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Going backwards – the Hornby 52xx

Silver Sidelines

Entry posted by Silver Sidelines

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I recently acquired one of Hornby’s 52xx tank engines to add to my fleet of ex GWR heavy good engines.

 

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Hornby 52xx Going Backwards

 

It is a good looking engine with some very fine detail. It runs forwards and backwards very smoothly albeit at a prototypical slow speed. I had to take my glasses off to study the handrails round the bunker – and yes they are individual wires! I like the full set of brackets on the rear of the bunker visible when using the engine in reverse. However the footplate on my model is not completely straight – possibly like the prototype! The footplate appears to be locked to the bunker and side tanks by around eight plastic lugs – I can see me investigating further – but it all looks very delicate!

 

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Hornby 52xx Going Forwards

 

I do sometimes buy things on impulse. I had been impressed by the preproduction pictures of the model. However I did not keep up with more recent correspondence and it came as a surprise to me to find that the smokebox handles were moulded with the door, and that the buffers were not sprung.

 

For comparison I have pictured my new Hornby 52xx alongside some of my other ex GWR engines.

 

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Bachmann 22xx (ROD) versus Hornby 52xx

 

The Bachmann 22xx model dates back to Mainline times and I think I am correct when I say that even the latest DC ready variants still have the smokebox handles moulded integrally with the door. The detail on the 22xx is robust and the door handles appear to me to be over heavy.

 

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Bachmann 43xx (Split chassis model) versus Hornby 52xx

 

One of my all time favourite engines is the 43xx Class. Again the Bachmann model is getting to be dated. The lamp irons are robust but the door handles are quite realistic, the top one being a separate moulding to the bottom one, which is still integral with the door.

 

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Bachmann St Edmund’s Hall versus Hornby 52xx

 

The Bachmann model of St Edmund’s Hall is one of the newer models and continues to use a separate moulding for the top handle. The lamp irons might be regarded as over heavy?

 

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Hornby Derwent Grange versus Hornby 52xx

 

The Hornby Derwent Grange model is getting to be a little dated but its introduction seemed to me to mark the start of some very good super detailed models. The smoke box handles were a completely separate moulding which did on occasions ‘go walkabouts’. I did even wonder if the handles were too thin!

 

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Hornby 28xx versus Hornby 52xx

 

My personal view is that the Hornby 28xx model marks a high spot in both detail and performance. I think the smoke box handles and the lamp irons are all about perfect.

 

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Dapol County (with added detail) versus Hornby 52xx

 

Readers of this Blog will remember that I recently posted an item on fitting wire smokebox handles to the old Dapol County. (I also fitted lamp irons, sprung buffers, cab glazing and etched plates.) In the view above I think the improved Dapol model compares very well with the latest Hornby offering.

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Dapol County with added detail.

I have been most impressed with the Hornby 28xx model and I must admit to feeling slightly cheated with the 52xx. Hornby in my opinion have taken a step backwards with their detailing. We know that our chocolate bars and our biscuits are all getting smaller as the prices go up, so perhaps we should not be surprised that Hornby have started to back track on expensive detail. It is quite fun and cost effective to add detail to the old Airfix, Mainline and early Dapol models – like my Dapol County. However I am not so happy at the idea of purchasing sprung buffers and spending time on adding proper smokebox handles to a model costing around £100.

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paulprice

I'm not a 00 gauge modeller, but I have seen a couple of models recently where the N gauge version of the locomotive may be pretty close to having the same purchase cost of the 00 loco but in some areas detail that strangely seems more realistic?

 

As ever a good blog update, I love the Model v Model approach its certainly taking me back to some of the locos I had as a kid

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sequen_ra

In general terms I agree with you. Making savings with detail while asking a hundred pounds for a model seems quite contradictory, and difficult to accept. 

I was looking for a sample of this engine, but I'm looking for a slightly different version. This one has a "stepped" front, while there is another one with a gentle curve instead, very much like the 28xx. This is the one I'm looking for. I can't find it. Any help is welcome!

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buffalo

...However I did not keep up with more recent correspondence and it came as a surprise to me to find that the smokebox handles were moulded with the door, and that the buffers were not sprung...

 

You must have missed the extensive topics on the prototype, on the model (locked after it descended into Hornby bashing) and a later one on the model. Everything you need to know about the prototypes and the models, including most of their strengths and weaknesses are there.

 

... As far as I am aware the 2-8-0Ts and the 2-8-2Ts all had square framing - including those with raised framing over the cylinders...

No, 5275-94 were built with curved drops, and retained them when rebuilt as 7200-19. 7240-53 were rebuilt from earlier square drop types but fitted with the later curved type. 5255-64 were built in 1940 as replacement 2-8-0T re-using earlier numbers and were also of this form. Since then, several older square types were rebuilt with new curved drops. Of course, the full story is even more complex...

 

Nick

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Silver Sidelines

Hello Nick

 

I was aware that Andy had locked the topic down - but only after the event so to speak.

 

You must have missed the extensive topics ...........Of course, the full story is even more complex...

 

Nick

Thank you for adding some details about the different variants. My copy of Casserley and Asher is not entirely clear but does show a picture of 5263 in early BR livery with raised curved framing over the cylinders - suggesting that the 1940 built engines (5255 to 5264) with larger cylinders would all have to had raised framing. Do we know if Hornby are contemplating a BR livery version with raised curved framing - all the pictures I have seen show models with straight framing?

 

Regards

 

Ray

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buffalo

Hi Ray,

 

...Do we know if Hornby are contemplating a BR livery version with raised curved framing - all the pictures I have seen show models with straight framing?

 

Hornby have a version representing the 7200-19 batch with curved drops, but not, as yet, the 7240-53 batch. I thought there was a BR version of this but can only find the GWR pre-1934 livery on their web site. As 5275-94 were kept in storage between being built and being converted to 72XX, there would be no point in making them in unconverted form (unless there was a demand for modelling the Swindon stock shed). The only other possibility would be the new 1940 batch 5255-64.

 

btw. I meant to say that your head-to-head shots also show up very well the varying quality of representation of buffers, another can of worms because the 42XX could have had up to three different types during their lifetime. The representation on the current models doesn't really look like any of them!

 

Nick

,

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Silver Sidelines

Hello Nick

 

Thank you for your valuable input, you would seem to support my own investigations in that there is no BR liveried raised frame variant available as yet.

 

Regards

 

Ray

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gwrrob
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The thing that stands out for me is those hideous wheels on the Dapol County.Nothing finesse about those and not as easy to remedy as a smokebox door handle !

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Alan Higgi

Just use a black permanent marker on wheels/valve gear and handrails. Quicker than paint and ten times as resilient.

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Silver Sidelines

Alan

 

Thanks, excellent advice.

 

Just use a black permanent marker on wheels/valve gear and handrails. Quicker than paint and ten times as resilient.

 

I have just used a marker pen to remediate a damaged handrail on a 'new' engine.  I did have to search around the house for a suitable 'black' marker pen - some dry with a distinct red or blue sheen.

 

Regards

 

Ray

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