Heljan Gresley O2 2-8-0 'Tango'

[ROY@34F]

Thankyou "Brush" .I'd go along with your idea of slight rounding.We can always file them square if we're too offended by the looks. Like Tony Wright,I did'nt realise the variety there seems to have been , and I spent a lot of time firing on these things! Many thanks for listening to us,and for all the hard work.
Kind regards , Roy .

[Brush53Falcon]

Good Evening Gents.

Thanks for all your comments, and Morgan there is no need for an apology, I wasn't offended, I am just striving to get the model as perfect as can be within the constraints of the budget and timescale. Your comments were very valid and it proved that my research had un-earthed an unknown factor regarding the spectacle windows. The tooling has to start in order to get the model into the alloted production slot.......otherwise somebody else gets it!
When we get the first pre-production samples there will be a certain amount of correcting to do and if the spectacle windows look too far out then we will be able to correct them. One thing that you may not be aware of is that the model has to be capable of being ejected from the mould without getting caught and for that reason certain detail has to be ommited from the main tooling and added later. This hasn't affected the Tango too much apart from a few rivets under the front of the boiler saddle which were deemed 'out of bounds' for an all in one tool.
I'm pleased that most people appreciate the effort being put in and I sincerely hope that you will be rewarded with a good model. I know there are a few that constantly criticise Heljan for not listening, no matter how hard they try to please, but hopefully my input will help to correct some of these concerns. I for one am pleased to be able to help this cause and this is why I spend time on forums monitoring the comments and trying to give constructive answers. If I can make that part enjoyable then I have achieved some input into the product which will benefit you all. Finally I think I have Tony Wright to thank for his generous input and encouragement which with feedback from this forum has helped to keep me focused in getting this far.
The CAD/CAM for the O2/1, O2/2 and O2/4 low running plate version is in the process of being drawn so there will be another bulletin sometime in the first part of next year. Certailnly the drawings I have seen of the GN cab and tender look very convincing so I'm hopeful this will follow with another good model. Now to try and source some sound recordings!

[2002EarlMarischal]

Thank you again for the update and fascinating insight into the development work that goes into a new model. I am sure that I am not alone in appreciating the sense of involvement you have given us.

Good luck with the alternative variants. If it is in LNER livery it will be on my shopping list for sure!

[strang steel]

Anyone who constantly criticise Heljan should be building their own models from plain brass strip.

As far as I am concerned, Heljan can produce a plain O2/1/2/3/4 with no details. I can add those myself, depending on the loco(s) I need for my layout.

If I have to buy that plain undetailed O2 for £150, it is a bargain compared with what I would pay to have it built for me.

I can switch cabs and/or other items as I see fit. All I want is the basic model.

If I wanted perfection I would expect to pay five times that price.

[60129 GUY MANNERING]

I have been privileged to know how much research "Brush53Falcon" has put into this project over at least the last 5 years and it’s been nothing short of phenomenal. Dedication is perhaps a word that is over used these days, but in this case it hardly covers the amount of work and travel this guy has put into this project. He may have become a friend, but that does not influence my opinion one little bit.
Regards, Derek.

[earlswood nob]

G'day all
If one compares the price of R-T-R locos with building from a kit, the difference is amazing. When I reurned to modelling 5 years ago, I made a note of the prices of various kits. A Nucast O2 cost £160, this included wheels, but not a motor. They went up after that, but I didn't make notes. However, add a decent motor, gearbox, plus sundries, and I estimated the total cost to be around £250. That is without labour in building the model.
I enjoy building locos, and many of my kits date from long ago, my O2/3 box has a price tag of £24.25. However if I was merely looking to own a locomotive type, I would have to choose R-T-R locos.
Let's welcome the production of R-T-R locos of as many types as possible.

Earlswood nob

PS. Now to get back to rebuilding the Nucast LMS Garratt, which has so far cost me over £300.

[strang steel]

I have just had emails from Hattons to inform me that the class 02/2s which I have on order will now be available in two versions, one with stepped tender and one with flush.

I don't remember seeing too many photos of them with flush tenders, but my memory is not good.

Does anyone with access to the relevant Green Book or Yeadon's know how many 02/2s ran with each tender type and whether they were swapped on a regular basis or not?

[Atlantic 3279]

Well I'm more confused than ever now. I thought that the intention was still to produce only the O2/3 and O2/4 versions first, with the O2/2 (and maybe O2/1?) only appearing if the first (actually last) two versions were a success. If that is still the truth, or anything like the truth, I don't see the point in placing or accepting orders for the possible second wave of models just yet.
I'll almost certainly want a model with low running plate and GN cab, maybe even two, but maybe not if the build quality or assembly "strategy" evident in the first releases is a problem. Wiring left hanging out of the centre section of the Hattons Garratt, and alleged un-necessary / excessive use of glue to keep its chassis components together are not good omens.

I'm not professing to "know" with total certainty, but if Hattons are correctly referring to O2/2, my immediate thoughts would be that a GN tender was required.....

[Sniffer]

I have just had emails from Hattons to inform me that the class 02/2s which I have on order will now be available in two versions, one with stepped tender and one with flush.

I don't remember seeing too many photos of them with flush tenders, but my memory is not good.

Does anyone with access to the relevant Green Book or Yeadon's know how many 02/2s ran with each tender type and whether they were swapped on a regular basis or not?

I've had the same e-mail today regarding the O2/2 pre-order.

I chose the O2/2 because I wanted an early version of the loco, that much I was sure of.
But being asked which tender I'd prefer has me in a bit of a spin.
I don't know, which looks nicest ?

Can anyone post a couple of images if they have them, for perusal. ?
Thanks

[strang steel]

A quick Flickr search provides these - https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=O2%202-8-0

.......but most appear to be O2/4s.

[Sniffer]

Couple of O2/2 images.

Which tender is which ?
The first is labelled as GN, but what about the second ?
Flush sided I guess, so what does a stepped look like ?

[strang steel]

I take stepped to look like this one - http://tinyurl.com/owa5q2v

But I could be wrong.

The coal rails option does add more confusion to the whole subject, but much head scratching is going on here too.

[Atlantic 3279]

I couldn't honestly say which tender was shown in that small second image above, but fancied that it might also be a blurred image of a GN tender with coal rails rendered invisible by the blur and the fall of light, and....

RCTS 6B says that all of the O2/2s were originally equipped with post grouping copies of the final GN class B 3500gal tender design. Seven of the by then renumbered early O2s got GS tenders (stepped and straight sided examples) from withdrawn K3s, but only as late as 1961-62 and the last O2s were taken out of use in 1963 so the need for an O2/2 with anything but a GN tender must be quite unusual, if not extremely unusual!

Have Hattons got it right, or are they (again) scrambling information about the different O2 class parts?

[Sniffer]

RCTS 6B says that all of the O2/2s were originally equipped with post grouping copies of the final GN class B 3500gal tender design. Seven of the by then renumbered early O2s got GS tenders (stepped and straight sided examples) from withdrawn K3s, but only as late as 1961-62 and the last O2s were taken out of use in 1963 so the need for an O2/2 with anything but a GN tender must be quite unusual, if not extremely unusual!

This is precisely my quandary.

I'm looking for a period locomotive (deliberately picked the O2/2) with an appropriate and accurate tender.
I don't have the skill or knowledge to start modifying, and at nearly £150 it has to be right.

Very confused now.

[Sniffer]

Just called Hattons a few minutes ago and apparently the O2/2 version has been cancelled for the foreseeable future.

Only O2/3 & O2/4 will be made.

Going to think hard about whether I still want one.