Heljan

Bi-mode trains are all the rage in 2020, but Heljans’s latest O gauge announcement looks back to a classic electro-diesel design from the mid-1960s; their first electric locomotive in this scale.

Designed to operate on both third-rail electric and diesel power in non-electrified areas such as yards and depots, the Class 73s lived a relatively mundane life until they were thrust into the limelight when the new ‘Gatwick Express’ operation started in 1984. Over the years, the class has worked everything from express passenger to newspaper and mail, freight and engineering trains. The advent of Sectorisation in the mid-1980s saw the standard BR blue livery replaced by a rainbow of liveries, a trend that continues today.

Despite a steady decline in the 1990s, these hugely versatile locomotives have seen a revival in the 21st century and continue to play a vital role hauling engineering and test trains for GB Railfreight and Network Rail on the 750V DC third-rail network and beyond. Now seen over a much wider area than in BR days, the ‘EDs’ have gained a cult following and 13 locomotives have even been rebuilt with more powerful diesel engines and modern electronics transforming them into 1,600hp go-anywhere machines.

Our all-new model is being designed to offer a range of authentic detail variations covering the entire career of the production batch built in 1965-67, many of which are still active on the main line network and heritage railways. These will include locomotives with or without high intensity headlights and NRN radio aerials, radio pods and optional fibreglass arc shields fitted to the bogies from the mid-1980s onwards.

Standard features will include sprung buffers, wire handrails, fine etched grilles, separately fitted buffing plates, SR 27-way multiple working cables and hoses, windscreen wipers, sandpipes, bogie and bufferbeam details. CAD work is currently in progress and I will update these web pages as and when we get more information..

The new Heljan O gauge Class 73 will feature our proven high-performance twin motor/flywheel chassis with all-wheel drive and pick-up, separately switchable cab, headcode and engine room lights, an ESU XL pin decoder interface and provision for DCC sound. Like the new Heljan Class 26 and 27, these models will have ‘plug-and-play’ DCC and sound capability using ESU’s LokSound 5 XL high-power pin decoder (Ref. No. 58515, not included). The workshop will be offering a sound fitting service for these at just £280.00 given the fact it is plug-and-play

Ten versions have been selected, covering a broad cross-section of BR, Sectorisation and Privatisation era liveries from 1965 to the present day; see below for more information. Suggested Retail Price (SRP) for DCC Ready models will be £779.00.(Tower Models price £662.15 )

As always will will also offer our usual service of numbering the locomotives in our own workshop for an additional £25.00 or an additional £75.00 to number and weather. We will also be offering our sound fitting service for these and the workshop has confirmed a price of £280.00 for the ESU v5 XL chip taking into account the fact the locomotive is DCC ready.

Ref.	Description	List Price	Our Price
HJ7300	BR Blue #E6008 with small yellow panels and grey solebar	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7301	BR blue with small yellow panels #E6020	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7302	BR blue with full yellow ends numbered 73137 factory weathered	£799.00	£679.15
HJ7312	BR blue with full yellow ends un-numbered TOWER MODELS LIMITED EDITION OF 50	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7303	BR blue large logo un-numbered	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7304	Intercity Executive livery un-numbered	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7305	BR Dutch grey / yellow livery un-numbered	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7306	Revised Network SouthEast livery 73126 "Kent & East Sussex Railway"	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7307	Pullman umber and cream 73101 "The Royal Alex" GAUGEMASTER LIMITED EDITION	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7308	EWS red gold livery unbranded and un-numbered	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7309	Network Rail yellow 73212	£779.00	£662.15
HJ7310	GB Railfreight blue / orange livery 73107 "Tracy"	£779.00	£662.15

Locomotives

LOCOMOTIVE SPECIFICATION.