GAUGE O GUILD

The Heljan D800 (Class 42) Warship

Reviewed by John Emerson in Gazette Vol 20 Issue 1

Not too long ago a society promoting diesel and electric modelling had the temerity to put in their show guide the claim that, along with N gauge, O gauge was a 'minority scale'. OK, this is taken slightly out of context (although I do have the offending show guide here), but where on earth have they been for the last two decades? In 2005 Danish manufacturer Heljan kick started a 21st century O gauge RTR revolution with the first of a range of British diesel locomotives. These new generation models featured highly detailed injection moulded plastic bodies on heavy cast metal chassis with powerful twin motors. Ironically, their first model was a Hymek echoing the abortive entry by Rovex into the O gauge market some 40 years earlier. Maybe that's why, apart from toying with the Bassett-Lowke brand, out of the three major British RTR model railway manufacturers one has steadfastly refused to re-enter the O gauge market. However, such is the pace of new O gauge releases from Heljan that by the time this review appears in print, their Warship will no longer be news, with a Class 25 already released and a reworked Class 37, Class 45 Peak, and 03 and 05 diesel shunters promised for 2017, whilst their first steam outline locomotive - the GWR Big Prairie - is scheduled to appear before 2016 is out. Even this amazing list has been eclipsed by the news of the Hattons/Heljan joint venture to bring an A3, A4 and Gresley teak coaches to market in 2018 and the announcement at Telford of Class 128 and 131 Parcels cars and a Class 117 and 120 DMU - minority scale indeed!

Released in May 2016, with eleven different livery variations to choose from, the Warship is well up to the standard of manufacture and finish we have now come to expect from Heljan. The Warship specification includes powerful five-pole twin motor bogies with re-designed gear drive from motors mounted centrally in the body, working fans, directional and cab lighting, and provision for easy conversion to DCC/DCC sound. The upper body is removable after releasing four screws allowing access to the cabs and interior for conversion (take care when dismantling as the lead to the fan motors may need to be disconnected). The tail lights can be prototypically switched on/off using a small switch located underneath the 'A' end cab. Heljan's standard model is available as D815 Druid (maroon/full yellow); D827 Kelly (green/small yellow panels); 829 Magpie (blue/full yellow ends/single arrows); D866 Zebra (blue/full yellow/twin arrows); and D869 Zest (maroon/small yellow panels). Our review sample, kindly supplied by Tower Models, is one of their Limited Edition versions supplied without name or numbers for the customer to finish to choice. The reviewed model is in BR green with small yellow warning panels and OHW electrification flashes - other Limited Edition liveries are green (no warning panels), maroon (small warning panels or full yellow ends), and 'Corporate' blue with full yellow ends (either with pre-TOPS twin double arrows or later single double arrow logo). On opening the box you discover a huge bag of add on parts including cabside footsteps and sandpipes (both left to the customer to fit as they might otherwise interfere with running on excessively sharp curves), top lamp bracket (again left to customer to fit as they may well be damaged in transit), and spare vacuum, air and train heating pipes as well as roof vents and windscreen wipers to replace any accidentally damaged. A comprehensive list of spare parts is also included.

Warship cab interior

Warship interior showing the twin flywheel drive and motorised roof fans

The prototype locos were ground breaking machines, a scaled down version of the proven German V200 diesel hydraulics. These were the first BR loco to make use of lightweight stressed skin construction, employing high-speed engines with hydraulic transmission at a time when conventional thought was to use slow speed oil engines and electric transmission resulting in some heavyweight old fashioned designs.

Until Heljan's RTR version arrived the only way to acquire a Warship was to build a kit, notably the Malcolm McGeechan resin-cast or Tower Collection white metal version cast by DJH. Overall the Heljan model is an accurate portrayal of a Swindon-built Warship, later TOPS Class 42, the instruction leaflet acknowledging help from the Diesel Traction Group, owners of preserved D821 and the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group as well as Brian Daniels in researching the model. As always the devil is in the detail - the model is representative of the series from D813-D832 ordered in 1957, the very legible builder's plate on the model reads 'Swindon 1960', fitted with four-character headcode boxes from new. The pilot scheme and early build locomotives (D800-812) and NBL Class 43 series (D833-D865) had significant detail differences, so anyone wishing to model one of these particular locomotives would have a considerable amount of work on their hands - however, I'm sure someone will pick up the gauntlet.

