All 40s were delivered with frost grilles. Some regions removed them, others left them on. Some 40s went to the scrapyard with them still attached. The worksplates were regularly overpainted with BR blue. I have two originals - one is completely overpainted blue and the other has been stripped on the front, but still plenty of blue on the edges.
If you read Viz Comic, there was a young character called Gilbert Ratchet who was always inventing something new. It was usually christened with the suffix "O-Matic"
I think the side meshes were on them as new builds , but generally got damaged in service over the year’s and didn’t get replaced , I must confess I stripped and O/A cut a number of class 40s as a 21 year old welder fabricator at Crewe locomotive works , fresh out of my apprenticeship but owing to a limited amount of new build a number of us were sent to the building called the melts to strip and cut them , quite sad for me as I did love them , that was back in 1985 but what I meant to say was they never came in with the mesh cover over the Louvre, and as a young lad in the seventies they were never in position as I was a bit off a train spotter .
Hi Jenny, Nice review of the Class 40. Those grills were called "Frost Grills" and were fitted to cover the radiator elements when the locos were new, many lost them later in life as it was decided they weren't necessary and took too long to fit/remove when the locos were in for service, that's what I believe to be the case. Did I see some marks on the top of one of the route indicator boxes on your example, looked like very poor paintwork to me. Oh those builders plates, I think you were right, BR probably just painted over the originals and Bachmann tried to replicate this effect. Anyway a very distinctive sounding loco, should make a great addition to Wear Yard. Best regards Dave.
Thank you, Jenny, for the DC information I will take a look at the Green model, but they are well out of my price range. In the future, there are going to be some superb Secondhand models to buy. Martin. (Thailand)
Hi Jennifer, I used to live about one city block from the Bachmann factory when it was located in Philadelphia PA USA. My Sister-in-law worked there for a while and we use to get great discounts on everything. Sure do miss those days.
As per your previous comments on the frost grilles. ... They were used on locos that worked the Scottish routes which were prone to harsh conditions in the winter months, so I guess if your layout is set much further south, there would be no need to have them ?
The builders plates were cast metal painted black with the raised letters polished to reveal the bright metal underneath. You could at one time buy etched metal ones, I think Shawplan did them.
I bought a TTS chip for my green Bachmann class 40 a while ago but it's still in its box - good to see that it's easy to fit! The sound on your's lives up to its 'whistler' nickname!!
As said previously, the frost grills were removed later on the class 40, though they lasted longer on the 40s than other classes. ironically, it would appear the model loco (40142) lost its very early when compared to the others. They were removed, because in heavy snow conditions, they became blocked with snow, and caused the engines to overheat!
31:31 The reason why Bachmann left the frost grilles off was because they were hardly ever fitted in later days, not even in winter. The usual thing in winter was to leave the locos running all night or drain the water if being parked up. Better to add them if you want them rather than trying to prise them off.
Thankyou Jenny for a great review of Bachmann’s Class 40. What a beautiful engine, Bachmann seem to be forging the way in model railways, but that’s my opinion. Look forward to the next review and unpacking another engine
Looks like Bachmann have done their homework. There were only 20 class 40's with split headcode boxes and all those had Clayton boilers with a circular exhaust port and long-long-short boiler cantrail vents on the secondman side. The Stones boiler 40's had rectangular exhaust port and long-short-long cantrail vents.
i bought the sound fitted version ( well the wife did as a Birthday/ Christmas present ) I also have a TTS fitted one, but it has the slim 21 pin to 8 pin connector from I think Roads & rail. will do a video on my channel when I finally get hold of the present. Good video. Ps there frost grilles.
Do you have any of the original bachmann 40s from 15 years ago, and if so what are the differences with the latest? Thinking about upgrading fromy older versions.
@@JenniferEKirk The earlier 40s had larger flywheels so the momentum effect was far more powerful. They only had four wheels driven instead of six as per the new version. The exhaust for the steam heat boiler was round for all versions. Apparently there were some small details which some people weren't happy with but as a layout loco it was okay. One fault it did have which the new version has corrected is the height of the NEM socket. On the older version it was set too high so the kadee coupler was at least half a head too high.
