Sorting through my old magazine cuttings I came across this review by C. O. Ellis from the August 1971 edition of Airfix magazine. It was £5.99 plus postage.
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/99/1599-280920134012.jpeg)
drop one on your foot and you will know about it.
That's a great bit of nostalgia!
I've got two - Farish ref 1105 - and I know @Bealman (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=255) has one (ref 371-953) as I sold it to him :D
It's everything the review says.
we have come a long way but it is nearly 50 years since it's release.
#Isn't it about time Farish did an up-grade along the lines of their new OO version which will be released shortly. :thumbsup:
I have two of these, China production models with low profile wheels, and one has been renumbered. They are comparable in detail to Union Mills (or better) and the China chassis certainly makes a difference. Since the 94xx is a particular model I want, I'm very happy with it, but if another comes along I would probably upgrade.
Same with the 51xx/61xx/6101 class large prairie (another Dapol OO machine alongside the Manor that is ripe for the shrink ray).
Best
Bob
I have one from the first couple of months production. The price £5.99 is printed on the box: in September 1971 it was reduced to £5.79, which dates mine as a very early example. It is mint, boxed complete with instructions and transfer sheet. Not a great runner but it probably still needs running in. I have a plan to celebrate its 50th birthday next year - watch this space.
Richard
Quote from: Bob G on September 28, 2020, 06:10:30 PM
I have two of these, China production models with low profile wheels, and one has been renumbered.
The China and 1979ish model is actually a completely different one that shares not one piece of tooling with the one shown in the OP.
The body was retooled to be more scale when the open frame 3 pole motor (itself a completely retooled chassis) was introduced. The model has used this body ever since on various flavours of the later chassis, with improving motors, and ultimately the finer wheels. So it's only early/mid 1970s models that are actually the one described.
Moreso, the earliest early ones were different to later-early ones - you can see it has all wheel crank pins, metal chassis and sprung couplers. This changed to the (hellish) plastic chassied versions afterwards I believe, and these eventually scrapped for the open frame chassis and more scale body. The original body was overscale to accommodate the Arnold motor used.
HTH,
Alan
That certainly makes sense. I had an earlier version and sold it because of the pizza cutter wheels. When I saw the Chinese version I was impressed with it and bought into it.
Bob
Quote from: Newportnobby on September 28, 2020, 03:56:07 PM
I've got two - Farish ref 1105 - and I know @Bealman (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=255) has one (ref 371-953) as I sold it to him :D
It's everything the review says.
Actually I have two now too. The one you sent me joins a BR livery one I got in 1987. Both are good runners. :thumbsup:
My first N Gauge loco, along with a Minitrix 2-6-0...great model for the time.
Quote from: Dr Al on September 28, 2020, 09:06:33 PM
Quote from: Bob G on September 28, 2020, 06:10:30 PM
I have two of these, China production models with low profile wheels, and one has been renumbered.
The China and 1979ish model is actually a completely different one that shares not one piece of tooling with the one shown in the OP.
The body was retooled to be more scale when the open frame 3 pole motor (itself a completely retooled chassis) was introduced. The model has used this body ever since on various flavours of the later chassis, with improving motors, and ultimately the finer wheels. So it's only early/mid 1970s models that are actually the one described.
Moreso, the earliest early ones were different to later-early ones - you can see it has all wheel crank pins, metal chassis and sprung couplers. This changed to the (hellish) plastic chassied versions afterwards I believe, and these eventually scrapped for the open frame chassis and more scale body. The original body was overscale to accommodate the Arnold motor used.
HTH,
Alan
Hi Alan
Pretty much spot on. The first chassis was very different from the subsequent plug together plastic job, far better engineered and put together. It appears very robust, both of mine still work if noisily. Less said about the plug together jobs the better...
The original body was in two parts, both metal. I understand that originally the plan was that the running plate element be metal, the superstructure plastic, but doing so did not provide adequate weight.
Wouldn't it be something if for 2021 we have a brand new 94xx in vintage style "Graham Farish" blue and yellow packaging. If they did I would have to get two, one in GWR green as this loco with the "new" open frame chassis is what kept me with N gauge in the 70s, such was the step change in performance and a BR black one for general use under Rule 1.
