I've enjoyed this review, I am not planning on getting one but I do like the Hattons 66. It is disappointing that there have been problems with it. I must watch more of your reviews, it seems you are honest and will base your experience on reviewing models; I like this sort of reviewing; well done.
Thoroughly enjoyed your review. I have in my collection a total of 46 Class 66s, 38 Bachmann and 8 from Hattons. All but six have sound sound. Appearance wise, Hattons are better than Bachmann, but the QC, is completely lacking. Of the nine than I ordered form Hattons, I ended up eight. One could not be replaced, paid for sound DCC ready arrived, so obtained my monies back. Hattons also have it in terms of sound, they use Legomanbiffo. I have Have the aforesaid in three resprays by Rainbow Railways. Where I have fitted TTS, upgraded the speakers from Road and Rails, certainly helps. Forgot to say, of the net eight from Hattons, five needed attention, by them. I now think they are trying to sell off, what stock they have left. Nobody is saying who manufactured them for Hattons, plenty of speculation. Hope it id not the Welsh firm as I have four Class 59s on order.
Hi, many thanks for that. I think you win the award for the biggest Class 66 fan on the channel! I'm in a holding pattern on the Class 59 but really hope they work out.
Fabulous review. I have a few older Bachmann 66s which are very good models but all the driver figures are fitted at the exhaust silencer end. Has this been modified over the last 10 years or so?
Thanks Brian. They have evolved this model over the years. Earlier versions had derailing problems which you'd find hard to believe today. These are mature models at this stage so while not as spectacular as the latest diesels they will tend to be trouble free and a particularly good buy if you get them discounted.
Another great review. I just cant bring myself to take the risk on a Hattons 66. As good as their customer service generally is Sod’s law I’d get a turkey. Just ordered myself a BACHMANN Sound equipped 66 to add to my HORNBY Tom Moore 66 and BACHMANN Evening Star 66 non-sound
Thanks Stephen. I feel 100% the same. Bachmann is the Ronseal of the C66 - it does what it says on the tin. There's also some good value on sound equipped versions out there if you shop around. Best of luck with your new model and let us know how you get on.
Great review, got 14 66s, 8 from Bachmann and 6 from Hattons, albeit, 4 hattons models were bought secondhand, £70 each from a mate. Yes there were a couple of problems with them, but nothing I could not resolve. Think Bachmann version is the best VFM.
A good review off the back of which I broke out from my Era 8 and went and bought one with sound for £195. Bachman need to sort out the light cluster omission and the speaker, that aside I agree with all your comments. A shame that Hattons blew it with their 66s
Thanks for you comments Chris. £195 for a DCC sound version of any loco is good these days. Yes, Bachmann are long overdue needing to fix the lights and speaker. Going into last year I was fully expecting this review would have been of the Hattons version but alas that didn't work out of course.
Hi James, I had to call a priority in favour of one of the A Classes. I have nine 121s at his point and am looking to get maybe 5-6 of the A Class. Add sound into the mix and you're talking serious money so the boat is being well pushed out at this point!
@@EuviRail yeah that is fair enough. i am probably going to get the green livery a class I already have the silver special edition. im making the harcourt street line model railway. going to be making the station as well so it looks like it did back in the 1950s. Going to get a few a class models.
Sounds good what you are putting together. I'm looking to get one of the green liveries as well. I have some flying snail rolling stock that needs a loco and I don't want to go down the steam route.
100% Jeff. The biggest modelling disappointment for me last year. Some folks have been lucky in getting good models but the spectrum of quality has been poor and when you get one bad one you're less likely to go again.
Hi, sold out from my original source I'm afraid and from most retailers. Some stock here: rainbowrailways.co.uk/product/bachmann-class-66-66789-large-logo-blue-livery-gbrf-oo-gauge-dcc-sound/
Got rid of all my Bachmann 66's back in 2018 and now have 7 Hattons 66's (and rising) and never looked back...Hattons wins hands down for detail, power, weight and sound.
