Is This The Definitive Class 47? Heljan Class 47/0 Tonnidae in Railfreight Petroleum livery - Review

[@mavikchen10]

The modern bachmann 47 is superb, easy choice

[@PeterMason-i1h]

This Heljan model of the Class 47 diesel locomotive is a strong and smooth performer but is sadly, let down by its looks. It fails to capture the overall appearance of the prototype. The taper effect at each cab seems exaggerated with the consequence that looking end-on, the locomotive appears too narrow. The cab front widows should be very slightly angled, not set in a straight line. The side elevation is wrong. the body height is much too deep giving the impression that the locomotive is sitting too low on its bogies. I had great expectations of this model. It is the only one available of the initial D15xx production series, so far as I am aware. It could and should have been executed much better in my opinion.

[@stephenhartley7980]

I had this model on preorder but when the first models came in and delivered to customers who have reviewed them and found faults and other issues with the model. I quickly cancelled the order and managed to find the same model and livery from Bachmann at a price of £170.

[@lj03oem]

+ Well Bachmann certainly won't be losing any sleep over this offering,just wishing they had another fresh batch of theirs to release at the same time,i know where my money would be going,just wish Cavalex were doing one,my 56 is a hoot!

[@hermitageroad4713]

think I'll wait for Accurascale to do one

[@stephendavies6949]

That'd be the best outcome

[@owentherail]

We can only hope

[@tonyrobinson362]

Bachmanns one is superb ive a few on shed and they sound great and move very realistically.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

The Loksound 5 is one of the best sound decoders available for a model locomotive. The ones fitted by manufacturers are given more sounds than one might expect.

[@tonyrobinson362]

Sorry but the Bachmann model is top dog, Nice review as always Jen.

[@lucitonstjames3925]

Heljan & class 47's , to make one dubious looking duff is one thing, but to make an even more dubious looking one 23 years later is quite the feat. The Hornby model from 1974 is a better looking model. Makes you realise just how good they where at Margate & in Italy with tape measures/ drawings to work off

[@alfiewenn9440]

hornby still use the lima tooling oddly enough

[@Madonsteamrailways]

I think it might be the ultimate model of the Class 47!! There’s no fuzziness between the greys and the yellow, and the sound chip is near enough the ultimate.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

To find the top hatches of a real Class 47, the nearest to me is the one stored at the Epping Ongar Railway at North Weald Station.

[@formidable38]

It has so many shape issues and faults , it's a job to know where to begin! It's an absolute disaster, hands down. Heljan have made some howlers over the years but this thing is in a different ball park. I was so looking forward to this when announced but I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

[@GarthDavies-cd5oh]

Yes I agree, The older model whilst over scale captured the look much better.

[@philiplimerick2794]

I looked at these at the NEC. I think the taper from the cab doors forward is to much. 29:02 in the video seems to show this. This throws out the shape of the front. This makes the headcode/domino box look oversized. I wanted the green livery. But after seeing it, I will pass on it.

[@stephendavies6949]

It's odd, but when I first saw it, I thought the headcode looked too big. But then I had a look at some photos, and the headcode looks out of proportion on the real thing, as do the buffers.

[@philiplimerick2794]

@@stephendavies6949 I think you are correct they are large on the prototype. But I think the exaggerated taper from the cab doors makes it seem really out of proportion on the model. Also the handrail under the windscreen is straight. This should have a very gentle curve. This should follow the line of the windscreens. On the model it is straight. I think that Heljan have produced a good model but let down by its inaccuracies.

[@stephendavies6949]

I rarely make my mind up about a loco until I've watched your review, as you accentuate the positive and focus on what there is to admire in them. This one caught my eye, due to the Cardiff Canton depot plate (the antelope), as I'm an South Wales ex-pat. But £200+ is a big issue for me. I'll wait and see if the price reduces before I make my mind up.

[@owentherail]

I'm sure it will soon come down in price.

[@stephendavies6949]

@@owentherail Yeah. Rails will have a sale soon...

[@Madonsteamrailways]

The cat in the logo is a Black Panther known as the trademark used by a certain company, the name of which I can’t recall.

[@blackjockofmangertonpele]

Eh? It's nothing of the sort. It's the Cheshire Cat, the logo mascot for Crewe Diesel depot.

[@mels1811]

Brilliant video 🙂

[@GarthDavies-cd5oh]

Sorry I prefer the look of the Bachman 47.Good review though

[@SteveSmithRailways]

Give it 3 months and these will be at hugely discounted prices cos no sane perosn would buy one of these at normal price. "They spent a lot of time and money on this"....yet still couldn't get it right. Most probably one of Heljan's biggest boo boos that they've made.

