OO manufacturers, past and present

[Cowley]

The Playcraft items were HO, the mk3 was the only true scale model they made as the 40 was too wide.

I thought it might be worth sharing a photo of the Jouef 40 for people that haven’t seen it...

It certainly does have a funny shaped conk on it.
It’s interesting to note that plenty of modern manufacturers have made mistakes too though - For example the Heljan 47 was definitely too wide, the first Bachmann 37 had completely inset cab doors which looked all wrong and there’s other models out there with the odd glaring error.
Interesting thread.

 

[AM9]

The Playcraft items were HO, the mk3 was the only true scale model they made as the 40 was too wide.

Trix, mentioned in post #7 made their UK stock to a scale of 3.8mm/foot which could allow some mixed running provided they weren't mixed within rakes. They also made a LMR electic loco (classes 80-85) which was like the rare Hornby Dublo much better than the Tri-ang version.
Another brand not mentioned (in OO) was Graham Farish. Their range was quite restricted to a few GWR prototypes, but the locos were well designed, had fine scale wheels and ran well over Farish 'Formoway' points. The locos also (ISTR) had 5-pole motors which were much smoother than the 3-pole Rovex X04 types.

 

[Cowley]

Trix, mentioned in post #7 made their UK stock to a scale of 3.8mm/foot which could allow some mixed running provided they weren't mixed within rakes. They also made a LMR electic loco (classes 80-85) which was like the rare Hornby Dublo much better than the Tri-ang version.
Another brand not mentioned (in OO) was Graham Farish. Their range was quite restricted to a few GWR prototypes, but the locos were well designed, had fine scale wheels and ran well over Farish 'Formoway' points. The locos also (ISTR) had 5-pole motors which were much smoother than the 3-pole Rovex X04 types.

I must admit that I didn’t realise Farish had produced 00 models in the past.
I just found this picture of their 00 gauge Merchant Navy and it looks like a good quality model for its time.


Going back to things that you couldn’t get away with now, does anyone remember this Lima ‘Irish’ diesel that was actually an HO class 33 painted in CIE colours?

 

[talltim]

There’s been a few smaller manufacturers appear recently
DJ Models
RevolutioN, who as the name says produce N gauge, but also a have an 00 TEA tank coming out. Their stuff is manufactured by Rapido
Realtrack, who stuff is manufactured by Rapido
Accurascale
Cavalex
FTG Models
Murphy Models - Irish prototypes produced for them by bachmann
Most have been producing modern-ish stuff

 

[GusB]

I thought it might be worth sharing a photo of the Jouef 40 for people that haven’t seen it...
View attachment 52188
It certainly does have a funny shaped conk on it.
It’s interesting to note that plenty of modern manufacturers have made mistakes too though - For example the Heljan 47 was definitely too wide, the first Bachmann 37 had completely inset cab doors which looked all wrong and there’s other models out there with the odd glaring error.
Interesting thread.

Like their Mk3s, it's definitely more green than blue. I'd have to see one side-by-side with the Lima version to be able to tell the difference in width, to be honest.

Going back to things that you couldn’t get away with now, does anyone remember this Lima ‘Irish’ diesel that was actually an HO class 33 painted in CIE colours?

Hornby got away with the wrong bogies on their 37 - weren't they the same as the 47?

 

[Spartacus]

It’s interesting to note that plenty of modern manufacturers have made mistakes too though - For example the Heljan 47 was definitely too wide, the first Bachmann 37 had completely inset cab doors which looked all wrong and there’s other models out there with the odd glaring error.
Interesting thread.

The current Hornby Black 5 has a glaring error that never really seems to have been picked up on, having no space below the smokebox front in front of the saddle due to them carrying the frames all the way across, leaving a crude slab of plastic. It's a prominent feature of most Stanier locos, and they've got it right on all the others they've done, which makes it puzzling that it's so wrong on the Black 5, and that I don't think any reviews when it came out picked up on it.

 

[Journeyman]

I thought it might be worth sharing a photo of the Jouef 40 for people that haven’t seen it...
View attachment 52188
It certainly does have a funny shaped conk on it.
It’s interesting to note that plenty of modern manufacturers have made mistakes too though - For example the Heljan 47 was definitely too wide, the first Bachmann 37 had completely inset cab doors which looked all wrong and there’s other models out there with the odd glaring error.
Interesting thread.

Yeah, there's something about the cab that just doesn't look right at all.

 

[Journeyman]

Hornby got away with the wrong bogies on their 37 - weren't they the same as the 47?

