Heljan Class 07 Diesel Shunter in BR TOPS Blue - Unboxing and Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
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So I have just finished fitting a DCC decoder to a V1. It was a right faff. The cab didn't want to move. In the end I had to use a jeweller's screwdriver through the small slots in the chassis to encourage it to move. Its almost like it was slightly glued in. Then removing the front bonnet both grab rails at the front fell off. The grab rails are push fitted in to tiny holes in the top of the buffer beam but the right angle at the top is glued in to shallow holes in the front by the grill. Basically any stress what-so-ever extricating the rails from the buffer beam was enough. I fitted the DCC decoder and then thoroughly tested it before using a cocktail stick to apply a small amount of super glue to refix the fails. I had to use a magnifying fluorescent lamp to help me. However its back together now. I would like to fit sound in to this at some point but it wont be soon.
It is a lovely little loco. Also the way the body splits down would make it ideal for brass etched parts to modify it in to the diesel hydraulic version (Take off the roof and reprofile the cab, new roof, cut the sides along the top of the doors and down the edge of the wasp stripes and replace the doors/grills). Even the place where the jack shaft goes is there and could probably be drilled out.
Great review as always, stunning model (even though I'm a gauge 1 live steam modeler). Always good to look in to your channel!
Thanks!
Great review of a lovely little loco. I got this very model last week & it is an excellent example of what can be done in miniature these days.
Thanks!
Grant Williams i
I saw that exact class 07 at the Avon Valley railway today. It wasn’t running but i still saw it.
Brilliant review Jenny. Best one that I have seen.
Many thanks!
Excellent model. The wealth of detail is amazing.
It certainly is.
Very informative and "fact packed" video. As you say it's an exquisite model and almost a work of art. I do hope that manufacturers also make simpler,less detailed and less costly models. There are many customers who don't require this amount of detail. The young coming into the hobby whose enthusiastic handling can often result in damaged locos, Elderly members of the hobby with arthritic hands and less than perfect vision finding handling the more delicate models challenging without having to sweep up the fallen pipes etc and ,of course , the many of us who are perhaps not willing or unable to pay increasingly large sums to purchase these models.
Thanks! Hornby did try a 2 tier approach with their Railroad Vs full cost models with extra levels of detail, but found that it didn't work financially for them.
Excellent review Jenny many thanks,
Stewart
Thanks! You're welcome.
great review Jennifer !
Thanks!
Excellent review thanks, detail is fantastic, My green model was supplied with cranked couplings resulting in non-alignment with rolling stock. I had to apply some Bachmann straight couplings, not good for £105
I agree, though they are a straightforward swap providing you have a set of replacements handy.
a real beauty jenny again great for a small layout,great review,nice one jenny.jpj
Thanks!
Hello the States. I really like your videos. The problem I have we here don't have many small engines to pick from. It seems it's go big or go home.
So any type of shunting/ switching as we call that operation would have to be based in the early 20's
Thanks! Over here the trend has also become to use large train locos to do the shunting so shunters are rapidly disappearing. The 08s persist, but in much diminished numbers and are likely to not last too much longer given that most of them are over 50 years old.
i really like how this train looks
The problem isn't so much with the V1, it's the V2. The higher level brake detail is very fiddly to remove and normally results in loss of paint...and sometimes broken handrails.
That makes sense.
Jenny you mentioned that you are not using DCC. Will you be moving this way with your new layout? As ever, nice review and presentation is as polished as ever! - Peter
Thanks! There is a long term plan to go DCC at some point but it will likely happen over a period of time.
I'm tempted even tho I model exclusively steam. You're right. What a beautiful model?
It is beautiful. The earlier green versions would be in keeping with the last six years of BR steam.
Now , when the pre orders for the heljan 07 exclusive edition for hattons, I pre ordered the Hnrc 07 from hattons with sound dcc fitted, but not Hattons have cancelled any dcc fitting, to the heljan 07, surely , if an item is your own branded limited edition you would check with the manufacturer, whether something you promise in a pre order could actually be fitted and supplied in a way that you have purchased from the website ? I will purchase the Tts 08 shutter instead, tony
I found it a little odd that Hattons are declining to chip the locos when there are a lot of other shops willing to do it.
The BR Class 07 is Salty's real life basis. Though, unlike his basis, Salty lacks the crankshaft at the front of his coupling rods.
A good review of a much requested model. I am surprised at Hatton's declining to fit DCC chips, since they have always prided themselves on being able to chip any loco from virtually from any manufacturer. Are they seeing a problem in fitting sound to one of these I wonder. The body removal is nowhere near as difficult as some American outline models. Just look at the instructions and take your time.
how can i get my hands on one?
Good review.
Thanks!
Great video of a lovely model. However, I for one, don't operate a layout that is of a high enough standard that would justify paying that kind of money for such a small model. What I mean is, there is a substantial mismatch in levels of detail. For a model like this to look good on a layout, the layout must be up to a similar standard.
Know what you mean, it's like running a Ferrari on a cobbled street in my case. However, I think an early developed layout would emphasise and contrast the model even more. Agreed that it would be much more at home in a high calibre layout.
I understand what you're saying, but still think that a highly detailed RTR model shouldn't make people feel they can't run it on their layout.
Layouts can evolve over time and as an owner adds to it they can continually improve upon what they have as they hone their modelling skills. That's part of the fun of modelling.
I don't want anyone to think I'm criticising any person that purchases this, or similar, models, just the opposite in fact. A layout that can do this model justice (or vice versa) is something to be proud of.
It isn't just the layout though, it's also the other locos and stock that are on the layout. A highly detailed loco wouldn't look right hauling stock that are from an era when detail wasn't rather, shall I say, short in supply. Also, I have the full range of Lima Deltics. I also have a selection of Bachmann Deltics. Running them on the layout together is great until you get a Bachmann one next to a Lima one. Separately, they look fine but together the Lima one looks exactly what it is, the poor relation. It's also the same for older Hornby 25s, 47s and Lima 50s. On their own they look fine, but against the more up to date offerings they don't look so good.
I'm not about to sell all my older Hornby and Lima locos and stock in order to purchase more detailed items, but that's a financial issue and a different story entirely.