattons - and managed to remove the coal but had to take tender body off to be able to push it from below, it was a very tight fit.

However can you, Nick, or anyone else who has a 61180 (weathered) help me here. The coal is integral with the rear upstand of the bunker. This rear upstand of mine is not weathered like the rest of the tender top and stands out like a sore thumb! Should it be weathered? Is yours? Has an unweathered coal piece been fitted to my B1 by mistake or is this another shortcut by Bachmann.

Grateful for input before I'm tempted to send back this second B1.

Mike

 

[kristopher1805]

Mike, Well spotted, mine is not weathered as the rest of the loco is either

 

[rb277170]

Saw Model Rail review of Bachmann and Hornby B1. In terms of % scoring the Bachmann one doesn't seem too bad. But Model Rail missed an opportunity to show both side by side. I wanted to see if the tender gap is that noticable. Still thinking I'll go for Bachmann on the grounds of QC and price but I would like to see if the tender gap is an issue

Russell

 

[Vespa]

I have always liked the Bachmann version but will admit that side by side the Hornby smokebox is the best along with the valvegear. Somehow though I prefer the Bachmann front bogie as the wheel centres are more defined. The Hornby bogie doesn't quite look right to me and I have compared this to photos of the full size B1. The Bachmann bogie looks better.