Back to BR Locomotives

Class 14

Class 15 BTH

Class 16

Class 17 Clayton

Class 20 EE Type 1

Class 21

Class 22

Class 23 'Baby Deltic'

Class 24 Derby Type 2

Class 25 Derby Type 2

Class 26

Class 27

Class 28

Class 29

Class 30 Brush Type 2

Class 31 Brush Type 2

Class 33 BRCW Type 3

Class 35 'Hymek'

Class 37 EE Type 3

Class 40 EE Type 4

Class 41 'Warship'

Class 42 'Warship'

Class 43 'Warship'

Class 44 'Peak'

Class 45

Class 46

Class 47 Brush Type 4

Class 48 Brush Type 4

Class 50 EE Type 5

Class 52 'Western'

Class 53 'Falcon'

Class 55 'Deltic'

Class 56

Class 57

Class 58

Class 59

Class 60

Class 66

Class 67

Class 68

Class 70

The Heljan Class 15

The Class 15 was built by British Thomson Houston as a Type 1 locomotive for the Eastern Region. Powered by the less than reliable Paxman V16, the 'hood' unit locomotive featured an offset cab. The body style was quite pleasing having smooth rounded corners. Limited visibility and unreliable engines meant that this class had an early demise. Four of the class survived for a while as carriage heating units and could be found lurking at Stratford and Finsbury Park into the mid-70's.

The first model I built was one of Dave Alexanders excellent white metal kits. Nicely made and easy to go together, it was powered by two Tenshodo motor bogies. I still have this model.

It is the Heljan version I now operate, converted to DCC. The model is extremely good and ranks as one of Heljans better efforts. Helped I think by the input of Howes Models, the UK agent at the time. It is a very smooth runner and has working lights. All the front lights light up, the ones you don/t want being covered up by the closed discs. All the correct buffer beam detail is present, but some of this may have to be removed depending on your choice of coupling.

Fitting a DCC decoder is a bit fiddly. The cab pulls off vertically revealing the control desk moulding. This is removed and access to the 8 pin  NEM652 DCC socket is revealed. Having installed the decoder, it can be a tight fit and a bit tricky to get everything back again and the cab sitting squarely.

All in all, an excellent model of this prototype and one of Heljans better attempts.

As mentioned, Dave Alexander produced a white metal kit. TechCad produced an RTR version for a very brief time until Heljan announced they would make an RTR version. The Heljan model was released in 2010. MTK also made a white metal kit. Silver Fox made a resin bodied kit.