My subscription copy of RM March 2013 arrived a few minutes ago.
3 years of rumour and speculation ended.
At long last we are to have a r-t-r 009 UK Locomotive. On page 258 in the News section are details of the r-t-r L&B loco from Heljan.
The first models will be the Manning Wardle 2-6-2t Yeo, Exe and Taw in their most familiar forms with the modified cab.
Outside frames, Joy valve gear, minimum radius expected to be 12 inches.
Price and availability to be announced later.
EXCELLENT, WONDERFUL, FAB... ;D
er...
???
Damn! :o
So it won't go round my 6" and 9" curves then... >:(
No matter - this is splendid news Garry and I'm delighted.
Don't fret David, you can always put it on a Minitrix N205 chassis................. ;D
Mick
Just seen it in the RM.
I wonder how much Heljan knew of Peco's initiative beforehand.
This is really good news in any event - even better my new layout is modelled to 12" curves using the new mainline track and points .
Bob
You can always deface it by cutting out the frames for the pony wheels to have room to swing.
Roger
I will have the same trouble with my 9 inch hidden curves. However I expect it can be modified without destroying the looks. I'm looking forward to see the first photos and reviews.
May be we will have to take a leaf out of the Backwoods instructions in order to get their L&B and VOR locos round tight curves. That is what I had to do in order to run them on Tan-yr-Allt. In my previous post I mentioned 'defacing' a r-t-r loco but that is what I did to my Backwoods models. The thing is we will have to wait and see what these r-t-r models look and how well they will perform on sharply curved track.
Roger
Will this be an incentive now not to build such sharp radii in future? The question should not be 'How sharp a radius curve can I get it to run round?' but 'what is the smallest radius it will run round without the overhangs looking awful?' and yes, I know some people will be talking about hidden curves here. Nevertheless this is still wonderful news, although long awaited and, latterly, expected.
Rod
Game on. ;D ;D ;D ;D
John W
I think it won't look very good on anything under 12" radius, but then nothing bigger than a contractor's loco does. And yes, I would talk of hidden curves! I have had to apply all sorts of tricks to get my locos round them, like cowcatchers mounted on pony trucks etc. Making couplings work if they're fixed to the buffer beam instead of the trucks or bogies is a challenge on small radii.
Where there's a will, there's a way!
I'm sure I'll find a reasonable way to smash it about a bit!
Anybody got a spare N205 chassis they don't want?
Quote from: tedp on February 11, 2013, 05:37
I think it won't look very good on anything under 12" radius, but then nothing bigger than a contractor's loco does. And yes, I would talk of hidden curves! I have had to apply all sorts of tricks to get my locos round them, like cowcatchers mounted on pony trucks etc. Making couplings work if they're fixed to the buffer beam instead of the trucks or bogies is a challenge on small radii.
I can almost feel the Reverse Curve Pessimism Society tuning up their "It Won't Work" Powerpoint Presentation even as I type this.................
If Ian Turner can get his Rio Turbio 2-10-2 and Sierra Leone 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt as well as all his other supersize locos around 9" curves then I reckon there must be hope for all!
Mick
The Reverse Curve Pessimism Society - I like it - are they like the Flat Earth Society ?
Bob B.
Did I sound like a pessimist? I hope not! ;D
As Tigger says - where there's a will, there's a way.
And if you've ever seen the state of some of the trackwork on the L&TR you'll appreciate that 009 can traverse the sort of pretty 'orrible track joints and curves, and jump section gaps it was never intended to! ;D
In fact I think I get more derailments by mis-handling coupling and uncoupling operations than I ever do from rail/wheel interaction!
Quote from: tedp on February 12, 2013, 07:06
Did I sound like a pessimist? I hope not! ;D
As Tigger says - where there's a will, there's a way.
Indeed not Ted! I was just quoting your posting to connect my ascerbic dig at somebody who I'm sure you know!
Tigger - I've got a couple of N205's held in the strategic reserve box - but they are very precious and therefore very expensive...........
Mick
Just pulling your leg, Mick! How many N205s did you say you have? They have become collectors items - perhaps more expensive than the L&B RTR loco is reputed to be, if I have to believe the wailing on the other forum... ;)
Thanks Mick -
I think I've got about eight N205s in reserve; a combination of bought new, bought secondhand from the 009 stand and acquired almost new from a friend who no longer needs them for his N gauge layout. I'm trying to make sure I have one spare for every loco in the fleet that uses this chassis. hopefully I'll have enough in stock to enable me to build the third VoR or another L&B loco (unless I opt for the WLLR Joan option I've also got squirrelled away somewhere...)
But I'm aware this is a bit of thread drift even though I managed to mention 'L&B loco' in the last paragraph!
So to re-cap, I'm delighted that Heljan have announced this and I'm already saving up!
Just purchased the Oct RM which has an update.
Heljan have released the first CAD drawings (3 pictures in RM) Apparently initial release (no indication of when this will be) will cater for "original trio in modified condition" and will incorporate a .."flywheel fitted cam motor with double reduction gearbox to the rear coupled axle.... Pickup from all wheelsets including pony trucks". There is more detail in the text which refers to the heljan website www.heljan.dk But it is in Danish and taking forever to translate!
Apologies if this is old news, but I did a quick search on the forum and couldn't find anything recent.
Paul
To speed it up just copy and paste the text in to this web page:
http://translate.google.com/#
Brian Meldon
Thanks Brian that is quicker - however it's even better if you click on the tiny union flag in the top right of the site :-[ !
Nothing obvious and a site search for Lynton and Barnstaple: Manning Wardle and 009 didn't turn up anything. It may be in their newsletter which you have to sign up to. Maybe John our TLO will be able to get something from them to put in the news?
Paul
I now have some photos of the Heljan CAD work that will be on display at the convention, and also in a future issue of the News.