You've been one of the lucky ones. The 66 I got was the worst runner I've ever had on the layout and I relayed this to Hattons when I returned it. It was absolutely shocking and once I saw I wasn't alone I decided not to go again. I know that folks have got good models and love them to death because they are the best out there for sure. We can only look on in envy. I'm just sorry Hattons caused so much grief for so many by getting the quality control wrong on these. It's been painful for them as well so we're not likely to see a re-run any time soon. It they were to re-run with some assurances on quality I'll be first in line.
@@EuviRail Trust me all my 7 Hattons 66's wobble and I'll will be undertaking a program of using a 3.2mm drill to open up each of the bogie frame/AB holes and then glue the AB's back onto the axles, this will ensure smooth running which should have been out of the box. I get not everyone will do that and nobody should but I purchased all my 66's for £119 or less, even got a mint Freightliner for £95 so I'm ok in doing the fix but the detail & everything else is simply superb. I honestly think Hattons are gearing up for a 2nd run with those issues fixed and then they will be untouchable in regards to the Class 66. Cheers Steve
@@sapphirejunction8993For that sort of money and given you've got 7 of them, a batch repair job isn't so bad and £95 was a steal. Best of look with the re-conditioning job. There's a nice reward at the end!
I was torn between this 66 or the hornby offering, your review made it an easy choice thanks!
I'm glad it was of use. I hope you can track one of these down now.
Beautiful models those 66's. Sadly I cant justify buying one for my 1960 layout hah
I got a pre-ordered Rails of Sheffield version of the Bachmann 66789 Sound-Fitted for £185, and, as they say in Yorkshire, I’m right chuffed with it!
Excellent!
I've enjoyed this review, I am not planning on getting one but I do like the Hattons 66. It is disappointing that there have been problems with it. I must watch more of your reviews, it seems you are honest and will base your experience on reviewing models; I like this sort of reviewing; well done.
Thanks for that. The Hattons 66 has been a disappointment to all of us. Hopefully lessons were learned.
Thoroughly enjoyed your review. I have in my collection a total of 46 Class 66s, 38 Bachmann and 8 from Hattons. All but six have sound sound. Appearance wise, Hattons are better than Bachmann, but the QC, is completely lacking. Of the nine than I ordered form Hattons, I ended up eight. One could not be replaced, paid for sound DCC ready arrived, so obtained my monies back. Hattons also have it in terms of sound, they use Legomanbiffo. I have Have the aforesaid in three resprays by Rainbow Railways. Where I have fitted TTS, upgraded the speakers from Road and Rails, certainly helps. Forgot to say, of the net eight from Hattons, five needed attention, by them. I now think they are trying to sell off, what stock they have left. Nobody is saying who manufactured them for Hattons, plenty of speculation. Hope it id not the Welsh firm as I have four Class 59s on order.
Hi, many thanks for that. I think you win the award for the biggest Class 66 fan on the channel! I'm in a holding pattern on the Class 59 but really hope they work out.
Fabulous review. I have a few older Bachmann 66s which are very good models but all the driver figures are fitted at the exhaust silencer end. Has this been modified over the last 10 years or so?
Thanks Brian. They have evolved this model over the years. Earlier versions had derailing problems which you'd find hard to believe today. These are mature models at this stage so while not as spectacular as the latest diesels they will tend to be trouble free and a particularly good buy if you get them discounted.
@EuviRail many thanks for the info .have Bachmann decided to fit the driver figures at the opposite end to their earlier version?
Another great review. I just cant bring myself to take the risk on a Hattons 66. As good as their customer service generally is Sod’s law I’d get a turkey. Just ordered myself a BACHMANN Sound equipped 66 to add to my HORNBY Tom Moore 66 and BACHMANN Evening Star 66 non-sound
Thanks Stephen. I feel 100% the same. Bachmann is the Ronseal of the C66 - it does what it says on the tin. There's also some good value on sound equipped versions out there if you shop around. Best of luck with your new model and let us know how you get on.
