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Heljan Metropilitan BoBo

5750 Views 27 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  petmar, 
PeterPug
Ordered a Heljan Metropolitan (Vickers?) BoBo on Saturday from Hattons at £74 - looks like a 'bargain.' Has anybody else got one of these?

My excuse for buying (other than I like the looks - not pretty, but a nice example of the era, and the price) is that I can put my GWR clerestories behind it with some sort of justification in that I believe they were used to pull GWR trains from Paddington to 'the city.'
The one I've ordered appears to have Aylesbury / Liverpool St. on the 'blinds' - not exactly appropriate but with my eyesight being what it is that probably won't matter - but does anybody know what it should have - Paddington and where?
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A
Weren't these locos all used on sub-urban services though?

Tony
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Actually SRMan, I quite like your idea of Farish coaches here. I have a couple of detailed GWR rakes that are quite pleasing [although spectacularly inaccurate] and with metal wheels and closer couplings [and better roof vents] they keep people fooled as long as they are standing three feet away and the coaches are not dawdling!

I've ordered one of these Hatton's bargains, I think I'll now track down some Farish suburbans for a rake.

Tony
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Chipped roof corners are common also, as is some cracking in the coach ends, presumably through the plastic becoming unstable. Mekpak - or equivalent - can deal with that though.

I'll look at Bachmann suburbans though - had not thought of that.

Tony
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What a beauty, and an absolutely silent, smooth runner, too.


Tony
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Problem there though is the eye-watering price.....

Tony
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4
I have posted these on another site but taking a leaf out of SRMan's book [for which many thanks for the inspiration], I acquired 4 Farish LNER suburbans via eBay for less than £16. Yes, I was surprised too....

Fitted with metal wheels, more realistic roof ventilators and closer coupling, the four coaches were given at least four coats each of Citadel 'Seraphim Sepia' wash to darken the rather anaemic finish of the Farish coaches. Some of the individual panels were given many more coats to simulate repairs and revarnishing. The interiors were painted also and the end of the last coach detailed. I have yet to source some decals however.

This has provided an extremely cost-effective solution to creating a rake of coaches for the Bo-Bo. The photos show an as-bought followed by the others.








Tony
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