4yrs on and this weekend I have discovered the Bachmann NCB black 03 shunter. It is perfect. I think it was an excuse to buy a black diesel. It looks well and it runs well. I struggle a bit to see the point of a brightly lit cab when the headlights don't work, but I still love this shunter. Only discovered your channel today. It just happened to be my up- to- the- minute subject, so thanks for that . Sorry I'm four years late!!
You are a most impressive "train person". You know not just the what's what and who's who, but the why of it all besides. AND you speak your peace with the commitment of a true person of the rails. Even though I haven't given "thumbs Up" on many off your videos, I like them all - always informative, continuously entertaining and a great way for "us" to learn more about trains. Thanks for sharing...
very handy advice (along with the top 5 steam shunters video) if i ever give in to temptation and try to build a small OO gauge shunting layout (despite my inactivity in the two scales i currently theoretically model in). also, you appear to have the same edition of Good Omens as me. :)
Good. I have only owned the 03 and Hornby 08, but of those I think the 08 would be my number one-if only for it's sheer ubiquity, enabling it to be used on a layout of pretty much any BR region. I owned the earlier incarnation of the 03 in BR green and it got a lot of use. The cab light was a cute touch, but I don't know if it has been incorporated into the re-tooled version. Thanks Jenny.
The new retooled version is streets ahead of the older molding. The 08 is much more widely used, if only because they lasted into privatisation whereas the 03s were all withdrawn by the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Thanks! For many years the class 03/04 and 08/09 were the only ones available in model form so it is great to see the others finally coming through in model form.
A nice line up there but what about the Bachmann class 04? I personally don't own one but I have the 05, 07 & 08; oh and Mailine class 03s. I think you chose well and I enjoyed your candor on the matter.
Heljan OO gauge 05 is one of Heljans best fullstop. Love the tiny lamps at the front which in DCC are switchable; the decoder is a tight fit but do-able. The O gauge version I would like to see your review of as well .
I really like the class 05 and 07 shunters, not seen an 05 before - shame on me. What spolied the Backmann shunter for is that dirty great screw on the crank connecting to the middle wheel - that is what Triang would have done back in the '60s. Thanks for the review Jenny! - Pete
The screws do stand out a lot and I agree that they can spoil the look. The 05s were always a rarity in real life, apparently being hard to drive because of the gearboxes. Only one lasted long enough on BR to receive a TOPS number as 05001 mostly because it was marooned on the Isle of Wight.
Which of the diesel shunters has the most realistic top speed? Most full size shunters are geared for about 15 - 20mph but models are frequently much faster.
Hard to tell. I think they all run too fast, but are a lot better than the older models which did warp speed! I'd say probably the class 09 as they could do 25mph, or maybe the 03 as they were good for around 28mph.
Jennifer E. Kirk Ah yes, I'd forgotten about the speedy little 03. There used to be an 03 based at Berwick-upon-Tweed station when I was a boy, but I never saw it move. The only shunters that I see these days are a pair of 08 shunters based at the Craigentinny Depot in Edinburgh.
The shunter at Berwick was tripped to Gateshead once a week for fuelling and servicing. The way it worked was a driver would drive one up the ECML to Berwick then drive the one that was there back. Closer scrutiny would have revealed that the running number of the 03 changed each week! It must have been a boring shift pootling at 28mph.
Jennifer E. Kirk Thank you, I never knew about the trip to and from Gateshead. I assume that it must have happened in the early hours of the morning when the ECML was quiet? The 08 shunters must be some of the oldest diesel locomotives still in operation in the UK.
I don't know what times they travelled; it could have been on a Sunday or something like that. The 08s probably are some of the oldest, along with class 20s. The very early 08s have all been withdrawn. Until a few years ago there was (I believe) a Freightliner 08 that was the oldest mainline loco still in revenue service in the UK though it has now been sold on into preservation. I can't remember its exact number but it was an 080xx number.
4yrs on and this weekend I have discovered the Bachmann NCB black 03 shunter. It is perfect. I think it was an excuse to buy a black diesel. It looks well and it runs well. I struggle a bit to see the point of a brightly lit cab when the headlights don't work, but I still love this shunter. Only discovered your channel today. It just happened to be my up- to- the- minute subject, so thanks for that . Sorry I'm four years late!!