Hornby made two versions of the 37, neither of which had the right bogies! The original one had the Tri-Ang Class 31 bogies, and then they used the later Hornby Class 47 bogies. It was only after Hornby acquired the Lima tooling that they released 37s with the right bogies.

 

[SCH117X]

It is possible to visually narrow a Heljan 47 with little effort. Quite often their is a ridge running down the outside of the chassis block which forces the body outward, filing that off helps reduce the tubbiness of the duff. I also found that the cab inserts were a touch wide and filing them a bit also helps. Worth noting in comparison the Lima 47 is too narrow, something I discovered when trying to detail one using etched roofs parts designed for the Hornby model (and which the maker had assured me would work on the Lima model).

 

[Cowley]

It is possible to visually narrow a Heljan 47 with little effort. Quite often their is a ridge running down the outside of the chassis block which forces the body outward, filing that off helps reduce the tubbiness of the duff. I also found that the cab inserts were a touch wide and filing them a bit also helps. Worth noting in comparison the Lima 47 is too narrow, something I discovered when trying to detail one using etched roofs parts designed for the Hornby model (and which the maker had assured me would work on the Lima model).

That’s interesting about the Heljan one, I might try that.
I’ve got a Heljan one, a Bachmann one (probably the best overall) and a Lima one with a Vi-Trains chassis grafted on (its a sentimental thing).

 

[GusB]

That’s interesting about the Heljan one, I might try that.
I’ve got a Heljan one, a Bachmann one (probably the best overall) and a Lima one with a Vi-Trains chassis grafted on (its a sentimental thing).

Should it not be a 57 now? (Bodysnatcher)

 

[Cowley]

Should it not be a 57 now? (Bodysnatcher)

As a former 47 Basher it would feel all wrong...

 

[Bevan Price]

Hatton's of Widnes (formerly Liverpool) market a few items under their own brand name - Should I assume these may be subcontracted to one or more of the other manufacturors ??

 

[SCH117X]

Hatton's of Widnes (formerly Liverpool) market a few items under their own brand name - Should I assume these may be subcontracted to one or more of the other manufacturors ??

They originally did use one or other of the usual manufacturers but have gone on their own dealing directly with the factory of their choice on recent releases -

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0STs, SECR P 0-6-0T, Snowploughs (Class 40 bogie), Warwells (the latter also in O gauge), and the forthcoming Class 66 (32 different liveries each as DCC ready, DCC fitted or DCC sound), FEA-S intermodal wagons and Rail Head Treatment train.

On their web site www.hattons.co.uk if you look under manufactures lists only the above are listed under Hattons and commissioned models from other manufacturers are listed under the relevant manufacturer ie. DJ Models (David Jones) for the 14xx/48xx/58xx 0-4-2T

 

[SCH117X]

The current Hornby Black 5 has a glaring error that never really seems to have been picked up on, having no space below the smokebox front in front of the saddle due to them carrying the frames all the way across, leaving a crude slab of plastic. It's a prominent feature of most Stanier locos, and they've got it right on all the others they've done, which makes it puzzling that it's so wrong on the Black 5, and that I don't think any reviews when it came out picked up on it.

Confused - looking at photos of the real thing their is no space that you refer to, or is it that the section under the boiler is set back more in reality than portrayed on the model. The current main range Black 5 is 16 years old; the railroad one uses toolings dating back to the mid 1970s. Given the various issues with the 2002 model identified by the relatively quick production of a detailing/replacement part kit for it by Brassmasters http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/Hornby_Black5.htm it probably time for a new model to be produced by someone.

 

[pieguyrob]

I have Wrenn classes 08 and 20, one of each, without boxes. Wrenn haven't been mentioned up to now, though are long defunct. Did they not get incorporated into Trix and Triang? If so that today would be Hornby?

 

[SCH117X]

Rather the reverse - originally Triang Wrenn they acquired in 1966 the majority of the Hornby Dublo toolings that were acquired when Lines Bros (the owners of the Triang trademark) bought Mecanno, the owners of Hornby Dublo. This was the point in time that the Hornby name swopped brands, from the Dublo range to the Triang range and Hornbys current owners making much of its name overlook that the Hornby of today has a lineage that only extends back to the early 1950s and not 1920. Wrenn ceased production in 1992 and sold the toolings to Dapol. A number were destroyed in a fire at the Dapol factory and the surviving tools, other than most of the wagon bodies which Dapol still produce using their own chassis, were sold in 2001 to Mordvale Ltd after which little appears to be known of them.

 

[pieguyrob]

Thank you. I stand corrected.