Bachmann Beauties

One benefit of being busy through June was that it didn’t feel like long before the Bachmann quarry hunslets landed. Initial running with ‘Wheal Ponder’ suggested that the clearances of the vegetation were minimal and that some bush whacking was required for these to run on ‘Wheal Ponder’. Bush whacking completed, trial running has now taken place.

When these were announced, I ordered a Penrhyn black ‘Margaret’ as the style of these locos was closer to the quarry hunslets sent to places other than Wales, I also really like the lining style. 

The model lived up to expectations, the finish, in particular the lining is superbly applied and I really like the cab detail. 

The problem with quarry hunslets is that they have a tendency to multiply…. Gary from Bachmann brought an Una over to run on the layout at Burton showing how well matched they are to the Corris carriages. The result…. A blue cabbed version was duly ordered. I went for blue as it would stand out from the mostly green layout, my daughter has a fondness for blue engines and half of my limited experience of playing with quarry hunslets was on a blue ‘Holy War’.

Both locos run beautifully, trundling slowly over my lumpy track work quite happily. Apparently one of the online box openers objected to the light weight of the models, in reality it is not a problem. 

The handrails on my open cabbed version had come adrift and were in the box, a common issue with the cabless ones, a result of the fine line between enough glue and excessive glue splatters that the same box openers would equally object too. A simple job of putting them back in and a dab of glue will follow. Some have suggested that the handrails and knobs are too fine and too big respectively. Can’t say I’d have noticed if no one had said, so shall probably leave them alone. 

The size and finesse (or lack of) of the crossheads had brought some criticism online. Whilst they stand out in photos or up very close, at the usual viewing distance on the layout I found myself not worrying about them and shall probably just give them some weathering when the time comes. 

Personally, I’m very pleased with these locos, they are without doubt the best thing to have happened to NG7 modelling in the thirty plus years I’ve been involved. Agreed, there are some imperfections when studied under the microscope, but there will always be some compromises for mass production. Those who can live with them will, those who can’t will either alter them or build one of the available kits. Very few people won’t have space to fit something involving these locos in and sales would seem to back this up. 

I bought a couple of wagons to try, they’re only a little smaller than the Wrightlines Talyllyn ones and whilst they’re too small for ‘Wheal Ponder’ I’ve got a few thoughts about using them in the future. 

One bonus of these models is the NEM coupler pockets. The chopper couplings Bachmann supply look great, but I’ve got an existing layout that already uses the Bachmann oo small hook and bar couplings at the standard height for oo models. It was a five minute job to prise the couplers out and push in NEM pocket fitted couplers, the cranked version, ref# 36-027 giving me a perfect coupling height. 

Replacement nameplates of these locos new identities have been ordered. Loco crews will be ordered too and some weathering will follow when the plates arrive. But in the meantime, they will get plenty of use on the layout, they look very much at home hauling my Corris carriages and my Chivers wagons. 

And finally, a couple of videos of the new arrivals.