CJM planning to wind down the business and retire

[ntpntpntp]

That looks terrible this is the one I have...

The screws on the ends do look a bit amateurish on mine, other than that it's fine and she's as smooth as silk with loads of momentum. Dates from 1997. 

Does yours have flywheels? That doesn't look like the usual Kato motor.

[Snowwolflair]

Yes flywheels and smooth running.  I think Chris developed this chassis and others like it when he produced kits for a number of years (that is what this unit is from).

[ijmsmith]

It's a US Bachmann diesel copy - maybe Chris even sourced the motor and bogies from Bachmann. The skew wound motor, the phosphor bronze pickups over the wheels and the direct worm to central gear on the bogies are a dead give away - I've just finished deconstructing a number of these and this is all very familiar. The casting is obviously custom made but everything else is a $10 mechanism... :-)

[ntpntpntp]

@ijmsmith good spot, I thought it looked like a Bachmann motor not Kato.  Now you mention it, the "hoop" pickup wipers are a classic Bachmann design as is the large central gear in the bogie (I've got early 70s Bachmann locos with that design, though metal gears).

[Snowwolflair]

It's a US Bachmann diesel copy - maybe Chris even sourced the motor and bogies from Bachmann. The skew wound motor, the phosphor bronze pickups over the wheels and the direct worm to central gear on the bogies are a dead give away - I've just finished deconstructing a number of these and this is all very familiar. The casting is obviously custom made but everything else is a $10 mechanism... :-)

That would make sense, chris used to source what he thought was the best available kit (for the time) and modify it to give the results he wanted.  I have a pair of the Eurotunnel locos he did and they are pure Kato 4-4-4 chassis.

[davidinyork]

I've been comparing the picture of the 67 chassis posted above (and what is visible from the bottom on the 67s I have) with pictures of a Kato F3 chassis. Does look like many components, including the bogies, are used - but the chassis block looks different - is that a specially-made item?

[Adam1701D]

Looks very much like the chassis block for Bernard Taylors Class 31 kit, which used Bachmann bogies and motor, with cut down driveshafts.

[Bob G]

CJM had a time and a place which may be passing, however the Saturn chassis were and are head and shoulders above most RTR chassis. 

I would have no interest in a "touched up Farish" but I do seriously consider 100% CJM models (with Saturn and his own bodies) not that I have many.  The other CJM model of note was the White Rose repaint of the Eurostar.

Yep, totally agree with that. The Eurostars were exorbitant, but were very nicely finished. I've done a couple myself, but Chris's were lovely!

There is a CJM GNER White Rose Eurostar on EBay at the moment, currently at a good price.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133765338527?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Bob

[Adam1701D]

That is a thing of beauty. If you fancy a GNER Eurostar and don't win the auction, there are alternatives 

[njee20]

I was surprised how cheap it was, but it's gone mad in the last few hours. Still cheap compared to the new cost. I've got one on the workbench, where it's been for a few years!

[ntpntpntp]

Wow - just looked at the archive of the CJM website, these were "from £1400" for an 8 car set and "from £2200" for 16 car set,  using the customer's own Eurostar as a base?

eBay is £535 and 20 mins to go!

[njee20]

Correct! Madness. But then how much for Mercig to repaint one? probably a similar sum frankly. It always struck me a bit as being so expensive because Chris didn't want to be a paint shop, but if someone wanted to pay enough...

Interesting the decals from Fox have his name on them, so he obviously commissioned them.

[Skyline2uk]

Correct! Madness. But then how much for Mercig to repaint one? probably a similar sum frankly. It always struck me a bit as being so expensive because Chris didn't want to be a paint shop, but if someone wanted to pay enough...

Interesting the decals from Fox have his name on them, so he obviously commissioned them.

Agreed.

I seriously doubt Mercig would be less than 4 figures.

And as for Chris having his name on the decals, he had a hand in the Eurostar model so makes sense he would commission the GNER elements 

Skyline2uk

[Railwaygun]

Winning bid:£787.79
[ 42 bids ]

[msr]

plus £12 postage.