Great review, got 14 66s, 8 from Bachmann and 6 from Hattons, albeit, 4 hattons models were bought secondhand, £70 each from a mate. Yes there were a couple of problems with them, but nothing I could not resolve. Think Bachmann version is the best VFM.
Thanks Stuart. £70 was a steal for those Hatton's 66s for someone who is able resurrect them!
A good review off the back of which I broke out from my Era 8 and went and bought one with sound for £195. Bachman need to sort out the light cluster omission and the speaker, that aside I agree with all your comments. A shame that Hattons blew it with their 66s
Thanks for you comments Chris. £195 for a DCC sound version of any loco is good these days. Yes, Bachmann are long overdue needing to fix the lights and speaker. Going into last year I was fully expecting this review would have been of the Hattons version but alas that didn't work out of course.
These use the Loksound5 DCC sound decoders don't they?
Correct. Not sure when exactly they switched from the Loksound 4 but all their current locos are Loksound 5 based.
Did you get the special edition murphy models rpsi class 121? there are 2 left now i think
Hi James, I had to call a priority in favour of one of the A Classes. I have nine 121s at his point and am looking to get maybe 5-6 of the A Class. Add sound into the mix and you're talking serious money so the boat is being well pushed out at this point!
@@EuviRail yeah that is fair enough. i am probably going to get the green livery a class I already have the silver special edition. im making the harcourt street line model railway. going to be making the station as well so it looks like it did back in the 1950s. Going to get a few a class models.
Sounds good what you are putting together. I'm looking to get one of the green liveries as well. I have some flying snail rolling stock that needs a loco and I don't want to go down the steam route.
It’s a shame the Hattons 66 didn’t really work out, as we know if you get a good one it’s an amazing model.
100% Jeff. The biggest modelling disappointment for me last year. Some folks have been lucky in getting good models but the spectrum of quality has been poor and when you get one bad one you're less likely to go again.
I waiting for mine to arrive its in French customs.
Fingers crossed. A nice addition to the layout.
can you send me the link of where you got it from?
Hi, sold out from my original source I'm afraid and from most retailers. Some stock here: rainbowrailways.co.uk/product/bachmann-class-66-66789-large-logo-blue-livery-gbrf-oo-gauge-dcc-sound/
@@EuviRail thanks
really helped me out!
Got rid of all my Bachmann 66's back in 2018 and now have 7 Hattons 66's (and rising) and never looked back...Hattons wins hands down for detail, power, weight and sound.
You've been one of the lucky ones. The 66 I got was the worst runner I've ever had on the layout and I relayed this to Hattons when I returned it. It was absolutely shocking and once I saw I wasn't alone I decided not to go again. I know that folks have got good models and love them to death because they are the best out there for sure. We can only look on in envy. I'm just sorry Hattons caused so much grief for so many by getting the quality control wrong on these. It's been painful for them as well so we're not likely to see a re-run any time soon. It they were to re-run with some assurances on quality I'll be first in line.
@@EuviRail Trust me all my 7 Hattons 66's wobble and I'll will be undertaking a program of using a 3.2mm drill to open up each of the bogie frame/AB holes and then glue the AB's back onto the axles, this will ensure smooth running which should have been out of the box.
I get not everyone will do that and nobody should but I purchased all my 66's for £119 or less, even got a mint Freightliner for £95 so I'm ok in doing the fix but the detail & everything else is simply superb.
I honestly think Hattons are gearing up for a 2nd run with those issues fixed and then they will be untouchable in regards to the Class 66.
Cheers Steve
@@sapphirejunction8993For that sort of money and given you've got 7 of them, a batch repair job isn't so bad and £95 was a steal. Best of look with the re-conditioning job. There's a nice reward at the end!