Always a great review Jenny as it certainly looks a stunning model, even down to easy body removal. As you mentioned the builders plate and the user fitted grill, looking at pics of this loco it appears there were faded builder’s plates on each cab. I do agree feel Bachmann should have fitted the grills but again, pics of the loco show it in both guises, so it must have been a later addition, leaving a difficult job though if the user wanted it in place.
9:03 The cast works plates were painted over in body colour in later days (if they hadn't been pinched by spotters). Very seldom except in their early days were they picked out in silver ... so the model is correct.
Hi Jenny, One further point - a few weeks ago on your live-stream, your Hornby Pug had an issue with its Train-O-Matic chip + smart power pack. How was that resolved? I ask because I was inspired by your video and fitted the same chip + power pack (bit of a squeeze in the cab) and it really improved its operation - I just hope it continues to work!
@@JenniferEKirk Thanks for the reply - glad it wasn't the chip or the smart power pack. I have a resistor and a capacitor at the end of the bus feed in a couple of places - if that is what a bus terminator is!
Hi Jenny great review as the norm. The side grills are called ant-frost grills for winter. Most depot would take them off for the summer and some depots stopped fitting them as the did not make much difference 👍 Also Jenny the painted depot plate was a blue plate please see attached www.flickr.com/photos/brblueperiod/5293666712/
Judging by this photograph, it seems that you were right to give Bachmann the benefit of the doubt re: the works plate. Also, notice the lack of grille: www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/15641958111/in/photolist-pF9puy-mL329j-7tpXoE-pQe8bX-7wfMyi
Bachmann is just over priced when compared to things like Dapol 68s . It’s noticeable that their new 45/46 will be cheaper - why because they have competition from Heljan . With the 40 they can charge what they want . A good fair review Jenny .
Up close .... it looks plastic. I would like to of seen those numbers move. One of two types of numerical displays used on the Class. Further check suggests that the grills were removeable done during some maintenance. Nice looking from a distance.
Thank You Jennifer, for your great review of this nice loco. Typical job well done by Bachmann, I have the Bachmann 40159 but wouldn't mind this one. It looks almost the same but lacks those orange details on the side and bufferbeam which is very nicely detailed otherwise. It has a worksplate just above the BR logos, printed silver on a black plate and not sprayed over. Sound is from Olivia's (via Hattons) which I find acceptable but could be a bit better like Bachmann's own sound or even Legomanbiffo. I think your sound is also better. I'd give mine a 7.7 out of 10 but judge for yourself. Cheers, Jan ruclips.net/video/t0oHcStOuuE/видео.html
I have a look at some Class 40 photos and came across this one in Newcastle which the frost grilles does look a funny colour on the bottom but not sure if that light that made it look like that and the works plate, I would agree it doesn't look right, other than that it was a lovely model and a great video. www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/35464804210
Hi Jenny good morning I have 4 class 40 locomotives on my model of the BR wcml set in the 1980s in and around Lancaster and heysham harbour and stranraer harbour station in south west of Scotland I have two br sealink carferry on the layout the old Belfast to heysham service Duke of Lancaster at heysham harbour and the Galloway princess at stranraer harbour they are home build out for wood I hope this information is of interest to you stay safe and well Jenny clive
The grilles are frost grilles and were relatively rare by late 1970s (as modelled here 1978) on class 40s so Bachmann are right to leave them off.
All 40s were delivered with frost grilles. Some regions removed them, others left them on. Some 40s went to the scrapyard with them still attached. The worksplates were regularly overpainted with BR blue. I have two originals - one is completely overpainted blue and the other has been stripped on the front, but still plenty of blue on the edges.
Thanks for the info! I think the works plate looks wrong because it lacks the raised relief of a real works plate.
Train-o-matic sounds like some invention from Wallis and Gromit :)
They are a Romanian company and actually make pretty good stuff. The link in the description box takes you to their UK stockist.
If you read Viz Comic, there was a young character called Gilbert Ratchet who was always inventing something new. It was usually christened with the suffix "O-Matic"
Another great stream.Realy like the hornby TTS decoders.Full marks Jen.
I think the side meshes were on them as new builds , but generally got damaged in service over the year’s and didn’t get replaced , I must confess I stripped and O/A cut a number of class 40s as a 21 year old welder fabricator at Crewe locomotive works , fresh out of my apprenticeship but owing to a limited amount of new build a number of us were sent to the building called the melts to strip and cut them , quite sad for me as I did love them , that was back in 1985 but what I meant to say was they never came in with the mesh cover over the Louvre, and as a young lad in the seventies they were never in position as I was a bit off a train spotter .
