HELJAN’S ‘O’ GAUGE

Heljan has made a name for itself with its ‘OO’ gauge prototype diesels. But how well do they translate into ‘O’? GEORGE DENT puts its ‘Big Bird’ under the microscope.

alcon was a twin-engine, 2,800hp mixed traffic diesel electric built by Brush at Loughborough in 1961 as a private venture. The Maybachpowered locomotive proved successful and, although production was never authorised, much of the results from its extensive trials were incorporated into the hugely successful Brush Class 47 design. Initially employed on Eastern and Western Region workings, Falcon was eventually leased to BR from 1965, when it emerged from overhaul resplendent in two-tone BR green. From this point, the locomotive was to work almost exclusively on the WR, mostly on freight duties around South Wales. When eventually bought outright from Brush in 1970, BR adorned Falcon with the contemporary corporate blue livery and renumbered it to 1200. A further five years of operation in South Wales followed before withdrawal and eventual scrapping in 1975. Heljan produced an attractive ‘OO’ gauge version of Falcon in 2008 and, despite the prototype’s ‘niche’ nature, sales proved healthy. Not surprisingly, therefore, the Danish company has decided to unleash the same subject in the senior scale. In common with previous Heljan 7mm diesels, this is another hefty beast that tips the scales at well over 4kg. Prospective buyers may need to put some work in at the gym before carrying their models home!

FThree liveries are on offer: the original lime green/ brown, BR two-tone green (as reviewed here) and the later BR blue scheme. This is arguably the most stylish colour scheme, with the two shades of green bringing relief to what is a fairly boxy overall shape. And talking of which, it appears that Heljan has captured the profile of the prototype more or less exactly. The level of finish is commendably high, with the various shades appearing accurate and tidily rendered. Separation between the colours is sharp and the printing of numbers and Brush Traction aluminium builders’ plates impressive. The nameplates and bird icons are equally convincing. The Commonwealth-pattern bogies, akin to those fitted to the Class 31, are well rendered, with plenty of detail relief. The transverse springs look particularly good. The fuel tanks, located either side of the central battery box, are linked with a pair of pipes, picked out correctly in a shade of brown. The tanks on our sample kept breaking free and required gluing back in place, so careful handling in this area is required. The execution of the flush glazing is another high point, allowing the fully appointed cab interiors to be appreciated. Four-character headcodes are pre-installed, being printed onto the clear plastic blinds. Both ends carry a Class 1 express passenger code and, therefore, if you’d rather it was engaged on more appropriate freight work, some modification will be required to add alternatives. Separate grab handles on the various roof panels, plus the twin etched radiator roof grilles, give the roof added finesse. To remove the body, simply remove four screws in the chassis, but take care - a pair of wires link the main chassis circuit board with the twin radiator fan motors, and must be unplugged before the body can be separated completely. Incidentally, the speed of the radiator fans can be controlled with a potentiometer mounted within the roof. As with previous Heljan ‘O’ gauge diesels, a DCC decoder socket is not provided. However, a nine-way screw terminal on the main circuit board provides easy access to the necessary wires that can be redirected to a DCC decoder harness (instructions for which are not supplied). A recess is provided in the under-slung battery box for a 40mm diameter speaker. Another item of note is the switch under one bogie that controls the cab interior lights. Performance is up to the usual high standards that we’ve come to associate with Heljan products, especially in 7mm scale. The twin motors are linked to their respective axles via cardan shafts and universal joints. The gear towers also act as