Roy
Here's what £5.99 (around £85 at today's prices) bought you in 1971:
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Misc/i-8TwjJdR/0/259b889e/L/DSCN2147-L.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Misc/i-2rqVQqK/0/c15609fb/L/DSCN2149-L.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Misc/i-zppkj62/0/de4ce385/L/DSCN2150-L.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Misc/i-whFHXRv/0/662f04c7/L/DSCN2151-L.jpg)
I agree with @Roy L S (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=242) , a new 94xx in retro style packaging would be a great way for Farish to celebrate 50 years of the loco that probably got more people started in N gauge than any other.
Richard
Slightly off topic, but did the contemporary Farish J67/69 ever have a metal chassis, or was it always plastic?
The two I bought in 1977 were both plastic chassis.
Martyn
Quote from: martyn on September 29, 2020, 03:45:23 PM
Slightly off topic, but did the contemporary Farish J67/69 ever have a metal chassis, or was it always plastic?
The two I bought in 1977 were both plastic chassis.
Martyn
Hi Martyn
Always plastic, but there were two variants. The earliest had squared chassis ends and gears integral with axles, the later had tapered ends to the keeper-plate and plastic gears pushed onto metal axles (not very durable!).
Regards
Roy
I also reckon a 94xx to current detail/specifications would be a good choice. And as others have said with some retro packaging as a celebration/promotion.
They could go really mad and do a Hawksworth double, a 94xx and a County...but now I'm just dreaming lol
I wonder if manufacturers do read our posts?
I'd certainly have two BR black ones, early and late crest.
Bob
Thanks, Roy, re the J67/69.
Mine were the later style. I have a third which-just-still runs.
Quote;
'plastic gears pushed onto metal axles (not very durable!).'
You can say that again. I still have them both-in bits........... :(
Martyn
Quote from: trkilliman on September 29, 2020, 04:16:52 PM
I also reckon a 94xx to current detail/specifications would be a good choice. And as others have said with some retro packaging as a celebration/promotion.
They could go really mad and do a Hawksworth double, a 94xx and a County...but now I'm just dreaming lol
I wonder if manufacturers do read our posts?
:hellosign:
Sounds like a great suggestion!
:thankyousign:
Quote from: belstone on September 29, 2020, 01:54:50 PM
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Misc/i-whFHXRv/0/662f04c7/L/DSCN2151-L.jpg)
Thanks for that photo, I was aware the earliest Grafars had a better chassis but never seen one in the flesh. Nice to see a full gear train. Does it have the same can motor as the next version, which was indeed the same motor as used in some Arnold models of the 70s, and that motor was also available from ECM at one point - I still have one in original packaging somewhere.
[edit] Ah yes I can just about see the motor in that photo. I think I'd quite like to find one of these in decent condition for my historic fleet of 60s and 70s locos.
It does make you wonder what on earth prompted Grafar to change to the quite frankly garbage plastic plug-together chassis?
Odd choice of prototype. There were 210 9400s, but they only appeared in 1947, just before nationalisation, and had a very short service life. They were limited in area and duties, partly because of their high axel load (the boiler and cylinders were taken from the relatively large 2251 tender engine). That said, I bought a Chinese made 9400 body as an alternative body for a GP tank I own. I like taper boilers, and also oddballs; yes, I did buy an EFE 17.
Quote from: Bornin1980something on October 03, 2020, 02:49:35 PM
Odd choice of prototype. There were 210 9400s, but they only appeared in 1947, just before nationalisation, and had a very short service life.
Certainly not an odd choice at the start of N gauge in the UK as locos were generally small and electric motors large (hence the distorted Lima models of that era).
Plus Farish had already made one in OO.
Seems quite a reasonable choice given those facts.
And there are plenty immediate post war designs that are available compared to pre-war designs - e.g. Bullied MN/WC/BB and coaches, Hawksworth coaches, Hawksworth Auto-trailers, etc, because they tended to last longer into the transition era, and hence sell better.
Bob
Quote from: Bornin1980something on October 03, 2020, 02:49:35 PM
Odd choice of prototype.
They'd already done a 94xx in OO prior, so not that odd in reusing whatever research they'd done.
Unsurprisingly, the Prairie, Black 5, and Streamlined Merchant Navy were all early N gauge models, and all had been done in OO prior - no coincidence I think.
Cheers,
Alan