Heljan Gresley O2 2-8-0 'Tango'

[ten ten]

The O2 is welcome news-on my list, as is the 01.At the risk of creating a wish list, there is potential for another variation for existing production, the Hornby D49,and Bachmann J39 ,and that is a NER tender 4125 gallon ,which were on various members of those classes. They were also used on behind Thompson B2s,and, believe it or not B1 1038(1947-1949), and three WDs in 1944.(info ex Isinglass drawings).The latter would be something to see ! If either do produce such a tender,I would hope such could be available as a separate item to backdate models already purchased.

[auldreekie]

Alexander Models already do excellent whitemetal kits of several NER tenders in 4mm scale: one of these is a 4125 gallon self-trimmer. Could perhaps be what you need...

auldreekie

[earlswood nob]

Afternoon everyone
Dave Alexander does a kit for the NER tender. I haven't built it but his models look of high quality. It makes an interesting model. Post Gresley a lot of D49's were given ex GCR tenders.
I like the variations, two locos look the same at first glance and then one notices the different tender.
Earlswood Nob

[jwealleans]

I have just built one of Dave's NER tenders onto a Bachmann chassis and can confirm that it goes together very well indeed. He also does GC and GE tenders, both of which I have built and both of which are equally good.

[auldreekie]

I've just done the GER one, and I was very pleased indeed both with the fit of the parts and with the resulting model. He does something like 16 or 17 different types of tender, including some of the Gresley 8-wheelers, Bullied and BR Standard varieties. I don't know why I'm plugging this (no connection), except to encourage use of a damn good product when one finds it...


auldreekie

[ROY@34F]

I fired on O2s, but not O1s . As Brush says , we had them at Grantham in my time . It's not quite right to say we had a more level railway . O2s were the only engine I ever saw up the Stainby branch from Highdyke (1 in 40) . On the Frodingham workings either an O2 or WD were used . I don't ever remember having to stop for a "blow up",but it was a bit of a struggle returning with the emties sometimes. I beleive there was a train of thought that the Frod. men did'nt bother too much with cleaning the fires for the return trips to Grantham (clinker had to be shovelled out the firehole door remember) and , although it was on the level on changeover anywhere between Boston and Louth , don't forget Ancaster bank , both ways , and setting off from Honington or Barkston east , after invariably having to wait for a gap on the main line , round the curve up onto the main line to Grantham . That was quite a drag , often with a mucky fire !!
No experience of O1s , so I can't compare I'm afraid Boris .
Regards , Roy .

Any of you guys ever fire an O1 or O2

Well I did.
To take an O2 from Darnall to Mottram was a bloody nightmare.
Lucky if we made Wadsley bridge for the first 'blow up' and Warncliffe Loop for the second.
Maybe the way Darnall drivers drove them, but most of our fireman couldn't get them to steam where they needed steam on the hill
Probably great on the G.N, nice and level but at full regulater and full forward gear up "The Bank"
Fornicating useless.
Now the O1, take them anywhere, the suprise when I first got into the cab of one was where are all the bits and pieces, purely basic and nothing there we didn't need.
The nice solid bark from the chimey, a haze of smoke in the steam, they would blow off at the extra shovel full
From what I heard from Annersley firemen was nothing but praise when they allocated, I think, all the O1s there

Perhaps Grantham kept their O2's in better fettle and on hearing the tales of when the return ironstone empties used to have to stop for a blow-up after the Frodingham crew had been relieved perhaps gives this some substance but what I do know is that they were used day in day out up and down the High Dyke branch with its notorious gradients for many years until dieselisation so your final comment seems a little harsh. However it is always what suits man best and perhaps the O1's were better suited to the type of jobs you were employed on. Do you happen to know if any O1's ever got used on the High Dyke branch?

[Coboman]

All this talk of duplicated and tenders and them been swapped about in real life, would it not be good if we could buy locos and tenders seperately? Yes I know theres connectivity issues and slightly different paint colours between manufacturers, but it would be nice and save you money on making certain combinations.

[Saint Johnstoun]

For years one has been able to buy American models 'unecorated' and also spare tenders. I can never understand why this route has not been taken by the UK manufacturers with regard to UK prototype stock?

[Woodcock29]

Hello Everyone

I'm new to being active on this forum but have read it occasionally. I think the announcement by Heljan for an O2 is brilliant, despite the fact I have had an O2/2 running for 30 years, which still runs well and 2 O2/3s to build - both Nucast bought at cheap prices.

Being in Australia I have yet to see the Hornby O1 in the flesh but it looks very nice in the photo of the production versions on several shop websites and although I run predominantly late 1930s I do plan to occasionally run a 1950s period so I will be buying the weathered version. I suspect the boiler issue in the earlier Hornby photos of the pilot model is simply missing the underneath section of the boiler. I have a couple of Bachmann O4s but was disappointed that they didn't get the footplate right in particular as this is almost impossible to easily correct. In fact I have recently purchased two Western RODs because they have the correct footplate flare over the cylinders and will be using one with a Bill Bedford O4/5 3D printed body which will be interesting. The cab from that with the correct ROD roof framing will be used for an O4/3.

Like Atlantic 3279 I have been contemplating how to build a Gresley O1 and may use one of the NuCast kits for this. The valvegear could be a problem however as it is very long, much longer than an 8F. I think Alan Gibson make the frames for an O1 but I'm not sure if it is the Thompson O1 or the original Gresley O1? By the way Atlantic 3279 you can probably guess who I am!

Being able to purchase tenders separately would be absolutely brilliant - lets hope this does become possible.

Woodcock29

[Atlantic 3279]

Welcome aboard AE.

[Horsetan]

Here's one someone built earlier....

[Atlantic 3279]

That looks rather nice, to say the least.

Having seen comments here and elsewhere about using the Heljan O2 chassis to build the Worsborough Banker, I'm wondering whether people have really thought about that. Not only are two sections of the wheelbase a mil or so out, which could perhaps be overlooked, there's the more serious matter of where the motor is likely to be. I'd imagine it will be more or less in the firebox of the O2, putting it right in the way of the articulation points and the central cab-boiler unit of the Garratt! I would suggest, that if use of a pair of RTR chassis is really desired, you'd have to settle for doing some alterations to fit new pony trucks and alternative valve gear onto pairs of "nose to nose" chassis from either Hornby 8Fs or Bachmann O4s. That would put the motors in the bunker/tanks, still give the right wheel size and correct number of spokes or near enough, approximately the right wheelbase figures, and the driving crankpins plus largest balance weights would be present on the correct set of wheels. But this is a digression from the Tango theme.

[Horsetan]

That looks rather nice, to say the least.....

If Heljan can get anywhere near that, they'll be playing a blinder. Mind you, they won't be charging the couple of grand that "Stella Artois" normally charges for his work

[auldreekie]

As regards the prospective O2 chassis and the construction of the U1, I'd be first to admit that my comments were not thought out in any technical detail, also highly speculative. However, they were not entirely unthinking. In the hope that someone from Heljan may be paying attention to this thread, and given their by-now-almost-established track record in mass-producing the LMS Garratt in 4mm scale, one might not entirely unreasonably (and with all relevant fingers and toes crossed) hope that consideration might be given so to designing the O2 chassis that it could relatively readily be put to the use I hypothecated......

All relevant fingers and toes remain crossed so, if anyone in a position to know feels like putting me out of my pleasurable misery.....


auldreekie

[auldreekie]

Hypothesised, not hypothecated! Too many syllabubbles.

auldreekie