Running The Heljan Class 128
0This is the first time I have ever shown any of my model trains on the channel. Basically this just shows that I like to collect model trains. I have around 16 models around the time of uploading, but only two of them feature in this pair of videos.
In this first model video, I run the Class 128 around the layout I have in the garage. Also seen (for a second or two) is my cat, who didn't think to look at the camera.
The Class 128's are certainly one of the more obscure diesel units in the UK. They were a class of just 10 vehicles, built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company in 1959. Six were built for the Western Region of British Railways, with the remaining four being built for the London Midland Region.
The 128's were built for the sole purpose of transporting parcels. They were fitted with racks for the parcels and straps to carry bikes, and never had any passenger accommodation. The 128's were used to permit the running of parcels services to areas where their wasn't a frequent passenger service, or where station stop times were too short to allow the loading and unloading of parcels.
The units were powered by two Leyland Albion , each producing just 238 horsepower. This gave the units a total power output of 476 horsepower. In later years they were re-fitted with The overall dimensions of the 128's were as follows:
Length - 19.663 metres
Width - 2.7 metres
Height - 3.867 metres
The Western Region units weighed in at 41.5 tonnes, while the London Midland units were just one tonne lighter. The list of differences between the two versions keeps going. For instance, the WR units were fitted with gangway connections, while the LMR units never had gangways. As such, the WR units were fitted with a split-headcode box, while the LM units were given a full 4-digit headcode box. Instead of a gangway, the LM units had a third cab window. Despite the lack of a gangway, the LM units were never fitted with full-width cabs, and had the same narrow cabs as the WR units.
The Class 128's were intended to run parcels services on their own, but they could - and often did - pull a few parcels vans (like BG's and GUV). They were also attached to passenger-carrying DMU's from time to time. One such occasion was on the 1:10pm Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton service in January 1979.
Towards the end of the 1970s, the units that were fitted with gangways had the gangways removed and plated over. In the 1980's, some units were transferred to the Eastern Region. By 1985 only half of the class were still in service. Two were allocated to Reading, two to Newton Heath and one to Chester. By 1988, all remaining 128's were transferred to Cambridge. Around the same time, they were repainted in the red/yellow Royal Mail livery. Previously they had carried either BR Green or BR Blue.
The first 128 to be withdrawn was 55987 (one of London Midland units), which was withdrawn in July 1971. The next unit went in March 1979 (55996), the next in 1980 (55988), and two in 1982 (55989 & 55990).
The last 128 was withdrawn in November 1990. Around this time, the Regional Railways Midland sub-sector (of British Rail) obtained the five remaining 128's along with the Class 114's. It was hoped that the 128's would be used on sandite/route learning duties, but this idea never came to fruition due to the 128's lack of windows.
Despite surviving right up until 1990, none of the 128's have survived into preservation.
I think it was around 2014 when Heljan announced - and later, made - both OO and O scale models of the Class 128's. They modeled both the Western Region and London Midland Region units in every livery the class ever carried (BR Green, BR Blue and Royal Mail).
My Class 128 was bought from a website called Hattons, which is a model railway shop in the North West of England. This model is based on one of the Western Region units - 55991 - as it was in the late 1970s/early 1980s. I can tell this by the fact that it is in BR Blue and has marker lights in place of the original headcode boxes.
What do I think of the Class 128? I think it's a very nice model, complete with lots of separately fitted details (even the tiny handrails on the sliding doors). She even has a good amount of underframe detail. The Heljan 128's are notable for being surprisingly heavy. Mine weighed in at 634 grams. I think the weight is because of the big motor in the middle, which has twin flywheels - and therefore a rod going to each bogie.
The 128 runs fairly smoothly, and even has working lights. Unfortunately the little details around the buffer beams get in the way of the coupling sockets as the bogie turns through curves.
If you want to see a proper review of the 128, I recommend the reviews made by the following channels:
Intercity82
Sam'sTrains
Class47Peter
Jennifer E. Kirk