[@billystanier6327]

13:40. That shot to me looks nothing like a class 47. They’ve got the cab proportions horrendously wrong.

[@tonyfearn2452]

great review Jenny BUT ,sorry but have to disagree with you as a ex BR driver who drove the real thing for well over 35 years - I find this latest class 47 offering is absolute pants !! it just doesnt look quite right, - for starters-the cabs ends are completely wrong and the headcode boxes are far ,far too large as are the windscreens ,so it really isnt the " definitive " class 47 model !! for me the Bachmann offering is still the best (although far from perfect !!) of the bunch ,this latest Heljan offering CERTAINLY isnt the step-forward from its last release that we were all led to believe it would be and it clearly doesnt represent value-for-money ,so ,on this occasion ,my money will stay firmly in my wallet and I would strongly advise any other potential l buyers to give this Heljan model a VERY wide birth

[@stephendavies6949]

The buffers on the real thing seemed to be oversized too, compared with other diesels of the time. Is that something you noticed when operating them?

[@modelrailfan37]

It's definitely not the most accurate, but from what I've heard and seen they are good runners.

[@mikedenny8924]

The petroleum logo proportions look wrong.

[@maverick1243]

Spent a fortune on a fleet of the original Heljan 47's and ended up throwing them in the bin as Heljan refused any compensation for the chassis failure and resultant broken bodies. Never touched Heljan since and never will.😡😡

[@randydobson1863]

Hi Jennifer & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks Jennifer & Friends Randy & Super Cool Video Jennifer & Good Friends Randy

[@richardwilliamson2366]

Best 47? It would helped if it looked like the locomotive. It sits too low, has a far too narrow face - the tapering from the sides being overly exaggerated - has too large and too low a head code, even plated over. There are other details too that aren’t right on the roof - 2 not 4 access panels - and the wheels aren’t right either in terms of comparison with the actual locomotive. Overall it feels a very sloppy attempt to capture the locomotive - surely no excuse given how well models are tooled these days?

[@WayneAtkinson89]

It’s horrendous 🤮🤮 the shape is completely wrong, the roofs wrong and it sits too low on its bogies to name a couple of issues!!!

[@andrewbellamy722]

Sorry but I do think people need to look closer at definitive dimensions etc, this is a very poor model in the same league as the new Hornby Black Five!!! The reference to P4 modellers is very strange as P4 brings models much closer to accuracy. There is a massive amount of photographic reference material out there and prototype information and in traffic information published. Incorrect wheel profile Incorrect handrail profile Incorrect size of front panel Class 47s have 4 power unit access panels The cab side taper is incorrect looks at where it touches the buffer beam area Against many sources there is an issue with the height of the body sides and the space between the body and the top of the bogies. Now you might want to call me a moaner but it is 2024 and these issues are BASIC and the competition will see this just as customers do. And there is competition that have not yet produced a class 47 that are capable of absolutely nailing it because they care and are patient in their approach and capability to deliver accuracy.

[@LNER985]

The new Hornby black 5 isn't poor.

[@andrewbellamy722]

Oh yes it is, it’s an inaccurate model in many areas, yet again massive amounts of high quality research material available to produce and accurate model, Incorrect brake shoes It has a hopper ash pan actuator which an early built Black Five should not have Incorrect bogie wheel profile Incorrect chimney Daylight between the running plate and boiler Various pipe work inaccuracies under the footplate Over-scale lamps Huge gap between engine and tender Thickness of tender side plates completely wrong A lot of this is basic stuff, Hornby have spent a lot of time researching the Back Five they say to produce the ultimate Black Five. Those of us who have researched these locomotives for many years disagree. Sorry if you do not agree but these models cost a lot of money and SOME manufacturers need to do better.

[@LNER985]

@@andrewbellamy722 No it isn't and just you backstabbing the hobby.

[@andrewbellamy722]

No not at all Hornby have produced some good models it’s frustrating that they are not consistent with quantity detail and accuracy, unfortunately both Heljan and Hornby really have some issues with these new models, especially when there is so much research and reference information available other manufacturers manage to do it that do not have the resources that the bigger manufacturers have.

[@LNER985]

@@andrewbellamy722 Plenty of Hornby's models are good including the new black 5, new P2, Turbomotive and BR Standard 2MT. Just you being blinded by ego and you as bad as the people who vandalised that O gauge model at Bo'ness a number of weeks ago.