You are a most impressive "train person". You know not just the what's what and who's who, but the why of it all besides. AND you speak your peace with the commitment of a true person of the rails. Even though I haven't given "thumbs Up" on many off your videos, I like them all - always informative, continuously entertaining and a great way for "us" to learn more about trains.
Thanks for sharing...
I wonder what your pics would be for Top 5 in 2023, what with so many small locos having entered the market since.
very handy advice (along with the top 5 steam shunters video) if i ever give in to temptation and try to build a small OO gauge shunting layout (despite my inactivity in the two scales i currently theoretically model in). also, you appear to have the same edition of Good Omens as me. :)
Good. I have only owned the 03 and Hornby 08, but of those I think the 08 would be my number one-if only for it's sheer ubiquity, enabling it to be used on a layout of pretty much any BR region. I owned the earlier incarnation of the 03 in BR green and it got a lot of use. The cab light was a cute touch, but I don't know if it has been incorporated into the re-tooled version. Thanks Jenny.
The new retooled version is streets ahead of the older molding. The 08 is much more widely used, if only because they lasted into privatisation whereas the 03s were all withdrawn by the late 1980s/early 1990s.
great to see,all the shunters i have are old but still good
Thanks! For many years the class 03/04 and 08/09 were the only ones available in model form so it is great to see the others finally coming through in model form.
Love these countdowns!
Would be great to see them roll into shot under their own power for a bit of extra showbiz/suspense.
Thanks, though not practical given the manner with which we have to film them.
excellent and love the 07
A nice line up there but what about the Bachmann class 04? I personally don't own one but I have the 05, 07 & 08; oh and Mailine class 03s. I think you chose well and I enjoyed your candor on the matter.
Heljan OO gauge 05 is one of Heljans best fullstop. Love the tiny lamps at the front which in DCC are switchable; the decoder is a tight fit but do-able. The O gauge version I would like to see your review of as well .
I really like the class 05 and 07 shunters, not seen an 05 before - shame on me. What spolied the Backmann shunter for is that dirty great screw on the crank connecting to the middle wheel - that is what Triang would have done back in the '60s. Thanks for the review Jenny! - Pete
The screws do stand out a lot and I agree that they can spoil the look. The 05s were always a rarity in real life, apparently being hard to drive because of the gearboxes. Only one lasted long enough on BR to receive a TOPS number as 05001 mostly because it was marooned on the Isle of Wight.
Really do like my Hornby 08 and Heljan 05, I have so far resisted the Heljan 07.
The Heljan 07 is a great model, though the 05 is certainly the very best in running quality.
Total agreement. Geoff. W.
Thanks!
Thanks for the show-n-tell Jenny. I like your pic, and in that order. Question, do any of these locos come with the NMRA style coupler adaption....
You're welcome. The couplings are in standard NEM pockets which fit into the equally standard triangular shaped recesses.
nice loco,s jenny,great reviews,nice one.jpj
Thanks!
Which of the diesel shunters has the most realistic top speed? Most full size shunters are geared for about 15 - 20mph but models are frequently much faster.
Hard to tell. I think they all run too fast, but are a lot better than the older models which did warp speed! I'd say probably the class 09 as they could do 25mph, or maybe the 03 as they were good for around 28mph.
Jennifer E. Kirk
Ah yes, I'd forgotten about the speedy little 03.
There used to be an 03 based at Berwick-upon-Tweed station when I was a boy, but I never saw it move.
The only shunters that I see these days are a pair of 08 shunters based at the Craigentinny Depot in Edinburgh.
The shunter at Berwick was tripped to Gateshead once a week for fuelling and servicing. The way it worked was a driver would drive one up the ECML to Berwick then drive the one that was there back. Closer scrutiny would have revealed that the running number of the 03 changed each week! It must have been a boring shift pootling at 28mph.
Jennifer E. Kirk
Thank you, I never knew about the trip to and from Gateshead. I assume that it must have happened in the early hours of the morning when the ECML was quiet?
The 08 shunters must be some of the oldest diesel locomotives still in operation in the UK.
I don't know what times they travelled; it could have been on a Sunday or something like that. The 08s probably are some of the oldest, along with class 20s. The very early 08s have all been withdrawn. Until a few years ago there was (I believe) a Freightliner 08 that was the oldest mainline loco still in revenue service in the UK though it has now been sold on into preservation. I can't remember its exact number but it was an 080xx number.