Heljan's 'O' Class 31 is no 'Ped'
Heljan's ‘O' gauge Class 31 model enters Sectorisation and Privatisation with new models of refurbished (latecondition) locomotives in several liveries and detail combinations.
REFURBISHED (life extension, overhauled) Class 31s have followed on from the original condition Class 31/1 model released by Heljan a few years ago. They utilise the same powerful twin motor drive as the first batch of Class 31s and much of the rest of Heljan's ‘O' gauge model range. The bodyshell is tooled with four character headcode boxes with marker lights which represents the majority of the class in late-life condition.
Life extension overhauls on the class started in the 1980s and was carried through to the early 1990s resulting in outward changes in the appearance of the Class 31s. It was applied to locomotives that were to remain as standard Class 31/1s alongside the 24 locomotives converted to Class 31/4s with electric train supply (ETS) equipment in the 1970s. Further Class 31s were fitted with ETS in the 1980s to work with coaching stock to cover for life-expired DMUs on east-west cross country services during overhaul.
During overhaul, the midheight body beading was removed; headcode boxes plated over and fitted with marker lights; and the curved bufferbeam fairings cut away to reveal the framing that supports the bufferbeams themselves. ETSfitted locomotives gained the orange electrical sockets and plugs with jumper cable which further cluttered up the bufferbeams which already sported multiple working jumper cables and sockets, air brake hoses, vacuum brake hoses and the control pipes too.
In some instances, external changes were gradually applied over time such as the fitting of late-life features including the square framed headlights and cab to shore radio aerial pods on the cab roofs. Together with tidying up of the cab fronts, the appearance of the locomotives was changed sufficiently to warrant Heljan tooling a new bodyshell to fit the existing underframe and bogies.
Locomotives and liveries
Nine different models make up this second batch of Class 31s from Heljan: four Class 31/1s and five Class 31/4s. One of the Class 31/1s is numbered as No. 31296 Amlwch Freighter and finished in weathered Railfreight grey condition. Railfreight red stripe, Departmental yellow and grey (Dutch) and Trainload Freight (without logos) liveries are applied to the others without numbers or names. All four are not fitted with square framed headlights.
Five Class 31/4s complete the line-up with BR blue, InterCity ‘Mainline', Regional Railways and Network Rail liveries offered without numbers. One is finished in EWS maroon and gold as
No. 31466. The nine liveries cover a wide spectrum of late-condition
Class 31s providing numerous options for building up a realistic fleet.
The key will be matching models, liveries and numbers to match the applied details together with those supplied in the box. The review model, a Class 31/4 finished in Regional Railways livery (aka ‘Ped' due to their alleged ‘pedestrian' performance when supplying electric power to a train) came with cab to shore radio roof pods and reinforced driver-side windscreen frames as optional details for the modeller to fit.
Plastic bodyshell
The review model has the usual format of a single piece bodyshell with smaller plastic and metal fittings. It is tooled with standard grilles, not the reversed type found on some late-life condition Class 31s. It features a square framed headlight in the lower position on the cab fronts and the recesses for the ETS equipment. The bodyshell for the refurbished Class 31/1 is different in having no headlights or the ETS socket recess.
In terms of shape and proportions, the Heljan Class 31 is pretty good, particularly around the cab where the cab window recess is nicely defined giving the cab that thin appearance of the prototype. The roof shape is correct in profile, particularly where it terminates above the cab and headcode boxes; and also neatly tooled with subtle boiler compartment blanking plates.
Grille work is well cut-in and sharp, with clearly defined slats and framing. Crisp tooling is apparent on other areas of the model including the hand rail recesses by the cab doors; bolt head detail and the panel seams across the roof. Together with the nicely proportioned cabs, Heljan has the character of the Class 31 in its late condition pretty well contained in the tooling, with subtlety where it is needed yet with the bulky feel of the full-size locomotives.