Hi Jenny, Nice review of the Class 40. Those grills were called "Frost Grills" and were fitted to cover the radiator elements when the locos were new, many lost them later in life as it was decided they weren't necessary and took too long to fit/remove when the locos were in for service, that's what I believe to be the case. Did I see some marks on the top of one of the route indicator boxes on your example, looked like very poor paintwork to me. Oh those builders plates, I think you were right, BR probably just painted over the originals and Bachmann tried to replicate this effect. Anyway a very distinctive sounding loco, should make a great addition to Wear Yard. Best regards Dave.
Thank you, Jenny, for the DC information I will take a look at the Green model, but they are well out of my price range. In the future, there are going to be some superb Secondhand models to buy. Martin. (Thailand)
Hi Jennifer, I used to live about one city block from the Bachmann factory when it was located in Philadelphia PA USA. My Sister-in-law worked there for a while and we use to get great discounts on everything. Sure do miss those days.
It’s similar here. Hornby used to be made in the UK, but it’s all from China now.
As per your previous comments on the frost grilles. ... They were used on locos that worked the Scottish routes which were prone to harsh conditions in the winter months, so I guess if your layout is set much further south, there would be no need to have them ?
The builders plates were cast metal painted black with the raised letters polished to reveal the bright metal underneath.
You could at one time buy etched metal ones, I think Shawplan did them.
I bought a TTS chip for my green Bachmann class 40 a while ago but it's still in its box - good to see that it's easy to fit! The sound on your's lives up to its 'whistler' nickname!!
It is a very easy fit. The speaker is a perfect fit into the enclosure under the fan.
As said previously, the frost grills were removed later on the class 40, though they lasted longer on the 40s than other classes. ironically, it would appear the model loco (40142) lost its very early when compared to the others. They were removed, because in heavy snow conditions, they became blocked with snow, and caused the engines to overheat!
31:31 The reason why Bachmann left the frost grilles off was because they were hardly ever fitted in later days, not even in winter. The usual thing in winter was to leave the locos running all night or drain the water if being parked up.
Better to add them if you want them rather than trying to prise them off.
40142 Withdrawn April 1980 at Haymarket cut up at Crewe Works September 1983.
Thankyou Jenny for a great review of Bachmann’s Class 40. What a beautiful engine, Bachmann seem to be forging the way in model railways, but that’s my opinion. Look forward to the next review and unpacking another engine
Looks great 👍👍👍👍😎😎😎😎 awesome locomotive Jenny I like the color blue 💙
I'm looking forward to the 'Andania' BR Green version coming out next year.
Looks like Bachmann have done their homework. There were only 20 class 40's with split headcode boxes and all those had Clayton boilers with a circular exhaust port and long-long-short boiler cantrail vents on the secondman side.
The Stones boiler 40's had rectangular exhaust port and long-short-long cantrail vents.
Good review. It's a nice model and a great colour.
Thanks!
Excellent review - Love that layout especially the cityscape.
Thanks!
i bought the sound fitted version ( well the wife did as a Birthday/ Christmas present ) I also have a TTS fitted one, but it has the slim 21 pin to 8 pin connector from I think Roads & rail. will do a video on my channel when I finally get hold of the present. Good video. Ps there frost grilles.
They are winterisation covers. They reduce the airflow through the grills in winter and it stops supper cooling of the radiators
Ah right, that makes sense. I think it would have been better if Bachmann had at least explained them in the paperwork.
Do you have any of the original bachmann 40s from 15 years ago, and if so what are the differences with the latest? Thinking about upgrading fromy older versions.
I don’t have any so couldn’t say what has changed other than the pickups and internals have definitely changed.
@@JenniferEKirk The earlier 40s had larger flywheels so the momentum effect was far more powerful. They only had four wheels driven instead of six as per the new version. The exhaust for the steam heat boiler was round for all versions. Apparently there were some small details which some people weren't happy with but as a layout loco it was okay. One fault it did have which the new version has corrected is the height of the NEM socket. On the older version it was set too high so the kadee coupler was at least half a head too high.
Standard 2mt from Hornby is the one I'm really waiting for! I'm having to resist spending on other stuff !
