Graham Farish A1 Tornado

[svedblen]

Surprisingly low shipping!  2 day air from UK ended up being cheaper than what I recently had to pay for an item shipped Priority Mail from Ohio.   

The Brits need to keep you guys happy, now when they are abondoning us 

[Spades]

In the meantime, speaking of the Boulder Creek Speedomeer, and since it's Tornado we're talking about; I just had to dial it up...   

Approaching Category 2 speeds

[Mark W]

For those wondering why the speed run. Prototype Tornado successfully hit 100mph during a test run back in Spring this year. 
First 100mph steam run since 1967.

[peteski]

The only place I could find Tornado in British Railway letters and Doncaster Green paint is eBay. 

I ordered the coaches from Hattons
http://www.hattons.co.uk/

Surprisingly low shipping!  2 day air from UK ended up being cheaper than what I recently had to pay for an item shipped Priority Mail from Ohio.   

Thanks!

[peteski]

Tornado successfully hit 100mph during a test run back in Spring this year. 

How fitting. Just like its namesake.   

[strummer]

Wow...what a great video.   

Very well done, exciting to watch, and best of all, no banjo music!

Mark in Oregon

[Doug G.]

Fantastic!

Doug

[Cajonpassfan]

Stunning.
Hand-fired coal burner doing a hundred.
And the craftsmanship is without peer.
Thanks for the link.
Otto K.

[Mark5]

Would love one of these in N scale.

Cool loco!

You get a sense of just how much smaller UK locos are when next to a North American loco:

http://www.finial.ndirect.co.uk/Images/fspic4.jpg

Mark

[nkalanaga]

The "modern" D&RGW narrow gauge locos, especially the K36 and K37, were too wide for the British standard gauge.  Going the other way, New Zealand bought some retired UK coaches to upgrade their 42 inch gauge passenger trains.

That's also why most British modelers work to different scales than Europe and North America - they needed room for the available motors when the scales started.

[Mark W]

It's probably more appropriate to say just how much larger North American locos are.
Especially for Britain, never really a need for huge road locomotives we built in America. They have the speed and we have the horsepower.




Coaches arrived!


These are again Graham Farish models, Bachmann's European brand.  Earlier in the thread I assumed pulling a number of Kato cars would likely equate to pulling a lessor number of these "Bachmann" cars, figuring Kato has about as little rolling resistance as one can get. 

Big fat NOPE!  As I first placed these coaches on what I thought was level track, they began rolling downhill!  In fact, with the inertia of a 7 car train, I can give them a gentle push and they roll just under a half scale mile (according to my Boulder Creek Speedometer! )!   

Not only that, the detail is right up there with Tornado itself.  Including the first time I've seen window decals in any scale!







So anyway, there ya have it.  And it's Bachmann.  It's made by Bachmann!
Kind of a mini lesson in making assumptions and questioning preconceived notions.  Ya never know what the other side might be like until you get to know it. 

[Jbub]

Why couldn't they put that type of detail in their recent release of American passenger cars?

[peteski]

It's probably more appropriate to say just how much larger North American locos are.
Especially for Britain, never really a need for huge road locomotives we built in America. They have the speed and we have the horsepower.

I believe that the Dapol N scale models are in 1:148 scale so if the Tornado was in 1:160 scale you could see how much smaller it woudl be compared to US locos.

Coaches arrived!

These are again Graham Farish models, Bachmann's European brand. 

Not only that, the detail is right up there with Tornado itself.  Including the first time I've seen window decals in any scale!

European models had really nice detail for many years (way ahead of the American-made models).  As far as the printing on window goes, here is an example of a Minitrix model that was produced around 1988 (almost 30 years ago).



And here is a closeup of the detail paint (including the window lettering).

So anyway, there ya have it.  And it's Bachmann.  It's made by Bachmann!
Kind of a mini lesson in making assumptions and questioning preconceived notions.  Ya never know what the other side might be like until you get to know it. 

Well, Bachmann is not "your father's Bachmann". It is owned by a Chinese company (Kader) that also controls Graham Farish and few others.  So I wouldn't compare Graham Farish it with the old Bachmann we all know.  Also the old Graham Farish (before 2001) produced models which were not quite as well details.

I also have you to blame you for enticing me to buy the Dapol N scale Flying Scotsman in green livery and a rake of LNER teak passenger coaches!   

[Mr Z]

That is one pretty locomotive.

Coaches arrived!

I also have have a number of Graham Farish (Bachmann) and Dapol coaches and engines that I've been running at our club's holiday show and I've been very impressed with the detail and quality. The worst I can say is that the default coupler is still the rapido.

Martin Z

[peteski]

I also have have a number of Graham Farish (Bachmann) and Dapol coaches and engines that I've been running at our club's holiday show and I've been very impressed with the detail and quality. The worst I can say is that the default coupler is still the rapido.

Martin Z

That is still the standard N scale coupler outside of USA. Since the knuckle coupler is not used in Europe, a model knuckle coupler was never implemented.  Rapidos are quite reliable too, so that might be another reason they kept it. Serious European modelers use "Profi" couplers. They are a bit smaller than Rapidos, but still look nothing like the prototype couplers.