As mentioned elsewhere I have recently added to stock three of Bachmann's class 43 Warship models.  These complement seven of the earlier class 42 type which range in age from the original Mainline tooling to the final version issued a few years ago.

All now carry Fox etched nameplates as well as varying levels of detail according to that supplied in the boxes.  Some have couplers at both ends in order to run paired up so cannot have the curved valence or pipework attached.

All have received varying degrees of weathering ranging from almost ex-works to absolutely filthy.  And as usual the camera takes no prisoners and there are some details which require improvement.

The fleet is presented below with a front three-quarters view and a side shot including the nameplate for each of the fleet.

I do not intend to acquire any further locos of this type though do have the five early D600-style Warships (sometimes referred to as class 41) on order and due from Kernow MRC some time next year.

Following the application of these nameplates the Heljan Westerns in the fleet are next to receive etches; the Dapol ones already have them.

D804 Avenger (an early Mainline-style loco fitted with more recent Bachmann power train and bogies)





D806 Cambrian:





D809 Champion





812 The Royal Naval Reserve 1859-1959 (which was to have been named Despatch in the alphabetic sequence; the plates were cast but never fitted as it gained the commemorative "RNR" appellation instead)





D827 Kelly





D835 Pegasus





842 Royal Oak (yes I know the builder's plate has come unstuck)





D865 Zealous





D867 Zenith





870 Zulu

:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

The fleet in review…  Very nice.

Marty

An impressive fleet of warships, Brilliant weathering, really gives them depth and character, Keep up the good work, any chance of some more Diesel Hydraulics.....

Thanks gents.

Aaron - every chance.

I can do a line-up of Westerns as soon as the Heljan ones receive their plates.  In fairness though the weathering on most Dapol members of that fleet is factory-applied as commissioned by Kernow MRC.

Very fine examples of one of the nicer early diesels. I have a Bachmann example, fitted with sound and it is probably my favourite. I believe the Warship was a copy, or certainly influenced by the early DB German locos? It certainly has similar lines.

Bob

Great Weathering Rick,
Did you do it with and airbrush or powders or both?
If you did it with an airbrush what colours did you use?

Connor

Bob - yes the British "Warship" classes were basically a German design somewhat shrunk to fit the UK loading gauge.  In shrinking them a number of problems arose not least fitting in all the required equipment.  That was alleged to have contributed to their general unreliability compared with the German machines.

Connor - thank you and 99% of the weathering is done with powders using various mixes of browns, greys, blacks (yes there's more than one!) and rusts.  Even a touch of white for some of the streaks.  The other 1% is the inking-in of some body moulding lines using a 0.1mm mapping pen which then has the ink wiped with a soft cloth while still wet so it works in and doesn't look like a line.

Diesel hydraulics are, alas, not my favourite locos Rick but you've made a fantastic job of weathering them. :doublethumb

Although your stud is from different modelling eras and different manufacturers, of those manufactured around the same time, do you have any preference in terms of motors fitted ?  I won't be buying any Warships (at least not the train type ….) but wondered if Heljan out-performed Bachmann etc.etc.  I know Heljan tend to be heavier models - at least the types I'd be buying are heavier than their Bachmann counterpart.  It's maybe sad, but I tend to avoid Hornby locos ………………………….

In general I prefer Bachmann.  Their power units are robust, reliable and on my DC set-up respond well across the speed range.  

Heljan are heavier and even more powerful but are sometimes sluggish starters because they need that extra bit of current before then suddenly leaping away.  Sometimes I find applying a little current to the motor just before a start is required, pausing for a moment than increasing it to "drive" levels will produce a smooth start.  

I'm also very happy with the recent Dapol WR types and while there are a good name lemons in their catalogue the Hornby class 50s are also superb.

[user=1297]new04db[/user] wrote:

any chance of some more Diesel Hydraulics…..

Here are the Hymeks ;-)

This class was a very uncommon visitor to my themed area.  Some people suggest they never ran in Cornwall at all but there are records of a handful of them crossing the Tamar.  

In common with the Warships they were often to be seen on front line duties as well as the secondary work they were designed for in woebegone condition.   

If a Warship was intended to replace a Castle or a Hall then a Hymek would replace a Grange or a Manor.  In fact they were very sprightly and packed more punch than their Type 3 designation suggested and would have been every bit the equal of a Castle.  Logs exist of Hymeks keeping time on such prestigious duties as the Bristolian which was formerly a King duty and which would ordinarily have required a Western in diesel days.

Most of my travels behind the class occurred on the Portsmouth - Bristol - Cardiff and Paddington - Worcester - Hereford trains.

7067 is a Hornby model with a lightweight pancake motor.  It has never really been happy here but following an overhaul by my friend Peter Mantle (owner of the Llanbourne layout) it runs rather better than before.  Its light weight means it can't cope with any length of train over the hills despite having 150g of lead added as ballast inside but it's been a good test-bed for some heavy weathering!  The headcode is set to the locomotive number as was often done in the final days of this class and also the Westerns.





The other two are Heljan locos which feature that manufacturer's typically drooping couplers.  The design of these has them moulded onto the air tanks then the bogie frame so they would be hard to replace.  The vertical bar on the hook has been trimmed with Xuron cutters to prevent it striking board crossings and the cross-rail of points.

D7097 wears the later green with full yellow end style and has clearly had some sort of internal problem resulting in spillage or overflow of radiator fluid.





D7093 wears the earlier version of the attractive two-tone green with a small yellow warning panel applied early in their lives.  At least some were delivered with no yellow at all.



The broadside view has affected the colour rendition somewhat.

Rather impressed with the results that you have achieved on the Hornby Hymek, I previously had two and there was just something about them and I can really see the improvements, Being you have mentioned the Heljan drooping couplings, I was wondering if you have ever resolved it on any of the heljan diesel hydraulics?

Heljan drooping couplings, I was wondering if you have ever resolved it on any of the heljan diesel hydraulics?

Sadly not.  That remains one of the outstanding matters I need to look into.  The droop is at its worst on classes 33 and 35.  The "Crompton" class 33 may no be so hard to sort out but the "Hymek" class 35 as I noted above has the coupler on a long bar which includes the moulded air tanks and is part of the bogie moulding which sits way back under the body.  Not easy at all.