Hi jennycouldn you tell me what years this class 40 covers please thank you Ron
They began gaining TOPS numbers from around 1972 and lasted like this through to withdrawal. All were gone by around the mid 1980s.
Always a great review Jenny as it certainly looks a stunning model, even down to easy body removal. As you mentioned the builders plate and the user fitted grill, looking at pics of this loco it appears there were faded builder’s plates on each cab. I do agree feel Bachmann should have fitted the grills but again, pics of the loco show it in both guises, so it must have been a later addition, leaving a difficult job though if the user wanted it in place.
Thanks!
9:03 The cast works plates were painted over in body colour in later days (if they hadn't been pinched by spotters). Very seldom except in their early days were they picked out in silver ... so the model is correct.
Hi Jenny, One further point - a few weeks ago on your live-stream, your Hornby Pug had an issue with its Train-O-Matic chip + smart power pack. How was that resolved? I ask because I was inspired by your video and fitted the same chip + power pack (bit of a squeeze in the cab) and it really improved its operation - I just hope it continues to work!
The fault was traced to issues with my DCC bus surging. DCC concepts sent some bus terminators to smooth out spikes and this seems to work.
@@JenniferEKirk Thanks for the reply - glad it wasn't the chip or the smart power pack. I have a resistor and a capacitor at the end of the bus feed in a couple of places - if that is what a bus terminator is!
James Gilbart yes pretty much that’s what they do and absorb any spikes so they don’t reach the decoders.
Hi Jenny great review as the norm. The side grills are called ant-frost grills for winter. Most depot would take them off for the summer and some depots stopped fitting them as the did not make much difference 👍
Also Jenny the painted depot plate was a blue plate please see attached
www.flickr.com/photos/brblueperiod/5293666712/
i think in its day there was 2 grills one inside one outside and when the outside one was lost they just not replace them
I think some early diesels had different grills or an overlay for summer/winter running.
That makes sense.
Those are frost grilles, think they were fitted on the 37s and 40s early on in their lives
Thanks!
Judging by this photograph, it seems that you were right to give Bachmann the benefit of the doubt re: the works plate. Also, notice the lack of grille: www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/15641958111/in/photolist-pF9puy-mL329j-7tpXoE-pQe8bX-7wfMyi
Re Train-o-matic, I did not know that Romanians were into trains and models.
Bachmann is just over priced when compared to things like Dapol 68s . It’s noticeable that their new 45/46 will be cheaper - why because they have competition from Heljan . With the 40 they can charge what they want . A good fair review Jenny .
Up close .... it looks plastic. I would like to of seen those numbers move. One of two types of numerical displays used on the Class. Further check suggests that the grills were removeable done during some maintenance. Nice looking from a distance.
very good
Thank You Jennifer, for your great review of this nice loco. Typical job well done by Bachmann, I have the Bachmann 40159 but wouldn't mind this one.
It looks almost the same but lacks those orange details on the side and bufferbeam which is very nicely detailed otherwise. It has a worksplate just above the BR logos, printed silver on a black plate and not sprayed over. Sound is from Olivia's (via Hattons) which I find acceptable but could be a bit better like Bachmann's own sound or even Legomanbiffo. I think your sound is also better. I'd give mine a 7.7 out of 10 but judge for yourself. Cheers, Jan
ruclips.net/video/t0oHcStOuuE/видео.html
I have a look at some Class 40 photos and came across this one in Newcastle which the frost grilles does look a funny colour on the bottom but not sure if that light that made it look like that and the works plate, I would agree it doesn't look right, other than that it was a lovely model and a great video.
www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/35464804210
At last.....sent some money in the past to help you get one.....
Many thanks! It was appreciated very much and certainly helped this class 40!
Although a good model it is just let down by the front cab windows being to small.
www.flickr.com/photos/brblueperiod/5293666712/ here is that washed out part
Hi Jenny good morning I have 4 class 40 locomotives on my model of the BR wcml set in the 1980s in and around Lancaster and heysham harbour and stranraer harbour station in south west of Scotland I have two br sealink carferry on the layout the old Belfast to heysham service Duke of Lancaster at heysham harbour and the Galloway princess at stranraer harbour they are home build out for wood I hope this information is of interest to you stay safe and well Jenny clive
Thanks!