For the pedantic the odd couple are D818 Glory - equipped with a Spanner Mk.IIIa train heating boiler instead of the Stone Vapor type, so check the exhaust ports on the roof - and D830 Majestic, used as a test bed for Paxman Ventura engines, which had the engine exhaust ports offset, not on the roof centreline as the Swindon/Maybach locomotives. Swindon-built Nos.D866- D870, although similar to the Heljan model, were fitted with Spanner Mk.1a train heating boilers so the exhaust ports may differ, and the lip of the cooling fan apertures were also re-inforced. The final member of the class, D870 Zulu, had the warning horns mounted on the cab roof. This series also lacked the cantrail level boiler room ventilation grille so Zebra and Zest should have these filled in, although I'm happy to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable on all these points.

There is a high level of detail in the cab that would obviously benefit from the addition of a crew, and a satisfying level of detail in the correctly portrayed bodyside grilles, including the inset grilles on both sides where the 'bag' was put in to fill the steam heat boiler - a scheme to fit ETH never came to fruition. Livery application is clean and crisply applied including the red route availability disc denoting an axle loading of more than 17.6 tons. Overall the model definitely conveys the look and presence of a Warship and cries out to have a train of Western Region chocolate and cream Mk.1 coaches in tow.

Performance

The sheer weight of Heljan's O gauge BR diesels means that there is going to be plenty of powerful traction available - more than enough for the average O gauge layout. After a period of running in, the new Warship was put through its paces on my Gifford Street layout, with a heavy eight coach rake of Westdale BR Mk.1s proving little more than a stroll in the park, whilst a 12 coach train effortlessly raced round at an alarming speed. The motors are rated at 1.1A whilst stall current is stated to be 6.8A - the ammeter on the Helmsman 5 amp controller peaked at just over 1.5A on starting but hardly moved over the one amp mark once underway. Slow running in the loco yard using a panel-mounted Gaugemaster controller rated at 1.5A was also impeccable.

The loco happily ran through a mixture of Peco and hand-built pointwork without any problems – a very quick and crude check against a ruler showed back-to-back dimensions set at 29mm and flange depth around 1mm. Minimum radius on the layout is a nominal 6ft 0in through Peco points although what the absolute minimum curve the model would run through couldn't be checked as strict instructions were issued not to add footsteps, etc., to the review model for photography - please bear this in mind when looking at the pictures of Heljan's Warship' in the raw. The performance is remarkable for its smoothness, power and virtually silent running, but as this was a non- DCC fitted sample, it couldn't be tested under DCC conditions. Remembering Warships in full cry at Starcross as a youngster I would be interested to see and hear a sound fitted model in action - or maybe double-headed. The next best thing was to double-head it with my Hall 4-6-0 - but I digress . . . In conclusion this is another impressive piece of motive power to add to the ever growing stable of 7mm scale BR diesels produced by an enterprising Danish manufacturer who, with the assistance of Martyn Sanders and Dave Brewer, continues to provide the backbone of ready-to-run British outline O gauge. Out of the box, the full RRP of the Warship is £699. Tower are offering them at £550 each - including the six Limited Edition models exclusive to Tower - with final choice of finish to customer's requirement, weathering, and DCC sound fitting (ESU 'Loksound' 4.0XL) available as optional extras, all at an additional charge. As the Limited Edition versions have only been produced in batches of 50 or so models they may well have sold out by the time this issue of the Gazette appears. My advice is if you haven't already bought one, get yours now. It's been a huge pleasure to run and test the Heljan Warship on Gifford Street although, as it doesn't quite fit in with my current layout or motive power plans, it sadly will have to be returned.

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The Heljan D800 (Class 42) Warship

Reviewed by John Emerson in Gazette Vol 20 Issue 1

Performance

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