Hi again, I've just taken delivery of one of the new Bachmann Class 25/1 's in BR Green with full yellow ends and thought you may like to see a few pictures. Unfortunately it hasn't been chipped as yet but that will happen soon. Once it is, maybe a video of a running session will be done. Until then..... A shot showing the great weathering job Bachmann has done on it. It also has directional lighting on it. another, this time from more of a front on angle. One from side on, and the last one for now, As usual, if anybody wants further images highlighting anything in particular ...... please let me know. Hope you have enjoyed...... Toto
I'm tempted to get another. Its sitting in my basket in Hattons at the moment awaiting a moment of weakness. ......... Just a matter of time I fear. toto
Hi Toto, I suppose you negotiated a good discount on the count of it not being cleaned before being put in the box. Nice model tho' Paul
paul_l wrote: I was going to comment that it needs a good clean, wouldn't let it near my track in that condition
Two tone green with half yellow ends, if you don't mind... Loco does look good and I'm quite surprised you bought it in the green livery ! Cheers, Gary.
Nice model their Toto The weathering looks good Did I say I like dirty models they have to look like that have a few miles on them. Being able to get RTR weathered has been a real innovation in the hobby I believe. Look forward to seeing this when its sound fitted and plodding around your model railway.
Hi Chris, hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. I'm looking forward to see how effective the directional lighting is on the new class 25. Its a shed clean out tomorrow but I may get a couple of photo's of the R & GLR posted once its tidied up. Once I've chipped the 25 I'll get a video up showing it doing a couple of laps. cheers toto PS ....... my video's are not to the same standard as Gormo's or Gary's I'm afraid ..... I'm a complete amateur.
I really don't like the too-shallow curve of the cab front gutter and windscreen tops on all of Bachmann's class 24 and 25 derivatives. However, that hasn't stopped me from buying several, although I don't have the 25/1 variant that Toto has bought (which does look nice, nevertheless). The running qualities on all of mine are exemplary - smooth, powerful and almost silent (except on the ones I have sound in, of course!!). My early class 24 model doesn't have lights but I have bought a kit for that from and eBay dealer, Jason, who goes under the name stickswipe. I have used several of his lighting kits in other models and am very pleased with them. Back to the 25/1, the factory lighting should be fine, maybe even needing dimming slightly if the decoder allows it. The weathering is not bad at all, and the inclusion of blue panels over the boiler compartment grilles is a nice touch (and accurate for this locomotive). I did modify the top curve on a renumbered class 24, but I have not tackled the much more difficult job of altering the windscreen shapes - photo below shows the modified Bachmann class 24 on the left beside the more accurately shaped Rail Exclusive/Sutton's Locomotive Works one. Before anyone becomes dissatisfied with their Bachmann models, I should point out that they are considerably cheaper than the SLW model, so still represent very good value for money (IMHO).
That's a nice cold start sequence in the video. I haven't used Southwest Digital (SWD) sounds for some time - their earlier efforts often left something to be desired regarding drivability, but they have improved things since then. The sounds themselves were generally very good (apart from their early class 20), and the class 25 is quite drivable and responsive. My own 25 with sound was reblown with legomanbiffo sounds (the original Bachmann/SWD one had the poorly adapted sounds where the brake release occurred after the locomotive was moving), while the Bachmann 24 has Howes' sound, and the new SLW one has Paul Chetter's sounds. Sealing the speaker chambers makes a huge difference to the sound quality, or as per the video, making a sealed enclosure purely out of Blu-tack works well too. If you get more adventurous, bass reflex or bass enhanced speakers can make improvements as do multiple speaker setups (being careful not to overdo the impedance limits of the decoders).