Finer detailing
Several smaller components are fitted to both the bodyshell and underframe. Starting with the underframe: The bufferbeams are fitted with sprung oval buffers with the correct shank detail and the plates on the rear of the buffer heads. They do have a tendency to rotate in the shanks, a common problem with sprung oval buffers in many models. The air brake hoses are moulded with the correct ends and isolation cocks whilst the ETS fittings of the review model are nicely tooled. Noteworthy are the screw shackle couplings which are minutely adjustable with their tiny tommy bars and fine screw thread.
A fine see-through cooling fan is applied to the roof and very neatly fitted alongside the small grab rails which are of unpainted metal. The cab side hand rails are also of bright metal which look convincing whilst the cab fronts sport separately applied windscreen wipers and the covers for the washers. The flush glazing applied to the model is thin and moulded without the unsightly edge around each window. It is neatly fitted and clear enough to allow a view of the cab interior with its bulkhead detail and driving controls.
Bogies and wheels
The main bogie sideframe mouldings look a little thin for the scale, but are well equipped with a wealth of separate components including foot steps, brake cylinders, brake linkages and brake blocks correctly aligned with the wheels. Spring detail is nicely depicted and the outer ends neatly fitted out with the cross framing and obstruction guards.
The wheels are correctly sized with the centre axle being fitted with slightly smaller diameter wheels as was found on the full size locomotives. They are nicely tuned and showed no eccentricity during testing of the model.
Drive mechanism
Each bogie is equipped with its own drive, flywheel and gear box in common with other ‘O' gauge bogie locomotive models in the Heljan range. They are well-matched and delivered smooth performance when tested on a rolling road. Only the outer axles of each bogie are driven, again in the same manner as the real Class 31s.
The underframe is composed of heavy cast metal bringing the model's weight in complete condition up to
2.3kg. This will allow the model to handle five or six Mk.1 coaches with ease. Two working together will be capable of the longest trains anyone could fit on a typical ‘O' gauge layout of any size.
Circuits and decoders
Access to the body is simple with only four retaining screws securing the body which then slides off with ease to reveal wiring linking the circuit board with the radiator fan mechanism and headcode box lighting which is fitted to the bodyshell. The paired motors can draw a lot of current making the choice of decoder important. Select a high powered decoder intended for ‘O' gauge such as the recommended ESU 'LokPilot V5 XL' or if interested in digital sound, look at the 'Loksound V5 XL'.
A speaker bay suitable for a large speaker or paired sugar cube speakers is incorporated in the underframe. The decoder is fitted as a replacement for the circuit board on top of the chassis frame. Care has to be taken to connect wiring to the decoder's screw terminals in the correct order. Current collection is made through all wheels and supplied power to internal lighting including the headcode box marker lights, tail-lights and the headlights which are powered by LEDs.
Finishing
The review sample was very smartly finished with excellent interpretation of Regional Railways colours and
little discernable bleed between colours, particularly the stripes, could be detected, even with close-up photography which can uncover the slightest blemish in a model. Lines and printed details were correctly placed and level. The shade of black used on the cab window surrounds, bogies and underframe is particularly good with no hint of grey in it.
The livery elements were checked for coverage over the prominent bodyside grilles and areas such as the cab hand rail recesses. Bridging over recessed detail was not observed and coverage over raised detail was both solid and avoided drowning moulded detail. The overall finish has an eggshell sheen and is very smooth as can be seen in the photographs of the model.
Assembly quality is also excellent, with no sign of glue marks or excessively large holes for the wire hand rails. Bufferbeams are fully detailed with the problem of the finely threaded screw couplings coming undone during transit (they are awkward to rethread!) prevented by the application of a tiny piece of packing. It is easily removed with tweezers and reapplied if necessary. In all, the second version of the Heljan Class 31 is an excellent model will all the character of ‘Goyles' and ‘Peds'. The 2.3kg weight and powerful bogie drives will ensure good performance and there is plenty of room for digital sound installation too.
❒ Produced by Heljan A/S. www.heljan.co.uk
£ RRP: £525.00