It doesn't say 'made in china' on the bottom, but 'Built (built!!!) in Britain'. This was something that you could thrash round for hours even after your Dad had stepped on it.
There were a couple of spare locos for Rhiw, this being one. But when it came out the grins appeared. It's basically dimensionally correct, but lacking any obvious finesse, and is everything MRJ railed against - however, have we taken a wrong turn? Cos this has presence like no Heljan Hymek ever could.
Always a favourite. I'v often wondered how much development of this happened in sync with the Big Big version.
ReplyDeleteI quite agree with your comment on this vs. newer models...ok, so it's not fully detailed out of the box, hasn't got lights and perhaps won't run as smoothly or silently but...
ReplyDeleteI find the most of the newer RTR has a sameness about it; regardless of what it represents there's a feeling that it could be any consumer product with its added flashy lights etc.
I don't generally find the added details on diesels convincing anyway; all too often, parts are the wrong shape, size or whatever.
And don't get me started on wobbly plastic handrails!
I remember the Triang catalogue when I was about 5 having "New Look For The 70s" on the cover, and wanting a Hymek...the newer stuff doesn't appeal in the same way, even to 52-year-old me.
Are you going to detail and repaint it or leave it as is?
Either way, the growl (wasn't the Hymek in the Rev. Awdry's books called "Bear"...did he have a Triang model?) will remain.
Stig.
No detailing planned - at the moment it stays as it is.
ReplyDelete