Heljan Class 15 in BR Green with full yellow ends - Unboxing and Review

Today Jenny is taking a look at a locomotive that's been around for a while but still provides good value for money.

[JamesPetts]

This video ended up being more useful than I had at first realised - I am working on rolling stock for a club layout based in the east London docks in the 1960s, and this type of locomotive was very common there. I have bought three of these for the club layout, and found the DCC fitting guide very useful to minimising the damage on opening the model. I have managed successfully to fit a decoder and stay alive as well as modify the locomotive for independent directional lighting.

Now all that is left to do is convert it to EM gauge...

[stephendeakin]

Just bought a copy of Railway Modeller (only two left on the shelf) and wish to congratulate you on the Wear Yard article, you mentioned that they had added a blue sky background and I must say how well just such a pale blue works so well, it's there but doesn't grab the eye of detract from the model.

[lewisner]

I visited Statford TMD in January 1981 to see 2 of the (at the time) 4 surviving Class 15s. Only one of the 2 I saw was preserved. Although they unsuccessful they were great looking locos. One was in BR green and the other was a kind of apple green.

[cliffordison]

Excellent review as ever Jenny but it has cost me after I dared to follow your link. When I realised one of the models was of a Liverpool Street Pilot, D 8234 it suddenly became a 'must have' to work with my Finecast N7 and CDC J69 Buckjumper (work in progress). I was not going to buy any more until I have fixed the locos I have and got my layout operable but such is life. I felt for you as you struggled to remove the body and no doubt I will now do the same but since watching your vlog I have found advice that says not to read the instructions and not to try and remove the cab. Evidently both will eventually come off together as a unit after screw removal of course. We have the added benefit that we can use profanities in our own homes to help it along whereas you have to bite your tongue lol!.

Please keep your super reviews coming Jenny and I hope the next one is a bit easier. All the best to you and Zoe and stay safe!

[rickywebster]

Got one of the Heljan class 15s myself and had the same problems trying to get into it to fit the decoder. Great running loco though.

[duncangosling]

Totally agree with the awkwardness of getting this apart for dcc fitting. I found using the blade of a craft knife was needed to lever things apart as the trusty jewellers screw driver was leaving too many dents in the plastic as it’s slightly thicker . It was also apparent on mine that whoever assembled it had used some small amounts of what looked like super glue meaning I had to run the blade of my craft knife all around the joints to break them free. After all that it turned out the chip I had to put in it was a blown one I had taken out of something else and forgotten about. The battery box only goes on one way as there are some very small pipes on one side of it that have corresponding holes on the underside for them to fit into. I’m guessing this was designed fairly early into the dcc ready era of models, probably assumed that most wouldn’t be fitting chips but added the option just in case . Apart from that it does run really nicely . Not sure if the hand rails are that big and chunky on the prototype, I might look into changing them for wire if possible and more suitable. I very much doubt they have any left now as the original one I ordered after your heads up video had sold out, they kindly phoned me and sent a different livery for the same price, so can’t fault the service. I have added them to my list of bargain hunting sites for the future.

[davidstorey]

I copped most of this class at Stratford 1964/65 dear to my heart.
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[TheGrover]

Looks a bit like a baby Fairbanks-Morse H16-44. I think that's why I like it.

[richardswiderski]

Nice model that was a tough one to dcc.I thimk Heljan will have sort it out in the modern models.Great video.

[fredtedstedman]

very nice loco Jen ! I think perhaps the body needs pulling straight downwards, to unclip, instead of from one end . Obviously a tight fit so easier said than done !

[carolinafoothillsrailroad]

I think I'm going to start a switching layout or shunting as you would say just because of that little engine 🤔

[John_N_from_NC]

I lover your thorough reviews and I'm also getting quite an education on British Railways, cheers to you and Zoe! ^, ^
Edit to add, I'd love to find a class 8 and class 15 in N scale, anything British in the US is hard to find :-/

[treinenliefde]

Oeh a 15. One on my wish list, since they will fit nicely on a late 50s eastern layout. Only problem is finding a suitable one! Most ones I see have yellow fronts, which are obviously unsuited for me.

[donharsh]

Awesome locomotives Jenny and like the color nice 👍👍👍👍😎❤️ video and enjoying it too 👍👍👍👍❤️

[ronb]

very nice review and a nice loco. It is also build very robust. Perhaps a little bit too much.
But hey, with some of the older Roco steam tender loco's you have to get the motor out to reach the DCC socket.
But having said that, they are much more accessible.

[hamshackleton]

You seem to have lost a yellow bearing cap, too! - - Stick a small flat neodymium magnet to your work-board, to stop tiny screws escaping.

[martinpattison]

A very nice model Class 15. You said that it would fit in with the transition period, but it has the double arrows which I thought was a bit later. The little white box under the arrows is that painted on or is it a clip for the cab? Martin. (Thailand)

[knifetrain]

It is never the less a nice model and I like the lighting as well as some detail pieces. It’s unfortunate the body is on so tight and as you said it’s not for the faint of heart to install the DCC chip but knowing that I would still buy it.

[stephenpike]

Another very thorough review and like you I suddenly realised this was a really good model to purchase, particularly on noting how quiet the motor is. Shame about the incredibly tight body fit, ridiculous Heljan released (pardon the pun) the model like that! Some suggestions - how about a foam top on your bench to save annoying dings, also if it isn't coming apart then stop change tools and or release technique. I too have learnt the hard way, a selection of 10, 20 thou plasti card, some coffee stirrer sticks suitably whittled down and some other finer prising tools have saved my difficult to open models from the damage yours unfortunately endured! Certainly Heljan need to resolve on this serious access issue you rightly highlight. Hope you can flatten those puckered edges on what is otherwise a lovely engine! That satin finish is stunning. Stephen.

[PebProductions]

Solving one of Jigsaw's puzzles to put the DCC chip in your loco