As with most modern RTR toys the Bachmann Class 25 came with a little bag of bits to add. I suspected there would be a problem.
These bit required a little bit of fettling to get them to fit in the various holes in, and under, the bufferbeam. Once on they looked very nice and would need just the tiniest dab of paint to bring them to life.
I suspected there would be a problem.
I re-clipped the RTR coupling back in its NEM pocket (Rhiw uses these single ended) and placed on the layout, powered it up and ran it gently along. At the first Peco medium radius point the coupling swung, clouted all the pipework and derailed the loco.
Do you know what? I KNEW there would be a problem. WTF! Why put all this stuff in a box and charge almost a hundred quid (if you want it DCC'd) if all those bits in the box don't fit and work together? All the pipes could only be used if you were using 3 link or similar - maybe a Kadee. Errrm... how many purchasers of RTR diesels (expressed as a percentage) use 3 link? Huh?
The vogue seems to be for tension lock couplings on one end and fully dangly bits on the other. If you run your locos around a circle all day and only have to use one end, it works.
ReplyDeleteFor everything else there are Spratt & Winkles.
Single ended is what they are, but that in itself makes no difference here.
ReplyDelete